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Carson J Robison 6 string guitar
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I have a Carson J Robison 6 string guitar. Visible through the sound hole is a Ward label, Ja-8 (or Ja-6) stamped next to the Wards label, and 145A on the support piece under the finger board. The front and guard are intact, the back has a crack near the top, and the bottom side piece has a severe crack, very badly repaired, almost all the way from the neck to the middle of the bottom. My short research indicates these were made around 1935. Is this guitar worth having repaired for resale? It is of no use or intrinsic value to me, although it has been in the family since the early 1950s.
- Doug Lynn
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:13 am
- Location: Lexington, NE
Hey Doug,
Carson Robison was one of the original "singing cowboys" during the depression and managed to get his own line of guitars through Montgomery Ward around 1935. The Recording King Carson Robison model was made by Gibson who clearly needed the business during the Depression. The guitar is a mid-level spruce and mahogany flat top similar to the Kalamazoo KG-11 and the Cromwell G-1, also produced by Gibson during this time. In 1937 the guitar was renamed the Recording King Model K, and was available in a 12-fret Hawaiian version. In 1939, the body was enlarged to 16", but by ’40 the Gibson Carson Robison was discontinued although a Kay version was offered from 1941 until 1942. I drew this info from the Feb. 2000 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. If you want to learn a little more about Carson, follow this link:
The value depends on whether you have the Gibson or the Kay version. I don't recognize the numbers you have found, maybe someone else will come along to help out. Given the historical association of your guitar, I'd say it's worth restoring, cracks are generally not that expensive to repair but you probably need to talk with someone that can inspect your guitar more closely to determine it's value. SB
Carson Robison was one of the original "singing cowboys" during the depression and managed to get his own line of guitars through Montgomery Ward around 1935. The Recording King Carson Robison model was made by Gibson who clearly needed the business during the Depression. The guitar is a mid-level spruce and mahogany flat top similar to the Kalamazoo KG-11 and the Cromwell G-1, also produced by Gibson during this time. In 1937 the guitar was renamed the Recording King Model K, and was available in a 12-fret Hawaiian version. In 1939, the body was enlarged to 16", but by ’40 the Gibson Carson Robison was discontinued although a Kay version was offered from 1941 until 1942. I drew this info from the Feb. 2000 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. If you want to learn a little more about Carson, follow this link:
The value depends on whether you have the Gibson or the Kay version. I don't recognize the numbers you have found, maybe someone else will come along to help out. Given the historical association of your guitar, I'd say it's worth restoring, cracks are generally not that expensive to repair but you probably need to talk with someone that can inspect your guitar more closely to determine it's value. SB
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