Recording King Archtop

[ozarkmac]

Any experience and/or opinions on the 30s era Recording King archtops?

[The Growler]

There are many differences between the different models and even the same model every year. What are you looking at? George Gruhn's Vintage Guitar Guide does a good job outlining the differences, but don't be surprised to find original condition models that still deviate from the descriptions.

Many you will find for sale have been modified with attempts to install pickups, etc. As with any vintage guitar, check for condition and keep in mind the costs of any possible fixes.

I have a 1936 M5 that is really nice and I treasure it. It has family history.

Since it is more than 80 years old I keep it strung with custom light PBs from GHS. Sounds great and is a joy.

[ozarkmac]

Looking at a 35 M3 and a 38 M2, neither have been modified and seller says no issues.
Thanks for the advice on strings and especially the Gruhn Guide. Been looking for more information.
I have only played one Recording King. It was a 37 M2 and I really liked everything about it.
A couple more questions:
1) Is the cost of an M5 worth the extra $$, condition being the same?
2) Are the Rec Kings comparable to say a Gibson L-30?

[The Growler]

I'm not as familiar with the M2 as the M3,4 and 5. The differences are more than just "bling" (binding, fret markers, etc), but also small differences in bout width, depth and the materials used (wood and layers).

In case you don't know, these years and models were made by Gibson as private label guitars for Montgomery Ward. The top model in the line was the M5 and was a private label clone of the L5. While not quite an L5, they are less expensive today as there is far less collector interest and since they originally sold for less, probably weren't always taken as good care of as a more expensive L5 would have probably been.

My M5 has some beautiful wood grain (the sides are a really nice curly maple) and the checkerboard binding has a cool vintage vibe you don't see on new guitars. It's in great condition, no one ever hacked it up adding a pickup.

The answer on the price difference being worth it is a personal answer. A nice M5 will be to some and not to other I suppose.

Good luck in your hunt. I hope I was able to help you and look forward to hearing what you picked and hopefully seeing some NGD pics.

[ozarkmac]

Thanks again Growler!

[The Growler]

You're welcome! Good luck in your search. I'm looking forward to seeing what you get.

[ozarkmac]

Been reading some reviews concerning the Gruhn's Guide. Some have said that it is strictly a guide for collectors and those who have extensive collector knowledge to verify authenticity. In fact that's how it is described in the sales listing.
Is it of any use to someone like me who simply wants to compare models and gain knowledge of those models?
Thoughts?

[ozarkmac]

Found and bought a used one for $8.76. Has to be worthy at that price!

[The Growler]

It's worth that much just due to the detailed info on the models and manufacturing dates, measurements and configuration details. I'm not a collector, but I have found some helpful information there many times.