2024 Fairbanks F-35 1943 Jumbo

Fairbanks F-35 1943 Jumbo S/N 1023317

The Fairbanks F-35 Jumbo acoustic guitar, a slope shouldered jumbo size powerhouse featuring a bookmatched set of Adirondack spruce for the top and mahogany for the back, sides and neck. The scale length is 24 ¾.”

The Jumbo was originally introduced in 1934 to compete with the then newly introduced Martin D-28. 

Dale’s recreation mixes the most desirable features from prewar and wartime examples. The forward shifted tapered X brace is a feature of the earliest jumbo’s, while a pair of scalloped tone bars were adopted during the wartime era. The combination results in deep bass and ringing trebles without skimping on the midrange. Also, the dynamic range is impressive, it plays well softly and it plays powerfully if you dig in. 

Wartime restrictions led to the elimination of adjustable truss rods as they were made of important materials for the war effort. To compensate, the necks were reinforced with a maple truss rod, but the resulting necks were oversized and uncomfortable for many players. A modern two-way truss rod now allows for a soft “V” profile that retains the contours of a prewar neck while being much more comfortable. The neck itself has a 1 ¾” nut width and a depth of 15/16” at the first fret and 1” at the tenth. The fingerboard and bridge are made of Madagascar rosewood and the headplate is ebony with the Fairbanks script inlay in mother of pearl. The bridge spacing is 2 3/8,” and the fingerboard has 19 frets and pearl dot markers at the third, fifth, seventh, ninth, twelfth and fifteenth frets. Waverly tuners with celluloid buttons are mounted. 

The top is a lightly distressed sunburst with a 7-ply black and white rosette, firestripe pickguard and a simple two ply purfling and celluloid binding for both the top and back. The back, like many of the wartime guitars before it, is free of a center stripe. A K&K Pure Mini pickup system is installed for amplified play.