❌SOLD❌ SS Stewart Model 4024 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1930s

Here’s a lovely piece – from the early 1930’s, an SS Stewart Model 4024 archtop guitar, built by either Regal or Harmony and sold through Buegeleisen and Jacobson, owners of the Stewart brand.

The SS Stewart company, named for Samuel Swain Stewart was a major producer of banjos between 1878 and 1904, and was bought by B&J (Buegeleisen and Jacobson) a few years after Stewart’s death. Over the years, B&J shifted to producing mostly guitars with the brand, had many companies build the actual instruments including Chicago Musical Instruments, who also built Harmony, Kay, and Silvertone brands. At the end of the 1920s and the start of the 1930’s, both C F Martin and Gibson also produced some SS Stewart guitars.

This wonderful SS Stewart Model 4024 is in original condition and features an arched Spruce top with figured Maple for the arched back and sides – these are likely laminate materials. The neck is Poplar, as was common at the time, with a bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard. The headstock features a very nicely engraved grey pearloid head plate with the SS Stewart logo, and a ‘Backstrap’ layer on the back of the head. The tuners are Grovers, and the height-adjustable bridge appears to be stained Maple with a bone saddle insert. There is a fair amount of fingerboard wear, often from fingernails being just a bit too long. Fret wear is minimal, however, suggesting a refret at some point. The long bound, faux-tortoise celluloid pickguard is original and is unbroken.

This guitar is quite playable, and has had a neck reset. Most steel string guitars will ultimately require a neck reset, usually after at least a decade.   The finish is a sunburst done in nitrocellulose lacquer, and has the wear expected from decades of play.   There is a fair amount of natural finish checking, and pick wear above the bass strings.

The SS Stewart Model 4024 does what an archtop is supposed to do, provide a fairly loud yet not harsh tone that can cut through the sound of other instruments in an ensemble.   This guitar can be rather loud!

The included hard shell, arched top case is a Geib product from the early 1930s and was likely sold with the guitar when new.