Toby & Jack the Lad

"Toby" is an all mahogany Concert sized guitar based on a 1915-1920 American guitar I have that was probably a Tonk Brothers or Sears catalogue guitar. "Toby" has a 624mm scale, 335mm lower bout and 12 frets clear of the body and the bracing is my X braced style. Toby is also available in the more original ladder braced style (see "Jack the Lad" below). The wood is Cuban mahogany and it sure looks mighty pretty - the top and back are from the same log and look as though flames are erupting across the top and back. It has a great voice and projection, and a tone that is balanced across the stings with very good sustain. This is the perfect small blues guitar. It doesn't have the growl of the original yet, but give it 80 years in smoke filled bars and it might sound like this one ...

The guitar is named after Toby who commisioned it and by Serendipity, the wood was also supplied by a Toby.

"Jack the Lad" is a ladder braced version (as is the original) that makes for a very versatile guitar but which definitely has the honk and growl of the original. great for blues and ragtime playing. You can hear a ragtime piece played on the pictured guitar here. "Jack the Lad" comes as standard in Euro spruce top with Sapele back and sides and a Spanish Cedar neck.