1980 Robert Mattingly "1943 Hauser" SP/IN

This is an excellent guitar built by the late Robert Mattingly, who many consider to have been southern California's top builder for several decades. It's in excellent shape for a guitar that is over 40 years old - it recently had fingerboard crack repaired, as well as a couple of repaired cracks on the back and a fresh re-fret by GV Rubio. It has beautiful materials including a very dramatic set of Indian rosewood for the back and sides (which almost looks like CSA rosewood). The top is a beautiful piece of spruce with a generous amount of bearclaw in the grain. This guitar is modeled on a 1943 Hermann Hauser I instrument, and although almost all aesthetic details are Mattingly's, he did build a headstock in the classic Hauser I style. Soundwise, it has a bold and even sound up and down the register with thick (but fast responding) trebles and rich, warm basses. It's very easy to play with concert-ready action and setup thanks to the recent re-fret. Excellent value for the price.