Inspired by Guild

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donGrafico

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Some years ago I had a beat up M-65 which was my favorite guitar. It got me to wondering what this guitar would be like if it were build out of better materials. I contacted a luthier at the Guild Custom shop and asked if he would be interested in putting one together for me. He declined, but some years later he contacted me (through a dealer this time) about building this guitar. Initially it was going to me more like an original Aristocrat but with fancier appointments, but as we got talking I proposed making it with all solid woods. The original luthier backed out of the project and recommended another builder from the custom shop (this was the guy who was building the Benedetto guitars...actually he still is as he is now production manager at the new Benedetto plant). So the guitar was built and the top was hand-carved and sanded using to Benedetto's techniques. The result is, in my opinion, the ultimate midget archtop. The body shape and tailpiece are reminicent of the m-65, as is the overall construction, while the aesthetic and the tap tuning of the top is more like that of a modern archtop. Anyway I thought some of you archtop guys would find it to be an interesting piece. Now for the pictures:
http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow1.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow2.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow3.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow4.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow5.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow6.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow7.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/yellow guitar/yellow8.jpg
 
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Kap'n

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Sweet! On top of all the other goodies, I really like the lower line of the pickguard. It really sets it off.

If I commissioned one of those beauties, I probably would have gone with Waverly tuners, and possibly something other than a Gibson-sized humbucker. But that's just me.

As it says in the front of American Guitars "Oh, man, what a guitar!"
 
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NeoFauve

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Delicious!

Is the top arched?

Do you have any low angle shot that show the arch?

I'd love to hear any recordings you might make of it.

REal nice.
 
Jahn

Jahn

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Is that "Ellis" on the headstock? And funky shape to the top of the headstock! I'm vain so i woulda asked for a shield logo on the headstock and a "G" on the harp tailpiece, but that's just me, hehe. gorgeous maple back, congrats!
 
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NeoFauve

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Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Knee of Fauve,

Is yours green? As you can see, Coastie's is pink.
Click to expand...

It WAS green. Very dark. '61 SF-1 ("Emerald Star" written on the label inside)

I sold it. :(
I hope wherever it is, it's still green.

At the moment I don't have a panther. :wink:
 
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donGrafico

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Jahn said:
Is that "Ellis" on the headstock? And funky shape to the top of the headstock! I'm vain so i woulda asked for a shield logo on the headstock and a "G" on the harp tailpiece, but that's just me, hehe. gorgeous maple back, congrats!
Click to expand...

Yes, the guitar was built by Evan Ellis and finished by Jon Kornau. They both worked at the Nashville custom shop (Evan now production manages the Benedetto shop in Georgia). This guitar is based on my old m-65, and another custom shop Aristocrat that I used to own (also built by the same guys and trimmed out similar to your preferences). I requested the neck profile and build quality of the custom shop aristocrat and the fully hollow design of the M-65 (that Aristocrat is chambered guitar). Evan was kind enough to go the extra mile and hand carved the un-bound arched top, ebony finger rest, ebony tailpiece and ebony pickup surround. I wish I had close ups the detail work is simply amazing. The headstock shape is based on another guitar I have that was built by Jon Kornau.
Here's a picture of the afore mentioned Aristocrat:

http://mysite.verizon.net/donzo/images/aristocrat.jpg
 
Jahn

Jahn

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That is a gorgeous Aristocrat! Call me vain but that shield on the tailpiece and the chesterfield on the headstock covers all the bling bases in my opinion!
 
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