First Hawaiian Conservatory Solid Koa 000 1920s-30s / A Sonic Delight! / July Special!!!

Get this one before it’s gone, ‘cause it isn’t going to last. This is a Solid Koa, First Hawaiian Conservatory guitar from the 1920s, recently restored and raring to go!  It is in Very Good condition and sports Twelve frets to the body and a very rare (for First Hawaiian Guitars) 000 size (14 3/4” Lower Bout), with a truly gorgeous sound.

First Hawaiian Conservatory guitars were made by the Oscar Schmidt Company in Jersey City, New Jersey, and distributed through magazines like Popular Mechanics, as well as the Sears Catalog.  Hawaiian “Slack Key” music was all the rage and the deal was that if you paid for a year’s worth of lessons, you got to keep the guitar for free.  Now these First Hawaiian guitars were typically parlor sized (13 5/8” Lower Bout) and made entirely out of Birch.  The Koa guitars were an upgrade, and this 000 size is the only one we’ve been able to find.

“Hawaiian” guitar is, by nature, a slider guitar style, and the FHC guitars were set up with a high action for slide playing. That is how this one came to us, and with a slide, the sound just leaps off the guitar.  It is deep and resonant and warm as melted butter.  We loved it so much that we decided to reset the neck for regular chording, picking and strumming.  That was a challenge because the bridge is metal and non-adjustable.  We had to get the measurements just right so the action would fall where we wanted it.  Lots of geometry and some good ol’ dumb luck and the guitar is simply amazing!  

Here is the run-down on the work performed:

Cleaned the body and fretboard

Cleaned and lubricated the tuners (which work so smoothly!)

Repaired a crack in the back (cleated and glued)

Glued the open back center seam

Added a cleat to repair / solidify a top crack

Added a brace to the bass side of the sound hole, to bring down a hump in the top

Repaired the fretboard extension and braced a weak spot of the top at the end of the fretboard

Removed and reset the neck

Leveled and crowned the frets, dressed the fret ends

Adjusted the nut slot depths

Finished, the guitar plays with an action that is 5/64” on both the Low E and the High E, at the 12th fret.  The scale is a rather long, 26 3/8.”

Structurally, the guitar is ladder braced, with Koa top, back and sides, what we believe is a Cedar neck and an Ebony fretboard. The wood of the top and back is rather thin, which helps to give the guitar a rich resonance.  The top and back are both bound in a rope style “Gurian” binding. The guitar is simply adorned, with a nice inlaid Rosette and four dot markers, but just glows with the warmth of the Koa. It has a lifetime of minor nicks and dings, and the scars of previously repaired cracks, but this baby is a charmer.

Importantly, the guitar does not have a truss rod.  Rather, it relies on the thickness of the neck.  We have it tuned to D standard (D-G-C-F-A-D) and it plays like a dream.  It is also beautiful in Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D).  However, when we tune it up to E standard, the neck does bow a little and the action becomes a little higher.  Our recommendation is to keep it tuned down and use a capo as needed.

The guitar came to us in a heavily deteriorated chipboard case, which we have replaced with a newer lined hard shell case (branded as a Fender) which fits the guitar perfectly.  We’ll also include a vintage Oahu Nut Raiser, in case you want to quickly convert the guitar for slide playing.

Please be sure to study and drool over the photos, as we have tried to capture this First Hawaiian Conservatory guitar from all angles.

This First Hawaiian Conservatory Guitar is sold AS IS and is not returnable unless it arrives in a condition other than as described or photographed, here.

Price: $1800.00 plus $145 shipping (Lower 48 USA, only)