Levin 315 opinions

[Tomtom94]

Anyone tried the Levin 315 or any other Levin guitar? Your opinion?

Levin 315 1978 | Göteborg | Blocket

[Franz 1997]

Yes, I once had a 60's Levin 325 ( I think it was that model). Fantastic acoustic archtop sound, difficult to use electrically as the tone was very thin, huge neck, bizarre bass cut control, and the first ( and last) bolt-on neck I have ever seen on an archtop.

[oldane]

The Levin guitars were made in Gothenburg, Sweden, by a company founded by Herman Carlsson Levin in 1900. The factory was taken over by C.F. Martin in the 1970s and production stopped and the factory closed down in 1978.

Back in the 1960s and 1970s Levin archtops were quite common in the instrument shops in Copenhagen where I lived. I remeber I used to drool over them and I tried them out whenever I could, but of course, I could not afford them at that time. I especially remember a blonde Levin archtop I tried at a musical instrument fair when I was around 15 years old. It was simply the most beautiful guitar I had even seen at that time. I still find them aestetically very attractive with a design style of their own. They were also sold at the US market for some time branded Goya (that name has also been used at other times for instruments manufactured elsewhere and not related to Levin). archtop.com: #1 Online Marketplace for Vintage Jazz Guitars had one for sale recently.

They used a number of different pickups through the years. For many years they used built in D'Armond picups. The model on the picture in your link is equipped with a detachable D'Armond 1100 floating pickup - likely a retrofit on a purely acoustic instrument. It has a Frequensator tailpiece, and the ad says it a 1978 model, and that can well be correct, as Levin actually began using Frequensator tailpieces in 1978. It is thus one of the very last Levin archtops made.

As I remember, they were well made with fine workmaship. However, it's 35 years since I last had my hands on one. I was very young and didn't know too much about guitar making back then and my memories have also faded somewhat, so I really can't say how they sound and play compared to the well known American brands. But they still have a nostalgic place in my heart, and I may get one some day.

You can find more information about Levin instruments here:

Levin information, Levin history, Levin model, Levin serial numbers, Levin label, Levin catalogs, Levin guitars, Levin lutes, Levin mandolins, Levin ukuleles, Levin banjos, Clangiton guitars, El-Goya guitars, Goya guitars, Goya mandolins, Kay-Tone gu

[Tomtom94]

Yeah, the Levin archtops sure are beautiful! But of course it is the sound that matters.

I live in Göteborg, Sweden so having a guitar from the 50/60/70s that is local made sure would be something.