WEYMANN GUITARS

Weymann Guitars

H.A. Weymann (pronounced ‘Y’man) and Son of Philadelphia (1865–1940’s) are best known for their beautifully crafted, elaborate 1920s tenor banjos, but they also made exquisite guitars.  But their numbers are few.  I’ve collected 6 of these guitars and I have been researching their history and the history of the company for some years now.

H.A. Weymann and Son made a limited amount of guitars from the 1890’s until the 1930’s.  After that they did start to ‘job’ out their guitar manufacture.  But guitars that they made have ‘manufactured by’ on their distinctive gold decal labels at the back of the headstock (more about these gold decals in a later post).

There is conjecture that C.F Martin and Co. made guitars for them as they are so well crafted and the construction looks very much like Martins at times.  But this is not true.  Martin have kept detailed records and they never made any guitars for H.A. Weymann and Son.  They did make a few hundred ukuleles  for them in the 1920’s but never any guitars (also more about this in a later post).

Weymann guitars have their own distinctive qualities. The headstocks usually have a more acute angle that other makers and the soundholes are slightly smaller (although not always). They are very lightly braced and they have a tenon neck joint instead of a dovetail. They are also very loud.  One player describes how “these features give Weymann guitars their unique tone, focused volume and play-ability. They are so resonant that you can even hear their sound emanating from the fingerboard because the whole guitar vibrates.”

Keystone 'High Grade' Label used pre 1910
Keystone ‘High Grade’ Label used pre 1910
Weymann 'Highest Grade' Label used pre 1910
Weymann ‘Highest Grade’ Label used pre 1910

 

 

 

 

 

 

The more high end Weymann guitars are exquisite instruments.  Many of these are X-braced instead of ladder braced.  They carry the ‘Highest Grade’ on the label.  Sadly I do not own any of these but I do have photos of many of these ‘Highest Grade” guitars to share in later posts. But still I do like the smaller more basic models they made as well.  Their constant care  and craftsmanship that they put into their higher end instruments also went into them.

Also I believe that I am now able to date these instruments accurately from the serial numbers, all except for their very early years of production.  There is little doubt that all the Weymann guitars, banjos, mandolins, mandolutes, ukuleles etc. are in the same serial number sequence.

For the list of Posts about H.A Weymann & Son and the instruments they made go to POST INDEX or WEYMANN Research & Guitars accessible from the HOME PAGE .

Namaste

charles

(I welcome and encourage comments and questions on all blogs).

3 thoughts on “WEYMANN GUITARS

  1. Weymann ordered twelve Martin 2-17 guitars on May 24, 1924 and these were specified to have “no stamp”, like the Martin ukuleles they bought. Weymann also ordered twelve style 1 taro-patches on Feb. 11, 1925 and 6 more on May 19, 1925.

    On top of these instruments Weymann ordered 1,100 style 0 and 200 style 1 Martin ukuleles between May 28, 1923 and Feb. 11, 1925 (all with “no stamp”).

    I am not sure how many of these instruments were actually delivered because Martin changed their way for recording shipments around mid-1924 and it is very tedious trying to piece together the shipments. If I figure it out I will let your know.

  2. I had a Weymann and son which read highest quality. The back was all Brazil rose wood. It came in a leather tooled case in which the guitar entered through the opening of the end. Any body familiar with this.

    1. Hi George, Sorry I’ve just seen this comment. That style of case was common at the time but unusual for me to see it in leather. I’d love to see some photos of the guitar and the case if not too much trouble, if you’s like you can email to me charles@koolaru.com Best regards, Charles

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