Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

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Geoff St. Germaine
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Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Geoff St. Germaine »

I've recently completed my third archtop guitar. Fairly standard specs.

17" lower bout
25" scale length
German spruce top
Claro walnut back and sides
Mahogany neck
Ebony fretboard and trimmings
Kent Armstrong Floating PAF
Gotoh 510 Tuners with Ebony buttons

Some pictures

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I've built 3 that are very much in the classic archtop design. In moving forward with my next guitars I'm going to be incorporating some more "modern" design elements. Inspiration for this is from builders like Ken Parker, Tom Ribbecke, Nigel Forster, Tim Frick as well as from some acoustic builders that I think have some design elements that a few acoustic builders use as well. Some of these are fanned frets, bolt on necks, tapered sides, laminated sides and a few other concepts.

I appreciate any feedback or questions on the instrument!

Cheers,
Geoff
Dave Stewart
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Dave Stewart »

Lovely guitar Geoff.... great elements & tonewoods. Bridge a bit heavy imo but neck/action looks great & I like the mahogany neck with that finish.
Dave
Milton, ON
Mike Conner
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Mike Conner »

really nice! What did you use for the finish - looks good.
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Beate Ritzert
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Beate Ritzert »

Counting guitars in Your thread that one is actually number 4, because Number 2 is a pair of guitars, isnt it?

Just a few thoughts on a matter of taste level:

To me, the new headstock shape is more appealing than the headstock of Your first guitars.

I like the modern Lang type soundholes a lot more than the wide F-holes of the #2-Twins.

If the top needs to be dark, i would like something like the tobacco sunburst of Your #2 more than the finish of #3. And i know it is difficult to find a color finish for the top which looks similarly pretty as these beautiful walnut sides and back. Why did You not simply leave that beautiful piece of spruce naturally blonde?

The bridge somehow reminds me to a moustache. I do not like moustaches ;-)
I would suggest designing a new, smaller bridge for that guitar.

I can also image more harmonic looking cutaway designs than Benedetto's which You seem to have adopted here. And - despite of the resulting smaller volume of the body, i would prefer a more slim, less rounded lower part of the body - again to my eyes a manko of Benedetto's shape which You seem to have followed more or less. Maybe compensate that by increasing the thickness of the body accordingly.

I also do not like if pickguards stick outside the body into the cutaway. From a mere technical point of view the width of just two frets is sufficient to mount the pickguard safely to the fingerboard.

But aside from these points this guitar is a real beauty, just like Your #1 and #2s.
Most of my comments fall in the category "matter of taste" but maybe also "feedback of a potential customer" which my point of view as an amateur builder still is (btw, my first and only fully self made guitar is an archtop, too).

So in conclusion - really great work!

best

Beate
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Randolph Rhett
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Randolph Rhett »

I think it is beautiful. I like the color choice for the spruce, although it looks a little uneven. No complaints about the bridge or finger rest. I think the bridge looks odd from the 3/4 angle, but seen head on doesn't seem too clunky to me. I suspect just a photo issue that probably isn't one if seen in person.

One of the most attractive arch tops I've seen in a long while.

You sure do seem to have gotten a very high gloss on your finish. Can you share what you used?
Michael Lewis
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Michael Lewis »

Geoff, nice job. Your trip up the learning curve seems very quick, so, good for you, and I hope you find it as satisfying making all those shapes as I have.

Regarding bridges, they don't need to be light weight for archtops. You might do well to experiment with bridge weights for your guitars to find what works best for you. Make a heavy one and start shaving weight from it until the sound changes. If the sound gets better keep going, and if it gets worse start over. Visual design is totally up to you, unless you want to sell your guitars, then they need to appeal to buyers. The more you do this the more your sense of design will develop, and you will see how certain shapes and lines will blend or clash with the whole form. I look forward to your future work.
Geoff St. Germaine
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Geoff St. Germaine »

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone!

The bridge mass/size effect is one I've done some reading on, so thanks for the points Michael and Dave. I think it is something worth exploring and it is something I plan on doing if not on this guitar, then at least on my next model. I feel I've learned enough and that my quality is in the range where I could begin marketing an instrument.

Mike, Randolph - The finish is sprayed Watco Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. I used a gun and the process was:
4 coats
Level sand 220
4 coats
Level sand 320
4 coats
Level sand 400
4 coats
Wet sand 800, 1000, 1500
Medium, fine, and swirl remover for polishing compounds.

Beate, thanks for the feedback. The fingerrest is a fair point. It mounts below the start of the flare of the body out from the neck, but does obstruct it to a minor degree. No. 2 was a pair, but the second guitar was never completed and due to some issues that developed with it will likely never be, so this is the 3rd completed guitar.

Cheers!
Chris Walsh
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Chris Walsh »

Geoff...very nice...clean...finish looks great!!

I'm not crazy about the cutaway...the horn is a little narrow to my eye...I'd like to see a little more body there...and I'm sure I've made my share of these. I know I'm going to get crushed for saying this...but to my ear...a fuller body..in fact, the full body archtop sounds so much better than a cutaway...so the more you can get out of that area while still calling it a cutaway...go for it! :)

Anyway...great work..keep doing it...and congratulations!
Brian Evans
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Brian Evans »

I think it's extraordinary. The back wood, the sides, the colour of the top... lovely. Very nice indeed. What I always want to know is how does it sound! That is why we make them after all!.

Brian
Michael Lewis
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Michael Lewis »

Walnut is one of my favorite woods for making instruments. Strong, stable, and beautiful.
Greg Martin
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Greg Martin »

outstanding finish ! I love the look of the walnut back and sides. The top is to dark for me though maybe thats just me. Is it shaded or stained?? very beautiful. My next one is walnut back and sides and cedar sinker top (natural finish) which is darker than spruce . Haven't figured out what binding to use with walnut sides.Was yours black or ebony or? Good job !!!!!
Bob Francis
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Bob Francis »

What a beaut!
Geoff St. Germaine
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Geoff St. Germaine »

Thanks a lot for the comments.

Greg - the binding is ebony.

Chris - interesting point about the cutaway. I have another guitar I've been working on at the same time that has some aesthetic differences but is essentially the same but without a cutaway, so I'll be interested by any differences.

Michael - walnut is quickly becoming one of my favourite woods to work with. It has beautiful figure and a lot of great colours. It also has very good working qualities for bending and cutting/carving.

Cheers!
Michael Lewis
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Michael Lewis »

Your wood is air dried, as evidenced by the distinct color stripes. Most if not all commercially prepared walnut is kiln dried and often steamed to blend all the colors, so you get that monochromatic sort of light purplish gray brown you find so often. The colors will change with time and exposure to light. If you want to protect the colors use a UV blocking finish.
Patrick Hanna
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Re: Geoff's 3rd Archtop Guitar

Post by Patrick Hanna »

Geoff, I think it's excellent!
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