Orpheum Symphonic Model 895E Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by United Guitars (1956)
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Orpheum Symphonic Model 895E Model Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by United Guitars (1956), made in Jersey City, NJ, sunburst finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
"Orpheum" is a name found on a number of varied 20th century fretted instruments, most famously very fine banjos made by Rettberg & Lange in the 1910s. By the 1940's this venerable brand belonged to jobber Maurice Lipsky of 30 Irving Place in Manhattan, used mostly for guitars. Lipsky sourced his wares from different suppliers including Kay and Gretsch but this 1950s Orpheum full-body archtop guitar was made by United Guitars in Jersey City.
The United name is mostly forgotten, but they produced solidly made fretted instruments from the early 1940s up into the '60s. The firm was operated by a group of Italian immigrants with deep roots in the New York music trade but like the Larson Brothers before them United’s obscurity lies with their brand rarely appearing on the products. For the most part, it was a wholesale operation, building for others to sell. United's better instruments are found marked Premier, Orpheum, Stewart Orthofonic, and other trade brands. Even John D’Angelico’s necks can be found attached to United-made bodies, but they are a special case.
Lipsky/Orpheum catalog models are solid but fairly generic guitars with typical United construction and fittings. This "Symphonic" model dates to around 1956; it is a full-sized 17" sunburst-finished archtop made of laminated maple with a mahogany neck with fairly plain trim. The design is quite Gibson-like overall, even down to the adjustable truss rod. The twin white-plastic covered Fransch pickups (made in Woodside NY and also used by Guild) are controlled by a master tone and volume knobs and a large "klunk" lever switch selecting either or both. This model was also offered with a single pickup, and/or in blonde finish.
The neck is round backed and of medium girth, topped with an unbound dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. An "Orpheum, New York" metal badge decorates the headstock, which mounts typical '50s Waverly openback tuners. United's celluloid plastic came from the same local suppliers as Guild, Gretsch, and D’Angelico so their guitars have often suffered binding deterioration; this one has been neatly rebound so that is no longer a concern. While a fairly plain guitar this is a good feeling and solidly made instrument, a really cool budget full-size archtop and a nice piece of New York area guitar history.
Overall length is 41 1/2 in. (105.4 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This old NY-made archtop is a good player, and remains nearly all original with some restoration. As is typical with many New York made guitars from this period, the binding on the body has been completely replaced. This is a well done job which feels and looks correct but there are many small checks to the lamination all around the edge of the body as a result of the original celluloid deterioration. There is touchup on some edge spots but beyond this the finish is original showing dings, dents and scrapes scattered around but no really heavy wear. The neck has been reset and the angle is good.
All the hardware is original except for a nicely done repro pickguard. The original small frets have some wear bit still play well, and this is a neat old archtop with a funky vibe and a cool sound. It resides in one of the weirdest cases we have had, the unlined shell of an old 1968-era Ess & Ess deluxe case. This appears to have never been finished out (there are pieces of newspaper from 1968 in spots, but no glue residue at all) but how it got out of the factory and came to house this guitar is a mystery! Very Good + Condition.
"Orpheum" is a name found on a number of varied 20th century fretted instruments, most famously very fine banjos made by Rettberg & Lange in the 1910s. By the 1940's this venerable brand belonged to jobber Maurice Lipsky of 30 Irving Place in Manhattan, used mostly for guitars. Lipsky sourced his wares from different suppliers including Kay and Gretsch but this 1950s Orpheum full-body archtop guitar was made by United Guitars in Jersey City.
The United name is mostly forgotten, but they produced solidly made fretted instruments from the early 1940s up into the '60s. The firm was operated by a group of Italian immigrants with deep roots in the New York music trade but like the Larson Brothers before them United’s obscurity lies with their brand rarely appearing on the products. For the most part, it was a wholesale operation, building for others to sell. United's better instruments are found marked Premier, Orpheum, Stewart Orthofonic, and other trade brands. Even John D’Angelico’s necks can be found attached to United-made bodies, but they are a special case.
Lipsky/Orpheum catalog models are solid but fairly generic guitars with typical United construction and fittings. This "Symphonic" model dates to around 1956; it is a full-sized 17" sunburst-finished archtop made of laminated maple with a mahogany neck with fairly plain trim. The design is quite Gibson-like overall, even down to the adjustable truss rod. The twin white-plastic covered Fransch pickups (made in Woodside NY and also used by Guild) are controlled by a master tone and volume knobs and a large "klunk" lever switch selecting either or both. This model was also offered with a single pickup, and/or in blonde finish.
The neck is round backed and of medium girth, topped with an unbound dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. An "Orpheum, New York" metal badge decorates the headstock, which mounts typical '50s Waverly openback tuners. United's celluloid plastic came from the same local suppliers as Guild, Gretsch, and D’Angelico so their guitars have often suffered binding deterioration; this one has been neatly rebound so that is no longer a concern. While a fairly plain guitar this is a good feeling and solidly made instrument, a really cool budget full-size archtop and a nice piece of New York area guitar history.
Overall length is 41 1/2 in. (105.4 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This old NY-made archtop is a good player, and remains nearly all original with some restoration. As is typical with many New York made guitars from this period, the binding on the body has been completely replaced. This is a well done job which feels and looks correct but there are many small checks to the lamination all around the edge of the body as a result of the original celluloid deterioration. There is touchup on some edge spots but beyond this the finish is original showing dings, dents and scrapes scattered around but no really heavy wear. The neck has been reset and the angle is good.
All the hardware is original except for a nicely done repro pickguard. The original small frets have some wear bit still play well, and this is a neat old archtop with a funky vibe and a cool sound. It resides in one of the weirdest cases we have had, the unlined shell of an old 1968-era Ess & Ess deluxe case. This appears to have never been finished out (there are pieces of newspaper from 1968 in spots, but no glue residue at all) but how it got out of the factory and came to house this guitar is a mystery! Very Good + Condition.