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NEW LISTING - SOLD QUICKLY!
Update - SOLD! - to Dobro-player buyer who travelled down from Manchester area, tried this and the Oahu square-neck and, saying quickly he would be buying one or the other, clearly a close decision, bought this one!
Feedback"...."The Bronson is really sweet and gained many admirers when played over the Sorefingers picking weekend. I liberally put your name out there!.....it’s a guitar-for-life....A great pleasure doing business with you.....I hope our paths cross again but in the meantime best regards....The buying process was a pleasure and I just wish time permitted to take a look at your workshop and discuss your excellent work and hobby in more detail!
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An offshoot of the Oahu Publishing Company, the Bronson brand was created after a parting of ways of Oahu's two founders. Both companies offered instruments built by one of the larger Chicago instrument manufacturers, and many of these guitars were square-necked.
Following the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, Hawaiian music became very fashionable in the United States, leading to two predominant Hawaiian-music correspondence schools in the '20s and '30s: Oahu and Bronson. Oahu's headquarters were in Cleveland, Ohio, while Bronson's office was in Detroit, Michigan. Each company sold lessons by mail and had its own line of guitars...both branded square-neck guitars are now rare!
Stock Number: VTG1538.
With it's distinctive Art Deco style, grained body finish, I have only ever seen one other example of this actual Bronson model, which was for sale some time ago by a dealer in the USA....a rare guitar!
As mentioned, both Bronson & Oahu guitars were made for the respective companies by one of the main guitar making companies of the period. Although the Bronson company address was in Detroit, most likely the guitars were produced by one of the manufacturers based in Chicago, possibly Kay or Regal...no certainty on that as many makers, all making similar guitars at the time, using the same parts, making guitars for each other....and nobody taking notes!
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**** DIMENSIONS ****
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Sometimes these guitars are mistakenly described as three-quarter size - I have in stock 3/4 size versions of Harmony & Stella models, which is much smaller, than this full size parlor model:-
Overall length - 37"/94cm. : Body Width, lower bout - 12 7/8"/32.7cm., upper bout - 9"/22.9cm. : Body Length - 17 7/8"/45.4cm. : Body Depth, front - 3"/7.6cm., rear - 3 3/4"/9.5cm. : Nut Width - 1 11/16"/42.9mm. : Scale Length - 24 1/8"/613mm.
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Really excellent restored condition, with really as near completely intact original finish as you will ever find on a guitar that is over 80 years old. Small patch of honest wear to the top, very little else, even to the painted top seam "binding", and if I say so myself, one of the very neatest back re-fixing jobs we have ever achieved!
The extent of the remedial work required for full restoration of the guitar was assessed jointly with the highly experienced professional luthier, repairer and guitar maker that I work with, after detailed examination, and major works were completed in his workshop, with other work undertaken in my own workshop, but all under his supervision.
The only alteration from the original is replacement cream buttons on the tuning machines! Scalloped end, three-on-a-plate, Tuning machines are stamped Kluson Mfg. Co. Chicago Ill. & Pat. ???.....some age-related discolouration as to be expected, but operate fine. These are mounted on the open/slotted headstock, bearing the "BRONSON Music & Sales Corporation DETROIT, MICH." name logo, in really good shape.
The back of the body was carefully removed, and re-glued/clamped, following examination and securing all braces, linings, bridge patch and bridge.
Original Fretwire saddle bridge is securely fitted, glued and with original factory fitted bridge bolts, and original wooden bridge pins. This combined with raised bone nut give Dobro-type Lap-slide string height, over originally grained finish fingerboard in superb condition, with three inlay dot position markers, and original brass frets, cleaned and again in perfect order.
Lap-Slide set-up - String height @ 1st. fret is 9mm., @ 12th. fret is 11mm.
Eagle Puretone Nickel Resophonic Slide Guitar Strings, 13-56 gauge.
There is no case included with the guitar. I may have a period (more like '50s/'60s, than '30s!) pressed fibreboard case to fit, but old cases of this type, are not generally very robust or well-fitting. However, if you would be looking for a hardshell case, offering better protection, I may have a virtually unused Hiscox Liteflite case to fit at modest additional cost.
