The Metropolitan™ is a sophisticated archtop jazz guitar with stunning avant-garde style.

Sound
The body is made from the finest German cello woods. The timbers used in the top, back and sides were aged for 10 years before use, to ensure optimal resonance and dimensional stability.
The quality of these tonewoods, combined with the delicate fine-tuning of the top and back plates has resulted in a sound which is resonant and warm.

The Adjustable Three-Piece Bridge transfers the vibrations of the strings with unparalleled efficiency. The design of the bridge increases the volume while enhancing a range of overtones that are very smooth and pleasing.

A handwound Kent Armstrong PAF gives an electrified sound that is smooth and warm with great definition. This combination of acoustic and electrified abilities make this a versatile instrument, ideal for live performance and recording.

Design
The body is based on our traditional 17” archtop in size and materials, however the fingerboard, bridge, tailpiece and headstock are a more contemporary design.

The styling of the fingerboard, headstock and fittings is based on form rather than ornamentation. A simple and elegant outline of Mother of Pearl borders the fingerboard and flows into the organic lines of the headstock.

Materials
The back and sides are Flamed German Maple while the top is German Spruce with a strong ‘bearclaw’ figure. Bearclaw is a rare and desirable grain feature which enhances the beauty and acoustic quality of a top.

The fingerboard, headplate and fittings are Australian Gidgee, a timber which is remarkably hard and stable. Gidgee was chosen for its beautiful chocolate colour, giving the guitar a subtly different colour theme to our usual styling with black ebony.

Adjustable Three-Piece Bridge
The bridge is a beautiful looking object in its own right. Action height adjustment comes from a timber wedge, which raises and lowers the strings.

The timber wedge replaces the two metal pins used in two-piece bridges, it allows for the vibrations of the strings to travel through solid timber into the body of the guitar, rather than traveling through metal pins.

Playability

The fingerboard and frets are perfectly level; this allows for a low action without fret buzz. Playability is exceptionally effortless.

Neck width is 45mm (1-3/4”), a width which is both wide enough for adequate string separation and not too wide to be uncomfortable. A very smooth C-shape has been carved into the neck, with every hint of sharpness taken off the fretboard edges.

The Metropolitan features the best qualities of a traditional archtop guitar while embracing the innovation that drives the evolution of this much loved genre of instruments.