Happy 35th Anniversary, John Buscarino!

Commemorating 35 years of master luthiery by John Buscarino, the Autumn Leaves 35^th Anniversary Guitar is truly a sight to behold. Even if you’re not a guitar enthusiast (and if not, why not?!), you can appreciate the elegance and beauty of this magnificent piece. It is a one-of-a-kind work of art, and you can see why John Buscarino has been in this line of business for more than three decades. We here at Fine Archtops would like to congratulate John on his 35 years in the business and for creating this custom guitar that is both beautiful in aesthetics and in tone.

Part of what makes this archtop guitar so unique and breathtaking is its back. A tree is carved onto the back of it as a sort of homage to what it provides every luthier out there – wood. The guitar’s inlay also has a tree-themed carving: leaves. The headstock inlay features an ornate tree, and the Buscarino logo was added in a stealthy way so it looks like it is woven between the branches of the tree. 

And to keep with the tree theme, leaves were carved into the fingerboard. There was no pattern to the leaves either so they would resemble leaves falling from a tree as they would in nature.  Even the tailpiece and pickguard include falling leaves! It was the perfect way to tie the entire theme of the guitar together, and we couldn’t be happier with the way this amazing guitar turned out.

The Autumn Leaves Guitar is one of the most beautiful and detailed guitars we have ever had the pleasure to see. And when you hear the incredible quality of its tone, you will understand why we love it so much.

When you are ready to create the custom archtop guitar of your dreams, contact Fine Archtops. We’ll put you in touch with a luthier who can help turn those dreams into a reality!

Custom Archtop Jazz Guitars

In the world of custom archtop jazz guitars, it’s clear who is king. We here at Fine Archtops just love the clear, beautiful and true sound of custom archtop jazz guitars. It is literally music to our ears, and we also appreciate the aesthetic beauty of a finely-crafted archtop jazz guitar. Most guitar-lovers know there is more than one style of jazz guitar out there. Here is a quick rundown of those styles and why the archtop style is the best.

Solid body
A solid body guitar is better for rock, blues and country music. They are known for their consistent tone and their immunity to feedback, plus they have a high volume output.

Semi-hollow body
This type is not as small as a solid body guitar, but it’s also not as big as a traditional archtop, so it’s a nice in-between-type guitar. However, they are known to have issues with feedback sometimes. While they can give the music a nice and jazzy tone, they still don’t sound as good playing jazz music as custom archtop jazz guitars.

Archtop
This is known as the quintessential jazz guitar, and thanks to its classic sound, this is the type of guitar most of us associate with jazz music. These guitars usually have a very rich and pleasing sound. Custom archtop jazz guitars can help the guitar-player get a quality guitar that will enable them to create exactly the style and sound of jazz music they want. Taking the time to speak to a luthier, like the ones featured on Fine Archtops, means the guitar enthusiast will get exactly what he wants out of a new jazz guitar.

And when you’re ready to get more information about custom archtop jazz guitars, contact Fine Archtops. We have contact with a wide range of luthiers who can build you the custom archtop jazz guitar of your dreams!

Happy Thanksgiving from Fine Archtops

At Fine Archtops, we like to think of every one of you as family. We wish we could get each one of our luthiers, dedicated fans and followers together around a huge table and share in the joy of Turkey Day. While that's not quite possible, we can wish you a happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours. We hope you spend it with your closest friends and family surrounded with joy, love and music! In this blog, we're going to cover a couple of ways to enjoy your fine archtop guitar on Thanksgiving Day.

Play Your Archtop Guitar

Did we say, "play"? We meant "show off" your archtop guitar to all your closest friends and family! If you have an archtop guitar crafted by one of our expert luthiers, we know you have a fine piece of art. Show that bad boy off, which can be done by playing some beautiful music. There's no better time than when you have all your relatives gathered. Let them hear some of their favorite tunes, or serenade them with an original piece. However you choose to use your guitar on Thanksgiving Day, it will be sure to make your relatives a little jealous.

Be Thankful

This time of year we are reminded to be thankful for all we have. If you have the pleasure of enjoying Thanksgiving Day with friends and family, remember how lucky you are. The gift of music is also something to be very thankful for. Whether you love to play, or you'd rather listen, most of us can appreciate music in some way. Take a moment between the turkey and football to be thankful for all the good things going on right now.

                                                                                            

Are you looking for information on archtop guitar luthiers? Browse ourwebsite by clicking here, or give us a call at 612-366-7120.

Introducing Fine Archtops’ Newest Luthier: Scott Lawrence of D’Lorenzo Guitars!

Scott Lawrence, of D’Lorenzo Guitars, is FineArchtops’ newest luthier. Please help us to welcome him to the Fine Archtop family. Scott spent many years as a fretted instrument repairperson and also spent some time building and restoring furniture. He blends tradition and innovation and when you see the archtop guitars he creates, you will see why this description is apt.

