Any other fans of Danish archtops?

[Rgblutone]

I've been pla UK from

[Cunamara]

I didn't even know there were Danish archtop guitars. I better not tell my wife; her family is of Danish ancestry and they are pretty invested in their Danish heritage and traditions. If there are Danish mandolin makers, I might be done for (my wife is a mandolinist).

Kidding aside, that's a nice looking group of guitars. The first one has an interesting German style carve, particularly at the neck joint; I haven't seen anything quite like that. The rest looked to be more "American" style in shaping the top, although the decorative approach seems to be more German in nature. Perhaps a bit more restrained, in keeping with Danish culture.

[RJVB]

Interesting - they do look very different from typical German archtops (unsurpringly "classier", in line with the reputation of Danish design I guess).

But I cannot recall hearing much in particular about Danish luthery - or even (classical) music. Is there a true "national identity" in those areas, or is it essential scandinavian (aka Swedish)?

[RJVB]

The first one has an interesting German style carve, particularly at the neck joint ... although the decorative approach seems to be more German in nature. Perhaps a bit more restrained, in keeping with Danish culture.

The carve, yes, and the "restrained" to such a point that I really only see a German echo in the headstock decorations.

Geographically the biggest part of Denmark is basically a peninsula attached to Germany, without a physical barrier like the Pyrenées that separate France and Spain. So you'd expect a continuum. The body shape of some of the guitars reminded me a bit of what I've seen of Swedish violins (or should I say "fiddles").

[Average Joe]

Those are some beautiful guitars. Only ever tried one Barslev and it was in dire need of some TLC so it didn't impress me much at an age where I was more into dayglo superstrats. *sigh*

Are you familliar with this book?
Danske guitarer - og deres byggere: Danish Guitars - and their makers (Bog, Haeftet, Flere sprog) af Kenneth Brogger

[supersoul]

The carve, yes, and the "restrained" to such a point that I really only see a German echo in the headstock decorations.

Geographically the biggest part of Denmark is basically a peninsula attached to Germany, without a physical barrier like the Pyrenées that separate France and Spain. So you'd expect a continuum. The body shape of some of the guitars reminded me a bit of what I've seen of Swedish violins (or should I say "fiddles").

Those definitely look Danish! Perhaps it's those amazing wood finishes.

Denmark has three general regions: Jutland, Funen, and Zealand, with Copenhagen being in Zealand. The area between Denmark and Germany is called Schleswig, and the border has moved back and forth over the centuries. They speak in a strong dialect there. I spent a couple days there and visited a bellmaker. I know all this because my gf is Danish.

The German guitarmaking locations were either in the southeast next to Czech border, or in the very south of Germany. I don't think these Danish guitars look like the German ones. German and Danish guitars have, uh, shall we say... different aesthetics?

Does the OP know where in Denmark these lutheriers were located?

[Rgblutone]

Those are some beautiful guitars. Only ever tried one Barslev and it was in dire need of some TLC so it didn't impress me much at an age where I was more into dayglo superstrats. *sigh*

Are you familliar with this book?
Danske guitarer - og deres byggere: Danish Guitars - and their makers (Bog, Haeftet, Flere sprog) af Kenneth Brogger

Ah, that's a shame the Barslev you tried wasn't up to much, yes have seen that book and it's on my (long) book list to buy, have been put off by the price of it so far, but will purchase it at some point

[Rgblutone]

Thanks for all the replies and some really interesting info here. I do know from exchanging messages with owners if these guitars on DBA (essentially Danish eBay) they've all been Very proud of the heritage of their guitars and all view them as far to valuable and rare to risk shipping overseas. In response to your question supersoul no I don't know where in Denmark any of them were located. But that info is bound to be in the book AJ linked but it's an expensive buy.
And I think your spot Cunamara about them being a bit more refined than the German archtops, a bit less bling, just look a bit more classy imho.

[Rgblutone]

A few more, the first one is the Just Poulsen guitar I bought. It doesn't look all that but is a joy to play and just has "that vibe" and tone. Will get it sorted by the luthier at some point. And will do my best to acquire a few more at some point.

[Gitterbug]

Very grateful for this thread. Swedish industrial brands Levin, Hagström, and Bjärton are of course better known than individual luthiers across Scandinavia. Even Munkers/Landola and Noso from Finland command some reputation, although they never reached the high end. Norway? Better known for the Hardanger fiddle, the national instrument. While the German archtops were plentiful and unique enough to form a school, individual luthiers' archtops around the Baltic Sea remain scarce and - individual.

EDIT: Scandinavian spruce has not made it to be a popular tonewood. Surprisingly, too fast-growing, soft and broad-grained vs. the Alpine and Balkanese strains. Levin used mostly Rumanian spruce. Birch - uninteresting and prone to warping. Maple - the same across continental Europe. Darker woods - none.

[RJVB]

Birch - uninteresting and prone to warping.

Birch can be a very good tonewood - it was used for the first L5s if memory serves me well and it can be visually and sonically hard to distinguish from plain-looking maple.

It's currently used (in laminated form) by Kremona for some of their flamencas, and in Beard resonators.

[Gitterbug]

Birch can be a very good tonewood - it was used for the first L5s if memory serves me well and it can be visually and sonically hard to distinguish from plain-looking maple.

It's currently used (in laminated form) by Kremona for some of their flamencas, and in Beard resonators.

I should perhaps have said "uninspiring". There are some 160 species in the birch family, two of which are common in Scandinavia and across the continent. It's the commonest wood for furniture up North, replaced by beech further south. Figured and burly varieties are sought-after. Much of the birch used for sawn timber or pulp came from Russia until the embargo caused by the war in Ukraine.

I have found uses for the 0.5-3 mm aircraft plywood still made in Finland. Some of it is beautifully figured and could well be used for guitar bodies.

[Convert]

Great thread! I own a 1943 Barslev archtop. Its a great sounding and playing guitar for acoustic stuff. Granted, I might be biased as I am danish myself, and love the history of the danish archtops build during the german occupation. Plus I think it is rather lovely looking.

[oldane]

Being a Dane, I have had a few used Barslev guitars in my hands in music shops some decades ago. They were invariably expensive and in poor condition, so I have never owned one. They seemed to be well made though maybe a bit more crude than American instruments. As for where in Denmark the makers were situatied, Just Polsen and Barslev were in Copenhagen - which makes sense since Copenhagen was/is the capitol and had the greatest concentration of players. Both were big names in Denmark during the nazi occupation 1940-45 when no American instruments were available - and German guitars can hardly have been popular during that particular time if they were vailable at all. At least Barslev contined till up in the 1950s but in the 1960s with the Beatles arrival first German (mostly Höfner) and a few years later American instruments took over most of the market though the Swedish Levin guitars also had some popularity in Denmark. Later in the 1970s came the Japanese "law suit" instruments.