Marvel Model 276E Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by Kay , c. 1953
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Marvel Model 276E Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by Kay, c. 1953, made in Jersey City, NJ, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body with spruce top, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original soft shell case.
In the early 1950's the Sorkin Music Company of New York offered a wide range of instruments, including many aimed at budget-conscious guitarists who might not have been able to get their hands on a pricier Gibson L-7 or L-5. This Marvel Model 276E represents their mid-level brand; the "Premier" logo graced their top line products. It boasts a double-bound 17" laminate maple body with a spruce top and traditional f-holes, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlays. This Marvel-branded guitar appeared in the early 1950s as the 278E in sunburst or this 276E in blonde and could be bought with an accompanying Premier amplifier. While not Sorkin's top of the line electric guitar this was certainly a solid quality instrument that still offers a lot of guitar for a comparatively lower price point than many in its class.
The maple neck has a thick, full "C" shape with a bound rosewood fingerboard inlaid with progressive-sized plastic blocks. The tuners are nickel 3-in-line Klusons and the front of the headstock bears a "Marvel" logo on an engraved celluloid veneer with a sort of fleur-de-lis embellishment. The pickup is a single coil nestled under a fancy "Marvel" logo metal cover wired to a volume and tone controls with cool "smoked" amber plastic knobs mounted through the white plastic pickguard. The strings cross a standard rosewood adjustable floating bridge to a generic period nickel trapeze tailpiece.
In the extensive Sorkin family of instruments, the Marvel moniker was a less expensive sub-brand than the more familiar Premier. This guitar was actually built by the prolific Chicago manufacturer Kay; most of Sorkin's earlier guitars came from this source but be the mid-50s they largely switched to using United in Jersey City. As was customary, the more deluxe $105.00 blonde finish 276E cost a bit more than the $99.50 sunburst 278E, but could be bundled with the Model #120 amplifier for a cool $255 which was a decent deal for an aspiring bebopper in 1951. It remains a surprisingly smooth sounding and playing instrument with trimmings that give it a somewhat kitschy 1950's presentation, a fine and funky early cutaway full-body electric.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This Marvel is a real gem for the roots-oriented budget player, an excellent sounding and feeling archtop with a few miles on it but nothing serious or troublesome. The blonde finish is only lightly aged, elegant and never smoked out or oversprayed anywhere. The guitar has a smattering of small dings and a few deeper checks (not cracks) coming on the back right at the top of the body, but the wear otherwise is too minor to note save one very small sealed crack on the lower bass side.
The original cream celluloid body and neck binding remains in excellent shape with NONE of the common deterioration. The headstock veneer is fully whole, not peeling or cracked and in excellent shape. The neck shows marginal wear with only a couple small scuffs on the back, and the original Kay brass frets have been crowned down a bit but are still in great playing shape. There is a little glue visible at the heel, and it is tough to tell if this was the result of a neck reglue or if it is a little sloppy factory work (which would not be out of the question). Regardless, the heel is healthy, the neck angle is good, and the playability of the guitar is excellent.
The hardware appears nicely original from the tailpiece to the Kluson tuners; the white plastic pickguard is a bit crudely cut but may be original; it is also possible it is a later repro. The electronics are original, untampered with, and sounding nice with the cool little amber knobs intact. The original Marvel pickup and its spiffy engraved pickup covers have never been replaced or rewound. This beautiful blonde Model 276E resides in a period softshell case is likely what this quality but affordable archtop left the music store with in the early 50's. Inside the case is a scan of a Premier catalogue's listing for this Marvel and its accompanying amplifier as well as its sunburst sibling. Overall Excellent - Condition.
In the early 1950's the Sorkin Music Company of New York offered a wide range of instruments, including many aimed at budget-conscious guitarists who might not have been able to get their hands on a pricier Gibson L-7 or L-5. This Marvel Model 276E represents their mid-level brand; the "Premier" logo graced their top line products. It boasts a double-bound 17" laminate maple body with a spruce top and traditional f-holes, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlays. This Marvel-branded guitar appeared in the early 1950s as the 278E in sunburst or this 276E in blonde and could be bought with an accompanying Premier amplifier. While not Sorkin's top of the line electric guitar this was certainly a solid quality instrument that still offers a lot of guitar for a comparatively lower price point than many in its class.
The maple neck has a thick, full "C" shape with a bound rosewood fingerboard inlaid with progressive-sized plastic blocks. The tuners are nickel 3-in-line Klusons and the front of the headstock bears a "Marvel" logo on an engraved celluloid veneer with a sort of fleur-de-lis embellishment. The pickup is a single coil nestled under a fancy "Marvel" logo metal cover wired to a volume and tone controls with cool "smoked" amber plastic knobs mounted through the white plastic pickguard. The strings cross a standard rosewood adjustable floating bridge to a generic period nickel trapeze tailpiece.
In the extensive Sorkin family of instruments, the Marvel moniker was a less expensive sub-brand than the more familiar Premier. This guitar was actually built by the prolific Chicago manufacturer Kay; most of Sorkin's earlier guitars came from this source but be the mid-50s they largely switched to using United in Jersey City. As was customary, the more deluxe $105.00 blonde finish 276E cost a bit more than the $99.50 sunburst 278E, but could be bundled with the Model #120 amplifier for a cool $255 which was a decent deal for an aspiring bebopper in 1951. It remains a surprisingly smooth sounding and playing instrument with trimmings that give it a somewhat kitschy 1950's presentation, a fine and funky early cutaway full-body electric.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This Marvel is a real gem for the roots-oriented budget player, an excellent sounding and feeling archtop with a few miles on it but nothing serious or troublesome. The blonde finish is only lightly aged, elegant and never smoked out or oversprayed anywhere. The guitar has a smattering of small dings and a few deeper checks (not cracks) coming on the back right at the top of the body, but the wear otherwise is too minor to note save one very small sealed crack on the lower bass side.
The original cream celluloid body and neck binding remains in excellent shape with NONE of the common deterioration. The headstock veneer is fully whole, not peeling or cracked and in excellent shape. The neck shows marginal wear with only a couple small scuffs on the back, and the original Kay brass frets have been crowned down a bit but are still in great playing shape. There is a little glue visible at the heel, and it is tough to tell if this was the result of a neck reglue or if it is a little sloppy factory work (which would not be out of the question). Regardless, the heel is healthy, the neck angle is good, and the playability of the guitar is excellent.
The hardware appears nicely original from the tailpiece to the Kluson tuners; the white plastic pickguard is a bit crudely cut but may be original; it is also possible it is a later repro. The electronics are original, untampered with, and sounding nice with the cool little amber knobs intact. The original Marvel pickup and its spiffy engraved pickup covers have never been replaced or rewound. This beautiful blonde Model 276E resides in a period softshell case is likely what this quality but affordable archtop left the music store with in the early 50's. Inside the case is a scan of a Premier catalogue's listing for this Marvel and its accompanying amplifier as well as its sunburst sibling. Overall Excellent - Condition.