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| Wayne was one of the early Australian guitar manufacturers, along with Pacific, Maton and probably a few others (click here to read a bit about Sydney's Powerhouse Museum record of these guitars). The factory was in Heidelberg, Melbourne, and was apparently owned and run by a Harry West. I have read an account of one man who bought a guitar directly from the factory in 1957. Many years ago I owned another Wayne-produced acoustic, long since sold, and at Grouse Guitars we have also had a later Wayne acoustic from their later period (in the '60s and early '70s) when they had their guitars made in Japan by one of the established factories there (click here to view it). The brand has long since disappeared from the Australian guitar manufacturing scene. I would guess the date of manufacture to be in the 1950s, whereas another Wayne resonator I discovered recently (click here to see) is probably late 1940s or possibly early 1950s. This guitar has a vintage V neck profile, and is set up for normal playing (not lap style). If you wanted to play lap-style guitar it would be a simple matter to add a nut extension and shim the bridge pieces in the spider. The guitar shows many of the characteristics of the early Australian guitars, and is very solidly built. The body is bound front and back, and is finished in a low-gloss and beautifully aged finish. This vintage Australian guitar is very original, with only the tuners having been changed for quality Japanese-made items at some stage. The cone is original. Some of the pearloid position markers have come out of their holes in the fretboard, but you can't even feel it when playing. These could be easily replicated and replaced by any competent luthier should you wish. This is a great example for a collector of early Australian guitars, and with the addition of a pickup would also be a very cool guitar to gig. Sold to Bill
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