Recording King Model 853 Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Gibson, c. 1933, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst lacquer finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
A neat -and fairly rare-early variation on Gibson's small-body arch-top designs of the mid-30's. This guitar is similar to the period L-50 but sports a plain square-cut headstock and cheaper tailpiece attesting to its status as a mail-order catalog offering. The "Recording King" moniker was Montgomery Wards' brand for the better-quality instruments they sold; this is an early example of Gibson's handling of a Wards contract. The two companys did a lot of business in the '30's, with Gibson supplying the best of the Recording King line up until WWII. This is a very good sounding guitar with the typically punchy, somewhat compressed sound of these 14" carved top instruments. A nice original example of a cool Gibson rarity.
Overall length is 39 7/8 in. (101.3 cm.), 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). Some light play wear but overall very fine; the pickguard is a correct-style reproduction but all other hardware is original. Two noticeable repaired back cracks (very commom on these flat-backed arch tops) otherwise clean with little wear overall. A very good sounding small-body archtop. Excellent Condition.
