Knutsen Teardrop Hawaiian HTD3

This is a fascinating instrument. A rare "teardrop," it has some unusual "crude" features. If the tuners look a bit odd and "cute" from the front it is because Knutsen used mandolin tuners, chopping off the 4th tuner from each side! The back and sides appear to be made of fairly thick mahogany laminate - as if from a piece of veneered furniture (a favorite Knutsen source). This can be seen in the missing chipped section on the back. This is a very deep instrument - just under 4-1/2" - with a hollow neck all the way to the headstock. It is the first seen with a 1600 Temple St. label. While we don't know exactly when the famous 1542 Temple St. address began, we know that Knutsen was listed at this address for only one year - in 1916.

Knutsen Archives Inventory Number		HTD3
Category		Hollow Neck Hawaiian Guitars
Body Style		"Teardrop-shaped"
Current or last known owner		Josh Weisman > anonymous
Year (approx)		c.1916
Label		C. Knutsen, 1600 Temple St. Los Angeles
Label Code		LA5-1/2
Courses / Strings		6 strings
Frets		inlaid
Scale length		25-3/8"
Neck Joint		taper begins just after nut
Woods	Top	koa
	Back & Sides	mahogany veneer?
	Neck	fir
	Fingerboard	dyed ?
	Bridge	mahogany
	Headstock veneer	none
Binding, trim	Top	pearwood? blonde/black/blonde
	Back	none
	Fingerboard	none
	Headstock(s)	none
	Soundhole	multi-colored rope
Inlay		celluloid fret markers
Pickguard		none
Dimensions	Upper Bout
	Lower Bout	15-13/16"
	Body at endpin	4-7/16", 3-1/4" at nut
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