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Preowned Schroeder Guitars “GI Guitar” Radio Lane ser#RBL-002 WWII inspired
Estimated price for orientation: 2 995 $
Category: Electric Guitar
Class:
Description Condition: Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Brand: Schroeder Guitars Dexterity: Right-Handed Model: Radio Lane "GI" Body Color: Army Green MPN: Does Not Apply Body Material: Solid Wood Body Type: Solid Country/Region of Manufacture: United States String Configuration: 6 String Country of Manufacture: United States UPC: Does not apply
Here is a slightly preowned Schroeder Guitars “GI Guitar” Radio Lane ser#RBL-002 with a Sapele Ribbon Mahogany body, Flame Claro Walnut neck, Canvas tent top from an actual WWII tent, brass binding, ebony fretboard, and Lollar pickups. Comes with COA and hardshell case. (amp in pictures not included)The Forties were pretty much a lost decade for guitar innovation due to World War II and the shift of American industrial output from consumer to military production. The development of the electric guitar was hit the hardest, as it went from an impressive period of invention during the Thirties to a complete standstill during the Forties. Luthier Jason Schroeder wondered what might have happened if an enterprising young electric guitar inventor was drafted into the military back then but still wanted to work on the emerging concept of the solidbody guitar. His result was the Schroeder Guitars World War II “GI” guitar, which is built from the kind of parts and materials that would have been available to a guitar builder in battle conditions (taken from Guitar World Magazine, December 2015). The “G.I.” GuitarWhat if… This GI Guitar build was an excercise in putting myself in the position of someone, perhaps an industrious serviceman, who was not content letting the progress of the electrified guitar stop. In the era of conservation, austerity, and sacrifice, what resources would he have? And what changes would he make after the initial build? How would it be finished? What would it look like? How would it sound? How would it have aged?Here is a discussion of the materials used in the build.Sapele Mahogany body. Rumors abound that Sapele may have been used on some of the great LPs of the 50s because it was stiff and hard and so plentiful. Martin had been using it for years on necks and bodies on acoustics. It had been imported as early as the 1930s from Africa, being made popular in Germany for use in architecture and furniture. It is very possible that a 7” wide plank of 8/4 Sapele got into the hands of a rogue guitar maker in the 40s.Walnut neck. Domestic walnut use was very common in the 1930s and 1940s for gunstocks. A curly piece of walnut was rare on a GI M1 Carbine or Garand, however they do exist and just as with any figured boards, they can show up in a pallet of otherwise plane lumber, albeit rare.GRC Radio Knobs. Bar knobs from military radios would have been plentiful for use on a guitar. They were cast iron and painted olive drab with a white marker in the center. These would have been used on GRC coded radio units through the Vietnam era.Ebony fingerboard. Several American instrument manufacturers were making upright basses in the early part of the 20th century including Gibson. The fingerboard was made a thick piece of African ebony. Additionally, clarinet makers used ebony almost exclusively until the advent of plastics and metals in the 30s and 40s. The material for fingerboards of upright basses, cellos, and clarinets as well as left over parts from guitar manufacturing (Martin used ebony fingerboards almost exclusively) make the ebony fingerboard an easily sourced piece of the guitar.Bakelite pickup material. Bakelite was developed by a Belgian born chemist named Leo Baekeland in New York in 1907. Bakelite was one of the first plastics made from synthetic materials and was used widely in the electronics industry due to its electrical nonconductivity and heat resistant properties. It was also widely used in gun manufacture for pistol grips. During 1943, Bakelite was even tested for useage as a penny due to shortages of metals. Bakelite in such small quantities could easily have been taken from a broken clock radio, which were commonly made of Bakelite.Bridge. Aircraft aluminum was used for the main body of the bridge. The jack plate is also made from aluminum.Aluminum pickguard, plates. Aluminum was a staple of the aircraft industry and still is today. It is prevalent in nature but in its refined form was scarce due to high production during wartime. There were even “Aluminum for defense” drives under Mayor LaGuardia where the government would ask for donations of old aluminum items such as pots, pans, hair curlers, and jewelry to be used for military items. Several small pieces such as those on this guitar would have been readily available as scrap in a machine shop. Some of the largest manufactures of aluminum aircraft in the US during WWII were Lockheed, Boeing, Martin, Douglas, Curtiss-Wright, Consolidated and Bell. The waffle pattern on the backplates are an ordnance detail, indicating that this portion of the build would likely have been performed at an armory. Though custom shaped and designed for this project, the larger electronics plate strongly resembles a butt plate from a rifle and could pass for “found art.” The truss rod cover is intended to be reminiscent of a dog tag or equipment label common to the era. The rivet screws for the pickguard were selected to resemble aircraft rivets while still being functional, removable if necessary.Binding. A double take will reveal that the binding around