kpsta
Junior Member
Hey - Does anyone know much about Standel guitars? Other than what I've seen on the web - convoluted history, Harptone and Sam Koontz, made in NJ in the 60s, etc. Has anyone ever played one of them? Are they nice? Anything?
Standel Guitars
- Thread starter kpsta
- Start date
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
Vintage Guitar magazine has had quite a few mentions of Standel products.
Here's a short one in conjunction with another builder.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1168
(About halfway down the page)
Or, you could check out the LTS (Let's Talk Standel) Forum! :wink:
Here's a short one in conjunction with another builder.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1168
(About halfway down the page)
Or, you could check out the LTS (Let's Talk Standel) Forum! :wink:
kpsta
Junior Member
Oh, well... I'm going to take a chance on it anyway. This time of year (bonus season) can be bad.
http://www.gbase.com/gear/standel-420-c-1960-cherry
I will report back. :mrgreen:
http://www.gbase.com/gear/standel-420-c-1960-cherry
I will report back. :mrgreen:
kpsta
Junior Member
Well, after having this guitar for a little while... wow!
It's a mahogany body (which I love... it was the acquisition of a mahogany Guild SFXII that drove me in this direction) and the color is much more of a burgundy than more chocolately - red you see in the picture (I'll try to add some pictures when I have a moment), the neck is fairly slim, and it plays quite well. Acoustically, it's very loud - it completely fills the room... much more so than my Ric 360.
Plugged in, I'd have to compare it to either an Epi Casino or a Gibson 330... but again, with a Mahogany body. Yum. I've never heard of the Rowe pickups (often listed along with DeArmonds in what I've read out there, but not the same)... but I like them. Fullness, bass, grit, and oomph in the neck pickup. The bridge pickup sounds a lot like the Ric 360 bridge though with a little less sparkle to it. A Janglebox brightens it up though.
It's a mahogany body (which I love... it was the acquisition of a mahogany Guild SFXII that drove me in this direction) and the color is much more of a burgundy than more chocolately - red you see in the picture (I'll try to add some pictures when I have a moment), the neck is fairly slim, and it plays quite well. Acoustically, it's very loud - it completely fills the room... much more so than my Ric 360.
Plugged in, I'd have to compare it to either an Epi Casino or a Gibson 330... but again, with a Mahogany body. Yum. I've never heard of the Rowe pickups (often listed along with DeArmonds in what I've read out there, but not the same)... but I like them. Fullness, bass, grit, and oomph in the neck pickup. The bridge pickup sounds a lot like the Ric 360 bridge though with a little less sparkle to it. A Janglebox brightens it up though.
I a big Standel/ Harptone/ Yamaki fan and currently collecting photos, serial numbers and current condition on existing units. If you have more pics and the serial number off that puppy, please message me.
Harptone made only 300 units across all models for Standel between 1968 and 1969. This includes the 420 s and the 520 s, thinline hollow bodies, the Eagle, the Lark, the 811 Archtop, the B4 acoustic bass, the 1000 S Archtop, and the 400 S electric base. All had 3 levels of finish. Budget had MOP dots on the fingerboard. Mid-level had the dots and binding up the fingerboard and head stock. The pro level added MOP rectangles to the fingerboard. Designed by Sam Koontz, all models including the acoustics had elements of his love for the Archtop Guitar. You don't see many if any acoustics with the curvy back of a Archtop. They were so well designed that Harptone couldn't build a bad one if they tried. nice warm tones throughout the line. even the Dreadnoughts rung jazz riffs like it was born for it. The crown was influenced by the D'angelaco's and was Koontz's calling card. You will find it on the above brands and his own hand made Archtops. He also invented sliding F and sound hole doors to kill feedback on the his Archtops. The first one with this innovation is owned by Jazz legend Pat Martino. That's the short story with some background.
Look at the label. If it says Harptone, your guitar was built in 1968. It took Standel about 8 months to get their own label.
Harptone made only 300 units across all models for Standel between 1968 and 1969. This includes the 420 s and the 520 s, thinline hollow bodies, the Eagle, the Lark, the 811 Archtop, the B4 acoustic bass, the 1000 S Archtop, and the 400 S electric base. All had 3 levels of finish. Budget had MOP dots on the fingerboard. Mid-level had the dots and binding up the fingerboard and head stock. The pro level added MOP rectangles to the fingerboard. Designed by Sam Koontz, all models including the acoustics had elements of his love for the Archtop Guitar. You don't see many if any acoustics with the curvy back of a Archtop. They were so well designed that Harptone couldn't build a bad one if they tried. nice warm tones throughout the line. even the Dreadnoughts rung jazz riffs like it was born for it. The crown was influenced by the D'angelaco's and was Koontz's calling card. You will find it on the above brands and his own hand made Archtops. He also invented sliding F and sound hole doors to kill feedback on the his Archtops. The first one with this innovation is owned by Jazz legend Pat Martino. That's the short story with some background.
Look at the label. If it says Harptone, your guitar was built in 1968. It took Standel about 8 months to get their own label.