1920s Stella 'Barbecue Bob' 12 String

The Oscar Schmidt Company manufactured some of the finest, most ornate stringed instruments of the late 19th and early 20th century under a range of brand names along with the Oscar Schmidt name itself. This 1930 Stella 12 String is one such instrument, manufactured under the Stella name by Oscar Schmidt in Jersey City, New Jersey, with all the hallmarks of an Oscar Schmidt made grand concert guitar, having stood the test of time both tonally and in terms of its craftsmanship. 

This Stella 12 String is often known as the 'Barbecue Bob' model, having been played by Atlanta, GA based early country blues guitarist Robert 'Barbecue Bob' Hicks. This model is the mid size grand concert body sized equivalent to the famous Leadbelly 12 String, which featured a Jumbo body design. This 1920s Stella 12 String is constructed from Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides, with plenty of volume and projection in spite of its smaller grand concert body size. 

This guitar has a great history, having been part of the Chinery Collection, one of the finest private guitar collections in the world. It can also be found on page 49 of Tony Bacon's "The History of the American Guitar." This guitar is in very good condition for its age, with the kind of play wear you would expect from a near 100 year old instrument. There is some top deflection, and parts of the top and back have been over sprayed, but it is in otherwise great cosmetic condition. There is also a small crack on the back, but this has been stress tested and is stable. 

This guitar has been given a full service & appraisal by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 3 year warranty.