Chicago

Lyon & Healy 5 String Banjo, c. 1895

On February 22, 2021 /

Here is a lovely example of a turn of the century Lyon & Healy 5 String banjo, built circa 1895. Though there is no stamping on the dowel stick or label, it has the signature L&H shaped peghead and the lovely L&H Patent tailpiece which confirms the origin. The Lyon & Healy firm grew out of an effort by Oliver Ditson – beginning in 1864 – to expand his wholesale musical instrument business into the US Midwest, with a facility in Chicago run by George Washburn Lyon and Patrick J. Healy.

Vintage

Price: $549.00 CAD

❌SOLD❌ Matthew Woodall Archtop Guitar, 1999

On August 6, 2020 /

This Matthew Woodall Archtop uses a fairly traditional cutaway design, with a 17 inch wide body. The top is solid carved Spruce with bound F-holes, and the back is carved, bookmatched Spalted Maple. The sides and neck are also Maple and the body is bound with a faux-tortoise layer. The fingerboard, bridge and tailpiece are Ebony.

Used

Price: $1,950.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black 1964

On July 8, 2020 /

Here is a rarity, an Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black dating to 1964, a short scale bass regarded by some as one of the best recording basses ever made. The Airline Pocket Bass was built from 1962 to 1968 at the Valco shops in Chicago, Illinois, along with other Valco brands including National and Supro. Valco also branded their instruments for other companies, many of which were distributors or catalog retailers like Montgomery-Ward and Sears Roebuck. Valco amplifier production followed the same pattern but their customers included established builders like Harmony, Gretsch and Kay.

Vintage

Price: $1,500.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

SS Stewart Model 4024 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1930s

On June 3, 2020 /

Here’s a lovely piece – from the early 1930’s, an SS Stewart Model 4024 archtop guitar, built by either Regal or Harmony and sold through Buegeleisen and Jacobson, owners of the Stewart brand. The SS Stewart company, named for Samuel Swain Stewart was a major producer of banjos between 1878 and 1904, and was bought by B&J (Buegeleisen and Jacobson) a few years after Stewart’s death. Over the years, B&J shifted to producing mostly guitars with the brand, had many companies build the actual instruments including Chicago Musical Instruments, who also built Harmony, Kay, and Silvertone brands.

Vintage

Price: $1,499.99 CAD

❌SOLD❌ Royal Aire by National Solidbody Electric Guitar Sunburst, 1951

On May 11, 2020 /

Here is a rarity – a Royal Aire by National solid body electric guitar, dating to 1951 and one of the earliest production electrics for National and its parent Valco. Clearly a National model given its construction and components, Royal Aire branded instruments are few and far between. Around 1947, Valco contracted with Gibson to produce some Royal Aire flat top acoustics, based on the LG-3. Here, Valco / National used a National neck with its shield logo plate engraved to read Royal Aire.

Vintage

Price: $1,299.99 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌National Model 1008 Console 8 String Steel White, 1961

On April 14, 2020 /

From the early 1930s until the rise of Rock ‘n Roll, steel guitars like this National Model 1008 Console 8 were very popular, and for novice players, often their first instrument. In fact, the very first production electric guitars were Electric Hawaiian steel models, and the first of those was almost certainly the 1932 Ro-Pat-In Steel. Ro-Pat-In quickly improved their name to ‘Rickenbacher’ and soon also introduced the very rare 1935 ‘Ken Roberts’ guitar, arguably the first production Electric Spanish style guitar. Rickenbacker at this time was also building metal parts for both National and DoBro.

Vintage

Price: $650.00 CAD

This instrument has sold