Guitarbench

Okay, once again this one is not a pristine example but it is a very rare early example with beautiful sound and the tone woods and finish are original. It is very responsive and should be good for finger picking as well as flat picking, performances and recording. It definitely has that distinctive Gurian sound with amazing sustain and it is so resonant that the neck was tickling me while I recorded the last sound samples. It is a well played instrument, not a pristine example and it does show its age but it plays well and it is a fine sounding instrument.”

- Sold for $1350, apparently returned, relisted fall 2011, unsold at press time

There are a number of nicks on the face, but nothing unusual for a well-played guitar of this vintage. I’m a professional musician and would rate this instrument a 7.5 mint on a scale of 10 cosmetically.”

- Sold for $1225

Seen again eBay 5/2011, listing by keyboredplayer55, ultimately sold for $1650

- Listing info: “Total length: 40.7 inches

Body length: 19.9

Upper bout: 12.1

Waist: 10.7

Lower bout: 15.6

Maximum depth: 5″

Top wood: Sitka Spruce

Back and sides wood: Honduras Mahogany

Bindings: Maple

Fingerboard: Ebony

Machine heads: Schaller

Top purfling is full (double) herringbone

This particular guitar dates from circa 1969. It has seen a lot of use in it’s day and you can tell it’s a stellar guitar because it’s obvious that it’s been played and loved a lot. No abuse here. With a vintage guitar of this age, it has it’s share of dings, nicks and scratches. There is also one nicely repaired top crack that is stable. It was approx. 2″ long and located on the bass side of the top just below the waist near the binding. The wear is mostly on the top. The back and sides look remarkably good for a guitar of this vintage. The ebony fretboard is beautiful and not worn. The frets and action are fantastic and as far as I can tell need no work from my standpoint. This guitar also has a rare nutwidth of 1 11/16ths”. Not rare to other guitars, but rare to Gurians as most of them were built with a 1 5/8th” neck.

The guitar plays well and truly sings.”

- High bid $870, didn’t sell

You will see mahogany Gurians on ebay occasionally and Indian Rosewood ones rarely but you NEVER see a Brazilian Gurian so here is your chance!!”

- Sold for $1382.51

Seen again eBay 12/2008, listing by opman77

- Listing info: “Given the serial number S3R A1300 you would judge this (size 3, rosewood) to be from the very earliest days, Series A and highly collectible.

This instrument is all original and carefully and accurately restored (the cracks on the lower bout repaired by a qualified luthier).

No decal on the headstock which was true for all the guitars made in the first year or so.”

- Asked $1999, didn’t sell

Pickup: It also has an installed L.R. Baggs Micro Duet stereo pickup/preamp, which uses an under-saddle piezo transducer with onboard preamp and internal condenser mic mounted inside the body (see photo, below).

Condition: This instrument is in good condition with normal wear and tear. Study the photos for scratches, etc. Two small repaired hairline cracks in the top are visible but do not affect the sound or playability. Rest of the top is in excellent condition with only minor blemishes. Finish on back of the neck where your thumb presses is more or less worn off from playing, from around the 1st to 9th frets. Finish on back of guitar has small two rough patches. Significant fret wear under strings 1 and 2 up to about the 8th fret. The neck is straight, but the action is a tad high, in my opinion. There is absolutely no buzzing on any of the notes, from bottom to the highest note on the guitar. Pick guard needs to be removed or replaced (it was simply a flimsy piece of thin plastic, attached with double-stick tape, when new).”

- Sold for $1100

Seen eBay again 6/2008, listing by new2horses

- Listing info: “Up for sale: a very early Gurian model S3R acoustic guitar in great structural condition, with a 1-11/16 inch nut!

When I got this guitar, it needed a neck set. The frets were worn beyond anything I’ve ever seen on a guitar. There were several dryness cracks. There was a huge pickup clogging up the center of the guitar, and there were remnants of another pickup system, including a second jack drilled into the lower treble side.

