Oh dear.

This is a super rare Gottfried Uebel made thinline guitar, made in East Germany (GDR) in the mid 1960s. As you can see, it features Simeto Goldfoil-like single coil pickups which were used between 1963 and 1973 on about all East German guitars. They are arguably the best pickups that were ever used in East Germany.

Uebel was one of the luthiers from the Vogtland, the center of the old German musical instruments manufacturing, and amongst others he produced instruments despite all the companies in East Germany being consolidated and basically seized by the government until the early 1970s. After that, there was only one company - Musima - producing guitars, and all the master luthiers either retired or only privately made some custom instruments (like Heinz Seifert).

Mr Uebel arguably made some of the finest thinline and archtop-style guitars, and among them the most beautiful thinline semi-acoustics.

These guitars are super, super rare with only a few specimen surviving. This is one of them.

The guitar features a thin body, all hollow, made from unknown laminated material (likely spruce, like on a ES style guitar), and probably a maple neck, but it`s impossible to determine since it is all painted. The fretboard might be ebony or very dark rosewood. I think East Germany got imports from communist states in Africa.

The soundboard features two rotary switches that do various combinations of the pickups, it`s not that easy to determine. The other pots do volume.

The vibrato system is all original.

The tuners are new and the only thing that is not original on the guitar.

String action is at 1,9 mm at the 12th fret, the neck is almost entirely straight and allows for a low string action and easy playability. There is some minor buzz on some frets. All in all, this is suprisingly well playable and enjoyable, acoustically as well as plugged in. Nut width is 4 cm, scale at 640 mm.

Condition:

- good condition of lacquer, straight neck, frets still do, electronics work.

- some edges of the body protrude a bit over other edges, the wood was definitely moving a bit.

- it seems like the back of the neck has been repainted. There is a fissure in it, but it seems to be closed (see picture)

- the vibrato unit dug itself, due to string tension, into the sides of the guitar. It`s all stable. Also it sits likely off, so that the strings need to make an angle going to the bridge and over the neck - that is original, I have seen it on other Uebels as well. Could be corrected by moving the vibrato unit.

- the bridge seems to be original, but doesn't close to the arched top completely. Wild string bending can result in it moving about (like on vintage Gretsch guitars.

- the wooden tip of the vibrato handle is cracked, but sits tight.





The guitar has been serviced completely, frets polished, fretboard cleaned and oiled, tuners installed, fresh 10 gauge strings on it.







I will ship the guitar detuned for delivery in a sturdy cardboard package and lots of filler material. I did not have a single damage with shipping in the last 10 years.









Please note that all my guitars do not come with a case unless it is part of the offer. I pack everything really well in super safe cardboard boxing.

Please also have a look at my other offers with old guitars and fine equipment.

SHIPPING: Please check the shipping quotes in this offer. I ship with insurance, worldwide. Usually I am able to ship the item on the same day or next day of received payment. Please allow 1-2 days from pick up for delivery in Germany, 1-2 weeks within the EU, and 2-8 weeks anywhere else depending on your location. I accept a 14 days return and will pay for shipping if the item is in a different condition than described upon arrival.

AFTER DELIVERY: After receiving the item, please inspect the package for obvious damages and make fotos if there are any. After unpacking, check the item immediately for damages or other undocumented flaws. I accept a 14 days return and will pay for shipping if the item is in a different condition than described upon arrival. Please note that I will only take the item back entirely, but not grant any reduction of price and generally only accept returns if the item was unaltered after arrival.

CITES protection: all of the items I sell have been legally imported to the EU before January 1st 2017 and are registered with the authorities in Hamburg, Germany (if applicable).

DATA protection: German financial regulations demand that I keep your address on file in an invoice. The only information that I store are the ones which this platform provides me. Please understand that I cannot delete that information from my files. You may ask what kind of info I have stored from you any time.