the top perimeter of the guitar is actually weathered brass and secured via stainless steel screws to the body. Brass is also used for the saddles and for the studs/caps/bushings in the bridge assembly. Brass was in high demand for use in artillery shells, weaponry, equipment, and machinery. Similar to aluminum drives mentioned above, brass and copper were also collected in scrap drives. Again, such small amounts would have been readily available as scrap in a machine shop or factory.Canvas top. The canvas top is from the body of an actual WWII tent.Open back Tuners. Tuners for the project reflect the simplicity and functionality of the WWII military goods. The tuners used on this guitar are modified reproductions of 1920s Gibson tuners that were used on guitars such as the L-1 in a “3-on-a-plate” configuration. The simplicity of the rectangular, unadorned individual plates seems very fitting for the WWII era as well as for a made-for-military endeavor.Finish. Linseed oil. The M1 Carbine and M1 Garand rifles were of the era were finished with Linseed Oil and then waxed for water protection. The finish on these rifles is commonly in need of re-application and, except for die-hard period-correct restorations, the standard now is to use Boiled Linseed Oil which is a refined version of the sealant that tends to dry more quickly and not “sweat” when heated. Raw linseed oil is notorious for very long drying times. The back and neck of the GI guitar were finished with Boiled Linseed Oil.Model: GI Radio LaneConstruction: Set-neckBody: Sapele Ribbon MahoganyNeck: Flame Claro WalnutFretboard: EbonyNeck Shape: Schroeder’s “Just Right Carve” .87-.97Radius: 12″Scale: 24.625″Frets: Medium Stainless SteelNut: BoneNut Width: 1.70Tuners: Waverly (Distressed)Bridge: Schroeder TOM Bridge & StopbarPickups: Lollar Imperial Bridge, P90 neck w/ Bakelite CoversControls: Volume, Tone, 3-WayPickguard: Aluminum w/ Spanner ScrewsKnobs: Army Field Radio KnobsBackplates: Flamed Claro WalnutBinding: BrassHeadstock: Cartouche Marks w/ Serial NumberFinish: Army Tent Canvas, Boiled Linseed Oiled BackDetails: Mercury Dime (1940) Inlayed Trussrod Cover, S-Jack PlateCase: G&GCheck out all my other auctions.Great starting price with no reserve. Don't miss out!!!I package well and ship fast. Please check out all my other auctions.Email me for further questions. Don't miss out!!! Shipping to the lower 48 States is $60.00, $85.00 to CAN, AK, HI and $155.00 to the rest of the World. Paypal payments are expected within 3 days. Check out my other auctions.
Description
| Condition: | Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition | Brand: | Schroeder Guitars |
| Dexterity: | Right-Handed | Model: | Radio Lane "GI" |
| Body Color: | Army Green | MPN: | Does Not Apply |
| Body Material: | Solid Wood | Body Type: | Solid |
| Country/Region of Manufacture: | United States | String Configuration: | 6 String |
| Country of Manufacture: | United States | UPC: | Does not apply |
Here is a slightly preowned Schroeder Guitars “GI Guitar” Radio Lane ser#RBL-002 with a Sapele Ribbon Mahogany body, Flame Claro Walnut neck, Canvas tent top from an actual WWII tent, brass binding, ebony fretboard, and Lollar pickups. Comes with COA and hardshell case. (amp in pictures not included)The Forties were pretty much a lost decade for guitar innovation due to World War II and the shift of American industrial output from consumer to military production. The development of the electric guitar was hit the hardest, as it went from an impressive period of invention during the Thirties to a complete standstill during the Forties. Luthier Jason Schroeder wondered what might have happened if an enterprising young electric guitar inventor was drafted into the military back then but still wanted to work on the emerging concept of the solidbody guitar. His result was the Schroeder Guitars World War II “GI” guitar, which is built from the kind of parts and materials that would have been available to a guitar builder in battle conditions (taken from Guitar World Magazine, December 2015). Great starting price with no reserve. Don't miss out!!!I package well and ship fast. Please check out all my other auctions.Email me for further questions. Don't miss out!!! Shipping to the lower 48 States is $60.00, $85.00 to CAN, AK, HI and $155.00 to the rest of the World. Paypal payments are expected within 3 days. Check out my other auctions.
The “G.I.” GuitarWhat if… This GI Guitar build was an excercise in putting myself in the position of someone, perhaps an industrious serviceman, who was not content letting the progress of the electrified guitar stop. In the era of conservation, austerity, and sacrifice, what resources would he have? And what changes would he make after the initial build? How would it be finished? What would it look like? How would it sound? How would it have aged?Here is a discussion of the materials used in the build.Sapele Mahogany body. Rumors abound that Sapele may have been used on some of the great LPs of the 50s because it was stiff and hard and so plentiful. Martin had been using it for years on necks and bodies on acoustics. It had been imported as early as the 1930s from Africa, being made popular in Germany for use in architecture and furniture. It is very possible that a 7” wide plank of 8/4 Sapele got into the hands of a rogue guitar maker in the 40s.Walnut neck. Domestic walnut use was very common in the 1930s and 1940s for gunstocks. A curly piece of walnut was rare on a GI M1 Carbine or Garand, however they do exist and just as with any figured boards, they can show up in a pallet of otherwise plane lumber, albeit rare.
