Description
USED - A hand-made collector's item from a master luthier. Signed A. LoPrinzi made in 1975 in Rosemont, New Jersey! Sweet, booming, wonderful Martin tone. Incredible abalone D41 style inlay on the fretboard with a stunning D35 style 3-piece back made from stunning rosewood. Solid spruce top and gorgeous solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides! Another rare LoPrinzi instrument. Slightly wider 1.83" nut. Includes hard shell case.
Shows some signs of age with some finish shrink and a few dings and dents. Also has a repaired center seam crack on the top, but plays great and sounds amazing. Has some picking wear on pickguard and top as well. Frets have plenty of life and saddle is low but sounds strong. It's over 50 years old! Must be heard to be appreciated. Some finish shrink around the bridge, but no signs of lifting.
Has un-know brand active pickup with 9v batter inside, no volume or tone controls. Sounds loud and clear like a classic piezo pickup.
From the Augustino LoPrinzi website: "Through the years, Augustino has consulted or designed stringed instruments for many companies including Guild, Martin, Kramer, Fender and others. Many of today's well-known guitar builders got their start helping out in Augie's shop, observing and learning from the master.
In the beginning Augustino learned by trial and error. He had discovered early on that it is not only the completion of nearly 300 steps to building a good guitar, but the sequence used to complete them.
The importance of using high quality seasoned woods is essential, Augie insists. He's invested much of his money in wood, knowing that the price of it was always going up and the quality kept going down. On the average, instruments he builds today are from woods ranging in age from four to eight years. The absolute minimum age of the wood he uses for instrument construction is two years--going up in age to the stash of Brazilian rosewood which he purchased in 1963.
Augie has always known the importance of persistence and hard work. He has lived by his father's words. "Do good work and the money will come." According to him he is still waiting on the money, but he still continues to strive to build the best possible guitar he can build. Whether the money comes or not Augustino says he still loves what he is doing."