Archtop Guitars

Archtop guitars are the most sculptural instruments in the guitar family. There is something captivating about the elegant shapes and subtle curves that make them beautiful. Those who don’t play guitar can still appreciate the beauty of an archtop guitar as a piece of artwork and craftsmanship.

Developed specifically for jazz, our archtop guitars offer unique advantages over acoustic and electric models. With a setup akin to that of electric guitars, they utilize the heavier strings of the gauge of acoustic instruments. This combination facilitates swift playability while producing a warm, rounded tone that has become a favourite among many of Australia’s leading jazz guitarists.

Artistic Expression

The design of the archtop guitar provides extensive opportunities for creative expression in both form and finishing.

While we offer a range of traditionally styled archtops, we also pride ourselves on crafting unique, one-off avant-garde models that challenge convention and inspire creativity and passion in a guitarist.

Time-Honoured Process

Our archtop guitars feature tops and backs carved from solid timber into the distinctive arched shape. The process of sculpting a rough piece of timber into a finely tuned soundboard or back is a time-consuming one – mostly done by eye and feel, to suit the resonance of the individual piece of timber. This hand tuning not only gives the finished guitar its beautiful curves but also its signature sound of rich complex tones.

The fine-tuning doesn’t stop with the carving of the top and back plates. It follows through every process culminating in the final setup in which frets are carefully dressed and the bridge and other fittings are crafted by hand to guarantee the most playable instrument possible.

Timber & Finish

Originating from the violin family, archtop guitars are traditionally constructed from the same premium timbers that have been favoured in violin making for centuries.

We use German Spruce for the top and German Maple for the back and sides as standard. We also have used Australian species with great success including Queensland Maple, Blackwood and King William Pine. Our timbers are carefully selected and air-dried in our workshop for a minimum of five years before use.

Our archtop guitars are finished in traditional Nitrocellulose Lacquer, a finish that is both durable and relatively thin. It is a superior finish to the modern poly finishes which are very thick and can impede the resonance of the timber. We offer a range of Sunburst colours as well as clear finishes which highlight the natural beauty of the timbers.

Amplification and Versatility

Our archtop guitars are primarily acoustic/electric, designed for both unplugged and amplified playing. The construction is optimised for a beautiful acoustic tone, while minimising the potential for feedback when the guitar is amplified.

The electrified sound is delivered by Kent Armstrong hand-wound humbucking pickups. These pickups have a beautiful warm tone perfect for jazz while maintaining definition in every note played. The amplified sound can be mixed with the acoustic sound for recording, creating a rich and harmonious blend.