Levin 335 M2 Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1962

The Levin 335 M2 was a very popular guitar in Europe, featuring a carved Spruce top, arched Maple back and a pair of deArmond DynaSonic Pickups – just one on the M1 model. Levin also offered the 335 as a fully acoustic model.

Levin Instruments was founded in 1900 by Herman Carlson Levin. Levin was born in Sweden, apprenticed with a furniture maker and moved to the United States in 1887. After some carpentry work, he found a position in a guitar factory in 1888 but after three years started an independent company in New York City. On a trip home to Sweden, he saw an opportunity for his skills and opened a new shop in Gothenburg. Demand was strong and within three years they had produced one thousand instruments. Ultimately, they would make half a million before the company closed in 1973. In North America, they are best known for the Goya name; the American distributor didn’t feel that the name ‘Levin’ would work as well. Herman Carlson Levin died in 1948.

Here we’re looking at a Levin 335 M2 dating to 1962 and built at the Levin shops in Gothenburg, Sweden. It features a carved Spruce top, an arched and braced Maple back with Maple sides. The neck appears to be Cedro (as used on many Spanish built guitars) or Mahogany, with a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard bearing Mother of Pearl dot position markers. The bridge and head plate are Ebony. At some point, the neck was reset. There is a long-ago repaired crack in the top, from the treble end of the bridge to the tail block.  One tuner button has been replaced.   Inside the bass F hole, the label reads Herman Carlson Levin, Model 335, Gothenburg Sweden.

This interesting guitar plays well, and has a good sound. The deArmond DynaSonic pickups were used on many higher end guitars, particularly by Guild and by Gretsch until 1958, when the Filter ‘Tron was introduced.

A Guardian hard shell case is included.