C. Bruno & Son Lyra Model 493 12 String Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Oscar Schmidt , c. 1925

 C. Bruno & Son Lyra Model 493 12 String Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Oscar Schmidt ,  c. 1925
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Item # 12476
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C. Bruno & Son Lyra Model 493 Model 12 String Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Oscar Schmidt, c. 1925, made in Jersey City, NJ, natural top, dark stained back and sides finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with ebonized maple fingerboard, black hard shell case.

For players interested in pre-war acoustic blues stylings, a genuine Oscar Schmidt made jumbo 12-string is the pinnacle of true "Holy Grail" guitars. This is a large bodied but plain Stella-style model, labeled "Lyra Brand" and originally sold by C. Bruno & Son in New York. There is a nicely preserved label beneath the soundhole attesting to this, also noting it as "Made In USA". Although not branded as such, this is a Stella 12-string through and through and a spectacular instrument both in historical importance and in sound. These 12-string guitars were sold under a variety of brand names in many different variations but all are quite rare today; most were "played into the ground" many decades ago. This one has seen only fairly light use and is in far better condition than many, a truly splendid survivor.

"Lyra" was one of a number of tradenames used by Bruno, usually on mid-line product. They were one of the largest of the many New York City jobbers of the period and had a long relationship with the Oscar Schmidt company, who supplied them with a wide range of fretted instruments. 12 string guitars appear in Bruno's catalogs by 1915; this model 493 is steadily featured through the mid-late 1920s. Listing at $14 it was the least expensive of 7 (!) different 12-strings cataloged, the plainest of three "Jumbo" models. At the time the #342 Canvas case would have added an extra $4.20 to the price; no hardshell was offered as it would likely have cost more than the guitar! Bruno also offered a #350 12-string guitar string set at $1.50.

This is very large guitar for the period at just under 16" wide; cosmetically it is plain but stately. The top and back are unbound while the soundhole and backstrip are ornamented with "fancy decalcomania strips" as Bruno put it instead of actual marquetry. The pyramid bridge is typical Schmidt style with the strings running through the bone saddle to the special 12-string tailpiece that is a trademark of these models. The neck is poplar with a deep chunky V profile fitted with an unbound ebonized (dyed black) maple fingerboard with pearloid dot inlay. The slotted headstock carries simple openback strip tuners and has no logo on the face.

This large-bodied guitar has an extremely deep resonance and a sound all its own, not at all like modern 12-string instruments. It has been neatly restored to excellent playing condition by Stella Master/Fraulini guitars luthier Todd Cambio with an eye to preserving its original character. The guitar has been strung to his specs, intended for a low "B" tuning below standard with the correct doubled (not octave) third string set. This is as fine-playing an example of this type of instrument as one is likely to find, a "Stellar" experience for anyone interested in country blues, East Coast blues, period Mexican music, finger-picked ragtime including the styles of Leadbelly, Blind Willie McTell, Barbecue Bob Hicks, Lydia Mendoza, and a host of others.
 
Overall length is 42 1/2 in. (108 cm.), 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 26 1/2 in. (673 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.).

This is structurally as good as these 12-string guitars get about a century along, and cosmetically very nicely preserved as well. The very thin original varnish finish has dings, dents and scrapes overall along with some fine checking and what can only be described as a few small "curdled" spots on then top. There is noticeable finish disturbance around the bridge, likely related to older repair work. The sides show heavier loss, with some larger rubbed away areas mostly around the waist and back/side edges. The back has some polished out and touched up spots mostly over the crack repairs but nothing too conspicuous. The back of the neck is surprisingly clean with only some minor loss; a small piece of veneer is chipped off the top edge of the headstock.

There are several repaired and cleated cracks to the back, one a couple of inches below the center seam running the entire length. This is solidly sealed but visible. The back/side joints have some visible re-glueing but are all solid. Internally the guitar remains original except for a reinforcing cleat added beneath the forward soundhole rim below the fingerboard and some minor replaced kerfing; some re-gluing of braces and lining is evident but all the components remain original. The neck has been neatly reset and the bone nut and saddle replaced but the small-wire frets appear original with no visible wear and the dyed wood fingerboard far cleaner than most. The original tuners, tailpiece and even wooden endpin remain intact.

In general this "Stella-by-another-name" appears less heavily used than most we have encountered, and sensitively restored to optimum playability with the minimum of alteration by the acknowledged expert in this field. This is simply a superb survivor, set up to be tuned low for the deep "Leadbelly" sound only these guitars produce. This is a very rare find, and we are thrilled to have this much-requested style of instrument in stock; they simply do not turn up that often. It is a unique playing experience, a sonic trip to a special sound and era. It resides happily in a later (probably Guild) HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.