Topic: Luthier advice for Stella

[banjochris]

I've got an old auditorium-size Stella that needs some work (top crack, finish is all messed up in a couple places, and it may need work I don't know about). Can anyone recommend someone in Southern California to take it to? I'd rather not deal with the hassle of shipping it somewhere if I can avoid it. Or, failing that, who would be good anywhere to send it to?
Chris

[harpe]

I'd suggest Michael Hauver (www.Hauverguitars.com). He has years of experience restoring these guitars and knows them inside and out. Mike can usuually offer a pretty quick turn-around time, too - compared to a lot of other luthiers (who often take months if not years). Folks send him their pre-war Stellas from all over the globe. He is accustomed to receiving instruments shiped via UPS, FedEx, etc. His phone: 304 876-8181

Neil Harpe
www.stellaguitars.com

[onewent]

I'll vouch for Mike, too..he did two of my 12-strings, and yes, the turnaround is fast compared to others who've done work on my guitars.  Chris, if yours is auditorium size (15 + inches or so across), it's probably a rare guitar .. that'd be jumbo, correct Neil? .. and probably has some value..Tom

[harpe]

Tom is correct. Bigger than 15" lower bout width would be a "jumbo" AKA "auditorium" model. All pre-1939 Stellas have "some value", but the grand concert and jumbo guitars have even more.

The size nomenclature of guitars can be confusing, because different companies used the same terms but applied them to different size standards. Oscar Schmidt guitars used the following size designations:

Standard AKA concert: 13" - 13.5" lower bout
Grand concert: 14" - 14.5" lower bout
Auditorium AKA "jumbo": 15.5" lower bout