LADDER-BRACED GUITARS
The ladder-braced models are closely based on Stella guitars made by the
Oscar Schmidt factory in the 1920s and early 1930s. Stellas were ladder braced,
which provided a tone that was perfectly suited for the vernacular music of the era -
ragtime, jazz, blues, oldtime - and were the staple instrument of many
recording musicians at that time.
Each Wandering Boy guitar is custom-made, meaning the instrument
can be tailored for you, drawing upon a diverse range of inspiration from
the guitars of this golden era of sound.
Please use the Contact page to discuss all options and pricing.
CONCERT
The Concert is a small bodied guitar with a mellow, warm and woody tone.
Some say that Blind Blake and Charley Patton recorded with these.
The Concert is a 12 fret and model features a body with a 13.5" lower bout, with a 25" scale and will be available in both 6 and 9-string versions.
Options include a variety of bridges, marquetry and pick guard styles, pearl inlay, and antique-style finishes.
GRAND CONCERT
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The Grand Concert is a versatile medium-sized instrument, large enough for great projection and volume while remaining comfortable and easy to play. Barbecue Bob Hicks was known to play a long-scale Stella grand concert 12-string guitar, as did Jim Jackson, and it is thought that Son House played the 6-string version.
The Grand Concert features a body with a 14.75" lower bout, is 4" deep and is available in both 6 and 12-string versions.
Options include either a long, almost baritone scale 26.5", a 25.5" or 24.75" scale, with neck profiles and nut widths to suit your hands and playing style, and a variety of period-correct aesthetic choices such as bridges, marquetry and pearl inlay, pickguards, and antique-style finishes.
Brian Sherrill of activemelody.com playing his 24.75" scale grand concert
AUDITORIUM
The Auditorium, or Jumbo, was the largest and most powerful of all Stella guitars.
The 12-string versions were played by Leadbelly, Blind Willie Mctell and Charlie Kyle, and some say that Skip James played the 6-string version for some of his recordings.
While not as focused as the Grand Concert, the Auditorium 12-string is affectionately
known as a lap piano, a big rumbling guitar with the potential to shake
both the player and audience.
The Auditorium model features a body with a 15.75" lower bout, is 4.25" deep,
has a long 26.5" scale and is available in both 6 and 12-string versions.
Options include a variety of bridges, marquetry and pick guard styles, pearl inlay, and antique-style finishes.
Skip Sail playing his 26.5" scale auditorium 12 string