A lovely example of a rare bird. Neil Merrill’s original aluminum-backed parlor guitar, made in the last year of Merrill’s company’s four year existence, starting in Philadelphia before ending in New York City.
A really interesting guitar. Aluminum back and sides (one piece;) Red spruce top in excellent shape with two long cracks, long ago repaired and stabilized. Solid mahogany neck. Ebony pyramid bridge, nut, and fingerboard with Brazilian rosewood head plate. Fret wire saddle has low break, and guitar sounds great.
These are exceedingly rare guitars. Merrill was more known for his aluminum bowl-backed mandolins. Comes in a nice, non-original, tweed hardcase.
