Artisan Guitar Show, Harrisburg, PA April 8-10

[iim7V7IM7]

For those of you who have not already heard, the Artisan Guitar Show is taking place a week from now. As luthier exhibitions go, this show has a whole bunch of archtop guitar makers and also performers at it.

https://artisanguitarshow.com/

This year I see

Dale & Tyler Unger (American Archtops)
Timothy Bram
Tad Brown
John Buscarino
Bill Comins
Otto D’Ambrosio
Greg German
Bernie Lehmann
Cris Mirabella
John Monteleone
Ken Parker
Woody Pfifer
Roger Sadowsky
Ryan Thorell
Maegan Wells
Tyler Wells
Gary Zimnicki

[deacon Mark]

Would like to go but it is Palm Sunday so I have another gig. Would like to talk to Cris Mirabella for sure.

[sgcim]

Would like to go but it is Palm Sunday so I have another gig. Would like to talk to Cris Mirabella for sure.

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who's loaning Cris his Flying Wedge for the show.
It's one of the best archtops I've ever played.

[Bluedawg]

It's not often I wished I was still living in Maryland, but it would be nice to take a spring day drive from the Baltimore area to Harrisburg for this.

Those Mirabella's look great, but a quick check of Reverb suggests that his prices are reaching into Monteleone territory. Ouch.

There's a Bourbon Mirabella thingy on there for $45K.

I could probably do one last splurge for $20K or $30K, but $50K for a guitar is beyond my limits and his wait list won't open again till October for a guitar in 2025. Maybe they have less expensive offerings in their selection.

[sbeishline]

Any other forum-dwellers planning to attend this event?? I plan on it.

[QAman]

Any other forum-dwellers planning to attend this event?? I plan on it.

How was the show? Any pics ?


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[jads57]

Some pics on Facebook Freinds of Archtop I believe!

[Hammertone]

Artisan Guitar Show 2022 - Google Photos

[QAman]

Artisan Guitar Show 2022 - Google Photos

Awesome pics - thanks for sharing !!


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[ThatRhythmMan]

Artisan Guitar Show 2022 - Google Photos

I’m intrigued by the Ken Parker on the left. I don’t think I’ve seen one quite like that one.

[marcwhy]

Great pics, thx!
I recognized a lot of them; didn't know Unger was still building??
Thanks again!

[wintermoon]

Shame about that Excel, looks like the top got burnt by a dripping guard.

[Hammertone]

I’m intrigued by the Ken Parker on the left. I don’t think I’ve seen one quite like that one.

That's an early Parker archtop - way before he developed his current design.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the show, as I was in the middle of a nine-hour drive in the opposite direction, and there was no way to fit it into my passenger's schedule.
I hope to attend the next one.

[iim7V7IM7]

I was there and it was a well attended show. It was great to see the broader community of builders and musicians again.

[Gitterbug]

The photos go to attest that, away from the mainstream, the American archtop is alive and in evolution. Globally, there must be far more well-trained artisan luthiers than ever, and apparently a market for their great products. So this is an eye-opener for us all who mourn the demise of Gibson. If their archtops ever come back, it's like to happen on a price/quality standard that makes the four or even five-digit artisan prices look even more attractive. The waitlists of some builders are excessively long. I think below these super-names there'd be room for working collectives by a few skilled craftsmen operating under an umbrella name rather than their own. A Custom Shop unlinked to a factory in other words. This would give their brand an extended lifespan, the opportunity to train and break in novices and just build a bit more affordable, still handmade guitars in volumes that could eventually support a dedicated network of resellers. Given the real-world benefits of laminates vs. carved archtops, the offering could be a mix of both.

[deacon Mark]

The photos go to attest that, away from the mainstream, the American archtop is alive and in evolution. Globally, there must be far more well-trained artisan luthiers than ever, and apparently a market for their great products. So this is an eye-opener for us all who mourn the demise of Gibson. If their archtops ever come back, it's like to happen on a price/quality standard that makes the four or even five-digit artisan prices look even more attractive. The waitlists of some builders are excessively long. I think below these super-names there'd be room for working collectives by a few skilled craftsmen operating under an umbrella name rather than their own. A Custom Shop unlinked to a factory in other words. This would give their brand an extended lifespan, the opportunity to train and break in novices and just build a bit more affordable, still handmade guitars in volumes that could eventually support a dedicated network of resellers. Given the real-world benefits of laminates vs. carved archtops, the offering could be a mix of both.

Do not know about other luthiers or what is going on in their world but the 2 archtop guitar makers I was around were only interested in building guitars they made themselves. Bill Barker and Bill Hollenbeck did not want any part of help from other employees as such. They set out to craft individual guitars based on tradition and what they wanted to express in the sense of sound and playability. They had opportunities to work for major guitar manufactures and turned them all down. In retrospect that might not have been a good move regarding money and possible fame, but they were both independent thinkers. In put of jazz players was of course primary the openly sought advice and opinions.

