1935 Gibson Nick Lucas Special Custom
A rare, all-black, small bodied Nick Lucas Special from 1935. When Gibson approached Nick Lucas in the late 20's to endorse their guitars, he replied that he would only do so if they built an all-new instrument based on his exact specifications. The result was Gibson's first artist-endorsed model, and perhaps one of the greatest acoustic guitars of all time.
The Nick Lucas Special was originally built with the company's smaller L-size body, a 12 fret neck, and Mahogany back and sides. Through the roughly dozen years the guitar was built, the model saw its neck joint move between the 12th, 13th and 14th frets, and its tone woods migrate between Mahogany, Brazilian Rosewood, and Maple. The price tag of $135 (then the highest priced guitar in Gibson's catalogue) resulted in a large number of customized Nick Lucas models being built as well. However, the Lucas' deep body and fleur-de-lis headstock inlay make it relatively easy to identify from Gibson's other flat top guitars of the day.
Sporting features not typical of the Nick Lucas Special models from '35, this is clearly a one-off custom-built creation. Gibson shipping ledgers show that this particular instrument was built for Gibson endorsee A.L. Caroselli, and shipped on May 22, 1935. It's old-style small body, all-black finish, mahogany back and sides, and 12 fret neck were the norm in 1928, but by 1935 quite a departure for the Nick Lucas Model. Interestingly, the guitar's top features X bracing typical of 1935; proving unequivocally that this guitar was not a 'leftover' from the late 1920's. The bridge, pickguard, nut, and tuners are mid-1930's issue as well, and the 12 fret neck has that classic mid-1930's soft V carve.
The guitar is in remarkable condition, and close to completely original. The saddle is a bone reproduction by our shop, and one of the tuning machines is a period-correct replacement. There is a scar from an incorrect tuning machine that was previously installed in the low-E spot. The guitar's treble side has had a pair of cracks repaired by the waist, and has been seamlessly oversprayed from bout to bout. The color-matching is phenomenal, and the repair is easy to miss. No other internal repairs of any kind -- all braces are tight and intact, no other cracks apart from a very minor pickguard crack that was repaired in our shop. The balance of the guitar's finish is completely original, the neck has never been reset, and the guitar plays very well thanks, in part, to newer frets.
A very fine sounding instrument, the combination of the guitar's small mahogany and spruce body, deep sides, and 1930's X bracing yields a tone that is both unique and beguiling. The guitar has a round, sweet, and warm low end with a classic 30's Gibson punch in the trebles. It does that fingerstyle ragtime thing, but with an extra dose of bass-end thump, which is all good in our books.
With original hardshell case
The Nick Lucas Special was originally built with the company's smaller L-size body, a 12 fret neck, and Mahogany back and sides. Through the roughly dozen years the guitar was built, the model saw its neck joint move between the 12th, 13th and 14th frets, and its tone woods migrate between Mahogany, Brazilian Rosewood, and Maple. The price tag of $135 (then the highest priced guitar in Gibson's catalogue) resulted in a large number of customized Nick Lucas models being built as well. However, the Lucas' deep body and fleur-de-lis headstock inlay make it relatively easy to identify from Gibson's other flat top guitars of the day.
Sporting features not typical of the Nick Lucas Special models from '35, this is clearly a one-off custom-built creation. Gibson shipping ledgers show that this particular instrument was built for Gibson endorsee A.L. Caroselli, and shipped on May 22, 1935. It's old-style small body, all-black finish, mahogany back and sides, and 12 fret neck were the norm in 1928, but by 1935 quite a departure for the Nick Lucas Model. Interestingly, the guitar's top features X bracing typical of 1935; proving unequivocally that this guitar was not a 'leftover' from the late 1920's. The bridge, pickguard, nut, and tuners are mid-1930's issue as well, and the 12 fret neck has that classic mid-1930's soft V carve.
The guitar is in remarkable condition, and close to completely original. The saddle is a bone reproduction by our shop, and one of the tuning machines is a period-correct replacement. There is a scar from an incorrect tuning machine that was previously installed in the low-E spot. The guitar's treble side has had a pair of cracks repaired by the waist, and has been seamlessly oversprayed from bout to bout. The color-matching is phenomenal, and the repair is easy to miss. No other internal repairs of any kind -- all braces are tight and intact, no other cracks apart from a very minor pickguard crack that was repaired in our shop. The balance of the guitar's finish is completely original, the neck has never been reset, and the guitar plays very well thanks, in part, to newer frets.
A very fine sounding instrument, the combination of the guitar's small mahogany and spruce body, deep sides, and 1930's X bracing yields a tone that is both unique and beguiling. The guitar has a round, sweet, and warm low end with a classic 30's Gibson punch in the trebles. It does that fingerstyle ragtime thing, but with an extra dose of bass-end thump, which is all good in our books.
With original hardshell case