Barrie’s World of Guitars

Great pictures of awesome guitars and tips.

33 thoughts on “Barrie’s World of Guitars”

    1. Re: Velma bruno
      Ken Collins

      : i have an old guitar that belonged to my uncle who passed away well before i was born. im not sure what kind of guitar it is but a plate on the front reads Velma in big letters and bruno in smaller letters underneath. i know it was made in japan and i know it is at least 30yrs old. i have tried to research it and was directed to this site so i am just wandering if any body has hheard of a Velma bruno.

      I just read your posting. I also purchase one as you described above but cannot find any online info on it.
      I am making some broken neck repairs on it… trying to restore it to some level of usage. It has a very sweet sound, and seems worth restoring. I would like to know more about it.

      1. Re: Velma bruno
        chris

        : : i have an old guitar that belonged to my uncle who passed away well before i was born. im not sure what kind of guitar it is but a plate on the front reads Velma in big letters and bruno in smaller letters underneath. i know it was made in japan and i know it is at least 30yrs old. i have tried to research it and was directed to this site so i am just wandering if any body has hheard of a Velma bruno.

        : I just read your posting. I also purchase one as you described above but cannot find any online info on it.
        : I am making some broken neck repairs on it… trying to restore it to some level of usage. It has a very sweet sound, and seems worth restoring. I would like to know more about it.

        I just got one at a pawn shop for $15.. Im doing repairs aswell

        1. Velma Bruno
          John26

          Bought mine new at sears in 1964. Never learned to play but nephew plays it beautifully. Changed out nylon strings only once . Beautiful guitar.

    2. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... art castaneda
      art castaneda

      i have an old guitar that belonged to my uncle who passed away well before i was born. im not sure what kind of guitar it is but a plate on the front reads Velma in big letters and bruno in smaller letters underneath. i know it was made in japan and i know it is at least 30yrs old. i have tried to research it and was directed to this site so i am just wandering if any body has hheard of a Velma bruno.

      1. Velma electric guitar
        Anonymous

        My father purchased a Velma electric guitar back in the mid 60’s. I cannot find anything on this particular brand of guitar. I am interested in refurbishing it, but nobody
        has heard of this brand. Any information anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

  1. c bruno mandolin # 3.12
    Tina Suiter

    I just purchased a beautiful c bruno mandolin from New York – #3 1/2.
    Can anyone tell me about it? Approximate value? It is in beautiful shape. How do I find out when it was made?

      1. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... James Tyler
        James Tyler

        : I just purchased a beautiful c bruno mandolin from New York – #3 1/2.
        : Can anyone tell me about it? Approximate value? It is in beautiful shape. How do I find out when it was made?

        Dear ms Suiter:
        I also have a Bruno "3 1/2" like yours and it seems to have been made by the Larson Brothers of Chicago for the New York distributor Bruno before world war I. It is of a high quality construction and has a characteristic Larson pickguard shape and inlaid decoration. Check the current eBay auction under Bruno/Larson Mandolins and you will find two instruments for sale . See if either looks like yours.

    1. Re: C.Bruno Guitar and mandolin
      pat ricard

      Hello Antonio,

      I also own a Bruno guitar; circa 1898 parlor model, and it’s a delightful instrument. I was told when I bought it that Bruno was associated with Martin guitars, but after a bit of research I discovered that their partnership was dissolved long before this guitar was built, and that no Martin was ever built bearing only the Bruno name, so the hunt for a possible maker continues. I found a few similar instruments for sale on the internet and the asking price was generally around $400, but I don’t think I would sell my instrument at any price.

      Since you are in Mexico, I wanted to ask if you have ever seen an acoustic guitar marked "Florida" in your country. I had one many years ago and it was a charming instrument… I always suspected that it was either a Mexican or Spanish guitar.

      Best regards, Pat

      : Hello. I´m the owner of a C.Bruno acoustic guitar and C. Bruno mandolin, both are handcrafted in New York,maybe at the very beginning of 1900’s and are very rare (and old), but with good sound and in good conditions.

