|
07 Aug 11 - 05:39 PM (#3203518) Subject: A Levin W32 guitar From: Nick Dow I have just aquired a 1976 W32 Martin built Levin. Unusually it has a (Brazilian?) Rosewood body. Some clown had attacked it with carpentary tools, cutting into the bridge saddle, grinding down the insert and putting extra light strings on it. The excellent Brian Eastwood of Bacup, remade a compensating nut, in bone, shaved off a fraction of the fingerboard and restored the intonation, adding Schaller tuners and 13 to 56 phospher bronze strings and a new bone bridge insert and brass end pegs, it has leapt back into life, and sounds very much like an early Fylde. I payed next to nothing for it, and I am well pleased. Are there any other Mudcatters with similar stories? (about Levins or how good Brian is!) |
|
07 Aug 11 - 05:54 PM (#3203523) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST,Jon I used to play with someone who had a Levin which I think he'd had from the 60s. As far as I remember, in the folk club one night, he forgot to fasten his guitar case and the guitar came out, crashing to the floor. Whatever, it hit the floor and the body sort of split in two. He was a joiner (but not a luthier) and he stuck it back together somehow but you could see where the break had been and it never was the same instrument afterwards, I think he replaced it with a Takemine. |
|
07 Aug 11 - 06:24 PM (#3203550) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: Nick Dow Saw that happen to a Yamaha once. Nasty. I have just been watching one of those vintage 1960's totp progs. and Peter Sarstedt was filmed playing a W32. Where do you go to my Doris when you're alone on the bus---or something like that I think. Wouldn't swap my Levin for a Takemine though, all a bit too light built for me. |
|
07 Aug 11 - 10:14 PM (#3203649) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: michaelr What means "Martin built Levin"? |
|
08 Aug 11 - 04:49 AM (#3203733) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: Leadfingers Martin bought the Levin factory - I THINK they later called them Sigma - mainly because they were too much competion ! I used to have an L60 - lovely tone , but the neck was well on the way out , and I replaced it with a D35 in 1970 |
|
08 Aug 11 - 04:52 AM (#3203735) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: Lox Levin make extraordinary Archtops - beautiful! Just thought I'd say that! |
|
08 Aug 11 - 05:18 AM (#3203742) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: bubblyrat I believe that Levin were experiencing some financial difficulties ,and that Martin were tempted into taking them over ,as they had a considerable stock of very good , top-quality tone-woods ,which obviously went with the deal ! ( Brazilian Rosewood probably included ). I have never owned one , but there are a few about ; A guy I used to see sometimes in the Bournemouth area ( we were both at Yeovil Folk Club to see Paul Simon in 1965 /66 !) has owned one for years , and still plays it today ; nice guitars , Levins. I believe that the "Goliath" was a popular model ?? |
|
08 Aug 11 - 04:36 PM (#3204108) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: PHJim Either you have given the wrong model number or you have a truly unique instrument. The W32 was made with a solid mahogany back and sides. |
|
08 Aug 11 - 04:37 PM (#3204111) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: PHJim I own a 1958 Goya M-26 Goliath. Goliath was Levin's name for Dreadnought. When the original Levin Company was building guitars, at least in the late 50s and early 60s, the name Goya went on the headstock of instruments headed for North America and Levin was on the European instruments. I have a friend who has a Levin that is exactly like my Goya except for the decal on the headstock. When built by Levin, the Goyas were professional quality guitars, but the Martin Goyas were entry level instruments. |
|
09 Aug 11 - 05:20 AM (#3204448) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST,Nick Dow Thanks for that Jim. It's definately rosewood and yes you are right most were mahogany. It is a W32 J if that one letter makes any difference. I am at the Herga soon, if anybody wishes to share their knowledge with me. |
|
30 Nov 11 - 12:05 PM (#3266125) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST,levin W32 owner I think the J means the guitar wa made in Japan. |
|
30 Nov 11 - 01:28 PM (#3266188) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: Big Al Whittle I used to love Levins. They were more than I could afford in the 60's. But then a lady pupil turned up with an old one - sometime in the 1980's and it reawakened my interest. Ships that pass in the night. A vision of beauty. |
|
30 Nov 11 - 04:42 PM (#3266318) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: Little Robyn John Hayday had a Levin when he visited the Monde Marie in Wellington, NZ in 1967. Not sure what model tho'. Robyn |
|
08 Dec 11 - 12:54 PM (#3270556) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST,Marco "j" means jacaranda=rosewood Marco |
|
08 Dec 11 - 01:04 PM (#3270557) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST I have a levin w 32 j from 1977. It is made in sweden(not in japan).high class spruce top and rosewood body. The tone of the guitar is great and it can cope with a D 28 imho. In europe it is worth 1.000,- EUR. more information: www.vintage-guitars.se |
|
08 Dec 11 - 03:24 PM (#3270619) Subject: RE: A Levin W32 guitar From: GUEST,RickS A Levin Goliath was my first decent guitar, back in 1966 - my recollection is that the sunburst models cost £45 (UK), & the blond-topped ones £54 - mine was a second-hand sunburst that I paid £28 for, I see the same models now going for several hundred! (but then the '48 Martin OOO-28 that I paid £150 for would now fetch c£15000!) Yes, they were fine guitars, tho there seemed to be a drop-off in quality around 1970, when they changed the design somewhat; wish I still had my old one tho! & even more, that Martin! |