Barslev Guitar

[CurtisVolp]

Hello,

My tutor has a beautiful (both in appearance and sound) 1942 Barslev, which specifications matching that of an Epiphone Emperor.

He bought it several years ago, and has had a fair amount of work done to it - tuners changed, a bridge custom made for it, several cracks repaired (the original parts have been kept).
I do love the sound, feel, and look of the guitar - it is a true timepiece, and if I were to buy it, I'd put a floating pickup on it and use it for big band/swing-type gigs. It also has the potential for use as an acoustic instrument given its loud acoustic volume.

I am concerned, however, about how long it will remain in playable condition. I am 18, I am going to conservatoire (music college) next year, and I would intend to keep it and use it for my working life. It already has had several cracks repaired, I'm not worried about having them repaired, but rather the subsequent diminishment in tone. Is this an issue? Would I therefore be better buying a Loar LH-700 or Eastman non-cutaway? I have been offered a good deal on the guitar and first refusal. I have attached a photo of the guitar.

Thanks,
Curtis

[feral guitar]

you already like it, get it

[docbop]

Stuff gets beat up in school lugging it around all the time. I would get this as a second guitar for gigging and get the Loar or similar guitar for school.

[CurtisVolp]

Matt, the question isn't whether I 'like it', its whether the guitar is practical or not.
Docpop, thanks for the advice. I have a Gibson 165 which I'm using as a primary guitar for gigging and use at college, the Barslev would be used as a second guitar. The question is whether it will last for another 60 or so years, maintaining its current sound quality, or whether I should buy something newer for perhaps slightly more £ but with a longer working life.

[oldane]

Being a Dane myself, I'm getting a bit nostalgic seeing a guitar made by the Danish guitar maker Yngve Barslev. This guitar is more than 70 years old, so if has stood up to the test of time till now, it will likely last for many years more. It's often during the first 20 yeras of life the woods of a guitar show whether they will move around or remain stable. Top cracks can develop later, of course, if the guitar is subjected to changing levelse of humidity. Please note that this guitar - as far as I can see and as far as I remember Barslevs guitars - doesn't have an adjustable truss nut which may or may not be a problem for you.

Yngve Barslev began making hand made guitars before WW2 and his instruments became really popular during the war which was a time when we couldn't get anything from US due to the German occupation. After the war, demand ceased somewhat due to the American guitars which were now available again. And of course, at the end of the 1950s, electric guitar was what most people wanted and Baslev didn't build electric guitars, though he would fit a floating pickup on request. Barslev's instruments were used a lot by Danish jazz and dance band guitarists. One can still run across a sample in Copenhagen now and then. Usually they are pretty beat up because they were working musicians instruments, not collectors items. I have had the chance to try them a couple of times. IMHO they don't quite match good American archtops. I have sometimes been tempted to buy a Barslev when I saw one in a shop, but if I do it one day, it will be for nostalgic reasons. The Danish shops charge a premium for them, considering their intrinsic utility value and often poor condition.

[CurtisVolp]

Thanks for the advice! When you say they don't quite match good American archtops - are you referring to vintage archtops, or archtops that can be bought now for around the £1500 marker? (I have been offered it for much less than half of this)
How much should one expect to pay for one in reasonable condition, with some repaired cracks?

[Drifter]

If the guitar is in good playable condition now and you care for it well, why shouldn't it last? But why worry what happens in 60 years from now? You're 18 and it sure will not be your last guitar. But it might be your last chance to get a 1942 Barslev that you are already acquainted with and that you know you like. If you can afford it, don't think twice. The Loars and Eastmans out there will still be there if you decide to get one later.

[Klatu]

If the guitar's dimensions equal those of the Emperor, that means that the lower bout is about 18 1/8", making it an extraordinarily large and loud guitar. If the guitar is a solid carved wood box, I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up for what seems to be a very reasonable price for such an instrument.

Such speculative advice is what you should expect to get out a thread like this, as I can't imagine anyone else on this forum having experience with such an obscure builder (outside of possibly Oldane). If your teacher has used the instrument for en extended period and you are familiar and happy with the instrument, you already have a leg up on those of us who gamble by purchasing instruments off the web.

[fws6]

Ha - never heard about that maker but indeed there is a big dosis of Epiphone design in that archtop ! Do you have some better quality pics ? Those black (?) tuners look kinda out of place but for the rest it is hard to say anything about condition based on the fuzzy image. Anyways; If you say 'less than half' of the normal price, and you really dig the sound and feel, then why doubt ? If it doesnt play well it would be a differnt story, but you say it does. And like oldane said, if she held up for 70 years no reason to start worry now.

[oldane]

Thanks for the advice! When you say they don't quite match good American archtops - are you referring to vintage archtops, or archtops that can be bought now for around the £1500 marker? (I have been offered it for much less than half of this)
How much should one expect to pay for one in reasonable condition, with some repaired cracks?

