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Archtop Guitar

P

PAC1

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I have been asked several time to make an instrument. I have always resisted any commitment. But it was on the big list. So this year, I have enrolled to go to Newark Music School evening classes to learn to change a dozen or so bits of wood into a musical instrument. The design is a Benedetto Manhattan Archtop https://www.benedettoguitars.com/product/manhattan/ . I bought some wood, plans etc so I am ready to start. This going to be a spare time project so it will be a year at least before you see if I succeed.
 
Good to know you won't just spend all your time sitting on your lovely chairs once you've finished them! ;)
 
Have you per chance seen John Monteleone's archtops before?....
Worth looking up, as you just might change yet mind!
I believe there's a film out about him what's likely out by now.
Great project BTW! Good luck with it.
All the best

Tom
 
TomTrees said:
Have you per chance seen John Monteleone's archtops before?....
Worth looking up, as you just might change yet mind!
I believe there's a film out about him what's likely out by now.
Great project BTW! Good luck with it.
All the best

Tom
Click to expand...
Yes, when I bought the timber the guy there told me to look him up. I probably need to master some basics before I can sell them for £100k or have rock stars write songs about me. The Benedetto has the advantage of plans, a book and jigs to follow so hopefully I will learn something
 
Good luck. Very niche market. Very niche players too. Intersting project and I shall follow with interest. AJ
 
More details, I'm interested in the construction. So are archtop guitar front and backs carved from solid? Tricky to tell are you carving a convex profile on that?
 
MattS said:
More details, I'm interested in the construction. So are archtop guitar front and backs carved from solid? Tricky to tell are you carving a convex profile on that?
Click to expand...
The front and back are both carved from the solid. They start out just over 25mm thick. Mine were 30mm After cutting it to the shape of a guitar you first carve the top to create a domed shape to a pattern and then flip it over and carve the inside until there is a range of thicknesses from 3-6mm left. 3mm around the perimeter to 6mm in the middle. The back is slightly thinner maybe 2mm to 5mm. This is the front.
It started out as two wedge shaped pieces 30mm to 15mm across their width 600mm long. I glued them together and cut the shape at the weekend and then started carving last night.
I will take more photographs as I go on.
 
Thanks for explaining. I had no idea that was how they were made, those thicknesses leave very little room for error when carving!
 
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