Washburn Model 5238 Deluxe Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930), ser. #1231, original black chipboard case.

Washburn Model 5238 Deluxe Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930), made in Chicago, serial # 1231, natural lacquer finish, rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black chipboard case. The Washburn "Deluxe" was the finest standard guitar Lyon & Healy offered in the 1920s, the height of the Chicago-based company's accomplishment in 6-string design. This Model 5238 is its direct descendant, dating to the period just as the 1920s were ending and the Depression kicking in. After decades at the forefront of the fretted instrument business, in 1928 Lyon & Healy (perhaps seeing the stock market crash in a crystal ball!) sold their manufacturing operation to the J.R. Stewart company, and gave distribution of the Washburn line to up-and-coming Chicago jobber Tonk Bros.Soon enough when the Depression hit, Tonk stopped ordering instruments and Stewart's over-extended factory operation went under fairly quickly, allowing the Regal company to sweep in to buy the factory and its contents at pennies on the dollar. This instrument has the DNA of all these folks in it; the 19 fret fingerboard suggests it was made shortly before the time Regal assumed control from Stewart; Those made by Regal are generally considered to be identified by a change to a 20-fret layout.This Model 5238 is a 12-fret, X-braced rosewood Grand Concert Guitar generally similar to the Martin 00-28. It was the top of the Tonk/Washburn line and expertly made with the finest materials available. This is an extremely well-crafted, high-grade instrument, quite different from both J.R. Stewart and Regal's more common bargain basement fare. It was made in the same factory, by the same folks who built the high-end Washburns for Lyon & Healy -- just with a different name on their paycheck!It features a 14 3/16" wide rosewood body carrying a fairly lightly built X-braced red spruce top bound in ivoroid, with six alternating B&W purfling lines around the top and back. Continued from Lyon & Healy practice, the back and sides are of 3-ply laminated rosewood rather than the solid Brazilian Rosewood Martin used; although frowned on today, this was touted as a deluxe feature at the time more resistant to cracking. The top is solid spruce with finely fitted X bracing and a small maple bridgeplate.The mahogany 12-fret neck has a soft "V" profile that is less prominent nearer the nut. It is topped with an ivoroid bound ebony fingerboard inlaid with delicate shaped pearl snowflakes and slotted diamonds. The bound soundhole has a multiple ply double-ring rosette. Other distinctive Washburn features are the unique ebony "Smile" bridge, fluted crown headstock shape and the trademark delicate gold leaf filigree designs on the top, something that kicked around Chicago makers from the early '20s up into the late '30s.This is quite a rare guitar and one of the best steel-string flat tops of the period -- a worthy competitor to Martin and the Larson Brothers' products. It was priced at $120 in 1930 (without case) which was a full $40 MORE than a Martin 00-28; for that you could have gotten a pearl-trimmed 00-42 and $10 change! The sound is powerful and round but crisp; it fingerpicks beautifully but also has muscle in reserve, with plenty of volume. It makes a fine flat-picked strummer as well. This guitar is a nice, excellent playing example of this rare and lovely pre-war rosewood flat-top.Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 14 3/16 in. (36 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.). This lovely 90+ year old Washburn is a nice example overall showing some play wear and restoration but still a fine playing and sounding instrument. There is some typical wear to the all-original thin lacquer finish with moderately heavy checking, dings, dents and scuffs overall. The top shows some noticeable pick wear mostly in the usual spot below and behind the soundhole as well as smaller dings and dents. The elaborate stenciling is quite well preserved for the most part. The back of the neck has a decent amount of wear especially to the spine, oddly enough mostly further up in the 4-9th fret positions rather than down by the nut.The ebony "Smile" bridge appears original, lowered somewhat in front of the pins long ago. There is some marring around the bridge from it being re-attached at some point. The original small maple bridge plate is intact with a smaller narrow maple reinforcing patch added over the bridge plate holes. The top center seam has been visibly resealed between the bridge and the top/back edge with a couple of cleats but no added finish. There is a tiny check on the rosewood back off the upper waist that does not go through to the inside. The guitar is otherwise free of cracks. The tuners are period Lyon & Healy issue but much plainer than the gold plated originals. The ivoroid bridgepins and end