Page 15 - BiTS_05_MAY_2025

BiTS: [Laughs] That’s absolutely wonderful. Now I've got another question to ask
you. Tell me something about the 100-year-old guitar, the Stella.

KKH: The Stella, so I was very interested in getting an Oscar Schmidt Stella, but I
particularly loved that model. It's the piano rubbed finish, I think they call it. A lot
of the other Stellas I was looking at are like a
natural finish and eventually I managed to find

that from Tom at, I think his company is called
Vintage Guitars. I think it's just Vintage

Guitars, but it's just a beautiful instrument and
I'm really, really lucky to have found one in
that condition because obviously it's 100-

years-old or 98-years-old, but it's in fantastic
condition. You've got the, to be expected, little
bit of wear on it, but generally it's absolutely

beautiful, and it was a fairly cheap guitar for
its time. The were a higher standard of guitars,
but I still can't believe the standard of artistry.

It's really, really beautifully made and a great
deal of effort was put into that, and I think that
it stood the test of time, which also speaks of

the care and attention that was put into it. So
to be honest with you, I usually go for new
guitars because I'm kind of concerned about

the upkeep. I'm no home luthier whatsoever.
So I've always avoided it and I've always gone
for replicas, essentially, or guitars that are

made to look old or that are sort of faithful
recreations. A friend of mine actually has this
model of Stella, and I was quite jealous. I really

wanted it and so I searched and searched and
finally found it. It was in the catalogue as a Sovereign, but it's actually got Stella on
the headstock which I quite like.

BiTS: Is there any damage to it? I mean, very often those kinds of aged guitars have
got bridges that are lifting off, or the fingerboard is starting to twist a bit or something.

KKH: No, I mean, there were a few small cracks, and I think a few braces were

installed to support the sound hole and the frets were dressed. It had an MOT
basically. I'm trying to think, I was actually surprised by how much of it was original.

I think the tuners are original. I'm trying to remember what was replaced, but it's
evading my mind right now. But it was almost, I think like the saddle was replaced,
nothing else is springing to mind, but I mean, I was quite shocked by how much of
it was original because I really did think that a lot more would be, you know.