Hello everyone! I finally managed to create a website where I will be posting my guitar news, music, photos and videos. Here you will also be able to be notified of any guitars I would like to sell or trade. I am really into discovering, playing and trading great sounding guitars. I am mostly into vintage Martins, Gibsons, Larsons and new boutique makers’ guitars. Enjoy your visit!

Yiannis Gougourelas

’42-’45 Banner L-50 archtop guitar

This is my Banner archtop L-50 from the wartime era. This one has no FON number inside, Adirondack spruce top,maple back and sides. I believe that the maple back is laminated like on those rare maple J-45s.Big 1 3/4 round neck and a big, big sound. It’s an incredible guitar, better than some pricey archtops i’ve played from the ’60s. All original.

1945 Banner J45 (the wreck)

That’s one of my very favorite guitars, because it just sounds so perfect.It’s a Banner J-45 from 1945. No FON number,one piece maple neck. This one is very worn out instrument that has seen alot of repairs during it’s life. The top is Sitka (hard to verify it)that shows some heavily finish crazing. Bracing and bridgeplate are intact and original,but it’s back and sides have been refinished. Somebody in past applied tons of epoxy glue?! to perform a repair but it’s a horrible work. But the sound is magical:perfect ballance,sparlking sounding and LOUD. That’s a phenomenal guitar in my opinion.

’45 Sitka J-45 (the wreck)

1943 Banner SJ

1943 Banner Gibson Southern Jumbo. Another fantastic all original from tuners down to the end pin. Adirondack top,mahogany back and sides.5 ply walnut/maple neck. Those, in my opinion are the ultimate songwriter’s guitars but they are suitable for a wide range of guitar styles.

Compared with a Banner era J-45 it’s very much like it, but it was made with higher quality wood. Fantastic instrument in every sense.

Listen to my ’43 SJ guitar

1936 Gibson Roy Smeck stage Deluxe

1936 Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe. Those guitars were named after famous guitarist/uke player Roy Smeck,aka “Wizard of Strings”.12 frets to the body,2 non scalloped braces, Adirondack top,mahogany back and sides. Originaly a Hawaian model for lap steel playing,it converted to Spanish style of playing. Those can be extremely loud,but they are not easy to play guitars, because of their huge 2″ nut necks. Another great vintage guitar.

1940 J-35 with 2 scalloped tone bars

Those prewar Gibson J-35s with two scalloped tone bars are rare to find guitars. This model came with different tone bar configurations such as three unscalloped bars,two non scalloped bars and two scalloped bars as this one.Blonde J-35′s are rare and beautiful.

This guitar was made in 1940 from what i was told,and it has a very strong,muscular sound, that’s immediate,and in your face.It has many similarities with my ’40 D-18 and I have to add that it’s the most Martin-eque Gibson slope dreadnaught i ever played.Super loud too.

Adirondack spruce top with mahogany back and sides.

It has all original finish but for a replaced bridge plate.All parts are original but for the nut and saddle.

1 3/4 U shaped neck,and featherweight too. This one came from a collector in New Mexico.

’40 J-35

1953 D-28 with engelmann spruce top/brazilian rosewood

1953 D-28.I bought this guitar from Nashville Vintage Guitar shop in 2008.This one has the known “mystery”top that is sought after by collectors and players.This term is used for the unique type of the spruce Martin used in 1953 and 1957 on some of their guitars. It is either stiff Engelmann or Adirondack spruce.To my eyes and ears it is rather an Adirondack top.Brazilian rosewood back and sides.

This guitar is far from being a collectible,but it is all original, including finish, parts, bridge, etc.It is a super strong bluegrass D-28 guitar.

’53 D-28

1945 Banner Gibson J-45

This guitar also came from a private collector. It’s been made between 1944-45 and it is one of the most legendary Gibson flattops. It is from their “Banner” line of Gibson guitars which were made between 1942 and 1945. This particular guitar has a 4-piece Adirondack spruce top,and mahogany back and sides.No FON number on the neck block, with a one piece maple or poplar neck.It is a very loud,very deep and warm sounding Gibson with the well known “bark”Gibsons are known for.It’s propably the deepest sounding Slope Shoulder vintage guitar i’ve ever heard.It’s condition is remarkably clean too.

Home Sweet Home J-45

'34 000-18 long scale

That’s my ’34 000-18, a virtually OM-18. That’s an odditty in Martin Guitars history. Long scale OM guitars were made between 1930-33. In 1934 Martin made those ’34 000-18s using the same construction, which was the use of a longer scale 25,4″, ebony rod inside and bar frets, what OM guitars had. Those were in production the first half of ’34 ,and in the same year, the model became what we know as standard these days:shorter 24,9″ scale, metal T bar inside, and T frets. They built 227 of them. This is an all original guitar that shows some honest finish wear. The sound is big ,not very loud but also warm and of high quality.

’34 000-18 long scale

1947 D-18

That’s an all original and well preserved ’47 D-18 with tappered braces. Great bluegrass guitar, super loud with a sparlking and even voice. It has a unique and heavily bear clawed spruce top, something that i’ve never seen on any Martin. Fine guitar.

1947 D-18