Willies American Guitars

Cherry, with hang tags. Factory Cherry respray. Big neck era. We knew Ronny the owner who told us the story when brought in the guitar for servicing. He bought the guitar new in Iowa on May 7th 1962. The included sales invoice says it was $365. We did not begin seeing it until the early 2000’s. The story is that he sent it back to the factory, an eight hour drive from Iowa to have it...

Faded Cherry with aging toner, another amazing new semi hollow electric from Collings. This one with an optional solid mahogany top to go with the solid mahogany body. The solid woods on the I35 add harmonic complexity closer to an acoustic. Other features include: 24 7/8 scale, very comfortable 15” wide body, upgraded Throbak SLE-101 MXV humbuckers, bound rosewood fretboard with grained...

Sunburst, VG+, purchased from the widow of the original owner. The neck dates to Sept. ’66. This is a lacquer finish, three tone sunburst, still gold logo (they went to black in ’67), lollipop tuner buttons, Brazilian Rosewood fretboard with block inlays and binding. Lots of pre-CBS features here but of course, it’s not. Cool color, the alder body shows some grain and it’s rather light at 9.5...

Sunburst, sometimes describing condition is best left to the photos before you tout a guitars virtues. Sun faded top? Yes. Repaired cracks? Yes. We can’t fool you but all the cracks have been addressed. Are those capo marks on the back of the neck? No. We thought so but after you play it you realize the previous owner had a strong grip. Those are thumb marks and feel quite natural as you play up...

Black, Duo Jet with TV Jones Powertron Filterton pickups. Comes with a pinned bridge so it won’t slip. Has a one piece mahogany neck, ebony fretboard with thumbprint inlays, 12” radius, 24.6” scale and a 1 11’16” nut. The top is a laminate maple and the back and sides are mahogany on the hollow cavity. Has killer pickups, adjustomatic bridge and B3C Bigsby. Has two changed pots but is otherwise...

Two Tone Sunburst, EX-, Airline was a brand used by retail/mail order giant Montgomery Wards. Wards was based in Chicago. Harmony made guitars and amps for Montgomery Wards. This semi hollow (an idea borrowed from the Gretsch Duo Jet) has a beautiful, all lacquer two tone burst like a 50’s Strat. Note, the back and sides are also “sunbursted”. Has great sounding DeArmond made pickups, original...

Spectacular flamed maple “10” top in Dark Cherry Sunburst high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, nickel hardware, mahogany body and neck with “pattern thin” carve, ebony fingerboard with bird inlays, a pair of powerful but versatile PRS \m/ (Metal) humbucking pickups controlled by a master volume and tone control with a 5-way blade selector switch, and nickel Phase III non-locking tuners....

Natural with herringbone trim, another winner from Austin featuring a warm woody vintage like tone courtesy of the Sitka Spruce top on Indian rosewood back and sides. Also features: 25.5” scale, ebony fingerboard with abalone short diamond and square inlays, modified V neck profile, .855” at the 1st fret, 1 11/16” nut width, pre-war scalloped bracing, stained exotic ebony headstock veneer, nickel...

Black, a stunning new custom shop creation whose fantastic tone is matched only by its great looks. Let’s start with an Adirondack Spruce top on a Black finish with eye popping abalone pearl trim. The back and sides are East Indian rosewood. Your fingers will happily play over the black ebony fingerboard if you can stop staring at the style 45 abalone pearl snowflake inlays. The nut width is 1...

Natural, this was bought recently then traded on a high end Collings mandolin. As some of you know our Finn is famous for reclaimed woods and Juliette is beautiful with gorgeous spalted wood on the headstock, pickguard, fingerboard, bridge and tailpiece. The tone is rich, loud and complex. A wunderkind mando built by Finn. Meet Juliette #645 of Finn’s completely handmade instruments including...

Natural, Blonde, single string tree era. A light fantastic sounding Tele with the original bridge pickup. However, the pots are changed and has a rout for a humbucker under the bridge pickup and the neck pickup area is slightly routed for a Strat sized pickup. The maple neck is stripped of its plasticky finish and it is refrettted. You’re very welcome because it plays great. Comes with a hard...

Nickel plated etched brass body. Round neck with that authoritative voice that only bell brass bodies can give you. Non-rolled F hole. The serial number is S36XX. Has the classic Hawaiian scene etching with swaying palm, volcano and a guy paddling his canoe. Peaceful. The action is perfect, easy to play up the entire neck with just enough string height to use a heavy slide as well. We strung...

Natural, 12 frets to the body, just back from the shop with a fresh neck reset, new nut and first three frets replaced. This is now good as new yet this 47 year old has the silky smooth tone and punch that only gentle playing over forty plus years can provide. Sitka Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Nice wide 1 7/8” nut width. Fully serviced. Comes with a...

1x12” combo, black tolex on birch ply. A pair of EL84s running in class AB produces 15 watts, driven by an all-tube preamp with traditional 3-band EQ, a presence control, and a truly excellent master volume for a wide variety of very British-sounding tones through an outstanding Magnatone Custom 12” ceramic-magnet speaker. Additional useful features include a headphone jack, an internal speaker...

One of the world’s greatest gigging amps. All stock, The large-box single 12” amps are the same chassis as the tweed Deluxe (with tremolo), and the large solid pine cabinet adds more bass response yet is feather-light. Again, all-stock with original Jensen, shop-checked, the tweed is a bit beat but a rare and wonderful original.

