May-Bell Style 76 1937 (Slingerland)
Chicago based Slingerland’s May Bell line cataloged some interesting and affordable instruments during the 1930’s. None were built to compete in quality with the better offerings of builders like Gibson, Epiphone, Martin or Vega, but many have survived to this day and can often show themselves to be useful instruments for the free-thinking guitarist/collector.
This concert sized Style 76 has a 13 ˝” body. The top is solid pressed spruce with ladder bracing. The back is pressed and braced solid mahogany with mahogany sides. For an inexpensive instrument of its time, a close inspection reveals it to be surprisingly well made. It does loud very well. Subtle and nuanced? Maybe not.
Courtesy D. Buettner
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