I went to Marty and Stuart at Fairbuilt Guitars (www.fairbuilt.com), and we figured out what it was going to take. The neck set was the toughest chore, since early Gurians had a Spanish heel neck joint. If you don’t know what that means, suffice it to say that it took no less a luthier expert than the late, great Thomas Humphrey (a former Gurian employee) to establish the best method – to convert the neck to a bolt-on. Stuart did an amazing job, as he did on the re-fret. The guitar now practically plays itself, and if you didn’t know what to look for you’d have no idea there had ever been a neck set or re-fret at all. (One way to tell, though, is to look at the new bolt end in the neck block. It comes right in the middle of the serial number, which is A 1372!)

Stuart also removed all the pickup hardware, leaving the endpin jack (for any future pickup installation) but expertly plugging the extra pickup hole, thus stabilizing this weak area of the guitar. He also provided a compensated bone saddle, stabilized any and all cracks, gave the guitar a wonderful set up, and in essence restored this guitar to 100% playable condition.

So now what do we have? It’s an A series Gurian, one of his earliest steel string guitars. It was made in approximately 1970 at the Bedford Street, NY shop. All solid woods, of course. Gurian was a wood importer, and never used anything but the best. It has a Sitka spruce top; mystery rosewood back, sides, headstock veneer and heelcap (more on that in a moment); Honduran mahogany scarf joint neck; ebony fretboard; Brazilian rosewood bridge and bridge plate; maple binding; bone nut (1-11/16″); and full herringbone rosette, purfling and back stripe. (No “G” headstock decal on these early Gurians.) The dimensions are similar to other size 3 guitars made later on, except that the waist is a bit wider, and the depth at the tail is about 1/8″ thinner. (Its slender contour makes it extremely comfortable to play!) It comes with a non-original hardshell case, around the right age, but a tad loose.

I said mystery rosewood – yes. There don’t appear to be any surviving official Gurian guitar records, so another fellow and I have been trying to reconstruct model/serial number/date records for these fine instruments. So far, out of nearly 200 documented Gurians, we have records of just 13 A series instruments, 7 of which were rosewood size 3 models. Now it is well known that during this period Gurian made a bunch of guitars with Brazilian rosewood backs and sides. Yet only the last instrument in our records, serial number A1471, is specifically designated S3B (B for Brazilian), rather than “S3R” (R for rosewood generally). Thereafter, Gurian clearly distinguished Indian rosewood and Brazilian rosewood guitars as S3R and S3B, respectively.

I’m about the 4th fellow now who has owned an early rosewood Gurian, and come to the conclusion that it may have Brazilian rosewood – or some other exotic rosewood besides Indian – for the back and/or sides. Perhaps Gurian was mixing Brazilian and Indian (as I think may be the case on my other A series Gurian), and didn’t believe that justified a different model number. I have no idea. But I’ve owned 10 rosewood size 3 Gurians now, and I’ve got to say there’s something different about those A series instruments.

There are plenty of character marks on this 38 year-old instrument – from repaired cracks, to scuffs and dings, to the shadow of an old guitar strap that didn’t agree with the finish on the back, to the outline of a sticker that was on the headstock for a couple of decades.”

- High bid $1825, reserve not met

- Info from listing: “This is an S3R model guitar with East Indian rosewood back and sides. Darker and more figured wood with a solid sound and 2 piece back with herringbone binding. The Size 3 guitar has become a standard for recording work. Total length = 40″ Neck = 24″. This instrument was owned by a Classical Pianist and only lightly played. It is in perfect playing condition”Relisted eBay 6/2003.

- sold for $1

- Starting bid $2,695, did not sell

- Auction ended early because of a listing error

- Sold for $1691.66

This particular Instrument is in excellent condition. The Depth and texture of the Rosewood is beautiful. The neck is straight, and the finger board is near mint. There is plenty of saddle height and no buckling of the spruce top.

There were two, top cracks, due to its age, below the bridge, that were professionally repaired. One was to the right of the center seam and a smaller one several inches to the left of center. (These are very common on Gurian guitars). There are almost no other blemishes on the instrument. The tone is legendary Gurian, with beautiful action.

