Oscar Schmidt 'Stella' c 1920 | SOLD | (v2147) The Oscar Schmidt factory produced so many variations of guitars over about a thirty-five year span that it's sometimes difficult to ascribe a model and a date. This example is a 'typical' offering, on the lower end of the offerings, but not the lowest, and looks like a model No. 214 that appeared in the 1912-13 C. Bruno & Son catalog. (Schmidt made many guitars with the Bruno label, our example happens to have the yellow Stella label.) The guitar exhibits some construction features that support a fairly early date: the early yellow Stella label; the 'sharper' carve to the braces and heel; the figured oak back and sides; the 'press-on gear' tuners; and finally, the 1912 catalog description: Standard size, oak, selected figure wood (sic), highly polished, inlaid edges and sound hole. Top edge celluloid bound. Strip in back. Cherry neck. Ebonized fingerboard. Position dots, metal tailpiece.....each $7.00.
In addition to the above catalog description, the top is spruce with wide grain. The inlaid edges and sound hole are inlaid rings of red/black/white purfling. The strip in back is a colorful strip of decalcomania. The guitar is in 100% original condition right down to the nut and end pin (we did, however, replace the fret wire saddle with bone).
This standard-size Stella measures 13 7/16" across at the lower bout. Scale length is 25". The fingerboard measures a hair over 1 3/4" at the nut, and string spacing is 2" across at the saddle.
Old repairs include a few re-glued braces; glued side crack on the bass side; some sections of the fingerboard re-glued. We recently cleated the side crack; reset the neck; leveled and dressed the frets, and ran some glue into a grain seam in the bridge plate. This guitar was never a closet queen, and based on its wear and tear, it was llikely played a lot. The finish is original, and shows some wear and 'alligator' wrinkle, which we see quite a bit on these. The action is set at a smooth 4 & 5/64".
The tailpiece/oak combination produces a slightly different sound compared to the pin bridge/birch Stellas. Not quite as punchy as the birch/pin bridge variety, but not whimpy, either. The guitar has good sustain and definition of notes with a tad bit of echo-y overtones from the bridge/tailpiece combo .. unique for sure! Great little blues machine.
No case, but we can supply a new hard case at our cost.
Check out the sound clip
In addition to the above catalog description, the top is spruce with wide grain. The inlaid edges and sound hole are inlaid rings of red/black/white purfling. The strip in back is a colorful strip of decalcomania. The guitar is in 100% original condition right down to the nut and end pin (we did, however, replace the fret wire saddle with bone).
This standard-size Stella measures 13 7/16" across at the lower bout. Scale length is 25". The fingerboard measures a hair over 1 3/4" at the nut, and string spacing is 2" across at the saddle.
Old repairs include a few re-glued braces; glued side crack on the bass side; some sections of the fingerboard re-glued. We recently cleated the side crack; reset the neck; leveled and dressed the frets, and ran some glue into a grain seam in the bridge plate. This guitar was never a closet queen, and based on its wear and tear, it was llikely played a lot. The finish is original, and shows some wear and 'alligator' wrinkle, which we see quite a bit on these. The action is set at a smooth 4 & 5/64".
The tailpiece/oak combination produces a slightly different sound compared to the pin bridge/birch Stellas. Not quite as punchy as the birch/pin bridge variety, but not whimpy, either. The guitar has good sustain and definition of notes with a tad bit of echo-y overtones from the bridge/tailpiece combo .. unique for sure! Great little blues machine.
No case, but we can supply a new hard case at our cost.
Check out the sound clip