1930 Oscar Schmidt Hawaiian Scene Black/White
Description
Oscar Schmidt UAC Hawaiian c 1935 | $600 | (v2315) The Hawaiian music craze in America had wide-ranging ripple effects in the first part of the 20th century, and this Schmidt-made guitar is a direct result of that craze. Schmidt, among others, marketed guitars made from koa, often with Hawaiian themed labels, created the First Hawaiian Conservatory of Music to sell Hawaiian music and guitars, ...and who hasn't found an old nut-raiser in the accessories box of an old guitar case?
By the mid to late twenties, many makers were offering stenciled guitars with painted Hawaiian motifs. This example was part of the Schmidt line up likely in the early 1930's. These Hawaiian stenciled Schmidt guitars are a little tricky to date since we've not seen them in any known catalog offerings or ads.
We've seen this scene in three different color schemes: yellow/brown, blue/white and black/white, which we think is the snappiest of the three. Overall, very cool guitars, and actually a bit rare, too. The body, ladder braced, is made from slab-sawn birch, and painted in the black and white scheme, with white-painted binding. The neck appears to be basswood, and also painted black. The fingerboard appears to be the typical ebonized maple and features four white position markers. UAC (United Artist Conservatory) is embossed in silver on the head stock, which was another 'brand' offered by the venerable Schmidt factory to network its guitars nation wide. This tail piece set up features the typical 'floating' bridge seen on many OS guitars, with a bone saddle to replace the original fretwire. A white pick guard is secured to the top by three screws.
The body measures 13 3/8" across the lower bout (concert size) and scale length is a hair under 24 7/8"" (short scale). The neck measures 1 7/8" across at the nut and string spacing is 2 1/16" across at the saddle. Action is set at 5/64".
This example features its original components but for the replace saddle. The back appears to have been off at some point for some unknown reason (maybe to reset the neck?). There are no cracks. We recently glued a few open seam along the back/side, cleaned up the edges, reset the neck, leveled and dressed the frets and cleaned and lubed the tuners. This guitar appears to have been set up for Hawaiian slide playing so consequently the frets are in excellent condition, and the fingerboard shows no wear. The finish is original and shows many nicks and dings from use and time but overall, a nice looking guitar.
Like most of the birch-bodied Schmidt guitars, tone has the ladder-braced mid-range that you want, with a bit of boxiness, and mellow resonance from the bass .. really fun guitar for fingerpicking rag time and old time music, and would hold up well comping chords in a small combo.
Be advised that we currently have TWO identical guitars like this, so refer to inventory # v2315
This guitar currently has no case.
By the mid to late twenties, many makers were offering stenciled guitars with painted Hawaiian motifs. This example was part of the Schmidt line up likely in the early 1930's. These Hawaiian stenciled Schmidt guitars are a little tricky to date since we've not seen them in any known catalog offerings or ads.
We've seen this scene in three different color schemes: yellow/brown, blue/white and black/white, which we think is the snappiest of the three. Overall, very cool guitars, and actually a bit rare, too. The body, ladder braced, is made from slab-sawn birch, and painted in the black and white scheme, with white-painted binding. The neck appears to be basswood, and also painted black. The fingerboard appears to be the typical ebonized maple and features four white position markers. UAC (United Artist Conservatory) is embossed in silver on the head stock, which was another 'brand' offered by the venerable Schmidt factory to network its guitars nation wide. This tail piece set up features the typical 'floating' bridge seen on many OS guitars, with a bone saddle to replace the original fretwire. A white pick guard is secured to the top by three screws.
The body measures 13 3/8" across the lower bout (concert size) and scale length is a hair under 24 7/8"" (short scale). The neck measures 1 7/8" across at the nut and string spacing is 2 1/16" across at the saddle. Action is set at 5/64".
This example features its original components but for the replace saddle. The back appears to have been off at some point for some unknown reason (maybe to reset the neck?). There are no cracks. We recently glued a few open seam along the back/side, cleaned up the edges, reset the neck, leveled and dressed the frets and cleaned and lubed the tuners. This guitar appears to have been set up for Hawaiian slide playing so consequently the frets are in excellent condition, and the fingerboard shows no wear. The finish is original and shows many nicks and dings from use and time but overall, a nice looking guitar.
Like most of the birch-bodied Schmidt guitars, tone has the ladder-braced mid-range that you want, with a bit of boxiness, and mellow resonance from the bass .. really fun guitar for fingerpicking rag time and old time music, and would hold up well comping chords in a small combo.
Be advised that we currently have TWO identical guitars like this, so refer to inventory # v2315
This guitar currently has no case.