Maurer Parlor Model 489 (c. 1930)

Description

While it may have the name Maurer stamped on the interior, make no mistake - this gorgeous little 1930s parlor is a Larson Brothers product through and through. Built during the heyday of Chicago instrument manufacturing in the first half of the 20th century, the Maurer Model 489 was a student-grade instrument at the time, but classic American craftsmanship and nearly a century of playing in has made this diminutive six-string quite the instrument by modern standards. You'll be impressed by the guitar's highly responsive and clear low end with impressive volume, especially considering its small body size. The cuts of spruce and mahogany are about as open as tonewoods can be, and in combination with classic pre-war ladder bracing, the Model 489 packs quite a punch and some impressive immediacy. We love this guitar and know you will too.

This instrument has seen about the typical amount of playing wear and does show signs of damage and repairs consistent with most guitars approaching 100 years of age. Notably, both the bridge and fingerboard are non-original, with non-original inlays and bridge pins. There are a handful of cracks, including a soundhole crack, a crack brought on by bellying just above the bridge, two small cracks extending down from the bridge, and some separation along the back stripe. All have either been repaired or have been deemed stable by a professional luthier. Likewise, there is a fairly typical to above-typical amount of scuffing and playing wear on all planes of the instrument, and about the average amount of finish checking. Some significant wear appears just above the nut, likely as a result of the original nut being removed in a poor and unprofessional manner. The set up is playable, but there is some buzzing on the 1st and 2nd strings as you extend down the fingerboard to the 12th fret. We consider the instrument to be in good condition. As it has long since parted ways with its original case, it now comes with a Blue Heron gig bag, which fits it very well.