Levin Goliath

This example is made public with the owner's permission.

A bettered, cobweb covered, rat-gnawed tobacco-burst acoustic guitar is held out to me - the metal emblem truss rod cover rattling as I receive it. Thankfully I am sitting down as I learn this is the guitar referred to in several books and has been used by Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Peter Green. Knowing a little history of this era, but only a little, I recognized the name of the guitar's actual owner, but after the aforementioned trio, he would forgive me for not putting a face or a song to the name. Geoff Krivit. The guy that bailed Clapton out a few times in the Bluesbreakers era. He has passed the guitar to a life long friend and new guardian who happens to live nearby. "Is it worth making it playable again?" was the question: "well of course" was the immediate answer.

The biggest issue with this old Goliath was the neck. A perfect excuse to get a fabulously skilled luthier out of retirement and back to performing magic. Alan is only semi-retired. Guitars such as this are the 'semi' bit.

Lifting the Levin beyond the reach of Ryker, the over-excited Alsatian puppy (now the size of a horse) that guards Chez Arnold, the patient experience and talent pours onto the stepped neck, and a few weeks later, I have the pleasure of strumming a few chords mid way up the neck - previously impossible. Smooth as silk, that unforgettable tone ringing out free from choking and buzz. What a guitar this is. The patina retained, the weak spots under the rosette strengthened, the bracing shored up - this guitar now has its mojo back, and strength to continue delighting guitarists for a long while to come.

We elected to stop that emblem rattling around, just in case this Levin needs to be mic'ed up in the future.