Neither of them wanted to build laminated guitars or move too far from tradition. Barker in particular finally allow one guitar to be built that had a volume control on the body not the pickguard. He never ever wanted to mount a pickup in the top. To him that was a different animal. He was of course correct but probably cost him sales to those who liked mounted pickups. In particular Bill Hollenbeck wanted to make sure he fabricated all the guitar parts with 3 exceptions. He always said he bought the machine heads for the guitar, the case, and strings. If you wanted at pickup that too was bought. Otherwise he stamped the tailpieces individually nothing sourced out. He did all the inlay nothing sourced out. He was pretty much completely vertical in set up. Buying an premade tailpiece alone would have saved him hours or work and money. Using no inlay in the neck and nothing fancy or headstock inlay would have save more money. In the end it is choices and expectations. Neither Barker and Hollenbeck ever will command much interest in the on going vintage market so maybe they both did the wrong thing.

The carved top guitar is far from dead and going ok but I question they ever will be to much in the thick of guitar manufacturing. They require the most hands on work and the much harder to build than a flattop or solidbody. That makes them expensive and elite so my guess is they will always have a market, just not going to be the guitars that drive a major guitar manufacturer. Just think if Gibson would concentrate and go back to building carved tops with purpose and quality, a whole new streamlined process and custom shop dedicated to these fine guitars. In the end they would probably be making little money clear for the effort

Years ago I would go all over the various guitars shows. New York, Chicago, Long Island, and Texas to name a few. I always thought the guys that made the best return on their business were the vendors selling pizza and food for the show. They always were busy and never seemed to be without customers.

[jim777]

Wish I had seen this thread earlier, this wouldn't have been too long a haul for me

[QAman]

Excerpt from DeaconMark -

Years ago I would go all over the various guitars shows. New York, Chicago, Long Island, and Texas to name a few. I always thought the guys that made the best return on their business were the vendors selling pizza and food for the show. They always were busy and never seemed to be without customers.[/QUOTE]


So true - the food guys always do well .

[Woody Sound]

It's not often I wished I was still living in Maryland,

Man, my cousin--in-law lives on the Chesapeake and it's beautiful. Always a blast to visit and drive into DC and old Virginia.

[Bluedawg]

. So this is an eye-opener for us all who mourn the demise of Gibson. If their archtops ever come back, it's like to happen on a price/quality standard that makes the four or even five-digit artisan prices look even more attractive.

FWIW

Guitar Center currently has the L5 CES, L5 WES, Le Grand and Byrdland listed in their Gibson Custom shop pages.

Gibson Custom L-5 CES Hollowbody Electric Guitar Natural | Guitar Center


Music Zoo also lists these and the Super 400 as available through the Gibson Custom Shop Made To Measure center

Gibson Custom Shop Made 2 Measure Center At The Music Zoo


There was also a recent video of a Gibson Custom Shop tour where several archtops appeared to be in various stages of assembly.

Recent Gibson custom shop tour ... looks like they are still making archtops in 2022


I haven't contacted any Gibson dealers, yet, to test this out. I am toying with the idea of splurging on a Gibson Citation if they can be had.

I would have loved to come to the show in Harrisburg and look for possible alternatives from a smaller maker. Wish I could have been there.

[AKA]

Coming up in September in Colorado. Organized by Henriksen.

[Bluedawg]

Coming up in September in Colorado. Organized by Henriksen.

Might be worth a trip to Colorado for that.

[iim7V7IM7]

I was talking with Pete (Henriksen) at the Artisan Guitar Show last weekend about his plans for the show in September.

Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival – A Guitar Festival Focused on the Builders, Players, Appreciators and Admirers of the Archtop Guitar

I attended the last one in Sep 2019 and it was an excellent experience. It is a smaller scale show (~25 builders/luthiers) in a hotel in Arvada, CO. Arvada has an "old town" area with bars, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores that all host player performances. So there are many small venues to see some of the best jazz guitarists in the world up close and opportunities to interact. It really is wonderful weekend for lovers of jazz guitars and music. This year, they are also premiering the documentary on John Monteleone (The Chisels are Calling) at a local theater near the hotel. I also heard that Bob and Cindy Benedetto will be attending.

Highly recommended...

Might be worth a trip to Colorado for that.

[Bluedawg]

I was talking with Pete (Henriksen) at the Artisan Guitar Show last weekend about his plans for the show in September.

Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival – A Guitar Festival Focused on the Builders, Players, Appreciators and Admirers of the Archtop Guitar

I attended the last one in Sep 2019 and it was an excellent experience. It is a smaller scale show (~25 builders/luthiers) in a hotel in Arvada, CO. Arvada has an "old town" area with bars, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores that all host player performances. So there are many small venues to see some of the best jazz guitarists in the world up close and opportunities to interact. It really is wonderful weekend for lovers of jazz guitars and music. This year, they are also premiering the documentary on John Monteleone (The Chisels are Calling) at a local theater near the hotel. I also heard that Bob and Cindy Benedetto will be attending.

Highly recommended...

Thanks!!

That's much closer to Arizona than Pennsylvania. LOL

[iim7V7IM7]

Otto D’Ambrosio



Ryan Thorell



Woody Pfifer



Tad Brown



Some guy named John D’Angelico



Cris Mirabella



Maegen Wells



John Monteleone



Bill Comins