espiti
License for Carmencita
Posts: 10
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Post by espiti on Sept 12, 2007 17:06:28 GMT -5
Hi all! I just added pics of my Isabella to the gallery. As you can plainly see, it has a Mark 4 label. The serial is #542190xx I am the second owner. The original owner claimed she bought this in February 1982, in Quebec City, Canada. She added a strap button on the heel of the neck. I haven't done anything to the guitar and, judging by its otherwise immaculate condition, I would say it is pretty much original.
I have a few more Bjärton classical guitars, but none is in as good condition as this one. I'll try to take pics and post them.
I also have a few Levin made guitars, if anyone is interested.
Cheers! espiti
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Post by robbi on Sept 13, 2007 9:53:55 GMT -5
Hi Espito,
A wonderful peace of art you have. The serial and date match fine so its problaby from 1982, maby made in 1981. I hope it sounds good cause I really like the looks of this vintage type of model.
Which part of the world do you live?
Good luck! Robbi
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espiti
License for Carmencita
Posts: 10
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Post by espiti on Sept 13, 2007 16:40:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments on the Isabella. It does sound quite good, but not that much better than an Espana-branded I also own, with the same woods, slightly smaller. I'll try to get some pics of it and post them later.
I also have a Fender-Bjärton. The fretboard is off at the moment so I'll take pics of it also, to show the neck joint. It is also plain to see the side wood is solid on that one. It is exactly the same model as the Espana, but with a different headstock.
Any idea why some Bjärtons bear the brand Bjerton?
I am in Canada, by the way.
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Post by robbi on Sept 13, 2007 19:14:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments on the Isabella. It does sound quite good, but not that much better than an Espana-branded I also own, with the same woods, slightly smaller. I'll try to get some pics of it and post them later. I also have a Fender-Bjärton. The fretboard is off at the moment so I'll take pics of it also, to show the neck joint. It is also plain to see the side wood is solid on that one. It is exactly the same model as the Espana, but with a different headstock. Any idea why some Bjärtons bear the brand Bjerton? I am in Canada, by the way. Hi, it would be nice to see some pics of the Bjärton branded fender. (Dos'nt it say Tarrega?). It is true that the most expencive Bjärtons went on export. Hagström cared mainly for the the "flashy" ones. About the name Bjärton/Bjerton. The year 1984 Bjärton tried to take a step forward in marketing themselfs. The old girl names (Isabella, Rosita...) was changed to the number combinations that everybody else used. We called this serie the B-line (B5, B10, B15, B20, B25). Same "smart" marketing consoult figured the name Bjärton should be more international. So they changed it to Bjerton, to go more internationally. Well, the B-line was the start of the end for Bjärton. The charm with this guitars had so far been the girly names and the fact it Bjärton was so swedish. Who cared for an anglosax spelling like Bjerton? Cheers! Robbi
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espiti
License for Carmencita
Posts: 10
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Post by espiti on Sept 13, 2007 20:43:16 GMT -5
Yes, the Fender/Bjärton is indeed a Tarrega FT-110. No other visible number.
The Espana bears no model name on its label but the number 39(1?)9xx is imprinted in the wood, on the tip of the headstock. Same model as the Tarrega... Both have the same small separate gold/red label inside indicating "Made in Sweden". What would be their "girl name"?
I have to say my main interest is in steel-string guitars, though. Sadly, I don't own one from Bjärton, mainly because I know too little about them. A few have gone by when I didn't dare pull the trigger because I didn't know enough; a few Hagström (J/H-45 mainly) went by at a price I wasn't willing to pay --- I don't know the market in Europe, even less in Scandinavia but, here, it is sometimes difficult to justify paying 430 € ($600) for a Hagström when you can get a decent used Martin or a Gibson for that price. Or a very good Goya... In terms of choice on the used and vintage market, I think North-Americans are luckier than they know it.
Two of my Levin/Goya are steel-string and one is a small folk with nylon strings. I'm still looking for a dreadnaught or "Goliath" from Levin or Bjärton.
Thanks for the explanation on the spelling twist! Sad, what happened...
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Post by robbi on Sept 14, 2007 3:40:07 GMT -5
Hi, The prices on vintage guitars attend to get very high in sweden as well. Im looking to find a J-45 (or H-45 in the Hagström version) myself. The ones I've seen has been in the same pricerange as "over there". I couldnt tell about the girlynames unless I see some pics. please try to send them to me. It's not sure the have any girl names. I have a Espana SL-12 from 1964 myself. I have stringed it with steel-strings (011) and it has a wonderful folky sound, somewhere between nylon and steelstrings. Looks like this:
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espiti
License for Carmencita
Posts: 10
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Post by espiti on Sept 14, 2007 7:23:57 GMT -5
Yup! That's the one... No brand on the headstock on mine though, just on the label inside, but it's the same model. (photos coming, I promise...) By the way, how did you find out yours was from 1964? Was there a serial # somewhere or was the date printed on the inside label? So, no girly name for that one...? The Tarrega was also strung with x-light (light?) steel when I got it and it sounded wonderful but it did put too much strain on the top. Mine needs a neck reset. That's why I took the fretboard out. I want to graft a steel-string guitar neck on it (from a beaten Val Dez Finnish guitar I have lying around for parts) and use it permanently with steel strings. I may have to redo the bracing of the top or just add a top plate under the bridge for a standard pin-through bridge. However, the dovetail joints on these 2 necks don't have the same dimensions so I'll have to be creative... Some quick-and-dirty pics...
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Post by robbi on Sept 14, 2007 7:47:10 GMT -5
Yup! That's the one... No brand on the headstock on mine though, just on the label inside, but it's the same model. So, no girly name for that one...? Sorry, no. It is simular to the one called "La Rita". Go to the catalougepages and compare the Bjärton and Espana catalouges and you see that many models was many times pretty much the same. The changed the outlook a bit for the export to Hagström. So if it its exactly the same (compare soundhole, mechanics and finish) it is a Espana SL-12. A huge sale succes in America and a lovely guitar. You can string it with eather steel or nylon. Man of these early guitars was built to handle both cause the nylonstrings had just began to be popular. So this is acctually more of a "folkguitar". I guess you have to look for a Hagström acoustic to get the girly names. But they did have other names but it was exactly the same guitar. Like HC2 = Rosita , HC5 = La Rita, HC4 =Isabella. Somehow Hagström thought that number combinations went better internationally than girly names?? Kind of stupid, of course every man wants to play with a girl ;D
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espiti
License for Carmencita
Posts: 10
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Post by espiti on Sept 14, 2007 8:52:29 GMT -5
I went to the catalogs page and looked them up carefully.
I believe there is some confusion regarding the Espana catalogs. None of the models with the inlaid crown and truss-rods (with adjustment at the headstock) were made by Bjärton. These are all Finnish guitars, presumably from Landola.
None of the Bjärton-made Espanas have truss-rods, to the best of my knowledge... Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Post by robbi on Sept 14, 2007 10:04:27 GMT -5
Ops...I have never thought about it?? I will check it our with my contact who used to work on Bjärton.
I didnt need to check it out, Bjärton accually did some guitars with neck-adjustment. Check the Bjärton catalouge from 1966 and the model Carina.
But the Espana catalouge from 1967 is maby finish (Landola) made Espanas? It says something about Finland. I dont know the certain years Espana used Bjärtonguitars? Could be 1961-66?
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