Gurian B-Series Jumbo

My Gurian is a c.1972-3 B series Jumbo, made in New York City. It has a fine, straight-grain, book-matched spruce top, dark-swirled, Brazilian Rosewood sides and 3-piece back, and maple binding. It features perfeling around the sound hole, between the back panels and around the binding. The saddle is ebony and so is the fretboard, which is sans position markers, in the classic Gurian style (they are discreetly on the top edge). The strings are wound on gold-plated Grovers. It is in the original hardshell case. The neck is mahogany and slightly triangular in girth, a shape I associate with Martins; in an instrument I think is beautiful as any I've seen, I have to admit that the neck shape is a drawback. Gurian also made a rounder neck, which I would have preferred.

It has a deep, richly figured sound (it's a Jumbo, after all) that I've always thought of as "fruity" -- if you want to know I mean by this, consider the opposite: play a fine Martin dreadnaught. The D-45s I've played have a crisp intonation and great punch. The sound from a JB has more overtones, the sound seems to curl out rather than bite. It beguiles rather than dominates. I like all the resonance, so the Gurian has been perfect for my style. As the hardwood ages, the volume of the guitar has increased and tightened some. It has good presence and volume even though I play with 10's.

I bought the JB "used," though it had been sold "new" only two weeks before; apparently the original owner decided not to keep it. So for all intents and purposed, I am the original owner. The guitar was very good out of the factory, with amazing craftmanship and materials. Though I did send it to New Hampshire (where Gurian moved) to get the neck readjusted. The Gurian has largish frets and a thinish neck profile. It's always felt pretty good, but after 30 years of playing, I recently had the action gone over by a good luthier, and it plays beautifully.

Gurian was noted for his closely shaved braces to produce his big sound, which I always thought would make it a delicate instrument, but it has been a surprisingly durable guitar. Despite being finely honed, it has never suffered from "saddle-bulge", you know, where the string tension pulls the top out of shape. The finish, they tell me, is some sort of hard polyurethane product, though I wouldn't know about that. Over the years the neck got sticky as much playing started to wear through the finish, which would seem to bear this out. I sanded it lightly with steel wool and it feels better now that the finish is gone. I often play live with the Gurian a couple of sets at a time, and I always go without a backup.

As I wrote, the only time I needed customer support, I got it -- to a point. When I sent it back to Michael Gurian to have the truss rod adjusted, I hinted around that I'd love him to switch out the triangular neck for the fat-feeling style. This suggestion was sniffed at. Well, he IS the master. And he was probably right. And I know a lot of people who love that style of neck. I was young, alright?

I've been playing for 40 years or so. The Gurian is my only acoustic, but I also own a early 60's Gibson Melody Maker modified with a Fat-Strat pickup in the treble and a High-A humbucker in the bass position, new bridge, pickguard, a brass nut and Grover machines (in tune at last). Love it. Very refined. For serious fun, I have a 60's German (Hohner?) JazzMaster ripoff rewired and fitted with a Strat neck. Nasty. Bizarre.

What can I say about the Gurian? It's a classic. It's dead gorgeous to look at and sounds it, too. I thought so when I bought it in '73 and I think so now. It has the most beautiful woods and workmanship I've ever seen. I was in the market for a Martin at the time, and played quite a few, but the Gurian was the clear choice for me. If it were lost I would be very, very upset, but at this point, I would not replace it; but this is no knock, as I wouldn't buy any branded guitar. I'm picky enough now that I'd probably have a guitar built for me. Maybe by Michael Gurian, if he'd be willing.