Washburn Model 5237 Aristocrat Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930)
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Item # 12127
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Washburn Model 5237 Aristocrat Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930), made in Chicago, serial # 862, natural lacquer finish, rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
This Washburn "Aristocrat" was the model ranked just under the "Deluxe", the most expensive standard guitars Lyon & Healy offered in the late 1920s and early '30s. This Model 5237 is basically the same instrument as the 5238 Deluxe structurally without the fancier decorative elements. It dates to the period just as the 1920s were ending and the Depression kicking in, a time of much change for the Washburn brand.
After decades at the forefront of the fretted instrument business, in 1928 Lyon & Healy (perhaps seeing the stock market crash in a crystal ball!) sold their manufacturing operation to the J.R. Stewart company and distribution of the Washburn line passed to Chicago jobber Tonk Bros. Soon enough when the Depression hit, Tonk stopped ordering instruments and Stewart's over-extended factory operation went under quickly, allowing the Regal company to sweep in to buy the factory and its contents at pennies on the dollar. This instrument has the DNA of all these folks in it; the 20 fret fingerboard suggests it was made just after Regal assumed control from Stewart who usually built fingerboards with 19 frets.
This Model 5237 is a 12-fret, X-braced rosewood Grand Concert Guitar generally similar to the Martin 00-21. Though not quite the top of the Tonk/Washburn line it is still a very well-crafted, high-grade instrument quite different from both J.R. Stewart and Regal's common bargain basement fare. It features a 14 1/4" wide rosewood body carrying a fairly lightly built X-braced red spruce top bound in ivoroid, with three alternating wood purfling lines around the top and a single-bound back. Standard Lyon & Healy practice was to make the back and sides of 3-ply laminated rosewood, but this guitar appears to be made with solid Rosewood, at least for the back. The solid spruce has very finely shaped X bracing and a small maple bridgeplate under a distinctive Washburn feature: the unique ebony "Smile" bridge.
The round-backed 12-fret mahogany neck is fairly chunky but comfortable, topped with a unbound ebony fingerboard inlaid with three pearl dots. It is not built with the fancy banjo-like volute used on the Deluxe. The slotted headstock has a soft-peak center and a lovely inlaid "Washburn" logo in colorful abalone; the tuners are the same Waverly engraved plate strips used by Martin and Gibson with grained ivoroid buttons.
This is quite a rare guitar and one of the better grand concert sized steel-string flat tops of the period, a worthy competitor to Martin and the Larson Brothers' similar products. It was priced at $75 in 1930 (without case) which was $15 MORE than the generally similar Martin 00-21. The sound is powerful and round but crisp; it fingerpicks beautifully but also has muscle in reserve and plenty of volume. It makes a fine flat-picked strummer as well. This guitar is a beautiful example of this rare and lovely pre-war rosewood flat-top, about the best of this somewhat obscure model we have seen.
Overall length is 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/8 in. (48 mm.).
This Washburn is a very nice all original example. It shows some play wear but far less restoration than many early steel-string flat-tops of this era and remains an extremely fine-playing and sounding instrument. There is some typical general finish wear with checking, dings, dents and scuffs. The top shows noticeable checking with scattered dings and dents and an area of pick wear below the strings and behind the soundhole. The back and sides have mostly minor scuffs, dings and dents. There are a number of small soft dings and dents along the back of the neck, but none of the heavy capo wear often found on older flat tops.
There are no cracks visible on the instrument which is delightful for a nearly 95 year old flat top. The ebony "Smile" bridge and small maple bridge plate are original; the bridge has been lowered a bit and looks to have been reglued long ago. There is some very slight finish marring around the bridge edges, but this is quite subtle. The guitar appears to have had a very clean neck reset some time ago.
The tuners and even the bridgepins and endpin all appear original. The frets are the original narrow wire, they show only very light wear and plenty of life left. This guitar plays and sounds excellent with a powerful attack and a lot of sustain for a flat top guitar. We are always thrilled when nice examples of these higher-end Washburns arrive; they are uniquely attractive guitars both sonically and visually. While not as flashy as the "Deluxe" this "Aristocrat" model is an equally fine player's instrument, still in a well-preserved original chipboard case with some period strings in the pocket. Excellent - Condition.
