sailingshoes72
Senior Member
While we're talking 'bout the history of archtop guitars... check out this one:
https://cartervintage.com/collectio...bson-orville-guitar-c1899?variant=44502178755
Orville H. Gibson (1856-1918) is known as "The Father of the Archtop Guitar". His method of construction borrowed elements from the violin family. The top is carved from a solid piece of spruce and the back is carved from a solid piece of walnut. The sides (or rim) is a single slab of walnut carved into a hoop. There is no seam at the bottom (tailblock) or at the neck joint. There are no internal braces, blocks or sound posts. This design was revolutionary in guitar construction, but very time consuming to execute. Orville Gibson made only about 6 or 7 instruments a year during his twelve years of active building.
The handwritten label appears to read:
The Gibson
Mandolins & Guitars
Made by
O.H. Gibson... (illegible)
Patented Feb. 1st 1898
As kakerlak pointed out above, Lloyd Loar, working as an "acoustic engineer" at the "Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Co.", refined these ideas during the 1920s into the instrument we know today. "The Gibson" guitar pictured above might be a nice "starter" instrument for someone interested in archtop guitars. To be honest, though, it looks like it might sound a little "thuddy".
sailin'shoes
https://cartervintage.com/collectio...bson-orville-guitar-c1899?variant=44502178755
Orville H. Gibson (1856-1918) is known as "The Father of the Archtop Guitar". His method of construction borrowed elements from the violin family. The top is carved from a solid piece of spruce and the back is carved from a solid piece of walnut. The sides (or rim) is a single slab of walnut carved into a hoop. There is no seam at the bottom (tailblock) or at the neck joint. There are no internal braces, blocks or sound posts. This design was revolutionary in guitar construction, but very time consuming to execute. Orville Gibson made only about 6 or 7 instruments a year during his twelve years of active building.
The handwritten label appears to read:
The Gibson
Mandolins & Guitars
Made by
O.H. Gibson... (illegible)
Patented Feb. 1st 1898
As kakerlak pointed out above, Lloyd Loar, working as an "acoustic engineer" at the "Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Co.", refined these ideas during the 1920s into the instrument we know today. "The Gibson" guitar pictured above might be a nice "starter" instrument for someone interested in archtop guitars. To be honest, though, it looks like it might sound a little "thuddy".
sailin'shoes
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