GRC Radio Knobs. Bar knobs from military radios would have been plentiful for use on a guitar. They were cast iron and painted olive drab with a white marker in the center. These would have been used on GRC coded radio units through the Vietnam era.Ebony fingerboard. Several American instrument manufacturers were making upright basses in the early part of the 20th century including Gibson. The fingerboard was made a thick piece of African ebony. Additionally, clarinet makers used ebony almost exclusively until the advent of plastics and metals in the 30s and 40s. The material for fingerboards of upright basses, cellos, and clarinets as well as left over parts from guitar manufacturing (Martin used ebony fingerboards almost exclusively) make the ebony fingerboard an easily sourced piece of the guitar.Bakelite pickup material. Bakelite was developed by a Belgian born chemist named Leo Baekeland in New York in 1907. Bakelite was one of the first plastics made from synthetic materials and was used widely in the electronics industry due to its electrical nonconductivity and heat resistant properties. It was also widely used in gun manufacture for pistol grips. During 1943, Bakelite was even tested for useage as a penny due to shortages of metals. Bakelite in such small quantities could easily have been taken from a broken clock radio, which were commonly made of Bakelite.Bridge. Aircraft aluminum was used for the main body of the bridge. The jack plate is also made from aluminum.Aluminum pickguard, plates. Aluminum was a staple of the aircraft industry and still is today. It is prevalent in nature but in its refined form was scarce due to high production during wartime. There were even “Aluminum for defense” drives under Mayor LaGuardia where the government would ask for donations of old aluminum items such as pots, pans, hair curlers, and jewelry to be used for military items. Several small pieces such as those on this guitar would have been readily available as scrap in a machine shop. Some of the largest manufactures of aluminum aircraft in the US during WWII were Lockheed, Boeing, Martin, Douglas, Curtiss-Wright, Consolidated and Bell. The waffle pattern on the backplates are an ordnance detail, indicating that this portion of the build would likely have been performed at an armory. Though custom shaped and designed for this project, the larger electronics plate strongly resembles a butt plate from a rifle and could pass for “found art.” The truss rod cover is intended to be reminiscent of a dog tag or equipment label common to the era. The rivet screws for the pickguard were selected to resemble aircraft rivets while still being functional, removable if necessary.
Binding. A double take will reveal that the binding around the top perimeter of the guitar is actually weathered brass and secured via stainless steel screws to the body. Brass is also used for the saddles and for the studs/caps/bushings in the bridge assembly. Brass was in high demand for use in artillery shells, weaponry, equipment, and machinery. Similar to aluminum drives mentioned above, brass and copper were also collected in scrap drives. Again, such small amounts would have been readily available as scrap in a machine shop or factory.Canvas top. The canvas top is from the body of an actual WWII tent.Open back Tuners. Tuners for the project reflect the simplicity and functionality of the WWII military goods. The tuners used on this guitar are modified reproductions of 1920s Gibson tuners that were used on guitars such as the L-1 in a “3-on-a-plate” configuration. The simplicity of the rectangular, unadorned individual plates seems very fitting for the WWII era as well as for a made-for-military endeavor.Finish. Linseed oil. The M1 Carbine and M1 Garand rifles were of the era were finished with Linseed Oil and then waxed for water protection. The finish on these rifles is commonly in need of re-application and, except for die-hard period-correct restorations, the standard now is to use Boiled Linseed Oil which is a refined version of the sealant that tends to dry more quickly and not “sweat” when heated. Raw linseed oil is notorious for very long drying times. The back and neck of the GI guitar were finished with Boiled Linseed Oil.
Check out all my other auctions.Model: GI Radio LaneConstruction: Set-neckBody: Sapele Ribbon MahoganyNeck: Flame Claro WalnutFretboard: EbonyNeck Shape: Schroeder’s “Just Right Carve” .87-.97Radius: 12″Scale: 24.625″Frets: Medium Stainless SteelNut: BoneNut Width: 1.70Tuners: Waverly (Distressed)Bridge: Schroeder TOM Bridge & StopbarPickups: Lollar Imperial Bridge, P90 neck w/ Bakelite CoversControls: Volume, Tone, 3-WayPickguard: Aluminum w/ Spanner ScrewsKnobs: Army Field Radio KnobsBackplates: Flamed Claro WalnutBinding: BrassHeadstock: Cartouche Marks w/ Serial NumberFinish: Army Tent Canvas, Boiled Linseed Oiled BackDetails: Mercury Dime (1940) Inlayed Trussrod Cover, S-Jack PlateCase: G&G