Steve’s Guitar Store featured vintage  instruments for sale. Most of these instruments are now under the care of Devin Champlin at Champlin Guitars in Bellingham Washington. You can contact Devin about the Steve James collection if you’d like to have one of Steve’s beloved “back from the dead” guitars and mandolins.

Since my early experience working for luthier Michael Gurian in 1970-71, I have remained active building, repairing and restoring stringed instruments.  After relocating to Seattle in 2014 and finding some good workshop space downtown, I’ve been devoting more time to some of the dozens of “projects” picked up in various places during my travels.  Some need just a little attention to put them back in playing shape.  Some want more; but I’ve always considered time devoted to the welfare of old guitars as well spent.


Several instruments are now ready to return to active musical life, and here is where you can have a look and a listen. Included along with photos and  video “song-bites”  are some basic dimensions and brief descriptions of what was done to each instrument.

Unless otherwise noted, they’re set up with light gauge strings, standard “factory” playing action (3/32” string height above the crown of the 12th fret).  Good intonation and no fret buzz, of course.
Some, as can be seen, are cosmetically pretty clean.  Others have scars that show they’ve survived some tough times intact; and I left them that way as long as they were in good playing shape.  Every old guitar has a story, and a little background info is included here for each piece. You can listen to me play a bit on each one by clicking the links under the pictures.  The real story, of course, is told by the instruments themselves.
If you want more info email me. If you are in the Seattle area you can make an appointment to come play the instruments of your choice.

Vintage stencil guitars !

 Pictured above are a wreath motif Supertone, a a real Harmony Lone Ranger guitar and a rustic Italian scene . All good players.

 More to come.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your visit. SJ