Levin guitar identification

peetm · Joined: 05 May 2007 Posts: 1

I have an old Levin, but can't find out anything about it via googling - as it doesn't appear to have a serial number [that I can see] and I also can't find anything with reference to the model number!

The model number is IM-26

Here are some pics

http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/~peet/levin/1.jpg
http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/~peet/levin/2.jpg
http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/~peet/levin/3.jpg

Anyone?

MicroSark · Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject:

It's a pity that none of the pics show the body shape - a full body and neck pic makes it a lot easier to ID.

One thing I did notice though was the obvious replacement of the original tuning machines with Schallers, that may be a clue for someone.

Googling for Levin Guitars throws up about 910,000 hits, so there must be something useful 'out there'.

Good Luck.

magnus · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject:

Well,

First of all, It is a Levin LM-26. I think it was introduced in the late 50:s, and that it was first offered on the american market as Goya M-26.

The size was called "Goliath" and in Europe there was the LM-26, called "The Levin Goliath" and a nature version, the LS-18, called "The Super Goliath".

The LM-26 changed name in the early 60:s to LN-26, the only visible differrence were the the dot inlays on the fingerboard moved to the base side of the board. In 1969 it was changed again, a new shape of the headstock and the pickguard was itroduced on the new version, named "Model 163". I have a 163 myself...

Broshure from a british delaer in 1962:
(I really can´t explain the model name in this broshure...)
(I add pictures of a Goya M-26 below, found on the net)

Michael · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the boards Magnus. Good info, thanks for helping.

magnus · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject:

Michael wrote:

Welcome to the boards Magnus. Good info, thanks for helping.

Thanks for the welcome, Michael!

I forgot to comment on how to find the serial no on Levins. Normally it is stamped on top of the headpiece, into the "end-wood". There is a list existing, which the Levin company sent out to their distributors, with all the serial number intervalls per year, from the beginning in year 1900, until 1978, I guess when the list was distributed.

The list is also valid for Goyas manufactured 1953 - appr.1960, after this they started with separated series.

You can find this on the homepage of a guitar-shop in Gothenburg, which happens to be started by a former sales manager within the Levin company.

Good Luck.../Magnus
http://www.gitarren.se/radotips/sernr_levin.html

MicroSark · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

All I can say is...

WOW!

Top detective job Magnus.

magnus · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject:

MicroSark wrote:

All I can say is...

WOW!

Top detective job Magnus.

As You might have guessed already, Levin guitars is my favourite subject.

Having grown up in Gothenburg, where the company resided, it was hard not to come across some of these fine instruments over the years. I had a schoolfriend whose father used to work in the factory, doing inlays and intarsia work.

Now that I am grown up and can afford it, I have hunted down some Levins and Goyas. There are Levins hanging on walls or stuffed away in storages in every second Swedish home, and Goyas tend to pop up on Ebay in US all the time.

Some of these instruments are amazingly fine.

In fact the Levin Goliath (the LM-26) is available as a replica, made by Moon Guitars, as a tribute to a Shetland trobadour, Thomas Fraser.

Look at the Moon Guitars homepage under News, look for "THE THOMAS FRASER COMMEMORATIVE GUITAR"....

http://www.moonguitars.co.uk/moonhome.html

Cool

Rikke Sørensen · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

magnus wrote:

I forgot to comment on how to find the serial no on Levins. Normally it is stamped on top of the headpiece, into the "end-wood". There is a list existing, which the Levin company sent out to their distributors, with all the serial number intervalls per year, from the beginning in year 1900, until 1978, I guess when the list was distributed.

Interesting... now, this question may be slightly out of line on a guitar-forum, but... I just bought a Swedish Lute, also Levin, and I wondered if the mentioned list applies to their lutes too or just to guitars... do you have any idea about that?

magnus · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject:

Ricke,

The list is for all stringed instruments built by Levin, except Goyas after sometime 1960. So, The factory made in total close to 600 000 instruments, plus in the region of 300000 Goyas (the ones made after 1960), during 80 years of production.

So, to be clear, the list is valid for Your Lute.
Don´t forget to tell us how old it is... Very Happy

/Magnus

Rikke Sørensen · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

Thanks

My lute is number 174798, which means it was made in 1946.

Wow... that's old Wink

Even though it doesn't explain the embroidered bands on it which seem to be from musical occasions in 1931-1942... hm... must have been transferred from an older instrument, then.

Oh, and in case anyone's gotten curious, there's an article about swedish lutes (in swedish...) here:
http://www.svenskalutan.se/historik/indx.html

My lute is of the second generation (which they stopped producing around 1955) and is the same kind as the one Alfred Brock is playing in the second picture (without the nice rosette, though Sad

)

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