Boy these need no introduction. What do they sound like? You gotta be kidding. You've heard these almost all of your life. This is a '66-'67 era bass, could be late '66 but we'll say '67. Has raised logo, covered tuners with straight screws, short nickel tailpiece, covered heel cap with no etching. Has light checking but in really nice condition. Has strong pickups, clean switches so you can play...

Black, with P-90 pickups, still Chicago-made. Willie’s was one of the largest Hamer dealers in this era. These had a clever three-piece neck with the grain from the two outside pieces going in opposite directions providing extra strength. The wood selection was also superior. Frank Untermeyer, one of Hamer's partners, now oversees the global supply of wood for Martin (he’s still a badass). The...

Polaris White, EX++. The EDS-1275 was always a special order item as they still are today. Of course Jimmy Page made these famous playing “Stairway To Heaven” in Led Zeppelin’s touring days This Polaris White model is really clean and the consignor had it cleaned, restrung and set up just for you. Don’t you wish everyone did that? The strap button on the six string neck is changed but it is...

Sonic Blue on ash body, nice and light at 7.5 pounds, big Nocaster neck with U profile, maple fretboard with 9.5” radius and 6105 frets, dual Nocaster pickups, freshly set up and sounds awesome. Cool to see the classic Nocaster in a great custom color. This has changed bridge saddles and jack cup. The originals are in the case along with the bridge cover and COA in the original tweed hard case.

Stunning flamed maple “10” top in Cobalt Smokeburst nitrocellulose lacquer, mahogany body (great weight at just under 8 pounds overall) and one-piece mahogany neck, “pattern thin” carve, 25” scale, 1 & 11/16” nut, 10” radius, East Indian rosewood fingerboard with bird inlays, hybrid gold/nickel hardware including Phase III locking tuners and the fantastic Gen III tremolo. Electronics feature the...

Black, really great Vintage Select series ’53 Duo Jet. Complete with Bigsby and TV Jones T-Armond pickups and weighing only 7 pounds, chambered mahogany body, mahogany neck and bound rosewood fretboard with block inlays, super light considering it has a Bigsby/ In good shape but does show a few nicks and light scratches on the back. Comes with the original hard case.

Surf Green on Alder body with upgraded double bound body, back in on trade, light aging, super light at 6.5 pounds, rosewood fretboard with “C” neck profile, 10” radius and 6105 frets, mint green pickguard. Sounds great with that warm and roundish Semi-hollow Tele tone. You won’t find a better feeling and playing neck. An awesome lightweight used Nash. Comes with the original deluxe Nash hard...

Sunburst, alder body with distinctive wood grain. All stock with a natural yellowing of the lacquer over the last 28 years. Considering its almost 30 years old it’s very clean and has no modifications. The pickups are well balanced with the bridge being 5.90K, the middle 5.88K and the neck at 5.84K. Made during the Bill Schultz era that is becoming a “thing” for buyers as Fender was less a...

Natural, 14-fret 00-size guitar, X-braced solid Sitka spruce top torrefied for maximum projection by Martin’s VTS technique, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, 24.9″ scale length, 1 3/4″ nut width, slightly asymmetrical Vintage Deluxe neck profile, European Flamed Maple binding and herringbone purfling on top, Ebony fingerboard with abalone diamonds and square inlays, 1930s-style inlaid Martin...

Natural, what an incredible sounding Dreadnaught! Huge tone, as close as you can get to a pre-war D-28 but without the hefty price tag features include hide glue construction, Adirondack Spruce top with VTS tone system, Guatamalen Rosewood back and sides, forward shifted scalloped aged top bracing, authentic 1937 neck profile, ebony fingerboard with abalone 1937 diamond and square inlays, 1 3/4”...

First year of issue, factory White lacquer, some honest wear but overall reasonably clean, no breaks, and all-original with black hardware including bridge and tuner buttons, black neck pickup cover, and black pickguard. In production from 1986 to 2002, the 4003S/5 featured an unbound body and unbound fingerboard with dot inlays, and a high “C” string, and while the pickups are the same as the...

Lake Placid Blue on semi-hollow Thinline Alder body, just in on trade, Journeyman relic nitro lacquer finish, nice and light at 6.2 pounds, maple neck with ’63 Strat C neck profile, .830” at the 1st fret and 1.00” at the 12th. Dark Rosewood fretboard with clay dot inlays, 6150 frets, 9.5” radius, Custom Shop ‘67 Tele neck and bridge pickups, 50’s style bridge, a great looking and sounding...

Classic White, mahogany body, slim taper neck profile with rosewood fretboard and dot inlays, 70’s Tribute Humbucking pickups, two volume and one master tone control, in great shape, a smidge of hanger burn on the head stock, but otherwise quite clean, comes with in the original hard case.

Black, these are reliable, sturdy and well made. Has a 9.5” radius fretboard and medium jumbo frets for easy string bends. The original frets show no wear. The American Standard pickups with flat polepieces are original and have strong output. Also has original stainless steel saddles and Biflex truss rod. Comes with the original hard case.

Cherry, mahogany body, short 30.5” scale, unbound rosewood fretboard with dot inlays, nice rounded neck profile, two humbucking pickups, two volume and one master tone control, this has been played and shows playing scratches on back and some on front, but no breaks, nice and light at 7.9 pounds, comes with the original hard case.