Michi Matsuda Archtop?

**disco~juice** · 01-31-2014, 03:03 AM

I really admire BIG acoustic guitar makers like Somogyi, Manzer, Traugott etc.
Michi Matsuda is one of the more "artful" luthiers to my eyes.
Here is one archtop guitar that he made, it's like an art piece.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matsuda...36677753/show/

**Jabberwocky** · 01-31-2014, 05:00 AM

That's a beautiful piece of sculpture but where's the arch in the archtop?

**osvi** · 01-31-2014, 05:24 AM

Oh my God, it's....terrible. Unwatchable... IMHO

**jads57** · 01-31-2014, 11:09 AM

Suall Koll, Chris Forsage,Victor Baker and even Ken Parker offer similar takes on the electric guitar. But aside from the visual factor, I'm not sure how they compare sonically. To be fair though, the luthier's I've mentioned have a more acoustic body.

**w3stie** · 07-05-2015, 06:09 AM

That's a work of genius IMO. Beautiful!

Michi Matsuda Archtop?-screen_shot_2015-06-12_at_6-23-29_pm-png

**kris** · 07-05-2015, 02:27 PM

nice!

**Spook410** · 07-05-2015, 03:40 PM

It's beautiful as sculpture. As an instrument it might lack functional simplicity. Would almost have to play one to know if it's engineering ergonomic insightful or artistic self indulgence loosely based on the needs of the guitar player.

In any case, thanks for posting. I had never seen one.

**iim7V7IM7** · 07-05-2015, 04:03 PM

Michi had it with him at Woodstock last year.

As others have said, it really was an artistic showpiece. Michi is a talented and nice guy. Most of his work is much more sedate acoustic flat tops. He was an apprentice of Ervin Somogyi.

**Jim Soloway** · 07-05-2015, 05:45 PM

If you look past the artistic embellishments, it seems to me to actually be in keeping with some well respected concepts in ergonomic guitar design. It reminds me a lot of Saul Koll's ergo archtops and I suspect that it's a very comfortable instrument to play. I know I'd certainly love the opportunity to take out for a ride.

**hodge12** · 07-05-2015, 06:09 PM

very interesting.
I wonder how people design things like that.
Does this guitar have any acoustic sound? I don't see a resonating chamber.
here is an explanation:

**Hep To The Jive** · 07-05-2015, 07:33 PM

I'm sorry, the guitar looks like it got into a horrific acident, and the doctors did everything possible to save its live, but couldn't fix a terrible damage... When I look at it I can't help saying 'what a poor little thing', and my eyes get watery.

**floatingpickup** · 07-05-2015, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

I'm sorry, the guitar looks like it got into a horrific acident, and the doctors did everything possible to save its live, but couldn't fix a terrible damage... When I look at it I can't help saying 'what a poor little thing', and my eyes get watery.

It does nothing for me.
Keith

**Hep To The Jive** · 07-05-2015, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

It does nothing for me.
Keith

But it does have floating pickup!

**mr. beaumont** · 07-05-2015, 11:42 PM

I like it. I'd love to try it.

I think an "ergo" is in my future, eventually.

**kris** · 07-06-2015, 12:17 AM

it sounds different.

**jzucker** · 07-06-2015, 07:02 AM

it looks beautiful but the finishing detail of the last picture on the left side near the set screw is puzzling on an instrument of this category....

**kris** · 07-06-2015, 01:00 PM

it is looking to complicated for me...:-)

**Patrick2** · 07-06-2015, 02:24 PM

IMO . . . a guitar needs to look like a guitar. That does not. I suppose he's to be commended for trying something . . different. But, different ain't always good.

Oh . . . and I hate the . . . head stock. ;-)

**Jim Soloway** · 07-07-2015, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

IMO . . . a guitar needs to look like a guitar. That does not. I suppose he's to be commended for trying something . . different. But, different ain't always good.

Oh . . . and I hate the . . . head stock. ;-)

I'm pretty sure that people once said the exact same things about the Telecaster and they certainly said them about the Stratocaster.

**Patrick2** · 07-07-2015, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I'm pretty sure that people once said the exact same things about the Telecaster and they certainly said them about the Stratocaster.

No comparison what so ever. Both the tele and the strat were/are solid bodied variations on a theme. This abortion is a design in search of a defination . . . or a plausible explanation for its developement and existence. I sure as hell hope for this craftsman's sake that he didn't build too many of them. Because, IMO anyone who might buy this contraption would need to be a strange as the design itself.

**Jim Soloway** · 07-07-2015, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

No comparison what so ever. Both the tele and the strat were/are solid bodied variations on a theme. This abortion is a design in search of a defination . . . or a plausible explanation for its developement and existence. I sure as hell hope for this craftsman's sake that he didn't build too many of them. Because, IMO anyone who might buy this contraption would need to be a strange as the design itself.

You are absolutely wrong Patrick. This design is entirely consistent with a broader movement to build ergonomically advanced guitars that improve both comfort and portability. That movement has been happening for at least a couple decades now and has gained a lot of traction in recent years with the release of new headless hardware and a wide variety of headless instruments built around some common shapes and themes. This may be a moderately different take on the concept but it is well within the general theme that has emerged since the original Klein headless guitars.

**Jim Soloway** · 07-07-2015, 12:43 PM

Some more ...

This is a link to a page on Pinterest on ergonomic guitars. (And I've never tried linking to a Pinterest page before so I hope this works). The Matsuda is one of many guitars on the page and you can see that the Matsuda fits in very well with the overall theme.

https://www.pinterest.com/bearnematt...-guitar-ideas/

There are a lot of great and well respected players using these guitars, so if you want to accuse Michael Hedges of having played an abomination go right ahead but you might find that to be very lonely territory.

**Slide** · 07-07-2015, 12:47 PM

My only question is about the pointed shape that rest on the upper thigh of the player. It seems that it would dig in and be uncomfortable. Wouldn't it be better if it was concave and conformed to the shape of the upper thigh?

**Hep To The Jive** · 07-07-2015, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

You are absolutely wrong Patrick. This design is entirely consistent with a broader movement to build ergonomically advanced guitars that improve both comfort and portability. That movement has been happening for at least a couple decades now and has gained a lot of traction in recent years with the release of new headless hardware and a wide variety of headless instruments built around some common shapes and themes. This may be a moderately different take on the concept but it is well within the general theme that has emerged since the original Klein headless guitars.

To improve comfort and portability?? I didnt know we have a problem in that department! All the guitars I have are very comfortable to play and easy to transport. I mean, look at the upright bass players, they might need some innovations with portability, if you ask me...

And what kind of case or gig bag would you use with this one? I really wanna see it! Just for that OMG moment...

**jzucker** · 07-07-2015, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

No comparison what so ever. Both the tele and the strat were/are solid bodied variations on a theme. This abortion is a design in search of a defination . . . or a plausible explanation for its developement and existence. I sure as hell hope for this craftsman's sake that he didn't build too many of them. Because, IMO anyone who might buy this contraption would need to be a strange as the design itself.

ugh, such closed-minded drivel. This is why jazz has failed to grow. People expect the music to be stuck in the past instead of moving on.