Trenier Broadway?

**Rickco** · 06-19-2025, 04:15 PM

Trenier Broadway 17" Archtop

From the builder:

"Once the design of the 16” guitar was worked out by the Gibson company in the late 1920‘s and expanded on by John D’Angelico shortly thereafter, a tone was achieved. It was a tone that was full, balanced, and powerful. This is a design worth exploring by any contemporary maker of guitars - parallel bracing, narrow f-holes closely spaced, eastern maple and adirondack spruce make for a shouty, robust tone, as fit for 4-to-the-bar comping as for Carl Kress-style chord melody.

To my ear, the perfect blend of power and beauty."

16" Archtop from luthier Bryant Trenier, built in the style of the original Gibson and D'Angelico archtops has a wonderful voice, with full bass and a very refined and smooth top end. Setup is also excellent.

Materials - Premium Spruce soundboard, flamed Walnut back and sides.

What I dont get is , its called a Broadway, has very close specs to a Broadway, I happen to have a "35 Broadway which is more "in the style" of Bryants than D'A or Gibson but Epiphone is never mentioned although it seems it was BTs intention to refer to it in his build and name? Id love to hear it as Im sure its excellent and if its even close to a 16" '30s Epi Bdy in sound (90yr old spruce and walnut) he should take a bow. So why is it called a Broadway? just curious, love to have a Trenier also.

**kamlapati** · 06-20-2025, 10:07 AM

I'm not sure there's ever a definitive answer to a question like this. Maybe a reference to the Epi Broadway? Maybe, 'cause it's a famous street in New York?

I recall that many early Trenier Broadways were built with walnut back and sides, like some Epi Broadways, and that Bryant used to reference that in his description.

I'm on the list for a future Trenier Broadway, and I like the name no matter what. Are you considering buying one?

**Rickco** · 06-20-2025, 02:23 PM

Id love to hear one, lots of amazing choices in that price range and I have a '35 so would like to compare.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 06-20-2025, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Rickco

Id love to hear one, lots of amazing choices in that price range and I have a '35 so would like to compare.

The one in this video with some 1930s 16-inchers has maple back and sides, but it’s a Trenier Broadway model still. I don’t think anything explicitly Epiphone was the intent with these guitars.

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**Rickco** · 06-20-2025, 04:42 PM

Thanks Chuck, That one doesnt sound like my Epi, which has walnut body. Seems like that makes a large difference in tone. Have you had a chance to compare Bryants maple body to his walnut body Broadway model? I thought his sounded most like the L10 (old ears YMMV)