There is something quietly extraordinary about a parlor guitar. Pick one up and you immediately understand what the players of the 1890s, 1920s, and 1930s were working with — an instrument that feels like a natural extension of the body, responds to the lightest touch with warmth and directness, and produces a tone so focused and personal that it demands you pay attention. The parlor was the acoustic guitar before the dreadnought arrived and changed everything. And now, a century later, players are discovering all over again why it was so beloved.
What Defines a Parlor Guitar
A parlor guitar is a small-bodied acoustic guitar — typically with a lower bout of 12–13.5 inches — characterised by an intimate, midrange-forward tonal profile and a physically compact instrument that sits naturally against the body. The name derives from the Victorian parlor (drawing room) where these instruments were the standard domestic guitar for amateur musicians in middle-class homes across America and Europe from the 1850s onward.
| Body Type | Lower Bout | Scale Length | Tone Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parlor (Size 0) | ~13.5" | 24.9"–25.4" | Warm, focused, midrange-forward |
| Concert (Size 00) | ~14.3" | 24.9"–25.4" | Slightly fuller, more projection |
| Grand Concert (000) | ~15" | 24.9"–25.4" | Balanced — parlor-to-dreadnought bridge |
| Dreadnought | ~15.6" | 25.4" | Powerful, bass-heavy, loud |
A Full History of the Parlor Guitar
VICTORIAN ERA (1850s–1900s)
The gut-string parlor guitar of the Victorian era was a delicate, ornately decorated instrument designed for domestic music-making. These were not professional performance instruments — they were the guitars of drawing rooms, parlor recitals, and the casual entertainment that preceded radio and recorded music. C.F. Martin's earliest American production models (the 0 and 00 sizes, produced from the 1830s) defined the American parlor guitar format.
THE STEEL-STRING TRANSITION (1900s–1920s)
As American folk, blues, and ragtime music developed in the early 20th century, steel strings replaced gut on parlor-format guitars. Steel strings were louder, brighter, and more durable — better suited to the working musicians who were beginning to carry guitars from town to town as entertainment. Martin's 0-17, 0-18, and 00-18 models dominated this era.
THE DELTA BLUES CONNECTION (1920s–1940s)
The parlor guitar's most culturally significant chapter is its role in the Delta blues. Robert Johnson — the most mythologised figure in American music — recorded all 29 of his surviving sides in 1936–37 on a Gibson L-1, a small-body ladder-braced guitar in the parlor tradition. Charlie Patton, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, and Blind Willie McTell all played small-body guitars of the parlor type. The format's intimate tone, quick attack, and focused midrange suited the expressive, voice-like qualities of blues guitar perfectly.
THE DREADNOUGHT ECLIPSE (1930s–1990s)
Martin's dreadnought — introduced in 1916 but reaching mass market dominance in the 1930s and 40s — pushed parlor guitars to the margins. Louder, more projecting, and visually imposing, the dreadnought became synonymous with "acoustic guitar." Parlors survived primarily in the hands of Delta blues players, Appalachian folk musicians, and the occasional eccentric collector.
THE MODERN REVIVAL (2000s–PRESENT)
The parlor guitar revival has been one of the most significant instrument trends of the 21st century. Driven by the home recording movement (where parlor's controlled low-end is a genuine advantage), the fingerstyle revival, and a broader cultural reassessment of smaller instruments, parlors are now offered by virtually every major acoustic guitar manufacturer. Collings, Waterloo, Recording King, Taylor, Martin, Guild, and dozens of boutique builders all make dedicated parlor models.
Ladder Bracing vs X-Bracing in Parlor Guitars
This distinction matters enormously for parlor guitars and is often overlooked by buyers focused on tonewood.
Ladder Bracing (Vintage)
- Braces run horizontally across the top
- Older, simpler construction method
- More resonant and lively at lower volumes
- Warmer, rounder, more vintage character
- Less structurally robust — can crack with humidity changes
- Used on all pre-war parlors and blues guitars
- Waterloo, Recording King vintage models
X-Bracing (Modern)
- Two braces cross in an X below the soundhole
- More structurally stable — handles steel strings better
- Brighter, more articulate tonal response
- Better suited to heavier playing styles
- Standard on most modern parlor guitars
- Martin 0-series, Taylor GS Mini, most production models
Iconic Vintage Parlor Guitar Models
Martin 0-17 | Vintage Market: $1,500–$5,000
All-mahogany construction, no binding, no frills — pure parlor tone. The 0-17 was the working musician's guitar: inexpensive, durable, and tonally direct. Pre-war examples (1906–1945) are particularly prized for their ladder bracing and aged mahogany character. The most authentic vintage parlor guitar experience available at accessible prices.
