Oscar Schmidt Stella Standard Size c 1925 | SOLD | (v2146) This iteration of the Stella line appears in catalogs as early as 1912 and, as the plain-Jane model, had been offered into the 1930s. In the 1912 catalog is was listed as No. 193; by 1932 it appears as 496-T, with the price rising from $3.75 in 1912 to a whopping $7.00 bt 1932! Regardless of its nomenclature, this iteration served as the 'entry level' Stella guitar for two decades, and likely sold in the hundreds of thousands. They're a great find today, especially in this condition.
The back and sides are likely birch, but the earliest catalog describes it as "Maple, stained dark red". On this particular example the color is more fire-engine red and very attractive. The top is spruce with the only ornamentation a black-painted ring around the sound hole. The tailpiece is the typical stamped metal, combined with a black-painted 'floating' bridge (this one is glued to the top) with a fret wire saddle (now replaced with bone). The fingerboard is maple, painted black and sports two pearl position dots. The neck is mahogany-stained poplar and carved in more of a 'C'-shape than a 'V'. Stella is embossed into the front of the headstock. The tuners are original with only a hint of patina. The original wooden nut has been replaced with bone. The end pin is missing.
The body measures just under 13 1/2" wide across the lower bout. Scale length is 24 3/4". The neck measures 1 7/8" across at the nut, and string spacing is 2 1/4" across at the saddle. The top is ladder braced.
The guitar is crack free, and in excellent, original condition. We recently reset the neck, installed a bone saddle and nut, leveled and dressed the frets, a few spots along the back/sides jointure were glued, and two brace tips were re-glued. Action is set at 4&5/64".
The guitar plays smoothly, with a comfortable neck and low action.
Check out the sound clip!
The back and sides are likely birch, but the earliest catalog describes it as "Maple, stained dark red". On this particular example the color is more fire-engine red and very attractive. The top is spruce with the only ornamentation a black-painted ring around the sound hole. The tailpiece is the typical stamped metal, combined with a black-painted 'floating' bridge (this one is glued to the top) with a fret wire saddle (now replaced with bone). The fingerboard is maple, painted black and sports two pearl position dots. The neck is mahogany-stained poplar and carved in more of a 'C'-shape than a 'V'. Stella is embossed into the front of the headstock. The tuners are original with only a hint of patina. The original wooden nut has been replaced with bone. The end pin is missing.
The body measures just under 13 1/2" wide across the lower bout. Scale length is 24 3/4". The neck measures 1 7/8" across at the nut, and string spacing is 2 1/4" across at the saddle. The top is ladder braced.
The guitar is crack free, and in excellent, original condition. We recently reset the neck, installed a bone saddle and nut, leveled and dressed the frets, a few spots along the back/sides jointure were glued, and two brace tips were re-glued. Action is set at 4&5/64".
The guitar plays smoothly, with a comfortable neck and low action.
Check out the sound clip!