In the 1930s, the flat top guitars built by Carl and August Larson were rivaled only by Martin and Gibson. Building guitars for their own brands as well as various distributors, the Larson brothers built some of the finest and most intriguing prewar designs. Many of the Larson brothers' guitars have been hugely influential on guitar building, and their inventive approach and designs have inspired many modern luthiers.
In the '30s, the Larson brothers experimented with wide "super jumbo" variations of their 14-fret Auditorium body. From this era, there are many Larson brothers guitars that were built 17" across at the lower bout, and some are even as wide as 21". Because these experimental designs were often branded under the Prairie State name, many modern luthiers refer to this body as simply the "Prairie State." With such a wide lower bout, it produces thick, jumbo tone with deep resonance. But because of its relatively narrow waist, the Prairie State body responds quickly and accurately like an OM, and it's never overly boomy or flabby on the bass end. It's an intriguing body unlike anything else.
This 1986 Prairie State was made in Sandpoint, Idaho, by Nick Kukich of the Franklin Guitar Company. Its sizable body measures 19-1/2" long, and it is a staggering 17-3/16" across at the lower bout. Nevertheless, the waist is tight at 10-1/2," so the ratio between lower bout and waist is even more drastic than shapely small body guitars (such as a 00). This makes the guitar feel not quite as massive, but of course, its sound is huge! Deep and powerful with huge presence and low-end resonance. The tight waist also makes it respond quickly and accurately, so this super jumbo can produce delicate, articulate tones for fingerstyle playing just as easily as it can crank out chords.
This 1986 Franklin Prairie State is in nice condition for its age. There is some expected play wear of course, and there is some finish blemish along the edge of the back (see photos- looks as if the finish may have reacted with something in the case). Other than that, it appears to have been refretted, and the current setup is excellent. The scale length is 25.4", and its nut width is 1-25/32". This a very interesting guitar from an independent luthier. It has inspiring, nuanced tone, and it captures much of its own vibe and character. Original case included.