Video Demo 1935 Carson J Robison Cowboy Guitar Gibson Made for Wards L-OO Pro Setup Soft Case

Today, Lawman Guitars is Presenting..

A beautiful and historic 1935 Carson J Robison Cowboy Guitar with an older softshell Case that fits it great. Gibson built body and neck on these guitars. Check out the Firestripe Pickguard. Very Gibson-ish as well! Built just like the Gibson L-00 in body style.

Be sure to check out the video demo we did for this cool guitar!

This guitar is a great testament to how guitars were viewed in the 1930’s. The public had as much interest in the old West and Cowboy life as much as we still do 80 years later. Carson J Robinson was the earliest Radio Show singing cowboys. His first radio show was in 1920 for Radio Station WDAF. Carson J Robinson Guitars were first made in 1930 thru 1941. A great run for a Celebrity Endorsed Guitar line.

This guitar is from 1935. We can tell the date from the square headstock shape. The later ones were not square. These were made for the Montgomery Wards Company to market in their catalogs. They were made by Gibson. The workmanship and materials are excellent. I have a 1938 model made by Gibson and they look identical. The Carson J Robinson stenciled Logo is still bright with very little wear shown. The original open back tuners are in great shape and still function as they should. Two replaced tuner stems that work perfectly. It also has the original Nut, bridge, endpin and Firestripe Pickguard. There is slight bellying on the bridge with raises the bridge slightly from the back side. It does not seem to affect the action much. This guitar is infinity playable if not very pleasant.

Carson J. Robison is one of the 'private label' guitars that Gibson built for particular retailers during the depression; other house branded Gibson made guitars include instruments branded Kalamazoo, Cromwell, Kel Kroydon and Recording King. This particular guitar has the same silhouette as the Gibson L-00 model, but Gibson refrained from using their patented adjustable truss rod on the private label instruments, and the bracing is also of the ladder (not "X") variety. Fortunately, these guitars were built with very chunky necks, so the necks have a far greater chance of staying straight without a truss rod.

The condition is very good for its age. This guitar was not babied. It was used and probably professionally as the wear on the back of the neck and the finger divots on the top few frets would affirm. The wear on the side shows lots of strumming as does the wear around the Pickguard. There is two professionally repaired cracks on the top, see pics, and again, there is slight upward bellying that I would not worry about given its age. It has probably been like that for a really long time. Nice round neck profile that makes playing a real pleasure. The neck scale length is 25 inches. It has a 1 3/4 inch nut. The guitar is extremely light. Only weighs 3 lbs 3 ozs.

The tone is outstanding. Very bell like mids and highs… It has much finish crazing like most older guitars and sounds great. I have included a 1960’s Softshell Case which is a great fit for the guitar. You will love this historically significant cowboy guitar..

Here is some information I found on the net about Carson J Robison.

Carson Jay Robison (August 4, 1890 - March 24, 1957) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although his impact is generally forgotten today, he played a major role in promoting country music in its early years through numerous recordings and radio appearances. He was also known as Charles Robison and sometimes composed under the pseudonym Carlos B. McAfee

In 1924 he moved to New York City and was signed to his first recording contract with Victor Records. Also that year, Robison started a professional collaboration with Vernon Dalhart, one of the era's most notable singers. Through this relationship, Robison realized huge success, mainly as a songwriter but also as a musician, accompanying Dalhart on guitar, harmonica, whistling, and harmony vocals. In one of their first collaborations, Robison accompanied Dalhart on the landmark recording of "Wreck of the Old '97" b/w "The Prisoner's Song" (1924), widely regarded as country music's first million-seller. During this period, Robison also became a successful composer of "event" songs, which recounted current events or tragedies in a predictable fashion, usually concluding in a moral lesson. Some popular examples of his topical compositions include "The Wreck of the Number 9" and "The John T. Scopes Trial", about the famous Scopes Monkey Trial.

 In 1928, after Dalhart made a personnel change without consulting Robison, their relationship ended. Although the breakup did not prove lucrative for either artist, Robison continued to record for decades to come. From 1928 to 1931 he teamed with Frank Luther, recording songs for various labels and appearing on WOR radio in New York City. In 1932, he started his own band, Carl Robison's Pioneers (later renamed The Buckaroos), and continued touring and recording through the 1930s and 1940s. It was during this period that Robison made some of the earliest tours of a country musician in the British Isles, appearing there in 1932, 1936, and 1938. According to Billboard, his 1942 recording of the standard "Turkey in the Straw" was that year's top selling country recording. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. His most famous recording was 1948's "Life Gets Tee-Jus Don't It", a worldwide hit for MGM Records.

Songs

"The Little Green Valley" "Left My Gal in the Mountains" "Sleepy Rio Grande" "Goin' Back to Texas"

"Utah Trail" "Red River Valley" "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie" "The Runaway Train"

"The Denver Dragon" "Sittin By the Fire" “Life gets Tee Jus”

You will not be disappointed in this guitar. However, it is sold as is no returns… It is used and vintage…I have been hand picking my customers instruments for over 20 years now…They all loved the guitars I found for them. This cool guitar will certainly not be an exception…It is a History Lesson that plays great.

Thanks for checking out our cool guitars!  Lawman-Mike at Lawman Guitars