Just Jazz Guitar Talks with Gary Zimnicki

Archtop guitar luthier Gary Zimnicki

I didn't know anything about setting up the neck. A friend loaned me a guitar book. The last twenty pages covered how to build your own guitar, including some basic information about fret spacing. This was in 1976 and 1977. My first guitar was terrible, but playable. 

- - - Gary Zimnicki on his first guitar

In November 2000, Just Jazz Guitar ran a great interview with renowned archtop luthier Gary Zimnicki. In the four-page interview, Zimnicki talked about his early days building archtop guitars, and his building techniques. Gary was very honest about his progression as an archtop luthier, and it's why he's become one of the world's best.

A few quotes from the interview:

On his early guitars:

They had a good sound, but looked awful.

The writer, Mark A. Miller, on Gary's creations:

While visiting Zimnicki's shop, I had the privelege to try two completed 18-inch archtop guitars, a sunburst and a blonde. The sound holes on these guitars were located farther outboard than is commonly seen. Gary often places the holes outboard, allowing the maximum area of wood in the top to vibrate uninhibited. He feels that this contributes to a rich, full sound. These guitars were fabulous players with strong power sound. How I envied the lucky owner of the blonde! The sunburst model was also breathtaking, with a red spruce top, quilted maple back and sides, and maple binding. 

On meeting renowned luthier James D'Aquisto:

He (Gary) had always admired D'Aquisto as a great builder and as a pioneer in modern archtop design. Jimmy talked with Gary and encouraged him to try building an archtop. "Don't be intimidated," he said. With this encouragement, Gary bought the needed wood at the show, and within a year had completed his first archtop guitar. He still has it and keeps it for sentimental reasons.