New old Guitar, actually kind of a "project"

bea

bea

AmBASSador of the F Clef
Country flag
This lady arrived today. Built August 11966, according to the stamp. Made by Luthier Josef Sandner from Nauheim, Germany (the Luthier who made the "Elvis Guitar" when he was in Germany). An entry level model, quite visible even on the photo (no binding on the back). Except for new tuners and two minor scratches almost mint condition.

Isana_3.jpeg

strung with heavy bronce wounds (.015-,056) which were a bit too heavy for the top; it did already sound a bit compressed, but not much.
But i wanted to know how she sounds when i tune it down. And those strings are perfect for such experiments.

Well, it turns out that this lady sounds great tuned ADGCEA, one fifth (!) lower than standard.

Encouraging, because i would like to give her thick strings and tune her E-E, like a Bass 6.
 
That looks like a gorgeous and unique guitar.

I'm looking forward to the results of your experimentation.
 
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Sargeant Preston said:
Great looking guitar. Love the pick guard.
Can't say I've ever seen a split headstock design like that though. Very cool!
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Hey Sarge, good to have you here.
The split head stock can be found on Kramer and Valeno guitars.
The old Kramers with aluminum necks, they started building them after Travis Bean passed away.
 
Well, that headstock is not at all split. That's simply a pattern of black an structured perloid.

The project has developed in an originally unexpected way: i strung my other Isana, made by the same luthier, in low E-E and kept the new one in A-A baritone tuning.

Sorgenkind_mit_Bassaiten.jpg.jpeg

The reason was very simple: the tailpiece of the red one and its construction (hidden slots instead of holes) was wide enough for the thick strings, also most slots in the nut; i had to widen just two of them a bit.

BTW: those guitars are very similar: the body contours are identical aside from the cutaway region. The red guitar is a bit thicker; the neck profiles are the same. No truss rod necessary. Both instruments have laminated tops.

The brown one must be the entry level model Josef Sandner made through the 60s. Mine is from 1966 (date stamp in the body). The red one is a re-issue of his "Elvis-Model" -- the guitar Elvis bought during his militarey service in Germany -- but also with a laminated top. A bit more decorated (bindings, headstock), but technically really close to the brown one.
The sticker on the top as well as a label on the back of the headstock point to a guitar dealer which existed from 1969 to 1984 - that guitar must belong to a batch of guitars Mr. Sandner made for this dealer. As Mr. Sandner suffered a stroke in 1974 and died two years later that's an instrument from the early 70s, the time i came to guitar playing.
 
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