Up for sale is the all-new Mayfield Instrument Number 125 - Guitalin LMN-8. This is a near-identical copy of Sufjan Stevens' LMN-2, with the exception of the headstock, which is a recreation of the earliest 1962 Guitalin Number 1 created by Lyle Mayfield. The new headstock also features the debossed signature of Lyle Mayfield himself, in the shadows behind the string plane. I felt this was the best way to honor the humble nature of the inventor without the ostentatious flash that a lot of brands strive for.
Prior to guitalin Number 124, all previous Mayfield Instruments dating back to 1962 were kept by the family, given to friends, or sold privately by Lyle Mayfield or by his grandson, Nathan Smith. Nathan has provided his own modern guitalins to artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Christian Lee Hutson. The current run are unique in that they are the first re-issued Original Design guitalins ever produced, modeled after the earliest 1960s guitalins developed in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (during the days of the Campus Folksong Club). They are updated for high structural integrity, and with proper care, are meant to last a lifetime. This is a rare opportunity to own an authentic Mayfield Instrument with modern updates, while replicating the vintage sound first introduced by Lyle Mayfield.
About Mayfield Instrument Number 125 - LMN-8:
Materials Used -
Top: Aromatic Cedar (David's Cedar)
Sides: Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba)
Back: Black Walnut
Neck: Aromatic Cedar
Fretboard: Bolivian Rosewood
Faceplate: Gabon Ebony
Head Veneer Plates: Canary / Dallas White Oak / Black Walnut
Tailblock: Dallas, Texas White Oak from Oak Cliff (1920s)
Bridge: Wild Cherry
Note about "David's Cedar": David Mayfield was Lyle's eldest son who passed away in 2004. The tree that the top of this guitalin was harvested from was planted the year David was born and cut down by Lyle the year he died. While not your traditional tone wood, it serves its purpose well and produces a quite remarkable tone as a guitalin top. The grain orientation was purposely chosen to mimic that of the top of LMN-2 (Sufjan Stevens' guitalin) and is the last piece of David's Cedar that will be made publicly available for sale.
What's Included:
Every new Mayfield Instrument comes with a customized protective hard case, additional strings, stringing guide, care instructions, and any spur-of-the-moment accessories or materials deemed worthwhile. Additionally, Nathan is always available for troubleshooting and maintenance recommendations over-the-phone, via direct message or email. The instrument will be shipped with reduced string tension, bridge removed, and placement of bridge marked with non-residue tape on the top for easy installation. This doubly-ensures safe transport without damage. A link will be sent to a quick tutorial on installing the bridge and bringing the instrument safely up to pitch.
Pricing: FREE SHIPPING FOR CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES BUYERS. Shipment will be facilitated by Fedex with appropriate insurance referencing the sale price and signature requirement for delivery. Close contact will be kept with buyer throughout the shipment process.Processing time will be no longer than 1 week from the date of transaction to ensure secure packaging for your long-awaited dream folk instrument! Welcome to the Mayfield Family. The next new guitalin listing will be announced on Instagram. I regret to inform that international insurance is not obtainable through Shopify, so I cannot offer shipment at this time outside of the US unless 3rd party shipping is manually handled. Please contact me if you are international and want to purchase shipping separately.
