WITHDRAWN: 1971/1972 Gurian S3R

[scottcw]

NO LONGER FOR SALE. I will leave this thread for the interesting history of Gurian.

Gurian S3R, serial B1383 from 1971/1972. This guitar has the voice of angels, but I can't get past the 1-5/8" nut width.

Everything I know about the guitar is below.

• Spruce top (don't know if Adirondack or Sitka).

• Indian Rosewood back and sides.

• Factory installed FRAP pick-up (precursor to Trance Audio Amulet) and I will include a Trance Audio Inducer outboard pre-amp.


Work that has been done or issues that I know of:

• Re-fretted by Doucet Guitar Works in February 2003.

• Output jack for pick-up moved from the lower bout to the endpin jack by Doucet.

• New bone nut and saddle installed by Doucet.

• There is a center seam crack that has been glued/cleated and is stable.


Specs:

Scale length - 25-5/8"

Nut width - 1-5/8"

String spacing at bridge - 2-1/4"

String spacing at nut - 1-13/32"

Action

• At nut (off fingerboard) - 1/32" at both E strings.

• At 12th fret (off fret) - 1/8" at both E strings.

String distance from top of soundboard - 33/64" at low E; 7/16" at high E.

Amount of exposed saddle from top of bridge - 9/64" at low E; 1/16" at high E.

[b1j]

Third planet from the sun.

That’s a pretty thing. Not a scratch in over half a century. Obviously wasn’t owned by a naïve 22-year-old like mine was. This was from the New York factory years. Someone is about to get lucky.

I have blunt, stubby fingers. Playing my Gurian taught me to keep my left pinky fingernail short and smooth.

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by b1j

Third planet from the sun.

That’s a pretty thing. Not a scratch in over half a century. Obviously wasn’t owned by a naïve 22-year-old like mine was. This was from the New York factory years. Someone is about to get lucky.

I have blunt, stubby fingers. Playing my Gurian taught me to keep my left pinky fingernail short and smooth.

B1j….I was wondering if it would be you or me to first post about how great these guitars are.

You win….as does anyone who picks up this beauty.

GLWS

[Arapaho G]

I used to have one. Bought it back in 72 when I was in high school. It was stolen when I moved back to Michigan from Texas, along with everything else I owned at the time. Wish I still had it.

[renoslim]

I have an S2R. Gurians are great guitars and Michael Gurian had a major impact on the "boutique" guitar industry. Good luck with the sale.

Lee

[scottcw]

Bumping for a lucky buyer.

[jwalker99]

Michael Bashkin, a superb builder in his own right, has been doing podcasts interviewing fellow builders including this one with Michael Gurian from Sep. 2022

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/pod...ichael-gurian/

Gurian recalls a recent meeting he had with Paul Simon in which they'd discussed Simon's circa '72 Gurian Size 3 Rosewood guitar.
According to Gurian, Simon told him he'd "recorded 90% of all of his music on that guitar." A remarkable claim.

That part of the interview starts at 00:03:20.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by jwalker99

Michael Bashkin, a superb builder in his own right, has been doing podcasts interviewing fellow builders including this one with Michael Gurian from Sep. 2022

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/pod...ichael-gurian/

Gurian recalls a recent meeting he had with Paul Simon in which they'd discussed Simon's circa '72 Gurian Size 3 Rosewood guitar.
According to Gurian, Simon told him he'd "recorded 90% of all of his music on that guitar." A remarkable claim.

That part of the interview starts at 00:03:20.

Yes, Michael Gurian is a cult figure these days among his customers and the diaspora of builders he hired and trained. Alas, there have since been shrewder business people building fine guitars, and Michael suffered not one but two catastrophes (ultimately ending the Gurian guitar line), but his instruments speak and sing for themselves. If you know, then you know.

The OP has been up front about the 1-5/8” nut width: the Kiss of Death here at AGF. However, if you can deal with it, this is a beauty. Mandolin players take note.

Gurians are rare because people don’t sell them. This one is even more rare, as it comes from Michael’s third Manhattan workshop, on Grand Street. I bought mine in 1977 after Michael had expanded into New Hampshire. In New York he used to build “open,” without so many jigs and molds. Those were the days when Built By Hand meant more than it does today. The shop had eight employees including Michael Millard, Bill Cumpiano, and Walter Lipton — one or more of whom almost certainly built this guitar for sale.

The tiny Grand Street shop made the B series, and produced about 415 guitars, from serial number B1100 to B1514, before decamping for the much larger Hinsdale, NH shop/factory. This one for sale –– one of the last thirty made at Grand Street –– is included in the Gurian database (Google it), but without comments.

Having this gem show up in my metro area is strangely tantalizing. I would love to own this one! But my gaze is fixed into the middle distance toward the D-18 that will join me next (whenever that happens!).

[scottcw]

Originally Posted by b1j

The OP has been up front about the 1-5/8” nut width: the Kiss of Death here at AGF. However, if you can deal with it, this is a beauty. Mandolin players take note.

Also great for electric guitar players.

[Slothead56]

Those who know, know. If I already didn’t own a ‘78JR I would consider this one. Rare indeed. They hardly come up on the market. Boutique design, quality and sound without the exorbitant boutique price.

BTW-I jump between 1 3/4” and this 1 5/8” with no issues, but that’s just me….

[b1j]

Another thing I notice is that the case on this item seems to fit the unique Gurian body shape like a glove. When I bought mine, Terminal Music set me up with a third-party case that is too wide, so for all these years my S3R3H has been wobbling around in a loose-fitting case. Not to be underestimated, this is another fine feature of this offering.

If wishes were horses, this beauty would canter over to my music room!

[grandstick]

An old friend, and former bandmate of mine bought a Gurian back in the 70s. It was his sole acoustic until his family gave him a nice Taylor as a retirement gift.

He plays the Taylor most of the time these days, but will never give up his Gurian.

[scottcw]

Y'all are making me question selling this. I'll keep it available until this weekend, then reconsider.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by scottcw

Y'all are making me question selling this. I'll keep it available until this weekend, then reconsider.

Or you could let it have a play date with my S3R3H?