Width & Depth of the lower bout: 39.8 cm ,11.2 cm

Width & Depth of the Upper bout: 31 cm, 10.9 cm

Depth of the body by the strap button 11.5 cm, 4 9/16″

Width at nut: 4.3 cm, 1 5/8″

Width at 12th fret: 5.5 cm, 2 3/8″ “

Serial #C1182 (made approx 1971/72 based on charts available)

Rosewood back and sides

Ebony fretboard

Schaler tuners

Brazilian rosewood bridge

Double (over/under) truss rod”

- Sold for $2899

Relisted by buyer stealthfish 9/2006, didn’t sell

- Sold for $1869

-Owner’s comments: “My JM I bought at Mr. Music in Allson, after stalking it for several weeks. I’d been looking for a serious guitar to replace the one I learned on. It was one of two Gurians hanging on the wall, and I had ignored it until my girlfriend said, “What about that one?” It was kind of beat up when I got it – belt buckle indentations on the back, the stereotypical Gurian vertical crack below the saddle on the front – and I’ve beaten it up further, since that’s what I apparently do.”

Guitar specs:
Serial number: C1593
Upper bout 12″
Lower bout 15 1/2″
Depth at tail block 4 3/4″
Depth at Neck Block 4 1/4″
Top: Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides: Mahogany
Headstock: Brazilian Rosewood Overlay
Bridge: Brazilian Rosewood
Fretboard: 14/20 Ebony (white dot side position markers)
Tuning: Machines Chrome Schaller
Nut: Ivory
Saddle: Bone
Binding: Rosewood
Purfling: Herringbone
Long Scale: 25.75″
Nut/Saddle: width 1 7/8″, 3″
Condition: Very good
Case: OHSC, handle is broken”

- Sold for $1570.99

Seen eBay 8/2005, listing by jpberkley (previous buyer)

- Listing info: “From the inside writing on this particular Gurian, it is a S2M model with the following serial number: C1612.

This guitar is as close to mint as any guitar close to 30 years old could be expected to be. I took a close-up picture of one “bear claw” marking that is in the wood itself and is not a flaw or scratch. I own over 30 high quality guitars from Olson to Doolin. This guitar sounds great and looks wonderful. I would be surprised if you could find a Gurian that looks better than this one. The guitar has very little playtime on it. It will be shipped in its hardshell case.

The back and sides and neck are mahogany. It has a thick rosewood bridge, ebony fingerboard and spruce top. There is herringbone around the soundhole and the trim is done in what appears to be half herringbone and maple, giving it a rope-like effect.”

- Sold for $1226.99

Guitar approximate dimensions:

Scale length 25 5/8′ ; Lower bout 15 1/2″ ; Upper bout 12″ ; waist 11″ ;

Depth 4 1/2″ ; overall length 41 1/4″ ; nut width 1 5/8″ ”

- Sold for $1325

Seen eBay 8/2005, listing by phil0phil (previous buyer)

- Sold for GBP 1,100.00 (approximately US $1,988.36 at the time). Suspiciously similar listing appeared from the same seller 9/2005, so maybe this sale fell through (as did the subsequent listing)

- Sold for $

PLEASE ask questions before buying – I’m guessing this needs a neck reset for the serious finger picker, as the action is higher than I’d like. The saddle has room to come down, and the neck needs a general adjustment. I’ve described this to the best of my meager ability. Hard case included, handle and latches all solid.

This 1975 Gurian S3M All-Solid Handmade Acoustic Guitar has the following features:

Model: S3M
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Headstock: Solid, “G” headstock decal (partial)
Fingerboard: Very Thick Ebony
Bridge: Ebony
Total Length: 40.7″
Upper bout: 11.9″
Waist: 10.5″
Lower bout: 15.3″
Nut Width: 1 10/16″
String Height At 12th Fret: 3/16th”

- Sold for $1199

A used hardshell case is included with the instrument.

We could not find any cracks. The guitar does have plenty of finish scratches and a few dings (see photos below) which would not be unusual for a great sounding guitar that its owner(s) loved to play. Like most well-made and now vintage guitars, this Gurian has a nice open sound, and being made of mahogany, not rosewood its tone is very balanced without the sometimes too overpowering bass of the rosewood models.”