When Scott Lawrence first started out, he focused mostly on flat top guitars. In 2003, he created his first archtop guitar. To gather get started, he looked to the Gibson ES-175. He modified the model a bit, by using a hand-carved spruce top instead of laminate. To learn archtop guitar building techniques, he used Bob Benedetto's book and DVD. He gathers continual inspiration from James D'Aquisto's archtop guitars.

Scott believes that taking risks is a necessary part of innovating. He continues to push the limit with his own designs to find the best kind of tone. He enjoys tones that combine warmth and sustain. His designs are absolutely stunning: custom cutaway profiles, a unique neck block design and flowing comma-shaped f-holes, and he uses non-standard tone woods like walnut, mahogany, cedar and rosewood.

He has two basic models that are available, but he is always willing to work with individual customers to make the archtop guitar of their dreams. One of his most popular models is the Blue Flame Electric Archtop, which has a great tone and is very affordable. The other most popular one is the New Concept Arch Top (NCAT), which optimizes acoustic tone, volume and sustain.

If you’re in the market for a custom archtop guitar, give Fine Archtops a call at (612) 366-7120 or visit our website.

Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin Company Joins our Archtop Guitar Family

We are so pleased to announce another talented luthier has joined our Fine Archtops family. Chuck Sanzone owns Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin Company in Stowe, Vermont. We welcome this new luthier to the Fine Archtops community and we encourage you to check out his work. Please help our new master craftsman feel at home!

Archtop Guitars

There are two models of archtop guitars available from Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin Company. They include the Della Volpe (16 3/8") and the Carmella (15 3/8"). These fine hand-crafted instruments combine a traditional look with a modern day building approach. The result is a superb, lightweight guitar with a beautiful sound. There is a gallery showcasing some of Chuck's work.

Other Instruments

Chuck Sanzone crafts many fine instruments, in addition to archtop guitars. Some of his other exquisite work includes mandolins, flat top guitars, classic nylon-stringed guitars and lap steel guitars. We may be partial to archtop guitars, but we can recognize good work when we see it. More information about these instruments is on Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin's website.

Additional Information

You can contact Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin Company by calling 802-999-1588 or contact them by email at sanzoneguitars@gmail.com. If you are interested in a one-of-a-kind guitar, you can set up an appointment with the company. Pricing information is detailed on the Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin Company's website.

Looking for information on high-quality handcrafted archtop guitars? Browse our website, or give us a call at 612-366-7120.

Great American Guitar Show

This weekend is the Great American Guitar Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. It's taking place Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10. The event is hosted by Bee-3 Vintage. For all the specifics, please visit their website.

At this mega guitar show, people will be able to buy, sell and trade guitar-related items. There will be hundreds of dealers, builders, collectors and manufacturers converging on Oaks, PA. Items available include new, used, collectible and vintage guitars, amps, effects and accessories.

If you're looking to trade your unused gear, or acquire hard-to-find items, this is the show for you. This is one of the largest guitar shows on the East Coast, where the selection and deals will amaze you. You'll have the opportunity to check out some big name guitar companies, as well as smaller boutique guitar makers. Don't miss out on the fun!

Are you going to be in attendance? Let us know on our Facebook page or send us a Tweet! We'd love to see pictures or hear your story.

For all the latest news on archtop guitars please visit our website.

Calling All Guitar Enthusiasts! Join Us at the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase

Take a road trip and head up to the Bearsville Theater and Utopia Soundstage in Woodstock, N.Y., Oct. 25-27. Some of the Fine Archtops luthiers will be at the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase to display their finest work. Because there will only be 50 exhibitors and two venues total, this is a great chance to see these luthiers at their best. Only acoustic instruments will be shown – everything from classical guitars to banjos, ukuleles and more. And if you want to play one of these instruments, quiet rooms will be available, so you’ll be able to hear what you’re playing!

If you’re interesting in learning more about guitars, tuning, finger-picking and more, sign up for a workshop or clinic. They are only $35 per person and your payment is due at the door.

And for you history buffs, there will be a special exhibit of antique, historic, rare, contemporary and vintage instruments. Even if you’re not a history buff, there is plenty more to see and hear. Live music and demonstrations round out the weekend’s events. There is definitely something for everyone at this fun and casual event!

The Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase begins on Friday, October 25 with the Tonewood Festival. Admission is free and the event runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Utopia Soundstage Vendors Annex. And on Saturday and Sunday, the showcase’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is $20 a day or $30 for both days.

And, of course, Fine Archtops is always around to answer any questions you may have or if you would like to purchase one of our quality hand-crafted guitars. You can visit us at www.FineArchtops.com.