This is a Bay State Style E parlor guitar from the 1890's. Bay State was founded in 1865 in Boston, Massachusetts by John C. Haynes. They were known for high quality instruments using premium tone woods. This guitar is no exception. The old growth Brazilian Rosewood back and sides are stunning. The top is likely Adirondack Spruce.
This guitar arrived at my shop in really rough condition. There were lots of really bad repairs that had been made to this 130 year old instrument. The top had two big cracks that had been roughly glued together with some really funky grey/black glue. The repairs were strong but ugly. I removed the top and slowly removed all the funky old patches and cleats and glued it back together using appropriate wood glue.
I re-glued all the loose back braces and removed the existing ladder braces from the top. I re-braced the top in a modern scalloped X-brace pattern and installed a new neck block. To give it a new chance in the modern era of steel strings, I gave it a new neck with modern tuners and a truss rod. I'll include the original neck and tuners in case you ever want to restore it to its original state.
I'll always try to keep an original finish on a guitar if I can but the smeared glue from the old repairs were just too ugly to keep. I sanded off most of the smeared glue and old finish, leaving just enough of its scars to honor its history. I refinished the top, back and sides with several layers of hand-rubbed shellac and a coat of luthiers wax. The current matte finish feels natural and gives is a nice vintage feel.
The tone on this little instrument is fantastic. It's a small instrument so the amount of bass it can produce is naturally limited by it's geometry but it is really stunning how warm it is for its size. There's nothing like the sound of really old Brazilian Rosewood and spruce! This humble little instrument definitely pushes above its weight. Lots of vintage character!
This is a very old guitar. I've fixed it up the best I can and feel that it is in very good playing condition. I expect it to last another 130 years if it's cared for. That said, it's a funky old, handmade guitar. There are plenty of imperfections from the original maker and the repairs I and other luthiers have made along the way. Price includes shipping in the continental United States. Sorry, but I can't ship this internationally.