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Guitar
Maker: Grammer Guitar Company
Date: 1971/09/15
Place Made:Nashville, Tennessee, United States, North America
Model: G 58-M / dreadnought
Serial No: 4384
SignedPrinted on paper label with single line border, the serial number rubber-stamped in black ink, the model written in black ballpoint pen: [“g” logo, white letter on black background] / GRAMMER GUITAR / COMPANY / 4384 / SERIAL No. / G 58-M / MODEL No. / NASHVILLE , TENNESEE / MUSIC CITY USA
Engraved on peghead veneer, double layer, black-white plastic, so that lettering appears white on a black background: the / grammer / guitar
Engraved on peghead veneer, double layer, black-white plastic, so that lettering appears white on a black background: the / grammer / guitar
MarkingsStamped on top block: 02 / 770
Written in pencil on bridge plate: 9-15-71
Engraved on truss rod cover and filled with black ink, oriented to be read when guitar is played: WEBB PIERCE
Inlaid in mother of pearl on fingerboard between 1st and 13th frets, oriented to be read when guitar is played: WEBB PIERCE
Round, white paper sticker on peghead, printed in red ink: [Pierce head shot] / WEBB PIERCE [lettering curved upward at each end]
Stamped on tuners: GROVER / PAT. PEND. / U. S. A.
Pencil lines on neck and end blocks marking center positions, perpendicular to plane of back
Written in pencil on bridge plate: 9-15-71
Engraved on truss rod cover and filled with black ink, oriented to be read when guitar is played: WEBB PIERCE
Inlaid in mother of pearl on fingerboard between 1st and 13th frets, oriented to be read when guitar is played: WEBB PIERCE
Round, white paper sticker on peghead, printed in red ink: [Pierce head shot] / WEBB PIERCE [lettering curved upward at each end]
Stamped on tuners: GROVER / PAT. PEND. / U. S. A.
Pencil lines on neck and end blocks marking center positions, perpendicular to plane of back
DescriptionThis Grammer Model G-58 M dreadnought was produced with custom fingerboard inlay and truss rod cover engraving bearing the name of its famous owner, Webb Pierce. Pierce, born in West Monroe, Louisiana, in 1921, was one of the most successful honky tonk musicians of the 1950s and ‘60s. Pierce broke onto the music scene with his 1951 hit, Wondering, and continued to score hit tunes through the 1960s. Though he achieved only a few hits in the early 1970s, he had already ensured his lasting fame in country music. In addition to his signature nasal vocals, Webb Pierce was well known for his distinctive personal style. The bright blue sunburst lacquer on this Grammer guitar could hold its own with Pierce’s flashy, outrageous sartorial habits, and even suggests the color of the infamous guitar-shaped swimming pool at his Nashville home.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: quarter-cut spruce with medium grain
Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple with quilted figure and some bird’s eyes and pith flecks; back strip comprised of brown hardwood diamonds each surrounded by four light hardwood parallelograms arranged to form herringbones, with blue-stained hardwood herringbones on outsides, each of these figures interspersed with black-white-black hardwood strips, the entire mosaic enclosed in single light hardwood purfling strips
Ribs: two-piece, slab-cut maple with quilted figure and pith flecks; end graft comprised of geometric light hardwood, mahogany, and rosewood inlay, surrounded on each side by wide black hardwood strip and thin light hardwood strip
Head: five-piece plain maple with laminated black-white celluloid veneer, so that chamfered edges and engraved lettering appear white on a black background; decorative, engraved lines forming upside-down “L” with rounded corner, under signature lettering; aluminum truss rod cover with pointed upper end, with engraved and black-painted “WEBB PIERCE” lettering, secured with chrome-plated steel Philips head screws; round, white paper sticker with Pierce’s head shot and name in red ink, affixed between signature engraving and truss rod cover
Neck: three-piece plain maple; integral with head; aluminum strap button affixed to heel with nickel-plated steel Phillip’s head screw
Heel cap: laminated black-white celluloid veneer, so that chamfered edges appear white on a black background
Binding: white celluloid; trim comprised of nine-ply black and white celluloid purfling strips
Fingerboard: ebony bound in white celluloid, the bottom end of fingerboard scalloped; 20 nickel-silver frets; mother-of-pearl dots behind 1st and 15th frets; “WEBB PIERCE” in mother-of-pearl inlayed lettering between 1st and 13th frets; single black celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th frets; double black celluloid side dots behind 12th fret
Nut: white plastic
Bridge: ebony with scalloped and chamfered upper edge; scalloped, tapered; angled white plastic saddle; white plastic bridge pins; single mother-of-pearl dots on each side of bridge pins covering screws
Pegs: six chrome-plated steel Grover worm-gear machine tuners with chrome-plated steel heads and worm gear mechanisms enclosed in round covers
Endpin: aluminum; nickel-plated steel Phillips head screw through center
Rosette: two bands of white and black striped celluloid (9 strips), with natural wood in between
