Smakula
Fretted
Instruments
PO Box 882, Elkins, West Virginia 26241
304-636-6710
Phone Hours; 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday and occasionally on Saturday.
Guitars, contact us...
Page Updated 2-28-2023
Please Visit our Home Page for links to our banjos, fiddles, mandolins, and more.
Guitars
1930's Gibson L-50. Do you like quilted maple? Do you like archtop guitars with f holes? Do you like slightly risqué decals on guitar tops? I knew it! You better order this one quick! Finished in the classic sunburst of the 1930s L-50 guitar is a player's dream. Solid spruce top with solid maple back and sides. Though the sides have minimal figure, the back is loaded with the blister looking figure commonly known as quilted. The mahogany neck features a Brazilian rosewood fretboard with a with a 24 3/8" scale, a trussrod, and the classic 1930's Gibson silk screened script on the peghead. As the guitar is about 85 years old, there are some nicks and finish scratches, but nothing scary. Well, maybe the beautiful redhead French maid with fishnet stockings decal on the top is scary, but it's a good scary! Excellent minus condition with a newer TKL hard case. $2,200. Photos
1968 Martin D-28 S. As of this writing, C.F. Martin and Company has manufactured about 2,7000,000 guitars since 1833. When you consider that firm made less than 400 post war Martin D-28 S guitars with a 12-fret neck with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, you are looking at a guitar far rarer than a Martin herringbone D-28 made before 1945. The neck is mahogany with a 25.4 scale length ebony fretboard. Being a 12-fret neck with a slotted headstock, the neck width at the nut is 1-7/8". The back and sides are Brazilian rosewood with grain as straight as you would ever see in that era guitar. There are a few minor hairline cracks on the back and sides. They are tight and have been glued, but not cleated. The top is Sitka spruce that has aged to a wonderful amber brown and retains the original ebony bridge. All the braces are Sitka spruce and the bridge plate is small rosewood. With a 55-year-old guitar, certain maintenance tasks have been performed. The neck has been reset with a small amount of wood added to the heel (and heel cap replaced) to lengthen the neck slightly. This corrects the minor intonation issue seen frequently on Martin guitars of this era. After the reset, we refretted the instrument. The original fussy Waverly tuners had been replaced by Schaller's when we received the guitar. The bright chrome and pearloid knobs looked inappropriate and we installed raw brass Waverly with grained ivoroid buttons to correct that visual offense. There is a strap button installed on the heel. As is common with most Martin guitars made before 1984, the pickguard was originally glued directly to the spruce top, then finished over. Over time those celluloid pickguards shrink and create top cracks along the edge of the pickguard, usually under the B-string. We have glued and cleated the crack and replaced the pickguard. And, finally, the bridge was reglued and the original saddle replaced with a compensated bone saddle. Overall, the instrument is in better than good physical condition. There are finish dings and finish cracks that one would expect on a guitar of this age that has been played regularly. The original green lined hard case is in very good condition with all latches working and even the hinge ribbons are in good shape. Price is $6,500 for this easy to play and big sounding guitar. Photos
1974 Martin D-18. From the written receipts included with this guitar, we know a $146 layaway deposit was placed on this guitar on September 5, 1975 and by November 11, 1975 it was paid in full and taken home by the new owner. And then it was hardly played as life got in the way of music fun. When we received the guitar, some repairs had been started and we did all that was necessary to make this iconic Martin guitar model a great playing guitar. The specifications confirm to the catalog description of the day. Mahogany neck with 25.4" scale Indian rosewood fretboard. The peghead sports chrome plated Grover Rotomatic tuners and an Indian rosewood peghead overlay with the C.F. Martin and Co decal. The back and sides are mahogany and the top made of Sika spruce all bound in black plastic. The bridge, matching the fretboard, is also Indian rosewood and sports the original bridge pins and a replacement bone saddle. The 49-year maintenance accomplished in this shop; A neck reset with a slight neck extension to correct Martin's inconsistent intonation. A refret, and replacement pickguard. This time capsule guitar looks nearly new, plays great and has the big boomy voice you expect from a vintage X-braced dreadnaught. And to complete the package the previously mentioned rales receipts, the "Care And Feeding Of Your Martin Instrument" booklet, and the original blue/gray thermoplastic case are included in the $2,200 price. On Hold. Photos
1892 Washburn style 201. The 1892 Washburn catalog describes this instrument as (Brazilian) "Rosewood with plain finished edges, handsome colored wood inlayings around the soundhole and inlaid stripe down the back, oval fingerboard with pearl position dots." (And) "any style can be furnished in mahogany if preferred." At $27 retail price (no discounts!) It was a modest priced guitar. In 2021 dollars the cost would be about $800, but for $800 you can not even purchase a raw set of Brazilian rosewood for a guitar's back and sides let alone a fully assembled instrument. Washburn described this guitar as a Concert Size guitar with a 13-1/8" lower bout. (close to Martin size 0). The back and side are Brazilian rosewood. Red spruce top with ladder bracing. 24-5/8" scale ebony fretboard. V-shaped Spanish cedar neck with a slotted headstock and a 1-13/16" nut width. Though the guitar was in basically good condition when it arrived, the craftsmen here at SFI accomplished a neck reset, new frets, gluing & reinforcing hairline cracks in the back & sides, a new maple bridge plate (to replace the worn out spruce) and ebony pyramid bridge. The finish is nearly all original. There is a little touchup around the bridge where an inappropriate bridge replacement had to be undone. We have it strung with GHS Silk and Bronze strings, but no doubt this guitar would respond well with nylon strings too. The instrument plays great and has a warm full tone you expect from a 130 year old guitar. And the 1892 Washburn company would like you to "Remember, The Washburn is fully guaranteed against checking and warping for 1 year and is absolutely correct in scale." Price is $2,500 with a modern hard case. Photos
2005 Alvarez Artist AD80SSB. While some dreadnaught guitars do fill us with dread and make us wonder if it's all for naught, we are perfectly content with this 2005 Alvarez offering. It's got a mahogany neck with 25-1/2" scale bound rosewood fretboard, laminated rosewood back and sides, laminated spruce top with mother of pearl border, and sunburst finish. This excellent condition instrument didn't need much of anything done to it, but we did dress the fretboard, so now it plays even better than before. A great option for anyone in need of an affordable, all-purpose strummer. $350, comes in a hardshell case. Photos
Shipping
We ship most of our instruments via UPS. Cost to ship a mandolin is $20 to $40. Cost to ship a guitar or banjo is $30 to $70. The cost of insurance is extra. We will be happy to quote before shipping.Small goods like banjo heads and other parts cost $9 per order for Priority Mail shipping in the continental US no matter what the order size. Micro orders weighing less than 12 ounces and valued less than $50 are usually shipped via first class mail for $6. The cost of orders headed out of the continental US will be quoted before they are shipped.
Sales Tax
We are legally obligated to charge 6% West Virginia sales tax on anything purchased here at the shop or shipped within the state of West Virginia. We do not charge sales tax on orders sent out of state.To Order
Call us at 304-636-6710. For payment we accept checks, wire transfers and MasterCard & Visa. If you prefer Paypal, please send us an email requesting a Paypal invoice.Email;
Occasionally a customer will let us know that the "Contact Us" button will not work on their computer. If you have that problem, please use sfi<at>smakula<dot>com You will have to change the <at> and <dot> to @ and .