Wonderful late 1800’s Bay State Style E Parlour guitar, featherweight, ladder braced construction with gloriously figured old growth Brazilian Rosewood back and sides.
Founded in Boston in 1865 Bay State was the brand name used by the John C. Haynes Co for its range of high end acoustic guitars. The John C. Haynes Co produced a variety of fretted instruments including banjos, guitars, and mandolins as part of the Oliver Ditson Co. with manufacturing starting in 1865 and with Bay State beginning circa 1887. The brand lasted until 1904 when the Oliver Ditson Co. ceased manufacturing.
This guitar is a Style E dating to between 1891 and 1895. Featuring a solid Spruce top and Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, the Style E was by far the most popular Bay State style produced and was relatively plainly appointed with two simple soundhole rosettes and a complete absence of body or neck binding. The guitar is in great condition, the body is free from cracks and internally looks nice and tidy. Overall length is 94 cm, 30 cm wide at lower bout, and 9.5 cm deep at the end block. Scale length is 24.5in, nut width is 1, 7/8 in. The guitar is a fantastic playing example of its type; the nut and saddle are replacements and we suspect the fingerboard has at some point been given more of a radius. The neck has a tight V profile that initially feels quite pronounced but comfortable after a period of adjustment.
Internally the guitar still displays its original label from City Music Studio, 96 High St Oxford where the guitar was originally imported to. Comparable to a Size 2 Martin this little guitar has an amazingly big sound that plays and feels far better than the majority of comparable guitars from this period.
Comes with a modern Faith branded case.