Customer Reviews

Washburn Prewar Instrument Styles

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For lovers of true vintage Washburn instruments (1883-1940), this is by far the best reference ever written. For the first time, the mystery of dating a Washburn instrument is made clear. Antique dealers, collectors, sellers, owners, historians, musicians, and anyone interested in this subject will be very happy to have this text. Virtually every model of Washburn guitar, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele is described in detail, making it possible, for the first time, to identify and date each model. Washburn's business history, including the so-called mysterious fires that supposedly burned all records, is finally explained. Another mystery was which companies actually made such instruments under the Washburn Label. Such companies included Gibson, Regal and Stewart, among others. Finally, some insight is offered as to the relative rarity of certain special Washburn instruments. If you're interested in vintage Washburns, you have to have this book.

I recently purchased the Washburn Guitar book because I had obtained an old Washburn guitar and wanted to correctly identify and date it. I was very happy with this book in that it provided me with all the information needed to identify the guitar and date it and also identiry the wood. It was a concert size Brazilian rosewood guitar from 1897. With that information I could determine the value of the guitar from current price guides and also determine whether or not to do some needed repairs. The book was a big help.

Hubert Pleijsier's research into the history of Lyon & Healy has redefined what many of us took as gospel in the world of vintage instruments. The Lyon & Healy company was a major player in the stringed instrument world in the turn of the century (1900) stringed instrument world in the US. Anyone that studies vintage American made mandolins, guitars or banjos needs this book.

I was very pleased to finally be able to date my antique mandolin. I've had it for 30 years myself, but beyond the knowledge that it was made by Washburn, I never was able to get a date for it. Now I know... It's REALLY old!

This is by far the most thorough review of the makes and models of Lyon & Healy guitars, banjos, mandolins and other instruments ever published. Hundreds of instrument photos and copies of catalog pages and an attempt to summarize design elements and changes and patents. Not a lot of interpretive history, but ideal for the instrument collector or owner of one special Lyon & Healy who wants to establish bragging rights.

This book is a very useful resource for those interested in vintage fretted string instruments.