Conversation with Steve Holst re: Laminate top differences

[vinnyv1k]

Truly a big loss to the archtop guitar community. I am afraid that Mark Campellone will be the next to hang up the chisel’s.

Soon the only ones left will be out of most folks affordability and have the only choice of the Asian market.

The archtop renaissance seems to be dying off with us baby boomers.

[Gitterbug]

Truly a big loss to the archtop guitar community. I am afraid that Mark Campellone will be the next to hang up the chisel’s.

Soon the only ones left will be out of most folks affordability and have the only choice of the Asian market.

The archtop renaissance seems to be dying off with us baby boomers.

I'm afraid you may be right about us baby boomers. However, Asia is not the only continent to look at. There are dozens of trained luthiers across Europe, with prices a fraction of those you're apparently referring to. OTOH, the quality of affordable, industrially made electric archtops (by Tokai, Ibanez, Epiphone etc.) is good enough for gigging. The role of a carved, acoustic archtop is limited to collectors (who by definition can afford anything they like), intimate stage performances, home hedonists and eventual recording work. I'm all in for resonant laminates. Veteran luthier Juha Lottonen in Helsinki has recently produced a series of very affordable birch laminate archtops - no frills, no bling, just quality - which stood out from an ocean of Strat, Tele and LP clones at the Finland Tonefest guitar show at the start of March. If only I didn't have a few too many already...

[FourOnSix]

The role of a carved, acoustic archtop is limited to collectors (who by definition can afford anything they like), intimate stage performances, home hedonists and eventual recording work.

Curious about your definition of "home hedonists." Per AI, Hedonism can be viewed positively as a celebration of life and enjoyment, or negatively as indulgent and self-centered behavior. Is playing an exquisite instrument at home the former or the latter?

[Gitterbug]

Curious about your definition of "home hedonists." Per AI, Hedonism can be viewed positively as a celebration of life and enjoyment, or negatively as indulgent and self-centered behavior. Is playing an exquisite instrument at home the former or the latter?

Absolutely the positive.

[213Cobra]

Curious about your definition of "home hedonists." Per AI, Hedonism can be viewed positively as a celebration of life and enjoyment, or negatively as indulgent and self-centered behavior. Is playing an exquisite instrument at home the former or the latter?

Both. -Phil

[jzucker]

Holst seems to be still building on his Facebook page?

he is not. He's finishing up current orders, not taking new orders. He'll be retired by the end of the year

[jzucker]

Truly a big loss to the archtop guitar community. I am afraid that Mark Campellone will be the next to hang up the chisel’s.

Soon the only ones left will be out of most folks affordability and have the only choice of the Asian market.

The archtop renaissance seems to be dying off with us baby boomers.

I have an ibanez metheny and gb10 and both guitars are second to none in my collection. Neither of them have the tone of any of my gibsons though. But playability-wise, they are vastly superior. Better and more stable necks, better fretwork, quality control, etc. But tonally, not the same same league with my 63 Kessel or 64 175. My '95 Tal Farlow is also superior sounding instrument though it's sort of apples / oranges. Having owned a 77 archtop and multiple of the ibanez, including the lawsuit guitars, I can conclusively say (my opinion) that they are not close to the high end gibson guitars from 1995 and earlier.

[Cunamara]

Curious about your definition of "home hedonists." Per AI, Hedonism can be viewed positively as a celebration of life and enjoyment, or negatively as indulgent and self-centered behavior. Is playing an exquisite instrument at home the former or the latter?

Yes.