1930’s Monarch 00 – £999

NEW ARRIVAL  As an acoustic dealer, researching weird and wonderful guitars is one of my favourite pastimes, although some are more difficult to research than others. This amazing looking guitar has a Monarch branded badge, distributed by JED and Sons. J.E. Dallas began producing banjos in London in 1873. In 1905 his 3 sons became directors of the company and the name changed to John E. Dallas and Sons. By the 1930’s Dallas marketed instruments under the Jedson and Mastertone brands, and imported instruments from Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and the USA (including Kay, Harmony, and Vega.) So, what we have here seems to be a bit of a one off, and wonderfully quirky. It’s a 00 size guitar, with Spruce top and Birds Eye Maple back and sides, and Ebony fingerboard and bridge. The eye catching soundhole reminds me of an axe head, and the two part tortoiseshell pickguard is really unusual. It’s all finished off in a beautifully faded tobacco burst, with multiple body and soundhole binding. For a ladder braced, 00 size guitar, the sound is surprisingly open and smooth. The slightly elongated lower bout is driving the bass end more than a traditional 00, and the Maple is adding brightness. It’s a really interesting guitar to play, surprisingly versatile, and a real head turner. It’s just back from my luthier with a refret, so it plays really well. The guitar comes in a non original hard case