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2011 Schaefer Model Fifteen

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Serial #: 11512

Body Width: 15" Nut: 1 11/16"" Scale: 25" Depth: 2 1/4"

Finish: Amber blonde finish, nitrocellulose type.

Materials: Solid hand-carved European flame maple back, sides and neck; solid hand-carved Adirondack spruce top; solid ebony fingerboard, solid mother-of-pearl inlays, solid bone nut.

Hardware: Solid ebony hardware includes bound pickguard and tailpiece, floating Armstrong humbucking pickup, Waverly butterbean 16x1 tuners with ebony keys, solid ebony compensated adjustable bridge, adjustable truss rod.

Notes: 'Float like a butterfly...sting like a bee." Had the great Muhammad Ali been a picker rather than a puncher, he might have been describing the remarkable Schaefer Model Fifteen.

Austin, TX luthier Ed Schaefer's Model Fifteen is the ultimate instrument for the player on the go. All solid, all carved, slim depth 15" body delivers big-guitar archtop tone, but goes right up in the overhead bin.

The premium hand-carved solid spruce soundboard and highly flamed maple body have the classic voice of the tap-tuned, X-braced Venetian cutaway design. And the guitar is just impossibly light in weight: at a mere 4lb 10oz. it practically floats off the lap, yet is built rock solid to last for generations.

The neck has a comfy gentle "D" profile, notably sleek and fast, and the frets are the classic medium-jumbos, famously easy to play. Body and neck are exquisitely balanced, resting easily on the lap or the strap. The Armstrong Handmade floating humbucking pickup produces a smooth, silky tone, notably faithful to the bright acoustic voice, truly remarkable in an instrument this size.

Sadly, the rigors of hand carving have meant that Schaefer has had to put his archtop line on hold, making these featherweight gems instant collector's items. This rare example shows exceptionally figured tiger maple throughout and is in immaculate, virtually unplayed condition. One only: call now.

Setup: Trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

Case: Original Cedar Creek deluxe black arched plush hardshell case.