The best estimation I have on the date of this guitar is somewhere in the 1840's (based on the information given to me by he luthier I purchased it from). It's amazing to think that this beautiful instrument was made by hand in a shop somewhere in Europe that likely didn't have electric light, much less power tools. 180 years ago! Before the Civil War in the United States! I just love the one-piece flamed maple back and the elaborate multi-layered rosette and binding!
This guitar was in bad shape when it arrived at my shop (see last photo). I removed the back and fixed all the loose braces inside the guitar. I replaced the neck with a modern neck that has a a two-way adjustable truss rod. I will ship the guitar with the original neck in case you ever want to restore it to its original state. . .or just keep it as a souvenir. The top had a few cracks that have been repaired. You can see those repairs in the photos. Other repairs were made along the way (binding, etc.).
I removed the finish on that was on the guitar because it was really rough and not the guitar's original finish. I refinished it with several coats of hand-rubbed shellac and finish coat of luthier's wax. The result is a really nice, matte finish with a vintage feel.
The tone of this guitar is warm and full with a mid-range focus. It is a parlor guitar with a small, thin body but it is still rich and full of character. It sounds like a really old guitar. . .in the best way! Thanks to the modern neck, the action is very comfortable and easy to adjust to suit your playing style.
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 180 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.