!!! Yes, it plays just fine — with extra-light bronze strings, and tuned down a whole step —and sounds remarkably X-braced, even though, of course, it’s ladder-braced. The intonation is actually remarkably good, as well. Couple of splits on the top have been nicely repaired. The astonishing wood-figuring on the back is a depiction of The Knight Of The Swans, from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin.

Video demo HERE.

• scale: 23-⅝”

• lower bout 11-¼”

• b&s: walnut

• top: spruce

• nut width: on the shy side of 1-11/16”