Stromberg-Voisinet (Chicago, IL) 1921-1928

This guitar too was destined for garbage when I got it. You’ll see the progression of photos just how bad it was when I got it. Thanks to Jeremy Hamm @jeremyhammtone for the donation of this guitar body.

This is the coolest little 12-fret blues-box I’ve seen in awhile. As bad a shape as it was in, it just oozed mojo and I knew I had to try something with it. The focal piece of this restoration is the truly unorthodox oak fretboard. This piece of oak was reclaimed from some 100-year old planks, and the pattern is glorious (in my humble opinion).

12 fret parlour guitar
Solid spruce top
Solid birch body
Custom oak fretboard
Martin style “pre-war” ebony bridge
Vintage replica tuners from StewMac
Cleated several cracks
Vintage original finish left untouched

History of Stromberg-Voisinet

The Andrew Groehsl Company (or Groehsl Mandolin Compnay) was founded in Chicago in 1890.

In 1921, Groehsl’s company was purchased by Henry “Kay” Kuhrmeyer, Frank Voisinet, and Charles Stromberg, and was renamed Stromberg-Voisinet. The trademark closed-back “swoopy” headstock was unique to Stromberg-Voisinet.

In 1928, with the help of an investor, Kuhrmeyer bought out his partners and renamed the company “The Kay Musical Instrument Company”.