{"product_id":"harwood-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1910-9987","title":"Harwood Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1910)","description":"Harwood Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1910, made in Kansas City, serial # 24061, natural varnish finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with ebony fingerboard, brown chipboard case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Harwood\" has long been one of those mystery brand names that dot the American musical instrument landscape of the pre-depression age. In late 19th and early 20th centuries it was a trademark brand used by J.W. Jenkins Sons of Kansas City, one of the west's biggest jobbers for their best quality instruments. Some earlier models are marked \"Harwood-New York\" but no connection to an actual New York origin is evident. Perhaps folks in the Kansas City area were expected to be impressed by the claim that the instruments came from the Metropolis so far away!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter sourcing some early models from the John C. Haynes company in Boston, starting in 1895 Jenkins themselves operated a small factory in Kansas City for over 30 years building fairly high-grade fretted merchandise. While in some ways similar to the best Chicago made instruments of the time the workmanship of this guitar is at a higher level than many, near the Lyon \u0026amp; Healy standard. While their origin long proved elusive, the Harwood instruments that survive are generally very well made of top quality materials, and were fairly expensive when new. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a fairly fancy \"Regular\" sized Harwood guitar (just under \"Standard\" size in Jenkins' nomenclature) with a 12 1\/8\" lower bout and a 24 1\/2\" scale neck. The woods are high-grade throughout and the workmanship is excellent. Like most Harwood models this guitar is built with beautiful even-grained Brazilian rosewood on the back and sides and a very tight-grain spruce top (described in Jenkins catalogs as \"Norway Spruce\"). The top is ladder braced in \"the Harwood System\" and has survived 100+ years with no bellying at all. The top is edged with multi-layered celluloid binding and fancy wood marquetry and purfling strips, the pattern repeated around the soundhole and backstrip.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe poplar neck has a thick ebony fingerboard carrying shaped pearl markers sourced from the same supplier Chicago's Larson Brothers used. While the basic shapes are the same the Harwood pieces lack the sometimes whimsically inexact engraving seen on Larson-used pearl. One unique touch is an engraved bone \"Harwood\" logo plate inlaid between the last frets. The single-plate tuners on the slotted headstock are the same fancy Waverly keys used by the Larsons, Martin, National and others in the 1910's and '20's. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJenkins claimed that the Harwood line were the finest guitars built, and while C.F. Martin or Lyon \u0026amp; Healy might have begged to differ this model is a very nicely made instrument. Based on features this example appears to date to the early 1910's; Harwood instruments bear serial numbers that appear to be sequential but no key to an exact dating system exists. The brand was discontinued by the time the depression hit, never to be revived. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs a playing instrument this very small guitar has a lovely and surprisingly powerful sound suitable for solo or ensemble context, where it cuts very well. As would be expected the 12\" body does not offer a lot of bass response, but the tone is surprisingly even with silk \u0026amp; steel strings. In both material and construction is a very nice instrument, and at well over 100 years old remains an excellent playing guitar and a tribute to the forgotten Kansas city team that built it.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 36 5\/8 in. (93 cm.), 12 1\/8 in. (30.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5\/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1\/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13\/16 in. (46 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is an excellent playing small-body guitar, showing some old repair but not a whole lot of play wear for well over a century on Earth. Amazingly enough there are no cracks in the top or back and only a couple of repaired splits on the treble side, well sealed up. There is some overfinish in this lower side area but other than that the original thin varnish appears undisturbed but for a couple of small touched up spots on the top. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ebony bridge appears original, it has been reglued and lowered with the wings somewhat clumsily re-shaped and what looks like a small solidly repaired crack off the low E pin. The neck may have been reset long ago, but if so it is a very neat job. The frets are in excellent shape, the neck quite straight and the angle very good. This lovely little guitar plays beautifully with silk \u0026amp; steel strings, and would be adaptable to very light steel or nylon\/gut as desired. It is simply a most charming survivor from a seemingly long-lost era. Excellent - Condition.","brand":"Harwood","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853387419788,"sku":"9987","price":2450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_2bb53a7b-0e9b-438a-886b-0e5c39f78a6c.jpg?v=1774336967","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/harwood-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1910-9987","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}