Pick guard: laminated black-white celluloid with slightly chamfered edges appearing white, with decoratively cut outline
Lacquer: dark blue-to-blonde sunburst lacquer; blue lacquer on neck, shaded to blonde at thumb position
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; rounded corners
End block: medium brown hardwood; rounded corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace; two transverse braces; maple bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce back braces, the second one from lower end slightly wider than others
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: quarter-cut spruce with medium grain
Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple with quilted figure and some bird’s eyes and pith flecks; back strip comprised of brown hardwood diamonds each surrounded by four light hardwood parallelograms arranged to form herringbones, with blue-stained hardwood herringbones on outsides, each of these figures interspersed with black-white-black hardwood strips, the entire mosaic enclosed in single light hardwood purfling strips
Ribs: two-piece, slab-cut maple with quilted figure and pith flecks; end graft comprised of geometric light hardwood, mahogany, and rosewood inlay, surrounded on each side by wide black hardwood strip and thin light hardwood strip
Head: five-piece plain maple with laminated black-white celluloid veneer, so that chamfered edges and engraved lettering appear white on a black background; decorative, engraved lines forming upside-down “L” with rounded corner, under signature lettering; aluminum truss rod cover with pointed upper end, with engraved and black-painted “WEBB PIERCE” lettering, secured with chrome-plated steel Philips head screws; round, white paper sticker with Pierce’s head shot and name in red ink, affixed between signature engraving and truss rod cover
Neck: three-piece plain maple; integral with head; aluminum strap button affixed to heel with nickel-plated steel Phillip’s head screw
Heel cap: laminated black-white celluloid veneer, so that chamfered edges appear white on a black background
Binding: white celluloid; trim comprised of nine-ply black and white celluloid purfling strips
Fingerboard: ebony bound in white celluloid, the bottom end of fingerboard scalloped; 20 nickel-silver frets; mother-of-pearl dots behind 1st and 15th frets; “WEBB PIERCE” in mother-of-pearl inlayed lettering between 1st and 13th frets; single black celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th frets; double black celluloid side dots behind 12th fret
Nut: white plastic
Bridge: ebony with scalloped and chamfered upper edge; scalloped, tapered; angled white plastic saddle; white plastic bridge pins; single mother-of-pearl dots on each side of bridge pins covering screws
Pegs: six chrome-plated steel Grover worm-gear machine tuners with chrome-plated steel heads and worm gear mechanisms enclosed in round covers
Endpin: aluminum; nickel-plated steel Phillips head screw through center
Rosette: two bands of white and black striped celluloid (9 strips), with natural wood in between
Pick guard: laminated black-white celluloid with slightly chamfered edges appearing white, with decoratively cut outline
Lacquer: dark blue-to-blonde sunburst lacquer; blue lacquer on neck, shaded to blonde at thumb position
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; rounded corners
End block: medium brown hardwood; rounded corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace; two transverse braces; maple bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce back braces, the second one from lower end slightly wider than others
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1017 mm (40″)
Back length: 502 mm (19-3/4″)
Upper bout width: 303 mm (11-29/32″)
Waist width: 278 mm (10-15/16″)
Lower bout width: 394 mm (15-1/2″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 99 mm (3-29/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 112 mm (4-3/8″)
Rib height, at end block: 126 mm (4-15/16″)
Head length: 175 mm (6-29/32″)
Head width, top: 96 mm (3-25/32″)
Head width, bottom: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 341 mm (13-7/16″)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-11/16″)
Neck width, heel: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 626 mm (24-21/32″); low E: 628 mm (24-3/4″)
Back length: 502 mm (19-3/4″)
Upper bout width: 303 mm (11-29/32″)
Waist width: 278 mm (10-15/16″)
Lower bout width: 394 mm (15-1/2″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 99 mm (3-29/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 112 mm (4-3/8″)
Rib height, at end block: 126 mm (4-15/16″)
Head length: 175 mm (6-29/32″)
Head width, top: 96 mm (3-25/32″)
Head width, bottom: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 341 mm (13-7/16″)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-11/16″)
Neck width, heel: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 626 mm (24-21/32″); low E: 628 mm (24-3/4″)
Terms
Credit Line: Arne B. and Jeanne F. Larson Fund, 2004
Not on view
Published ReferencesAndré P. Larson, "Recent Acquisitions," National Music Museum Newsletter Vol. 33,
No. 3 (August 2006), p. 6.
No. 3 (August 2006), p. 6.
Object number: 10771