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1907 Brownson Jumbo Steel String! This is a 1907 Brownson 17” jumbo body mahogany and Sitka spruce steel string guitar with LOTS of pearl work, made in Toledo, Ohio. The 12 fret-neck is a 9-piece laminate of maple and walnut that has been cracked and repaired at the heel. The headstock is elaborately shaped and has non-original 1970’s vintage Schaller M6 tuners installed. There are pearl inlays at every fret position on the bound ebony fretboard. The bridge is a flat wing rectangle-style (also ebony) with inlays on the wings. There are three repaired top cracks and the top is ladder-braced and made without a bridge plate. There is a repaired back crack that shows some spotting in the finish. The guitar has had a recent refret. The abalone top border and rosette are made of triangles that are approximately 5/8” on the flats fitted together alternating pointing in and out. There are 4 layers of purfling inside the border and 3 outside with 2 layers of white binding on the edge. The back center seam has a Martin Style 28 (the 1947 narrow chain link-style) marquetry strip. It has a 1970-era hardshell case. This is an extremely rare piece, as not much history has survived about the Brownson instruments. It has a unique tone, both rich and vintage-sounding, like an oversized Kalamazoo. The measurements are unusual, and are as follows:
Scale: 25 3/16"
Nut width: 1 15/16"
String spacing at bridge: 2 1/2"
Upper bout: 12" (4 1/4" depth)
Lower bout: 17" (4 5/8" depth)
