Levin Solist 1952 - With original case

Levin archtop guitar made in Sweden in 1952. Serial number 295786 2N stamped on the top of the headstock.

The Levin archtops are very finely made instruments, not common in swing and jazz circles as are their US counterparts. Django Reinhardt was famously photographed playing Fred Guy's Levin Deluxe in October of 1946 who was a member of Duke Ellington's orchestra.

The distinctive headstock is worth the price of admission alone. The Solist is the model just under the Deluxe. The Solist has a triple bound fancy headstock with original brass tuners. The fingerboard is Ebony with split parallelogram inlays and long flat fret markers.

The top is solid carved Spruce with four ply binding on both the front and the back. The top has a gentil arch to it over a 17 1/4" body which is 3 1/16" deep. The "f" holes are bound with two ply black and while binding. The Ebony compensated bridge with large knurled adjustment wheels is original. I am not sure of the wood used for the back and sides. There is a small area of discoloration at the lower end of the back where it looks like there could have been a little moisture? The area is stable.

The brass branded tailpiece has a nice art deco construction to it. The bound pickguard is original and the big volume control knob is just what you need to get the job done.

The real gem on this guitar is the Electro Wingtone blade pickup. It has a very warm sound, with what I imagine to be the European counterpoint to the Charlie Christian blade pickup.

I RECENTLY REMOVED THE ORIGINAL VOLUME POT AND KNOB AND HAD THE PICKUP REWIRED TO A NEW MIMI POT WITH A SMALLER KNOB AND RAN IT TO A NEW BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD MINI PLUG MADE BY TAP-A-STRING TO THE ENDPIN. THE OLD WIRING TO THE POT WAS FAILING AND IT IS INFINATLY MORE PRACTICAL TO HAVE THE JACK AT THE ENDPIN. THE WORK WAS DONE AT PORTLAND FRETWORKS.

The five piece neck is straight and the fingerboard flat with a very shallow radius. The frets are in great shape and the instrument plays and sounds great. The nut width is 1 3/4"

The action at the 12th fret is 4mm on the bass side and 3mm on the treble side.

This has been my daily player for about a year now and play it weekly at a swing jam and at retirement homes, bat mitzvahs and funerals. I added the strap button but besides that, the guitar is completely original.

The case also original although is has a custom leather patch on the outside on both the top and the back. I'm not sure if it was just decorative? The interior looks a little homey too. Maybe custom upholstered? It has a nice vintage groove to it.

An over all very presentable jazz machine with a distinctive look.

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