Prairie State,
Euphonon & Symphony Harp Guitar
The
Swedish born Larson brothers were the first significant
makers of steel-stringed flattop guitars, as well
as acoustic guitars, mandolins, etc...
The Larson brothers,
Carl and Peter, settled in Chicago and opened
a custom guitar shop, making many guitars under
different brands, including Prairie State
( the nickname for Illinois ) and Euphonon.
The brothers made
custom guitars for many legendary guitarists,
including Les Paul and Gene Autry. They also made
guitars for musical instruments distributor W.H.
Dyer & Bro.
The unique Prairie
State shown here is one of the largest flattops
ever made. Measuring 21 inches across its bottom
bout and 6 1/2 inches deep, this enormous guitar
dwarves even the Martin Dreadnought. The guitar
features the Larson brothers' patented double-rod
truss system, with a large interior metal pipe
that acts as a support for the massive body, while
a second, smaller truss rod serves the conventional
role of adjusting the neck.
Click on the image
for all three guitars, from left, the Prairie
State, the Euphonon, and the Symphony.
