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Gibson Nick Lucas Special Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 86178, Cremona Brown Sunburst finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, brown hard shell case. Guitar-slinging crooner Nick Lucas was the first popular artist to endorse a signature guitar, which was also Gibson's first artist model. Although largely forgotten now (except as inspiration to Tiny Tim) Lucas was a huge star in the 1920's, on records and then on the sliver screen. Prior to 1926 Gibson catalogs denigrated flat-top guitars as unworthy of the true artist, but with the Lucas Special the company abandoned that tack and made its first truly professional grade flat top guitar. The full name of this instrument is "The Gibson Special-Nick Lucas Model" and it was Gibson's top-of-the line flat top from the late 1920s well into the '30s. The Lucas signature model went through a particularly complex and rapid evolution but always remained a small but deep bodied flat top with deluxe trim. This guitar represents the second major variation introduced in 1929 built on Gibson's newly developed larger nearly 15" wide, less round-bottomed mahogany body. Continued from the earlier, smaller Lucas was the unusually deep body, one consistent trademark. Over its lifespan the Lucas model had rosewood and maple bodies as well This earliest 1929-30 large-bodied Lucas has mahogany back and sides and a thin, delicately X-braced spruce top that was another later addition first employed around 1928. It is built with a 12 fret neck joint; some subsequent versions had an unusual 13-fret design before evolving into a more standard 14 fret configuration. This 1930 Lucas is a fairly understated and classy looking guitar. The top carries a beautiful Cremona brown sunburst finish similar to that found on period L-5s; the rest of the instrument is finished in dark mahogany. There is triple binding on the top and back and a 3-ply soundhole ring, with binding on the edge as well. The rosewood bridge is the narrow rectangle Gibson had recently adopted that would remain in use for decades. The round-backed neck has a fairly slim profile, though less so than some other period L-1's and L-2s we have had. It is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard with the "Lucas" trademark shaped pearl inlay especially designed for this model. The headstock is the standard Gibson shape and unornamented except for a "The Gibson" script pearl inlay. The tuners are engraved Waverly strips with plastic buttons. This is a great playing, rich sounding guitar and with its lush Cremona sunburst is also quite a looker as well! The bracing is very light, with a delicate X and two slim tone bars behind it. While we are partial to all pre-WWII Gibson flat-tops, we find the Lucas from this period to be a particularly attractive-looking, great-sounding guitar. These delicately built 12-fret large Lucases were made in fairly limited numbers, just one stop in the model's constant evolution. Not many survive in as solid condition as this one. At $125 they were VERY expensive for the time, and Gibson sales were about to be blighted anyway by the deepening Depression. This is a stellar find, and yes it sounds great playing "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"! Overall length is 38 5/8 in. (98.1 cm.), 14 13/16 in. (37.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This is a lovely original guitar, showing some light wear and tear but very original inside and out. The finish has light checking overall with small dings, dents and scrapes with a spot of pick wear in the typical spot behind below the strings and soundhole. There are a couple of deeper dings on the back, while the back of the neck is worn a bit to the wood just in the first position. The small rosewood bridge remains original, with a small split repaired by the low E pin hole. The only cracks on the instrument are several tight grain splits along the lower side, all neatly sealed with no overfinish. Internally the somewhat delicate bracing remains original as does the very thin maple bridge plate. There is some internal re-gluing evident, including repaired small lateral splits in two of the back braces. A small piece of the back strip has been replaced. The original round "Gibson Special" Nick Lucas portrait label under the soundhole is intact and quite well-preserved; it has some spots and stains but Nick's enigmatic smile still peers out clearly. The neck has been reset with some slight finish disturbance around the heel, the long thin shape of which makes this a trickier job than some. The small-wire frets appear original as does the nut, which has a small chip off the base indicating it may have been reglued at some point. The frets have been polished out along the way. The very thin top has survived well with no major distortion, just a slight arch behind the bridge. This is simply a splendid, very rare instrument, one of the nicest we have seen and a really fine piece of Gibson history as well as a superb player's instrument, just as advertised back in 1930.It lives in a nice 1940s era HSC. Excellent Condition.

The Gibson Nick Lucas is a signature model acoustic guitar known for its unique sound and historic value. It features a spruce top and maple body, with a shorter 24.75-inch scale length.