Guitar
Maker
Grammer Guitar Company
Date1966-1967
Place MadeNashville, Tennessee, United States, North America
ModelPrototype; Johnny Cash
Serial No.x44
SignedRouted on top of the peghead through black veneer to show white sub-layered veneer: The / Grammer / GuitarMarkingsInlaid mother-of-pearl script on fingerboard spanning the 4th to 13th frets; Johnny Cash
DescriptionStringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece sitka spruce of medium to wide grain with triangular rosewood inlay at the center of the lower bout where the top meets the ribs
Back: two-piece Brazilian rosewood
Ribs: two-piece Brazilian rosewood separated by marquetry end graft strip of various light and dark hardwoods
Head: five-piece mahogany (including added wings); two-layered plastic overlay, black over white; routed through black veneer to show white – The / Grammer / Guitar
Neck: three-piece mahogany
Heel cap: white over black plastic; very thin
Binding: white plastic with matching purfling in black and white, four-ply purfling on the top and back (w/b/w/b); four-ply (b/w/b/w)
Fingerboard: rosewood, 20 nickel-silver frets; fret position markers drilled and filled with rosewood at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 17th frets; with white side position markers at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 17th frets; Johnny Cash inlaid in mother-of-pearl between the 4th and 13th frets; six-ply purfling inlaid 1/8” from fingerboard edge (b/w/b/b/w/b)
Nut: original bone nut, lacquered over
Bridge: Brazilian rosewood; “crown” shaped front edge; wings taper to approximately 1/8”; beveled corners; angled and compensated bone saddle; six white plastic bridge pins; two inlaid mother-of-pearl dots covering mounting screws
Pegs: six Grover tuning machines, three on a side, chrome plated with enclosed gears, “GROVER” in raised text on housing over worm gear; “Pat. Pend. / U.S.A.” in curved, raised text on domed housing over gear
Strap button: turned brass with brass screw at endblock; turned aluminum with nickel-plated screw on center of neck heel, parallel to fingerboard surface
Rosette: three bands separated by top wood; nearest the soundhole three-ply plastic (b/w/b); center single band of white plastic; outer band of three-ply plastic (b/w/b)
Pick guard: n/a
Finish: gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners; stamped x44
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace, the joint is reinforced by wood putty; two transvers braces in lower bout, two finger braces on each side to the outside of the X-braces; upper transverse brace and wide/low upper transvers brace which is tapered to run under the kerfing; maple bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce back braces, the two braces in the lower bout are wider and lower in height than the two braces in the upper bout
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1029 mm (40-1/2″)
Back length: 508 mm (20″)
Upper bout width: 300 mm (11-13/16″)
Waist width: 275 mm (10-13/16″)
Lower bout width: 391 mm (15-3/8″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 100 mm (3-15/16″)
Rib height, at waist: 116 mm (4-9/16″)
Rib height, at end block: 131 mm (5-1/8″)
Head length: 174 mm (6-7/8″)
Head width, top: 95 mm (3-3/4″)
Head width, bottom: 75 mm (2-15/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 346 mm (13-9/16″)
Neck width, nut: 41 mm (1-11/16″)
Neck width, heel: 53 mm (2-1/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 627 mm (24-5/8″); low E: 631 mm (24-13/16″)
Nut to 12th fret: 312 mm 12-5/16”
ProvenanceJohnny Cash; Roger Binnette
Credit LineAnonymous gift, 2013
Object number14717
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