Larson Brothers Guitars were popular in Chicago during the 1930s and 1940s.[1] They made guitars sold under other companies names, including "Stahl, Maurer, Prairie State, Euphonon, Dyer, Bruno."[1] They also made mandolins.[1]
Carl Larson (1867–1946) and August Larson (1873–1944) were born in Sweden and emigrated to Chicago in the late 1880s. They worked as luthiers for guitar makers before buying Maurer & Company from Robert Maurer in 1900. They opened a retail shop on Elm Street.
The brothers patented techniques in guitar building, such as laminated bracing, metal support rods, and guitar top and back under tension. The guitars were sold under the Maurer name in addition to Euphonon, Prairie State, Stetson, and Stahl.[2] They also built mandolins and harp guitars. Carl Larson retired in 1940, and the business was dissolved upon the death of August Larson in 1944.
The Euphonon and Prairie State models were popular in the Midwest. After the transition of live radio broadcasts to recorded music in the 1950s, together with the prominence of the Fender and Gibson electric guitars, sales the Larson brothers guitars dropped, despite a brief resurgence in the Sixties. The harp guitar became essentially obsolete.
Fans of the guitarsEdit
In 1934, Les Paul was playing under the name Rhubarb Red. He was introduced to the Larson brothers by Doc Hopkins of the Cumberland Ridge Runners.[3] Paul said that the brothers were unaware that he was the same person as Rhubarb Red. They insisted that Paul was a better guitarist. He wanted the brothers to build him a maple wood guitar with a half-inch solid maple top and no holes. They responded that without holes no sound would come out of the guitar. Paul was adamant, and for $45 he got his guitar, to which he added two pickups. It became one of the first electric guitars.[4]
On 25 June 1965, Bob Dylan went on stage at the Newport Folk Festival with an electric guitar. Dylan and the band rehearsed only three songs, leaving much of the audience wanting more. This performance signaled Dylan's move towards a rock n’ roll with lyrical content and meaning, changing the genre forever. Johnny Cash also appeared later on stage using a Euphonon guitar, which he gave to Dylan after the show as a tribute to a fellow musician. Cash can be seen with this guitar in Shelton and Goldblatt's history of country music.[6]
RevivalEdit
In 2007, the Larson Brothers brand was sold to Toni Gotz. He and Roman Zajicek, a luthier from the Czech Republic, built models based on the original Larson guitars. Then he met Maurice Dupont, a French luthier who wanted to remake the guitars. Beginning in 2013, Dupont's company built Larson model guitars in Boutiers Saint Trojan, Cognac, France.[7]
ReferencesEdit
^ abc"1932 Larson Brothers Mandolin (Stahl)". vintageamericanguitar.com. The now legendary Chicago-based Larson brothers, August and Carl, did not make instruments with a "Larson" label. All of their instruments were branded and marketed for Stahl, Maurer, Prairie State, Euphonon, Dyer, Bruno
^Hartman, Robert C. (2007). The Larsons' Creations: Guitars & Mandolins. Anaheim Hills, California: Centerstream.
^"WLS Family Album 1942, Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper" (PDF).
^Shelton, Robert; Goldblatt, Burt (1966). The Country Music Story. Bobby-Merrill Company.
