Re: Jackson Guldan Accoustic Guitar

I've found the same information about the Jackson-Guldan company that others have so I won't repost it. I can tell you that they primarily used birch in their violins, cellos and other instruments so it is highly likely that they used birch when making most of their guitars. Guitars weren't a primary concern for the company and their production of guitars was never consistent. They might produce a particular model for a few months then not make another guitar for several years. Lapsteels were also a bit of a sideline for them. I have seen several lapsteels and even one amplifier made by them probably dating to the 40's. I recently bought an acoustic guitar with the Guldan name on the headstock that is electrified. It is only from talking to people on lapsteel forums that I was able to get more information beyond what you get from a Google search. My guitar appears to be somewhat unique as nobody I talk to has ever heard of an electrified guitar by them. I do not know if it is a one of a kind prototype or a sole survivor of a very small production run. It is definitely birch and construction is very similar to the adjustomatic only with a combination bridge/pickup installed under the sound hole. Electrified guitars from the 30's, 40's and 50's would have been very expensive with the required amplifier, so they didn't sell extremely well during those years which explains the rarity of many electrified models from that period. Unfortunately, with these guitars, rarity does not necessarily equate to valuable. You can find Jackson-Guldan guitars on ebay or at flea markets for a song. They are solid players but made from cheap materials so don't have a lot of value. I paid around $225 for mine and it appears to be one of a kind so you would think it would be worth more but I only had one other bidder against me for it and he backed out after I beat his first bid. I think if it had been a gem in disguise the more experienced guitar collectors on ebay would have been all over it. They don't usually let something valuable go without a fight.