Lyon & Healy 'Jupiter' c 1915 | SOLD | From the outset, we'd like to share that this old catalog guitar is one of classic success stories for vintage guitar hunters. Found by a friend at a local flea market, we got it into playing shape again and it turns out to be one of the nicest sounding and easiest playing of its ilk that we've encountered, and we do a lot of these. It comes up aces on all accounts: sound, playability, patina, condition, originality.
The Jupiter line in the Lyon & Healy catalog was at the entry level, first offered about 1900. Interestingly, these cheap, tail-piece models were originally designed for steel strings, and cost a bit more than the same guitar with a fixed bridge. Even though austerely adorned, the guitar does possess some curb-side charm.
The top is 4-piece spruce bound in b/w purfling and white celluloid binding. Note that the finish is fine, and original, but the grain orientations of the four-piece top sure make it look blotchy under the studio lights. The sound hole sports rings of similar purfling, one with a touch of red. The body appears to be poplar, unusual but not unheard of. It's stained a cheery mahogany red, and features a beautiful gold decal strip down the center of the one-piece back. The neck is likely poplar, stained a complimentary orange-ish color and carved in the typical 'V' of the period. The fingerboard might be bean wood, with three pearl position dots. The nut is ebony. The bridge is rosewood with a fret wire saddle, and appears to be floating, but is actually fixed to the top. Once again, unusual, but not unheard of. The heel is capped in rosewood; original end pin. 'Jupiter' is ink-stamped inside the sound hole.
The body measures just over 12 3/4", so would be properly called a 'standard' or 'concert' size. Scale length is 24 5/16", and the fingerboard measures just a bit over 1 3/4" at the nut. String spacing is 2 5/8" at the saddle. Action is set at 5 & 6 /64".
The neck has been reset; the fingerboard was removed and two carbon fiber rods were installed for stiffness; several top cracks were glued and cleated; frets were leveled and dressed. The tuners are original and function well, with some oxidation on the nickle plate.
Overall, a nice clean guitar, fun to play and won't break the bank! Kind of a rare survivor, too!
Comes with a new hard case.
Check out the sound clip.
The Jupiter line in the Lyon & Healy catalog was at the entry level, first offered about 1900. Interestingly, these cheap, tail-piece models were originally designed for steel strings, and cost a bit more than the same guitar with a fixed bridge. Even though austerely adorned, the guitar does possess some curb-side charm.
The top is 4-piece spruce bound in b/w purfling and white celluloid binding. Note that the finish is fine, and original, but the grain orientations of the four-piece top sure make it look blotchy under the studio lights. The sound hole sports rings of similar purfling, one with a touch of red. The body appears to be poplar, unusual but not unheard of. It's stained a cheery mahogany red, and features a beautiful gold decal strip down the center of the one-piece back. The neck is likely poplar, stained a complimentary orange-ish color and carved in the typical 'V' of the period. The fingerboard might be bean wood, with three pearl position dots. The nut is ebony. The bridge is rosewood with a fret wire saddle, and appears to be floating, but is actually fixed to the top. Once again, unusual, but not unheard of. The heel is capped in rosewood; original end pin. 'Jupiter' is ink-stamped inside the sound hole.
The body measures just over 12 3/4", so would be properly called a 'standard' or 'concert' size. Scale length is 24 5/16", and the fingerboard measures just a bit over 1 3/4" at the nut. String spacing is 2 5/8" at the saddle. Action is set at 5 & 6 /64".
The neck has been reset; the fingerboard was removed and two carbon fiber rods were installed for stiffness; several top cracks were glued and cleated; frets were leveled and dressed. The tuners are original and function well, with some oxidation on the nickle plate.
Overall, a nice clean guitar, fun to play and won't break the bank! Kind of a rare survivor, too!
Comes with a new hard case.
Check out the sound clip.