Family Relic Maurer SN 1799

[Greg Fredrick]

Here's a photo of a Maurer that's been in the family for as long as I can remember. It was handed down from my Grandfather to my Dad, and now I have it. This was the first string instrument I learned to play on when I was 6. It was almost sold at a garage sale by my stepfather after my mom passed away. I'm not sure how to read the Serial Number to determine the age and I would appreciate if someone could advise on this. There is some separation on the binding which I need to look into for repair if not too expensive. 130523130525130526

[Jim Garber]

Contact Robert Hartman at his website (http://www.larsonscreations.com/) and see what he has to say. Not all Maurer instruments were built by the Larson Brothers but many were.

[Greg Fredrick]

Thank you Jim. I brought new life to an unplayable instrument. Crack at the seam repaired, a major cleaning and oiling of the fret board, tuner machines removed, cleaned and lubed, overall polish and new strings. I waited several days to allow the adhesion to cure before adding strings. Playing it for the first time since I was 6 was a thrill. It holds tune and plays nicely. My granddaughter has already shown an interest and we'll start some basic lessons soon. 131036131037131038

[Gary Leonard]

That looks very nice, thanks for sharing!

[Greg Fredrick]

Thanks everyone. I'm still at a loss to decipher the serial number. I looked at Robert Hartman's website and didn't see where I could e-mail him without going through purchasing a book. I'm guessing the serial number is AAXX. A=week, X=year. So for SN 1799, I would say 17 week of Year 1899.
Thanks again.
Greg