1830 Stauffer Terz. Guitar Database.

Stauffer | Terz| 1830 | Our database no:1

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• Model: Legani
• Year: 1830-40
• Top:  Spruce
• Back and sides: Birdseye Maple
• Neck: Veneered in ebony and ivory
• Nut Width: 43mm
• String Spacing:
  String spacing at nut 7.75 (except between 1st & 2nd = 7.25)
  Total string Spacing at Saddle 57.5 (middle of 6th string to middle of 1st string)
  String spacing at saddle 11.5 (except between 1st & 2nd = 12)
• Tuning: Pitch range up to high D actually (F).
• Scale:560mm
• Body Length: 393mm
• Lower Bout: 291mm
• Upper Bout: 228mm
• Body Depth: 62mm, 81mm
• Bridge: Ebony
• Binding: Rosewood
• Rosette: Ring
• Excellent Condition, all original

Here is a wonderful example of an early Stauffer terz. The ornate aesthetic reflects it’s date of maufacture: 1830’s. Stauffers are actually known mostly for the fact C.F. Martin claimed to have worked at this workshop!

I’ll leave the background to the current owner James Westbrook who has this to say:”This is a Legnani model Stauffer guitar. C.F. Martin on his very first guitars announced that he was a pupil of Staufer of Vienna. Stauffer was one of the most highly respected makers of the 19th century, and Martin used this fact to gain his reputation in his early NY days. There were a few Stauffer makers (sometimes spelt Stauffer); J.G. Stauffer, J.A. Stauffer, then the Stauffer company. It has never never been properly established exactly what training Martin received from which Stauffer. As with early Martin guitars the neck is adjustable via a clock key. Having a string length of just 560mm, this guitar is a terz model, i.e. smaller and tuned a minor third higher that the regular guitar of the day. There are 22 frets and thus a high F is obtainable. The famous composer/player Legnani endorced Stauffer’s guitars and mightly Giuliani wrote a concerto for terz guitar. This example has a Spruce soundboard, birds-eye maple back and sides and a chekered ebony and ivory neck. The six a side ‘fender’ tuners seem to first appear in the first half of the 19th century. “

References: Martin Guitars, a History by Mike Longworth.

Pictures kind courtesy of James Westbrook, The Guitar Museum, England (www.theguitarmuseum.com)
©2009

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