50th Anniversary
50th Anniversary Model - This archtop is the pinnacle of my arch top designs. It marks the 50th year I've been making arctop guitars. In 1972 I took the leap of faith and quit my job as a draftsman at Boeing Aircraft and started making mandolins. I have never regretted that decision. In 1974 I made my first archtop guitar.
This asymmetrical guitar, also called the Heartstrings Model, is constructed of Big Leaf maple and German spruce. Curly Koa is also available.
Ebony fingerboard and appointments, with rosewood burl and curly koa embellishments. The fingerboard inlay is ripple green abalone, and is an imaginary "heartline", with the "heartbeats" falling on the appropriate fret marker positions. The body, neck, fingerboard and peghead are trimmed in ultra-thin ripple green abalone. Instrument pictured: scale: 25.5" Nut: 1 3/4" Body size" 16"
25th Anniversary
1999 was the twenty fifth anniversary of my first arch top guitar. To commemorate this milestone, I designed a 25th Anniversary model arch top guitar. Due to continued interest in this guitar, I have continued to produce this model on request.
35th Anniversary
The 35th Anniversary model is a very organically designed guitar aesthetically. It is available in various kinds of curly maple, and also highly figured Hawaiian koa carved back and sides. Koa imparts a uniquely sweet, woody tone to the guitar. I think of the 400+ archtop guitars I have made, some of the sweetest, clearest sounding instruments have been constructed out of koa.
The 40th Anniversary model has an asymmetrical guitar body with the treble-side waist shifted slightly to the tail end. The body has two “soft” points in the upper bout – one on the bass-side cutaway, and one on the treble-side cutaway. More photos and details about this guitar available on request.
Available now: Hear the 25th Anniversary Model played acoustically and amplified
