{"product_id":"ludwig-reisinger-harp-guitar-late-19th-century-662","title":"Ludwig Reisinger Harp Guitar (late 19th Century)","description":"Ludwig Reisinger Harp Guitar (late 19th Century), made in Vienna, natural top, dark stained back and sides finish, spruce top, maple back and sides, mahogany neck. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fascinating example of a Germanic Harp-Guitar, as used in accordion and string bands and various types of semi-classical and folk ensembles over the last 200 years or so. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis instrument has two conjoined necks, with a lower six string guitar fingerboard and upper long unfretted extension for sub-bass strings. The necks share a single cone heel (a very large cone!) with a Stauffer-style clock-key adjustor. Guitar neck has slotted headstock, bone nut, bone tuner buttons and barrels with the tuner strips having stamped border design with floral motifs. The dyed maple fingerboard has pearl dot inlay with a six-pointed star at the ninth fret, and the extension is floating over the top in the Stauffer style. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe upper neck has a long scroll extension holding eight open harp strings with ebony friction pegs and individual ebony nut pieces, and the headstocks are smoothly joined by a seamless carved bridge. The ladder braced top is triple bound in wood with an unbound back, and the bridge is a single long piece of ebony with decorative ends and a fretwire saddle. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA metal support tube extends through the body not unlike some Larson Bros. Guitars from Chicago in the 1930's. There is a cord hole drilled in the headstock and a later metal strap holder attached to the body by the heel, probably evidence of use by a strolling player.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLudwig Reisinger was a well-regarded luthier in Vienna in the late nineteenth century; he apprenticed and worked with Ignatz Johann Bucher until 1887, when he set up his own shop. As Bucher had been a student of Stauffer, this guitar is a direct descendant of Stauffer's designs, as can be seen in the neck heel and floating fingerboard. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe guitar is undated but obviously saw much hard use both up to and after the Second World War. There are four different repair labels inside from Robert Freibe, Berlin, dated 1933 and 1935, and also Willy Dreier, Berlin, 1950 and 1954. Guitars of this type were popular in Germany but much rarer in the US, although an American cousin can be seen as our stock #1406, a Stella harp-guitar built by the firm of Oscar Schmidt, himself a German immigrant. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a wonderful historical piece that with some restoration can also be a playable instrument.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 45 3\/4 in. (116.2 cm.), 15 1\/4 in. (38.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1\/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 7\/8 in. (610 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSubstantially original condition, fine for display but not currently set up to play. Numerous top cracks and split in bridge, cracked back brace, great patina with surprisingly little playwear in top, much general handling wear especially to back. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe will be happy to restore this guitar as desired, price on request. Sold as is, condition as described.","brand":"Ludwig Reisinger","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853029724300,"sku":"662","price":1600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_86fe343d-4dbb-4951-8683-31357db8e73a.jpg?v=1774331174","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/ludwig-reisinger-harp-guitar-late-19th-century-662","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}