Peter Benson Parlor Acoustic Early 1900s

A very unique and special guitar. There isn't a ton of info on Benson acoustics online, but I would safely estimate this guitar to be from between 1905 and 1920, built by the Benson Music House in Minneapolis. Peter Benson worked for CF Martin in the 1800s, before opening his own shop throughout the early 1900s until the '30s. I've had a considerable amount of work done to it in order to restore its playability, and it does play wonderfully. Very low action, beautiful warm tones, and it's about as easy to play as a guitar can be. The back and sides are mahogany, and the top is spruce, with ladder bracing.

This guitar is not without its quirks- It has had several cracks repaired, most notably the one on the front below the bridge (which itself was replaced at some point over the years- not by me). On the back, there was a bulge in the wood which has been fixed, and there are a few small but stable cracks on the back. I want to be very upfront about the fact that this guitar is not aesthetically perfect, however it plays great and sounds beautiful. If you are looking for a pristine, showcase-worthy vintage guitar, this one will need a fair bit more work to get there. The bridge will need some work to reduce string buzz, due to lack of break-angle (my DIY solution has been stuffing pieces of paper between the strings and the saddle, which works just as well). This is a true player’s guitar, and it is especially well-suited for recording, which is mostly what I've used it for since I've owned it. Not to mention, a true piece of history that has held up very well for being 115 years old, give or take. Lots of life left in this instrument.

Willing to meet in the GTA, and other parts of southern Ontario within reasonable driving distance.