(Nearly) NGD - 1964 Levin 350

[Ursa Minor]

Oh ... by the way ... that wasn't a 'store guy'. That was me.

Wow. Small world!

[PorkyPrimeCut]

^ Yeah, cool! ^

I've already expressed my love for this guitar. The fact that it's a close match to the Duo-Jet I'm currently lusting over makes it hard to ignore & the slight differences & relative rarity of the thing make it almost more exotic than the Gretsch.

[Despot]

It's a similar guitar, not necessarily the same. If memory serves the tone caps are darker sounding than on a Gretsch, and it's also a solid spruce top that's constructed more like an acoustic than a traditional semi hollow.

There are ups and downs to those points. While the guitar isn't bright and sparkly, it's no darker than a Jazzmaster really. It has a lovely tone, but it's a little different to the sound of the Terada made Duo Jets with DeArmonds that I've played. That spruce top (and the light construction - seriously ... this thing is like a bag of air it's so light!) make it ring like an acoustic when played unplugged - I used to use this as an acoustic when I had it for that very reason.

It's also smaller than a Duo Jet - the body is thinner, and the proportions are just a bit smaller. It's a seriously cool guitar - mostly because of how different it is to anything else. Even compared to a Duo Jet (which, I guess is the closest comparison) it's ... not a Duo Jet, either in sound or looks.

[Vintage_DWARF]

Hey Despot,

yes - it was at Some Neck Guitars ! I went in, looked left and right, very nice guitars hangin everywhere, but I kept walkin.... Then there she was - I stopped. One of the Shops guys came and asked: "you wanna try it"?

YESSSSS !!!!

The Levin really played nice ! light strings on it (I think 10s). And the sound of these old Dearmond is sooooo nice. BUT: I have a modded Gretsch Rally with these Dearmonds (old ones) and my budget was not prepared (or the price tag was not ... )

Hmmmmmm

Oh ... by the way ... that wasn't a 'store guy'. That was me.
I usually stop in there for a chat with the owner and a coffee if I'm in the city centre on a Saturday - and that day he was short staffed so I stayed around to help out a bit while it was busy. Lady Despot was busy working on the final touches to her college work ... I needed to be out of our apartment for a few hours, so I ended up in Someneck.

I saw how you were looking at the Levin and knew that if you didn't try it you'd never see another ... so that's why I asked if you wanted to plug it in.

I always get nostalgia (and seller's remorse) when I hear other people playing old gear that I've sold ... at the moment there are quite a few guitars hanging on the wall of that store that used to be mine... but it's all going to the housing fund, so as nostalgic as I might feel I know selling off was the right thing to do. That Levin did sound really lovely through the Swart - that's the same set up that I have at home (I use a combo version of the head/speaker amp that Owen has in the store).

Hahaaa this is cool - great talk to you (Kevin right ?)

I would have loved to take that beautiful Levin home, and even more now after finding this story here (which brought me back to OSG after quite some time of absence) and learn here, that I met you in person at Some neck guitars. I remember us talking about our Jazzmasters and me showing you the pic of my 63 Jaguar . Maybe I will pick the Levin up next stop in Dublin - not very likely in considerable time unfortunately and as I mentioned - I have too many guitars, which is quite a nic problem to have. If decide to sell some stuff, the Levin might be a possible purchase.

But: if that happens, we have to make an appointment to meet again !