❌SOLD❌ Larson Bros Prairie State Steel String Brazilian Natural, 1930s

Here’s a real beauty! This is a Larson Bros Prairie State steel string guitar, likely a Model 425 with a OOO sized body, Adirondack Spruce top paired with Brazilian Rosewood for the sides and back. It is likely that the bridge is a replacement – the original would have had engraved, inlaid stars on each of the bridge ‘wings’.

The Larson Brothers, Carl and August, began working for the Robert Maurer guitar company in 1893. In 1900, Maurer decided to retire, and the Larsons and investors purchased the company. Over the years, Carl bought out the investors giving the brothers full control. The Larson Brothers filed a number of patents, including those covering the steel rod body reinforcement and adjustment system visible through the soundhole on this example.

The dimensions of this Larson Bros Prairie State put it in the class of a OOO, triple-O size though the waist is tighter than the typical Martin of that designation. The body is relatively shallow, but it has a full, rich sound that nicely represents the harmonic range. The top is Adirondack Spruce – this was the material of choice for guitar tops until WW2, when Adirondack stocks were commandeered for the war effort, particularly for airframes, and alternates like Sitka came into favour. The sides and back are Brazilian Rosewood, the body blocks and neck are Tropical Mahogany, and the fingerboard is Ebony. The bridge appears to also be a browner Ebony and perhaps not original. The original tuners were likely Grover Sta-Tite models and have been replaced with Waverlys. There is some finish damage to the top in the form of pick or finger wear, and there is some over-spray on the back of the neck.

This is a great sounding, great playing guitar with a wonderfully rich and articulate response. Overall, this is a great instrument for fingerstyle playing.

This Larson Bros Prairie State is sold with a modern black hard shell case.