- High bid $1115, reserve not met

For sound, it was a real “cannon” in noisy sing-a-long clubs. Many coffee houses and bars later, I put her away and have not played her since 1990. Now with children growing,I need to pay for their dreams. I took her to a local and well respected luthier ( Neil Harpe, Annapolis, MD) for a “once over” to get her ready for a new life and this is what he wrote for me:

Quote from Luthier:
“Professionally repaired side crack (approx 1 inch long)
Top Seam separation also repaired from bridge to butt.
Minimal playing wear and a few minor scratches. Excellent tone and playability.”
Original hard shell case has 2 broken latches and road wear.”

- Sold for $1275

No19Gurian JMSpruceMahoganyC2158From the owner: “I bought a Gurian guitar in the early 70′s back in Lansing, Michigan. I live in California now and it’s still the only guitar I’ve played since buying it back then.”No19Gurian HJRSpruceRosewoodC2169

Seen eBay 9/2003:- Listing info: “This is slope-shouldered Jumbo model acoustic guitar from the shop of Michael Gurian.Serial # H J-R C 21 69; dark rosewood back and sides,bridge and peghead overlay;Adirondak spruce top,ebony fretboard; mahogany,one-piece neck. The bridge saddle is ivory;nut is either ivory or bone;gold tuning machines. Maple wood binding top, back,and end-pin strip with black line/rope/black line purfling on top,back and sides,and end-pin strip! Herringbone back stripe(zipper)with herringbone and multiple wooden strip rosette. I bought this guitar from Gruhn’s in 1994;the salesman there told me that the original owner was Paul Craft,Nashville singer/songwriter(“Keep Me From Blowing Away”;and “Drop Kick Me ,Jesus, Through the Goal Posts of Life” and others.) Professional compression refret done in 1996;so neck is very straight;action is low with no buzzes. Very little playing time,hardly any wear on these well-contoured frets. (I took up mandolin right after I bought this guitar). Usual signs of having been played;some scratches;nothing serious;structurally very sound with well-balanced tone and great projection as only a 30+ year old instrument has. All original finish and appointments (pickguard is missing;but no wear in this area);label: “Gurian Workshops,Earth,third planet from the Sun.”

- Sold for $

- Asked $2950

It has excellent tone quality and playability on par with the best Martin, Gibson and Taylor guitars.

This guitar is in very, very good condition. And has only a few minor dings on the binding edges and some minor scratches and finish checks on the top. There are two (approx.1/4″ long and 1/16″ deep) dents in the top. One is 2″ below the bridge and 1″ from the pick guard. The other is 3/4″ from the edge where your arm rests when playing. However, these are very minor flaws for a 30 year old instrument and only add to the character of this very solid, very fine instrument.”

- Sold for $1691

Seen again eBay 11/2008, listing by iamthemartinman (previous buyer)

- Listing info: “This J-M (Jumbo with mahogany back and sides) is from the C factory (open from 72-79) this particular serial 2531 dates it later in the production range of that era. Overall this guitar is in great condition. There is a small amount of finish checking on the top above the sound hole and a few pick marks below the pick guard by the bridge. Other than that the guitar looks flawless. The frets have some wear but have lots of life left in them. The neck is straight and plays with nice action. The ebony fret board makes for a very smooth quick play. 25 1/4″ scale length. Original Grover tuners, bone nut, Brazilian Rosewood headstock veneer and bridge. Herringbone binding, rosette, and back stripe. Body depth 4″, lower bout width 15″, nut width 1 5/8″. ”

- High bid $1431.01, didn’t sell, listed again 4/2010, sold for $1525

- Listed at $2495, then $2195, then $1995

- Listing info: “The guitar is in absolutely remarkable condition. With the exception of some nearly invisible marks on the back of the guitar you would think this a new instrument. It’s that clean. The guitar has a strong voice with a pronounced mid-range bump. Whether flat-picking or finger-picking the guitar responds to the player with a complex tone and broad dynamic range. Size Similar to Grand Concert/OM
Upper bout 11 1/2″
Lower bout 14 5/8″
Depth at tail block 4″
Depth at Neck Block 3 5/8″
Top Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides Mahogany
Headstock Brazilian Rosewood Overlay
Bridge Brazilian Rosewood
Fretboard 14/20 Ebony (dotless – side position markers)
Tuning Machines Chrome Schallers
Nut Saddle Ivory
Binding Rosewood
Purfling Herringbone
Long Scale 25.75″
Nut/Saddle width 1 5/8″, 2 1/4″
Condition: Excellent”

