1990s Mark Stanley Classical Guitar Spruce & Rosewood w/ Case
$4,499.99
$4,499.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1990s Mark Stanley classical guitar, complete with a flight case. Active from 1982 into the late ‘90s, Mark Stanley was one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier luthiers, known for his premium tonewoods and build quality. A guitar maker with an uncommon trajectory in the world of luthiery, Stanley’s work had significant breadth, including archtops and acoustic basses which are particularly highly prized. Stanley left the profession in the ‘90s to follow spiritualist J. Z. Knight, known for purportedly channeling a spiritual entity named Ramtha, making Stanley’s guitar-building career both unique and brief.
While sparingly little information is available about his build, this classical guitar, likely from the early ‘90s, boasts a traditional tonewood complement with a ladder-braced spruce top, Indian rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, and ebony fingerboard. Tonally, this guitar is dry, sweet, and sonorous, with a breathiness to the low end that ensures terrific note detail and articulation without the loss of any bass warmth or power. There’s great projection on tap, and the trebles are buttery smooth, perfect for melodic playing with an almost vocal-like quality and lots of harmonic complexity in the midrange. Weighing 3lbs 3oz, this Mark Stanley classical guitar has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with normal tension strings and optimal action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Medium D, measuring .865” 1st fret, .930” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony
-Frets: Slender, moderate wear on frets 1-5
-Scale Length: 660mm
-Nut: 52mm
-Tuners: Open-gear strip
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Indian rosewood
-Bracing: Ladder
-Bridge: Rosewood, bone saddle (replacement)
-String Spacing: 60mm
-Plastics: Transparent pickguard
-Marquetry: Ornate rosette, one-ply purfling
-Factory Markings: Mark Stanley stamp
This guitar has two small, professionally repaired cracks, one on the back at the treble-side lower bout, and one on top at the bass-side lower bout. The French Polish finish exhibits checking and signs of honest use including playwear across the soundhole, light buckle wear on the back, and various dings and scuffs. The neck profile has an easy-playing feel, with some shallow marks along the profile length worn smooth through contact with the palm.
A Mark Leaf flight case is included; the handle is not present, but the case is equipped with a strap.
While sparingly little information is available about his build, this classical guitar, likely from the early ‘90s, boasts a traditional tonewood complement with a ladder-braced spruce top, Indian rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, and ebony fingerboard. Tonally, this guitar is dry, sweet, and sonorous, with a breathiness to the low end that ensures terrific note detail and articulation without the loss of any bass warmth or power. There’s great projection on tap, and the trebles are buttery smooth, perfect for melodic playing with an almost vocal-like quality and lots of harmonic complexity in the midrange. Weighing 3lbs 3oz, this Mark Stanley classical guitar has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with normal tension strings and optimal action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Medium D, measuring .865” 1st fret, .930” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony
-Frets: Slender, moderate wear on frets 1-5
-Scale Length: 660mm
-Nut: 52mm
-Tuners: Open-gear strip
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Indian rosewood
-Bracing: Ladder
-Bridge: Rosewood, bone saddle (replacement)
-String Spacing: 60mm
-Plastics: Transparent pickguard
-Marquetry: Ornate rosette, one-ply purfling
-Factory Markings: Mark Stanley stamp
This guitar has two small, professionally repaired cracks, one on the back at the treble-side lower bout, and one on top at the bass-side lower bout. The French Polish finish exhibits checking and signs of honest use including playwear across the soundhole, light buckle wear on the back, and various dings and scuffs. The neck profile has an easy-playing feel, with some shallow marks along the profile length worn smooth through contact with the palm.
A Mark Leaf flight case is included; the handle is not present, but the case is equipped with a strap.
