Rumored To Be One of Big Bill Broonzy's Favorite Guitars…

1918 Gibson Style '0' Artist - Scroll-Body

This absolutely amazing 'Elite' 16 1/4 inch-wide, 3 1/4 inch deep, 'Scroll-Body' acoustic archtop weighs just 4.50 lbs. Single-piece carved Brazilian mahogany top with oval sound hole measuring 2 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches, surrounded by an ornate 'marquetry' rosette. One-piece carved Brazilian mahogany back and sides. Two-piece mahogany neck with walnut center strip and neck joint at the 15th fret. Super thick profile neck with a fat nut width of just under 1 13/16 inches and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Single-bound ebony fretboard with 20 original thin frets, inlaid pearl dot position markers and black dot side-markers. Single binding on the top and the back. Black-faced headstock with single binding and and abalone and pearl diagonal "The Gibson" and 'Crown' inlay. Black faced back of headstock with three-per side, open-back strip tuners with oval ivory buttons. Raised 'tear-shaped' celluloid pickguard secured to the side of the body with an adjustable metal bracket. Original 'pre-compensated' ebony bridge. Specific celluloid tailpiece with six black and pearl pins and trapeze tail secured by three screws. Inside the sound-hole is the Gibson white oval label with Style: "O" and the serial number "147300" in black pencil and the FON (factory order number) "11095' stamped in black on the neck-end. This two year short of a century guitar is 100% original and is in near mint (9.25++) condition with just a few very minor surface scratches. This is a unique instrument both in looks and its 'big' sound. It was the first 'Elite' full-size guitar built by Gibson from 1908-1923. Probably the finest example extant, housed in the original five-latch, shaped black hardshell case with padded burgundy velvet lining (9.25).

Big Bill Broonzy (1893-1958) - the prolific American Blues singer, songwriter and guitarist who has been a major influence on so many present and latter-day guitarists is rumored to have played a Style '0' Artist…

"Orville Gibson invented the archtop guitar in the 1890s, and the company that bore his name went on to lead the development and refinement of the archtop as it is known today… Before the more familiar look of the L-5 and its descendants dominated the archtop world, the oval-holed Style 0 - introduced in 1903 - was Gibson's leading archtop. The elaborate scrolled upper horn and flat cutaway appeared by about 1907, but the Gibson 'logo wasn't added to the model's headstock until after 1916." (Acoustic Guitars - The illustrated Encyclopedia, p.80).

"Gibson's perception of the guitar as a mandolin orchestra instrument is evident in the scroll and body point of the redesigned Style 0, which debuted in 1908. Gibson sometimes called the scroll-body Style 0 the "Artist's Model," and collectors know it as the Style 0 Artist. Although it was Gibson's top of the line, it was not as successful as the slightly less expensive and more conventionally shaped L-4. The Style 0 was discontinued in 1923." (Gruhn & Carter. Acoustic Guitars and other Fretted Instruments. p. 141).

Spann's Guide to Gibson 1902-1941, p.69.