19th Century Reproduction Parlor Guitars, Part 1

The full-sized guitars of the 1800s look dinky today. But they laid the foundation for most American genres. And, since people no longer need massive guitars to get a good sound through the PA system, they're making a comeback.
Manufacturers call the "parlor guitars" and claim they're a recent invention, but that's hardly the truth.
These dinky "peanuts" and their slightly larger brethren not only work great for historical reenactments. They also make excellent starter guitars, beach guitars, and even concert guitars when you get into the solid-topped models.
In this video and the two shorter ones that follow, I review several modern guitars built in the profile of the original Martin guitars of the 1840s and 1850s. I also describe how these guitars evolved throughout the century, laying the foundation for the larger guitars many folks use today.