      : The guitar have the serial number 6842, and the mandolin have the number 8.
      :
      : I think they´re have a good value, but I really don´t know, I really be grateful if any of you gave me some information of this instruments, age, manufacturer, etc.
      : I´m from Chihuahua, México. Thanks again.
      : Antonio Frangos Lechuga D.D.S.

      1. Re: C.Bruno Guitar and mandolin
        coop

        I also own a Bruno parlor guitar from the the early 1900’s. It is an exquisitely made instrument, and at one time I talked to someone at Bruno who gave me a little information. Apparantly mr. Bruno and C. F. Martin were partners and started making guitars together. Almost from the beginning C.F. became the builder and Mr. Bruno the sales and distributing arm of the operation. After just a couple of years Bruno left and started his own distribution companies, and although he himself did not build guitars he would have other manufacturers do so and would sell them under his name. They usually were great guitars and some, in the late 1800’s were actually made by Martin. After the turn of the century many Bruno guitars were made by Washburn, one of the best american builders at that time. My own guitar appears to be made by Washburn, indicated by the workmanship, bracing and bridge, which has two pyramidal peaks on either side of the saddle, a typical Washburn technique. I don’t really know about value. Even if a particular instrument was made by Washburn or even Martin, it would not be worth the same to a collector as it would if it had the actual maker’s name on it. That is about all I know about them.

    2. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... Antonio Frangos Lechuga
      Antonio Frangos Lechuga

      Hello. I´m the owner of a C.Bruno acoustic guitar and C. Bruno mandolin, both are handcrafted in New York,maybe at the very beginning of 1900’s and are very rare (and old), but with good sound and in good conditions.

      The guitar have the serial number 6842, and the mandolin have the number 8.

      I think they´re have a good value, but I really don´t know, I really be grateful if any of you gave me some information of this instruments, age, manufacturer, etc.
      I´m from Chihuahua, México. Thanks again.
      Antonio Frangos Lechuga D.D.S.

      1. charles bruno guitars
        alain breitenbach

        I OWN 2 GUITARS ALLEGEDLY MADE BY CF MARTIN ONE WHICH IS A SMALL PARLOR SHORT SCALE NECK WAS MADE APPROX 1938 AND IS EMBOSSED ON THE REVERSE OF THE HEADSTOCK ”CHARLES BRUNO NEW YORK USA” CIRCA 1938 THE OTHER ONE IS ALSO PARLOR SHORT SCALE NECK BUT SLIGHTLY LARGER WITH A LYRA MADE IN USA CHARLES BRUNO LABEL INSIDE GUITAR, I HAVE HAD LOTS OF WORK DONE TO THESE 2 GUITARS AS THE GLUE OVER THE YEARS HAD DRIED UP AND DESINTEGRATED. I HAD A NEW X BRACING DONE TO BOTH GUITARS WHICH DIDN’T EXIST BEFORE AND THE SMALLER ONE’S INTONATION WAS OUT SO THE BRIDGE HAD TO BE MOVED BACK 4 MM AND NOW THESE GUITARS ARE INCREDIBLY OF GOOD QUALITY// I ALSO READ ABOUT A GUY HAD A FLORIDA GUITAR THESE WERE CHEAP GUITARS MADE IN EAST GERMANY IN THE 1950’S. CHECK OUT LUTHIER : AND SCROLL DOWN : https://www.facebook.com/doc.d.grant?fref=ts

  2. INFORMATION ON MAKER OF MY FAVORITE GUITAR
    CLIFF

    I HAVE A GUITAR THAT I BOUGHT IN 1980 THAT HAS THE BEST TONAL QUALITY AND EASIEST FINGERING NECK IN MY 45 YEARS OF PLAYING.THE ONLY MARKING FOR THE MAKER IS "HARUO" INLAID IN ONE OF THE SMALL FRETS.CAN ANYONE GIVE ME ANY IFORMATION ON THE MAKER OF THIS FINE INSTRUMENT?