^"Larson Bros Prairie State OM Style 2 VS 1900". The Guitar magazine. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
Hartman, Robert C., The Larsons' Creations: Guitars & Mandolins, Centerstream, Anaheim Hills, 2007
The Larson Brothers Guitars
Three Larsons, Vintage Guitar magazine, April 2011
Video at Antiques Road Show, PBS
August 31, 2023
larson, brothers, guitars, were, popular, chicago, during, 1930s, 1940s, they, made, guitars, sold, under, other, companies, names, including, stahl, maurer, prairie, state, euphonon, dyer, bruno, they, also, made, mandolins, productsguitarsmarjorie, lynn, pla. Larson Brothers Guitars were popular in Chicago during the 1930s and 1940s 1 They made guitars sold under other companies names including Stahl Maurer Prairie State Euphonon Dyer Bruno 1 They also made mandolins 1 Larson Brothers GuitarsProductsGuitarsMarjorie Lynn played a 1942 Euphonon guitar Contents 1 History 2 Fans of the guitars 3 Revival 4 ReferencesHistory EditCarl Larson 1867 1946 and August Larson 1873 1944 were born in Sweden and emigrated to Chicago in the late 1880s They worked as luthiers for guitar makers before buying Maurer amp Company from Robert Maurer in 1900 They opened a retail shop on Elm Street The brothers patented techniques in guitar building such as laminated bracing metal support rods and guitar top and back under tension The guitars were sold under the Maurer name in addition to Euphonon Prairie State Stetson and Stahl 2 They also built mandolins and harp guitars Carl Larson retired in 1940 and the business was dissolved upon the death of August Larson in 1944 The Euphonon and Prairie State models were popular in the Midwest After the transition of live radio broadcasts to recorded music in the 1950s together with the prominence of the Fender and Gibson electric guitars sales the Larson brothers guitars dropped despite a brief resurgence in the Sixties The harp guitar became essentially obsolete Fans of the guitars EditIn 1934 Les Paul was playing under the name Rhubarb Red He was introduced to the Larson brothers by Doc Hopkins of the Cumberland Ridge Runners 3 Paul said that the brothers were unaware that he was the same person as Rhubarb Red They insisted that Paul was a better guitarist He wanted the brothers to build him a maple wood guitar with a half inch solid maple top and no holes They responded that without holes no sound would come out of the guitar Paul was adamant and for 45 he got his guitar to which he added two pickups It became one of the first electric guitars 4 Larson brothers guitars were popular with the country and western singers on WLS AM in Chicago and the National Barn Dance They were played by Marjorie Lynn the Prairie Ramblers Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper 5 Gene Autry and Patsy Montana On 25 June 1965 Bob Dylan went on stage at the Newport Folk Festival with an electric guitar Dylan and the band rehearsed only three songs leaving much of the audience wanting more This performance signaled Dylan s move towards a rock n roll with lyrical content and meaning changing the genre forever Johnny Cash also appeared later on stage using a Euphonon guitar which he gave to Dylan after the show as a tribute to a fellow musician Cash can be seen with this guitar in Shelton and Goldblatt s history of country music 6 Revival EditIn 2007 the Larson Brothers brand was sold to Toni Gotz He and Roman Zajicek a luthier from the Czech Republic built models based on the original Larson guitars Then he met Maurice Dupont a French luthier who wanted to remake the guitars Beginning in 2013 Dupont s company built Larson model guitars in Boutiers Saint Trojan Cognac France 7 References Edit a b c 1932 Larson Brothers Mandolin Stahl vintageamericanguitar com The now legendary Chicago based Larson brothers August and Carl did not make instruments with a Larson label All of their instruments were branded and marketed for Stahl Maurer Prairie State Euphonon Dyer Bruno Hartman Robert C 2007 The Larsons Creations Guitars amp Mandolins Anaheim Hills California Centerstream Doc Hopkins Hillbilly Music 2023 Larson Brothers Guitar Registry About Larsons larsonbrothersguitarregistry com Retrieved 2018 12 14 dead link WLS Family Album 1942 Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper PDF Shelton Robert Goldblatt Burt 1966 The Country Music Story Bobby Merrill Company Larson Bros Prairie State OM Style 2 VS 1900 The Guitar magazine 18 April 2018 Retrieved 5 May 2018 Hartman Robert C The Larsons Creations Guitars amp Mandolins Centerstream Anaheim Hills 2007 The Larson Brothers Guitars Three Larsons Vintage Guitar magazine April 2011 Video at Antiques Road Show PBS Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Larson Brothers Guitars amp oldid 1153012351, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