This Washburn "Aristocrat" was the model ranked just under the "Deluxe", the most expensive standard guitars Lyon & Healy offered in the late 1920s and early '30s. This Model 5237 is basically the same instrument as the 5238 Deluxe structurally without the fancier decorative elements. It dates to the period just as the 1920s were ending and the Depression kicking in, a time of much change for the Washburn brand.
After decades at the forefront of the fretted instrument business, in 1928 Lyon & Healy (perhaps seeing the stock market crash in a crystal ball!) sold their manufacturing operation to the J.R. Stewart company and distribution of the Washburn line passed to Chicago jobber Tonk Bros. Soon enough when the Depression hit, Tonk stopped ordering instruments and Stewart's over-extended factory operation went under quickly, allowing the Regal company to sweep in to buy the factory and its contents at pennies on the dollar. This instrument has the DNA of all these folks in it; the 20 fret fingerboard suggests it was made just after Regal assumed control from Stewart who usually built fingerboards with 19 frets.
This Model 5237 is a 12-fret, X-braced rosewood Grand Concert Guitar generally similar to the Martin 00-21. Though not quite the top of the Tonk/Washburn line it is still a very well-crafted, high-grade instrument quite different from both J.R. Stewart and Regal's common bargain basement fare. It features a 14 1/4" wide rosewood body carrying a fairly lightly built X-braced red spruce top bound in ivoroid, with three alternating wood purfling lines around the top and a single-bound back. Standard Lyon & Healy practice was to make the back and sides of 3-ply laminated rosewood, but this guitar appears to be made with solid Rosewood, at least for the back. The solid spruce has very finely shaped X bracing and a small maple bridgeplate under a distinctive Washburn feature: the unique ebony "Smile" bridge.
The round-backed 12-fret mahogany neck is fairly chunky but comfortable, topped with a unbound ebony fingerboard inlaid with three pearl dots. It is not built with the fancy banjo-like volute used on the Deluxe. The slotted headstock has a soft-peak center and a lovely inlaid "Washburn" logo in colorful abalone; the tuners are the same Waverly engraved plate strips used by Martin and Gibson with grained ivoroid buttons.
This is quite a rare guitar and one of the better grand concert sized steel-string flat tops of the period, a worthy competitor to Martin and the Larson Brothers' similar products. It was priced at $75 in 1930 (without case) which was $15 MORE than the generally similar Martin 00-21. The sound is powerful and round but crisp; it fingerpicks beautifully but also has muscle in reserve and plenty of volume. It makes a fine flat-picked strummer as well. This guitar is a beautiful example of this rare and lovely pre-war rosewood flat-top, about the best of this somewhat obscure model we have seen.
Overall length is 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/8 in. (48 mm.).
This Washburn is a very nice all original example. It shows some play wear but far less restoration than many early steel-string flat-tops of this era and remains an extremely fine-playing and sounding instrument. There is some typical general finish wear with checking, dings, dents and scuffs. The top shows noticeable checking with scattered dings and dents and an area of pick wear below the strings and behind the soundhole. The back and sides have mostly minor scuffs, dings and dents. There are a number of small soft dings and dents along the back of the neck, but none of the heavy capo wear often found on older flat tops.
There are no cracks visible on the instrument which is delightful for a nearly 95 year old flat top. The ebony "Smile" bridge and small maple bridge plate are original; the bridge has been lowered a bit and looks to have been reglued long ago. There is some very slight finish marring around the bridge edges, but this is quite subtle. The guitar appears to have had a very clean neck reset some time ago.
The tuners and even the bridgepins and endpin all appear original. The frets are the original narrow wire, they show only very light wear and plenty of life left. This guitar plays and sounds excellent with a powerful attack and a lot of sustain for a flat top guitar. We are always thrilled when nice examples of these higher-end Washburns arrive; they are uniquely attractive guitars both sonically and visually. While not as flashy as the "Deluxe" this "Aristocrat" model is an equally fine player's instrument, still in a well-preserved original chipboard case with some period strings in the pocket. Excellent - Condition.