Stella 7-String Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1929, made in Jersey City, NJ, natural top, dark back and sides finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with ebonized fingerboard, black chipboard case.
Here's one of the oddest Oscar Schmidt guitars we have seen in a long time-a factory Stella with 7 strings. This was almost certainly ordered in the 1920's by someone who played in the traditional 19th Century Russian style, which used a 7-string open G tuning. This was the ancestor of the commonly used American open G tuning, recalled as "Sevastopol" tuning by old-timers after a 19th century guitar piece. Except for the peculiar string setup, this guitar is pretty much a standard Concert size 1920's Stella, in unusually fine condition. A very cool and exceptionally rare piece of Stella history, and a fine playing guitar (with 7 strings!) as well.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 13 3/8 in. (34 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.). This unusual guitar is very well preserved overall, with some signs of age but very little play wear. It has had a neckset with some visible blushing to the top, mostly on the treble side of the fingerboard. There is some finish wear along the sides of the neck, but overall the guitar shows very little use for a Stella of this period. The back shows a small patch of wear in center where the finish appears to have adhered to a case lining and a few scrapes to the edges of the top. The bridge has been reglued at least once but overall it is very rare to find a Stella of any form this well preserved. Overall Excellent - Condition.
