What is your oldest vintage guitar?

[onewilyfool]

Stradivari family also made guitars, though in much smaller number, which makes surviving examples even rarer than their counterparts. According to ForgottenGuitar.com, the Stradivari family “produced over 1,000 instruments, of which 960 were violins.” Yet, “a small number of guitars were also crafted, and as of today only one remains playable.”

 

This is that guitar, one of just five surviving examples of guitars made by Antonio Stradivari.

 

In the clip below, baroque concert guitarist Rolf Lislevand plays Santiago de Murcia’s “Tarantela” on the world’s last playable Stradivarius guitar. Named “the Sabionari,” it was made in 1679 and has been restored by luthiers Daniel Sinier, Francoise de Ridder and Lorenzo Frignani.

 

[sparquelito]

Priceless!!

 

[fortyearspickn]

Wowsers. The guitar is, of course, beyond description. But paired with that song/artist ! Thanks!

[Murph]

and as of today only one remains playable.

 

Guess they weren't so good after all..........

 

[Buc McMaster]

Yeah.......sounds kind of thin as well.......no bottom in it.......maybe sounds better flat picked......

 

I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Quite a find! Nearly 350 year old guitar......wow. Perhaps our current lot of Gibsons will make it that far into the future.....?

[tpbiii]

We have three from the 1890s.

 

Almcrantz 1895

 

1895 Washburn "NEW MODEL" -- everything is relative

 

 

Martin 1-26 1893

 

The oldest Gibson guitar is this guy -- 1913

 

 

Best,

 

-Tom

[Joe M]

Amazing, just amazing. Is there any way to put a value on that guitar? Seems like priceless would be the best description.

[Frances50]

I have a c.1870 0-28 Martin. I am amazed at how light these old guitar are. Amazing that some of these guitars have survived.

[ksdaddy]

I had one that was made in Germany between 1850 and 1875. I owned it for a few years but let it go. I think the oldest one I have now is an unlabeled one from 1900-1910. People have told me it's an Oscar Schmidt but again, no label or stamps.

 

Well, except for the stamp on the inside that says "C.F. Martin & Co., New York" but that's b.s.

 

[zombywoof]

First, I love it when you drop by Mr. Fool. My oldest guitar dates from the early 1930s. These days I really have no interest in going earlier than something built in the late-1920s (although that does not hold for mandolins and fiddles). They are beautiful instruments but while I can appreciate those going back to the dawn of time, I do not want "museum pieces" and need a guitar that can take a licking and keep on ticking.

[Dave F]

I've had a Regal and Oahu from the 20's that I gave away, a couple Gibson's from the early 50's that I sold.

 

This is the only old thing I currently have. Late 20's.

 

 

 

 

[MissouriPicker]

I've got a 1941 Regal squareneck and a 1942 Oahu. Both are parlor size and neither have the volume of the guitar in the video. I've always thought it was pretty amazing how much volume they got out of the instruments from hundreds of years ago. Of course, there were no Marshall speakers or Yamaha mixers available and the instruments had to have a strong tone/volume/sustain if they were to be heard........I'm not crazy about the tone of the video guitar, but it was made to make sounds that are different from what we usually hear today. Absolutely no thump in the bass from what I've heard. If I owned such a guitar, it would be foolish (in my view) to not sell it. I imagine it's worth a small fortune.

[Jayyj]

This is my oldest, a Romantic era classical made in Bavaria or Austria around the 1860s. Brazilian rosewood veneered onto spruce for the back and sides, and a very early X brace wish is nothing like a Martin X. It sounds beautiful, not particularly loud but very sweet.

 

 

My oldest Gibson guitars are from 1926 and 1929 respectively, although I also have a mandolin from 1911.

 

 

[CAMELEYE]

I've had since 1969 a turn of the century Bruno parlor. Also oicked up a couple years ago a 1903 Martin 0-28.

Both very exceptional guitars.

[OldCowboy]

All parlor models to which I should give more attention, the oldest of which is a mid-1890's Washburn. Then, in order of age, a Stella from the 1920's, an Oahu from the late 1930's, an early 1940's Supertone Gene Autry, a late 1940's Gene Autry, an early 1950's Regal, and a couple more of which manufacture I'm not yet certain which date from the 1920/1930's.

[duluthdan]

My father (99) bought this little ladder braced beauty in 1933 for $4. In a Jewelry store in Michigan. A few years ago I had a wizard of a luthier repair the holes, cracks and gaps, with the following instructions; Make it playable, and don't disturb that string. Have no idea what this is. The rosette is painted on with grey and black paint, as is / was the "binding". Its a wall hangar now - he just gave it to me a day ago. Said that back in the day, this was the only way he could talk to girls on the beach. He knows 3 chords - G-C-D.

[OldCowboy]

My father (99) bought this little ladder braced beauty in 1933 for $4. In a Jewelry store in Michigan. A few years ago I had a wizard of a luthier repair the holes, cracks and gaps, with the following instructions; Make it playable, and don't disturb that string. Have no idea what this is. The rosette is painted on with grey and black paint, as is / was the "binding". Its a wall hangar now - he just gave it to me a day ago. Said that back in the day, this was the only way he could talk to girls on the beach. He knows 3 chords - G-C-D.

Bless his heart! Apparently, using guitars to attract women is a time-honored practice. Cherish that little guitar, my friend!

[duluthdan]

Bless his heart! Apparently, using guitars to attract women is a time-honored practice. Cherish that little guitar, my friend!

It almost sounds like a banjo. And yes, this is a precious object.

[QuestionMark]

Oldest I have is a 1936 Epiphone Zenith. Also, an early 30's Kay Kraft. From there it jumps to a 1956 Epipjone FT79, then a 1965 Gibson LG1, 1965 Gibson 125TC, and a 1965 Epiphone

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[QuestionMark]

Oldest I have is a 1936 Epiphone Zenith. Also, an early 30's Kay Kraft. From there it jumps to a 1956 Epipjone FT79, then a 1965 Gibson LG1, 1965 Gibson 125TC, and a 1965 Epiphone

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[MissouriPicker]

Ladies like guitar players. Good story, Dan. God bless your daddy.

[weekendstate]

Wont be the oldest on here by a long shot but I have a 1954 J160e which was first year of production and the only year these came with a solid top.

 

[RichG]

1939 J-55

 

A youngster among the others on this thread

 

Rich

[baconandcoffee]

My oldest is what seems to be a 1933 mandolin, followed by two archtops, a 34 L-50 and a 37 Martin R-17. They're players, not collectors, and wide open. For country blues, rags, and swing, nothing beats 'em.

 

RC

[kidblast]

this is still but a baby in comparison, so not sure it counts for this post, but this is my oldest instrument.

 

a 1978 Yari Dy74 (I think they dubbed these Snowflake due to the neck inlay.) I picked it up when it was about 10 years old. it had seen better days by then, and it literally REEKED of stale cigarette smoke. The case was a total loss, I had to toss it.

 

It's a good player, and sounds like a dread should. I've had a few frets replaced, and redressed, put a new nut on it a few years ago, had to change the piezo a few times and I think it's gone thru two sets of grovers since I acquired it.