  3. interested in guitars
    steve

    Hello. I have seen your add posted on guitarsite.com and was wondering if you had an online catalog. I am interested in viewing some of your instruments. Thank you

    1. Re: Bruno Guitars
      scott mallett

      : Do you have any information on guitars by Bruno? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

      i just aquired one it looks alot like a gretsch it’s called "royal artist" it’s old and there’s no serial number on it trying to find out more about it myself it plays and feels great

      1. Re: Bruno Guitars
        JRH

        :
        : : Do you have any information on guitars by Bruno? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

        : i just aquired one it looks alot like a gretsch it’s called "royal artist" it’s old and there’s no serial number on it trying to find out more about it myself it plays and feels great

        I have a Royal Artist that I purchased in 1965 in Kansas City. I have not seen another one since. It is a semi-acoustic 2 pickup with a great neck. I am also interested in any information anyone could supply.

          1. Re: Bruno Guitars
            Ed Sears

            I bought a Bruno guitar new in 1965, it was brown sunburst.It was one of th fanciest guitars I had ever seen.It had a mother of pearl pick guard, fancy mother of pearl plates that the three pickups were mounted on,mother of pearl neck inlays and a mother of pearl plate thet covered the whole headstock,it was a thin hollow body like a Gibson 335. I paid $139.95 for this guitar and wish I still had it.I don’t know what happened to the Burno company in later years, but the guitar that I had was made at their factory in Texas. Hope this helps,if it does e-mail me at,[email protected] Good luck,ED

          2. Re: Bruno Guitars
            JAMESWILSON

            : : :
            : : : : Do you have any information on guitars by Bruno? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

            : : : i just aquired one it looks alot like a gretsch it’s called "royal artist" it’s old and there’s no serial number on it trying to find out more about it myself it plays and feels great

            : : I have a Royal Artist that I purchased in 1965 in Kansas City. I have not seen another one since. It is a semi-acoustic 2 pickup with a great neck. I am also interested in any information anyone could supply.

            I PURCHASED A VENTURI BRUNO :SER.#34404-MODEL V-13

            1. Re: Bruno Guitars
              JAMES WILSON

              : : : :
              : : : : : Do you have any information on guitars by Bruno? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

              : : : : i just aquired one it looks alot like a gretsch it’s called "royal artist" it’s old and there’s no serial number on it trying to find out more about it myself it plays and feels great

              : : : I have a Royal Artist that I purchased in 1965 in Kansas City. I have not seen another one since. It is a semi-acoustic 2 pickup with a great neck. I am also interested in any information anyone could supply.

              : I PURCHASED A VENTURI BRUNO :SER.#34404-MODEL V-13,1978,& WAS TOLD IT WAS ABRAND BY MARTIN,BUT CAN FIND NO CONFIRMATION,BUT STILL TRYING,BOTH OF OURS MAYBE ONE OF THE ONES MADE BY ONE OF MARTINS IN THE50’S OR 70’S.LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY LUCK. EMAIL:[email protected]

          3. Re: This popular thread has been given its own page :... camp
            camp

            : :
            : : : Do you have any information on guitars by Bruno? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

            : : i just aquired one it looks alot like a gretsch it’s called "royal artist" it’s old and there’s no serial number on it trying to find out more about it myself it plays and feels great

            : I have a Royal Artist that I purchased in 1965 in Kansas City. I have not seen another one since. It is a semi-acoustic 2 pickup with a great neck. I am also interested in any information anyone could supply.

        1. Re: Bruno Guitars
          I'm Justin

          I have a Bruno guitar. It says "Ventura" inside it. It’s a beautiful classical acoustic. The model # is V-1583… I don’t know anything about it, except how to play it. Any info will be greatly appreciated.

          1. bruno ventura
            Toni

            hi, did you evet get an answer? I just got a Bruno Ventura model 1583 at a thrift store, and was wondering about its value. Would you be kind enough to share that info with me? Thanks, T

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