{"product_id":"slingerland-songster-archtop-w-hardcase-1930s","title":"Slingerland Songster Archtop w\/Hardcase (1930s)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMetronome Music inspects and test all used gear before listing and again before shipping. Photographs are of the product that will ship and accurately represent condition and appearance. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSlingerland Songster Archtop (1930s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis guitar is in good playing condition and is a wonderful part of Chicago history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eBuilt in 1930 by the Slingerland Manufacturing Company, this Songster archtop comes straight out of one of Chicago's great instrument-making legacies. Founded in 1916, Slingerland made its name in the '20s and '30s producing banjos, guitars, and mandolins under the Songster line before the company pivoted hard into drums — going on to become one of the most iconic drum manufacturers in American history, the choice of legends like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. This guitar predates all of that, from the era when Slingerland was still cutting its teeth building stringed instruments in the heart of the Windy City.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eNearly a century on, this Songster wears its age honestly. The finish shows plenty of character — checking, wear, and small cracks near the f-holes that tell the story of decades of hands, gigs, and living rooms. There's also a small gap where the neck heel meets the body, the kind of thing you'd expect from a 90+ year old instrument that's been played, not shelved. None of it holds this guitar back from doing what it was built to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAnd that's really the point — this thing has vibes for days. There's a warmth and character in the tone of a pre-war archtop like this that you simply can't get out of a new build. It's woody, a little raw, full of history, and exactly the kind of instrument that makes a song sound like it means something. If you're after a guitar that looks and sounds like it's lived a life — because it has — this is it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA genuine piece of early 20th-century Chicago craftsmanship, ready for its next chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Slingerland","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52562324685020,"sku":"1319579","price":649.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0542\/9057\/9643\/files\/A2F408D3-139B-4C8A-881E-8E64B1CFF7D7.jpg?v=1790090777","url":"https:\/\/www.metronomemusic.com\/products\/slingerland-songster-archtop-w-hardcase-1930s","provider":"Metronome Music Inc.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}