I'm referring to both new and vintage American archtops - but of course it very much depends which archtops we compare with. American archtops - especially from before the Japanese instruments began to take over in the lower price segment in the 1979s - came in all levels with respect to both price and quality. Generally, on the Barslevs I have seen, the finish is not on par with say Gibsons or the like.

Through the years, I have seen pretty beat up samples with small bodies, mediocre sound and in poor condition put up for sale in some Copenhagen shops for what equals £1000-1500 - which is more than I have wanted to pay for them (and they tend to stay unsold for very long times, often two or three years or more). If this one is in good condition, sounds good and plays nicely without need for extensive work (like say a neck reset), I would say that the £5-6-700 you have been offered this for is very much OK IMHO. The problem with assessing prices of these guitars is that there are so few of them up for sale. Thus it's hard to say what they "usually" go for. It's much like those small cap shares with low volatility - there really isn't any normal market price to compare with. You may also have difficulties moving it on later, if you should wish to sell it.

FWIW, the KMC shop in Copenhagen has a 1958 Barslev archtop for DKr. 13900 ~ £1400. BTW, they also have a blonde 1942 Epiphone Emperor if you have DKr. 59900 ~ £6000 burning in your pocket. Both have been listed at their web site for more than two years by now. Akustisk / Hollow - KMC MUSIK

[CurtisVolp]

Thanks for the advice everyone - it is indeed 18 inches (not sure of the exact size), and its LOUD!
FSW6 - I'll take a few more pictures when I next see it on Thursday and post them on here. The black tuners aren't original, but the original tuners are included in the sale, as is the original bridge.
Olddane - once again, thanks for the advice! This is a big body, brilliant sound in medium-good condition, just a few repaired cracks on the top. It was set up (neck corrected, cracks fixed) a few years ago by a respected luthier who also sets up my guitars. I may give him a ring for his advice on the cracks (i.e. if they are stable). I've been offered it for the middle of what you would say is a good price.

Just one final question specifically for Olddane - it's a 1942, the earliest year it seems he made guitars. In your experience, are his post-war guitars better due to him having a better choice of wood post-war and Barslev himself having more construction experience?

[oldane]

Just one final question specifically for Olddane - it's a 1942, the earliest year it seems he made guitars. In your experience, are his post-war guitars better due to him having a better choice of wood post-war and Barslev himself having more construction experience?

I don't find myself qualified to answer that. I haven't seen that many Barslev guitars, and have played fewer still. And those I have seen and played have been in mediocre condition. However, generally, one use to say that the more guitars a builder has made, the better they get (hardly surprising). Bob Benedetto supports this view in his book "Making an Archtop Guitar".

IMHO, good sound is not so much a matter of the "quality" of the wood as it's a matter of the luthier knowing what to do with a particular piece of wood. Provided the wood is properly diried and the luthier knows his stuff, "high quality wood" is mostly a matter of visual appearance (flamed maple, close grained spruce etc.). Bob Benedetto built a guitar back in the 1990s from ordinary knot riddled pine and construction grade maple which he bought at the local timber store. Despite the seemingly obvious, it played and sounded as good as any of his top-of-line guitars - which was what he intended to prove. For all I know that guitar is still in good playable condition in some collection.

As for repaired top cracs, I think it's rare to see an archtop of this vintage which doesn't have repaired top cracks. Providing the repair is done properly, it doesn't degrade the sound and durability of the guitar. Almost all old violins, cellos etc. you hear famous musicians use have repaired top cracks.

But all of this is not so terribly relevant for you. If the guitar you have your eyes on sounds good, plays good and is structurally stable, well, it's a good guitar, period. And if the price is also good, you'll have a good guitar for a sensible sum. Besides, chances are that you'll not see another Barslev guitar for sale in UK anytime soon, if ever. Another thing is that the Barslev archtops I have seen are smaller than 18", so finding another big one is unlikely.

[CurtisVolp]

Sorry to revive a very old thread, but I bought the guitar after all these years - I got a few gigs that warranted finallt buying it. I've attached pictures, and you can find a link of me playing it here:
Curtis Volp on Instagram: “A quick Night and Day on my new 1944 Barslev Archtop, featuring the same specs as a Epiphone Empereror. I've wanted this guitar for…”

It sounds INCREDIBLE! Super loud and a beautiful tone to match.

[Dedalus]

Congratulations. Very cool to read the original thread from 2014 alongside your update, four years later. Looks and sounds fantastic. Hope you continue to enjoy this rare bird for decades to come.

[mr. beaumont]

Gorgeous.

[oldane]

Congratulations. When you buy a guitar after having your eyes on it for 4 years, you know you want it. From the photos it seems to be in much better condition than the roadworn samples I have seen in Copenhagen through the years. It also sounds better than the ones I have tried.

Now, if you should ever get an obsession with Danish archtops, there was also a maker named Just Poulsen .....

[citizenk74]

Congratulations on obtaining a fine instrument, and play it in good health!

[Rob MacKillop]

As good as I thought it would be. I owned an Yngve Barslev mandolin for a few years, and know the quality of his work. You have a great guitar there - no need to get distracted by Loars, Eastmans, etc.