This vintage guitar is 100% original, no alterations or repairs, and none needed. Typical small scratches here and there, nothing significant and just part of being 34 years in this world. Non-smoking, 50% humidity controlled storage environment. Always stored in case when not being used. Some small belt buckle marks on back, touched up a bit and not bad at all. Very nice overall vintage look, feel and sound.”

- Sold for $1725

I bought the guitar in 1976 and used it for 6-7 years. It has not been played much since, but plays in very quickly and has a lovely tone. It comes with its original case, which shows its age (signs of airplane travel; sorry, no key for the lock).

EXTRA INFO: I have noticed that the bridge has lifted slightly from the body for about 1 inch by just under one-quarter inch at the corner closest to the 6th string pin. My apologies for not including this in the intial description.”

- Sold for $1136

- Sold for $2291

- Sold for $

Seen eBay 3/2004

- Listing info: “Gurian JM serial #C2755. in very good condition with hardshell case. This one is in pretty good shape finish crazing small crack on the lower back by parting strip. ”

- Sold for $

- sold for $

Back and sides are BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD as opposed to indian rosewood nut is 40mm and rout is 105mm f/board to base

On 07-Jan-06 at 13:11:30 GMT, seller added the following information:

Sorry not being techy minded didn’t know what a bout was!! the measurements of the bouts are 300 mm and 390mm approx hope this helps you lot out there.”

- Sold for GBP 900.00 (Approximately US $1,585.98 at the time)

- listing info: “Beautiful Gurian Guitar. Has two cracks on top but is otherwise in very good condition for its age. For sale by original owner. Bought at Sam Ash in NYC circa 1976.

Model: J-M
Serial no: C3041
Year: Circa 1976
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Headstock: Solid, “G” headstock decal
Fingerboard: Ebony
Bridge: Ebony
Total length: 41″
Body length: 20″
Waist: 11″
Widest Part: 15.5″
Depth: 4.25″
Neck Width at Nut: 4 cm (approx 1.5″)
String width at at Saddle: 5.7 cm (approx. 2.75″)
Comes with hardshell case in good condition.”

- Sold for $1000

I purchased my guitar from Bill Lewis Music Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 30, 1979. I still have the original bill of sale. The bill of sale says it’s a Gurian S3M C3060 but the block is clearly stamped S2M C3060.

The guitar is in excellent condition except for a few scratches in the polish on the front of the body, one a 3/8″ x 3/8″ chevron shape that’s a little deeper but still seems to be only in the polish. The wood appears to be undamaged. It has been hardly played and not played at all for many years. It has been kept in the original hard cover guitar case I bought for it when I bought the guitar. It has always been kept in the house away from heat and damp sources. Everything is intact and there is no other obvious damage.

Approximate dimensions are: 40-1/8 in. overall length; 19 in. body length; 11-1/2 in. inner bout; 10-1/8 in. waist; 14-1/2 in. outer bout; 3-7/8 in. depth.”

- Asked $999.99, withdrawn before auction end

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to own a Gurian guitar that has essentially never been played. I would guess that there is no other Gurian on the planet that has few hours of play time on it. Purchased by one owner, stored in a closet for over 25 years, and now it’s yours to own and cherish.

This is Gurian’s jumbo C model featuring Indian rosewood back and sides, a fingerboard made of ebony, with a neck made of mahogany. The peghead has an Indian rosewood veneer with chrome Schaller tuners. The top is spruce, with an Indian rosewood bridge and custom bone saddle. This Gurian has nothing wrong with it. It’s in impeccable shape.”

- Sold for $1680.99

sold on eBay April 9, 2007