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1937 Epiphone Olympic Plectrum
Status: Pricing and hold status for all instruments currently available is shown on our Instruments page here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold, and is no longer available. Photos and descriptions of Previously Sold instruments may by found here. To be notified of examples of this model or similar instruments in the future, please contact [email protected],. Please be specific on which instrument(s) you're looking for, and we'll be happy to contact you as soon as they become available.
Serial #: 11534, New York Masterbilt label
Body size at lower bout: 15 1/2" Scale length: 27" Nut width: 1 1/8"
Finish: Original sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type
Materials: Hand carved solid spruce top; arched figured curly mahogany back and sides; one-piece mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; single-bound body, solid bone nut.
Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel trapeze tailpiece; nickel open back three-on-a-plate tuners with ivoroid buttons, original serial-numbered rosewood bridge matches guitar label. Vintage correct contoured bakelite pickguard.
Notes: Though we've received requests over the years for plectrum guitars, the extreme scarcity of these instruments has made them so rare that this little gem is only the first vintage plectrum archtop we've found since we opened the doors. Popularized by players like bandleader Eddie Condon, the plectrum guitar is usually tuned to C or D, G, B,D, and its longer scale also allows for tuning to the treble strings of a conventional guitar.
An original Epiphone Olympic from the NY factory, this guitar comes from a Northwest collection, and has been professionally played for many years. She has the long scale definitive of the instrument: at a full 27" in length, this plectrum neck is some four inches longer in scale than that found on typical tenor guitars.
Well played and well loved, this remarkable guitar shows typical playwear of a bandstand veteran, with pick wear concentrated near the bass fingerboard, a single soundly resealed crack at the bass soundhole, and some good honest thumbwear on the neck. Hardware is original, with the addition of a vintage correct bakelite pickguard from an original template, and a dusting of light overspray added here and there to preserve the original sunburst finish. Smooth low action over fine original frets, comfy neck profile, and a clear, brilliant acoustic voice with powerful volume and cutting power.
An exceptionally rare find from the heyday of the red hot plectrists. One only: call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted as required; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridgewheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge phosphor bronze strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Deluxe arched plush lined hardshell case.
