ID this old archtop

DiscoStu · November 2019

Someone nearby is selling this old guitar but doesn't know what it is. No logo on the headstock. Reckons he's had it 20 years and bought it at the time hoping it was an old Epiphone.
Any ideas?

https://i.imgur.com/0QjbRwf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Aq5RDfJ.jpg

Andy79 · November 2019

I think it’s a Framus

DiscoStu · November 2019

It's certainly got hints of the Framus factory, I was thinking possibly a Triumph? But I can't find those distinctive f holes in any searches.

Kittyfrisk · November 2019

Found some similar f-holes, but everything else is different & there is no positive attribution anyway *facepalm*
https://medium.com/@quietdeluxe/7-lessons-i-learned-while-restoring-a-vintage-archtop-guitar-b12e035377a1
Found some Harmony/Kay's, the same result...
I'd say Framus, Hofner or Harmony/Kay but it's all just guesswork.

DiscoStu · July 2020

Thread resurrection.

It's up for sale again and still taking my eye. I never did work out what it was, any new ideas on it? Distinctive f-holes, big block inlays, and an old Epi style headstock.
Seen a couple of older guitars with those f-holes, and a couple of those with the large inlays, but none with those AND the Epi headstock. They tend to have a scratchplate as well.

WezV · July 2020

inlays and missing frets make me think of musima, but the f-holes don't.

Epsilon · July 2020

Zero fret often indicates German-made. That combined with the inlay style suggests it's a Hofner or a Framus but I agree the headstock is out of place.

DiscoStu · July 2020

Oo!!! I think I've found it!
It's a Glazbala, made in Croatia. Here's another one:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-jazz-archtop-acoustic-guitar-161467217

DiscoStu · July 2020

So .. anyone heard of/know about Glazbala?

KKJale · July 2020

Well, glazbala means musical instrument in Croat... so it might be a maker, or equally likely a label that a Zagreb shop or distributor stuck inside an imported guitar. Worthpoint description is obviously clueless and there's no pic of the label, so no help there.

DiscoStu · July 2020

Bother.

DiscoStu · July 2020

Right, a bit more digging shows that there were two manufacturers in the former Yugoslavia, Glazbala Zagreb and Melodija Menges.
Melodija Menges used a different shape of f-hole so I'm now certain it's by Glazbala Zagreb (Zagreb Musical Instruments)

https://i.imgur.com/SfXdhBP.jpg

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ID this old archtop

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