S.S. Stewart Model 1286 Arch Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Harmony , c. 1938
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Item # 12252
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S.S. Stewart Model 1286 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Harmony, c. 1938, made in Chicago, sunburst finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
The S.S. Stewart name has bounced around quite a bit over the last 140 years. It originally belonged to one of the 19th century's most celebrated banjo makers, then became a generic marque that passed to others after his death. In the 1920s and '30s it belonged to New York wholesaler Bugeleisen & Jacobson, used as their top-line brand for the highest quality in-house product they offered. B & J had "Stewarts" made for them by a number of different firms, including, for a brief period, Gibson.
This flashy Stewart-branded guitar is a product of Harmony in Chicago, similar to their own Cremona models of the later 1930s. It is a good-playing and sounding pre-war "Store Brand" archtop, and flashier than many! The F-hole top is not carved but is a solid spruce sheet pressed into shape over the bracing, and the guitar actually has quite a lively sound.
The sunburst finish is subtle and dark, fairly classy looking for Harmony and there is even a bit of genuine (not faux) "tiger maple" grain on the back. The top and back are 5-ply Celluloid bound, the dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard is single bound. The 25" scale neck is poplar with a soft "V" profile slimmer than some of the period and there is an unusual banjo-style volute down by the nut. The most striking feature is the boldly engraved and painted Pearloid headstock, which shades into Bacon & Day territory! As a bonus someone carefully made a matching pickguard that while not original adds a superb dramatic flair!
This guitar has had a number of well-done repairs and is a real survivor, in spite of it all a better player than many from this period. The sound is warmer and deeper than most pressed-top archtops and the instrument feels more like a quality instrument than many of these 1930s budget F-hole guitars. While unlikely to replace anyone's D'Angelico, this is a very plated-in good quality "knock-around" pre-WWII archtop guitar with a cool vibe.
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 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 interesting and attractive Stewart branded Harmony has been well used, with some noticeable repairs including some heavy sealed cracks to the top. It looks like it was someone's gigging guitar for some time "back in the day". The finish is fairly well-worn overall, with the back of the neck down to the bare wood over much of its length and numerous dings, dents, scratches and rubbed away spots to the body. There is a deep spot worn into the wood off the bottom edge of the pickguard and it looks like the initials "F.C." scratched into the finish below it.
There are a number of repaired spruce grain splits to the top coming off both F-holes, all sealed up with only some light touchup. There are major cracks repaired on the top running back from the bridge, the result of an unfortunate mishap in shipment. All are solidly sealed without obtrusive overspray. For an instrument at this level it has been rather lavishly restored not only with the top carefully repaired but a clean neck reset and the fingerboard trued and neatly refretted.
The tuners are newer vintage Sta-Tite style Grovers, the bridge and tailpiece are correct Harmony pieces but more recent. The most amazing addition is the hand-engraved and painted pearloid pickguard, that if not as neat as the factory made headstock plate is still unique and very nicely done. This is a player's arch-top with a distinctive character, chunkier sounding than some and fairly loud to boot. Overall this is a neat player-grade period piece and a real survivor, in some ways a better guitar than it looks! Overall Very Good Condition.
The S.S. Stewart name has bounced around quite a bit over the last 140 years. It originally belonged to one of the 19th century's most celebrated banjo makers, then became a generic marque that passed to others after his death. In the 1920s and '30s it belonged to New York wholesaler Bugeleisen & Jacobson, used as their top-line brand for the highest quality in-house product they offered. B & J had "Stewarts" made for them by a number of different firms, including, for a brief period, Gibson.
This flashy Stewart-branded guitar is a product of Harmony in Chicago, similar to their own Cremona models of the later 1930s. It is a good-playing and sounding pre-war "Store Brand" archtop, and flashier than many! The F-hole top is not carved but is a solid spruce sheet pressed into shape over the bracing, and the guitar actually has quite a lively sound.
The sunburst finish is subtle and dark, fairly classy looking for Harmony and there is even a bit of genuine (not faux) "tiger maple" grain on the back. The top and back are 5-ply Celluloid bound, the dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard is single bound. The 25" scale neck is poplar with a soft "V" profile slimmer than some of the period and there is an unusual banjo-style volute down by the nut. The most striking feature is the boldly engraved and painted Pearloid headstock, which shades into Bacon & Day territory! As a bonus someone carefully made a matching pickguard that while not original adds a superb dramatic flair!
This guitar has had a number of well-done repairs and is a real survivor, in spite of it all a better player than many from this period. The sound is warmer and deeper than most pressed-top archtops and the instrument feels more like a quality instrument than many of these 1930s budget F-hole guitars. While unlikely to replace anyone's D'Angelico, this is a very plated-in good quality "knock-around" pre-WWII archtop guitar with a cool vibe.
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 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 interesting and attractive Stewart branded Harmony has been well used, with some noticeable repairs including some heavy sealed cracks to the top. It looks like it was someone's gigging guitar for some time "back in the day". The finish is fairly well-worn overall, with the back of the neck down to the bare wood over much of its length and numerous dings, dents, scratches and rubbed away spots to the body. There is a deep spot worn into the wood off the bottom edge of the pickguard and it looks like the initials "F.C." scratched into the finish below it.
There are a number of repaired spruce grain splits to the top coming off both F-holes, all sealed up with only some light touchup. There are major cracks repaired on the top running back from the bridge, the result of an unfortunate mishap in shipment. All are solidly sealed without obtrusive overspray. For an instrument at this level it has been rather lavishly restored not only with the top carefully repaired but a clean neck reset and the fingerboard trued and neatly refretted.
The tuners are newer vintage Sta-Tite style Grovers, the bridge and tailpiece are correct Harmony pieces but more recent. The most amazing addition is the hand-engraved and painted pearloid pickguard, that if not as neat as the factory made headstock plate is still unique and very nicely done. This is a player's arch-top with a distinctive character, chunkier sounding than some and fairly loud to boot. Overall this is a neat player-grade period piece and a real survivor, in some ways a better guitar than it looks! Overall Very Good Condition.