Gibson L-0 / L-1 | Vintage Market: $3,000–$20,000+
The blues parlors. Robert Johnson's instrument. Small-body, ladder-braced mahogany with a warm, woody, vocal tone that sits exactly where the blues lives. Original examples from the late 1920s and early 1930s are increasingly rare and expensive — condition and provenance significantly affect value. One of the most historically important guitar designs in American music.
Martin 00-18 | Vintage Market: $800–$8,000 (era-dependent)
One of Martin's most enduring designs — a slightly larger parlor-adjacent body (00 size) with spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Vintage examples from the 1930s and 40s are highly prized for their scalloped bracing and aged spruce response. Martin continues producing the 00-18 today, maintaining the design's essential character.
Stella and Harmony Parlors | Vintage Market: $50–$600
The mass-market parlors — sold through mail-order catalogues and general stores as affordable instruments for everyday Americans. Tonally modest compared to Martin and Gibson, but historically significant as the guitars that tens of thousands of blues, country, and early rock musicians learned on. Excellent for display and restoration projects.
Best Modern Parlor Guitars
Recording King RP-06 | ~$199–$249
All-solid mahogany construction at under $250. This specification — solid top, solid back and sides — would have been impossible at this price a decade ago. The RP-06 delivers genuine parlor character with a warm, focused tone and a vintage aesthetic that suits the format perfectly. Nothing else touches it at this price.
Best for: Budget buyers who refuse to accept laminate construction.
Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy | ~$349
Named after the original 1930s Gretsch parlor, the Jim Dandy brings the authentic blues parlor aesthetic at $349. Bound body, vintage-style headstock, warm tone that captures something of the original blues parlor character. The most visually and tonally authentic budget parlor available.
Best for: Blues players and vintage enthusiasts wanting the parlor aesthetic at an accessible price.
Martin 000-15M | ~$699
Technically a 000 rather than a strict parlor, but embodying everything the parlor tradition stands for: all-solid mahogany construction, satin finish, focused warm tone, and American craftsmanship. The 000-15M is among the finest small-body acoustics ever made at any price and represents extraordinary value for a Martin instrument.
Best for: Serious fingerstyle players, blues musicians, and anyone who wants the finest small-body at a fair price.
Waterloo WL-14X | ~$2,199
The Waterloo brand — created by Collings specifically to produce vintage-inspired small-body guitars — is the most serious modern attempt to capture pre-war American parlor character. Ladder bracing, hide glue construction, carefully selected tonewoods, and an aesthetic that genuinely evokes the 1930s. For players who want the closest thing to a vintage parlor at a fair price.
Best for: Collectors, blues enthusiasts, and players who want authentic vintage parlor character in a new instrument.
🌟 FEATURED BUILDER: Byron Custom Guitars
Want a Guitar Built Exactly the Way You Imagine It?
Every production guitar is built to a fixed spec. Byron Custom Guitars is where that ends — every instrument is handbuilt to order, with every detail specified by you.
- Body shape — dreadnought, parlor, jumbo, OM, slope-shoulder, and more
- Tonewoods — including rare exotic woods from the gallery
- Inlay design — abalone, mother of pearl, wood, or custom artwork
- Finish — satin, gloss, nitro or poly, in any colour
- Left-handed builds available at no extra charge
Build-progress photos every two weeks. Free worldwide shipping. Hard case included.
Build Time
8–10 weeks
Shipping
Free worldwide
Case
Hard case included
Left-Handed
Available — no surcharge
👉 Start designing your custom guitar at ByronCustomGuitars.com
Is a Parlor Guitar Right for You?
Parlor IS ideal if you...
- Primarily fingerpick or play blues
- Record at home and want controlled low-end
- Have a smaller frame or prefer compact instruments
- Want warm, intimate, vocal tone
- Travel regularly and value portability
- Want a visually distinctive vintage aesthetic
Consider a dreadnought instead if you...
- Need maximum volume and projection
- Strum hard with a pick or plectrum
- Play in a band or ensemble without amplification
- Flat-pick or play bluegrass
- Are a beginner wanting the most versatile first guitar
Final Thoughts
The parlor guitar's revival is not nostalgia — it is recognition. Players who discover that a parlor's intimate, focused, responsive character suits them better than any dreadnought they've played are not compromising. They are finding their instrument. For fingerstyle, blues, recording, and home playing, the parlor guitar is often simply the right choice.
At Byron Custom Guitars, parlor body shapes are available as custom builds — tonewoods, bracing, binding, finish, and inlay all specified to your exact preference.
Ready to own a guitar built exactly the way you want it? Free worldwide shipping, hard case included.
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