1928 Lyon & Healy Bell Guitar, Model 5270

Unique and Rare
Steel Strings, Twelve Frets, Slot-Head
Spruce Top, Mahogany Back & Sides
Excellent Condition
A very rare Lyon and Healy Bell guitar. I've only seen this model in pictures of Carl Sandburg, and even more famous, Davy Fess Parker Crockett. They must have considered it a high end model: look at those tuners! And the gold leaf floral designs on the top, which were also saved for Washburn's higher grades. This one has both names: Lyon & Healy was one of the largest manufacturers of musical goods in those days, known most for their concert harps, while the fretted instruments usually had the Washburn name. Washburn was George Lyons middle name.

It's a fully functioning steel string guitar, with a lively and responsive tone. It's twelve frets to the body with a slotted peghead, and a 1 11/16" nut width, which is common now-a-days, but unusual for the late '20s. The action (the string height over the fretboard, a most important factor) is good, and there's very faint evidence of a crack of some kind on one side of the heel, which possibly occured during its neck reset, that's professionally repaired almost to invisibility. It is accompanied by its original hard shell case.