Video - John Monteleone and Rudy with Chinery's Blue Archtop Guitar Collection

[Paulie2]

[Rograt]

Great video!

[Hammertone]

Ah, Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.
Such a wunnerful fella, so long as you never have to sell anything to him, ha!

[RJVB]

I'm guessing John is a wonderful fellow too (esp.) if your wallet is deep enough

[Greywolf]

I've had the great pleasure of talking with John a few times at the Artisan show in PA. He was SO nice and gave me great advice as a novice archtop builder. His instruments are the stuff of dreams, he had the "cover girl" for the show...$75K and worth every penny

[RJVB]

But what if you want just a guitar that doesn't look like a piece of art (and won't tell the time either)?

[Dennis D]

But what if you want just a guitar that doesn't look like a piece of art (and won't tell the time either)?

Maybe JM was going for something like this -
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[Hammertone]

But what if you want just a guitar that doesn't look like a piece of art (and won't tell the time either)?

Monteleone has made plenty of straight-up archtop guitars. Here are a couple that fit the bill, if you are looking for one:
Monteleone Eclipse Special 1996 violin red | Reverb
Monteleone Radio Flyer 2008 Natural | Reverb

[D'Aquisto Fan]

I've had the great pleasure of talking with John a few times at the Artisan show in PA. He was SO nice and gave me great advice as a novice archtop builder. His instruments are the stuff of dreams, he had the "cover girl" for the show...$75K and worth every penny

I was at that show and got to spend time with John, too. He's the consummate gentlemen. Oh, and I'm pretty certain that guitar's price was a lot more than 75K!

[RJVB]

So without the options his guitars are even more expensive. Normally that should mean he'd have to pay me if I offered to take some of them off his hands, no?

Maybe JM was going for something like this -
-

Even he would probably be challenged building these ... gotta be of Spanish Catalan descent for that?

[Dennis D]

So without the options his guitars are even more expensive. Normally that should mean he'd have to pay me if I offered to take some of them off his hands, no?



Even he would probably be challenged building these ... gotta be of Spanish Catalan descent for that?

.......not to mention JM's moustache would need to be wider......

[fep]

Buying a Monteleone, like buying a Stradivarius just not as expensive.

[RJVB]

Buying a Monteleone, like buying a Stradivarius just not as expensive.

See Price of a Strad or del Gesu 300 years ago? for some interesting estimates of how much Strads cost when Antonio was still alive and working...

[rob taft]

In the late 90's, I had the opportunity to briefly play all of the guitars in the Blue Guitar collection. To my ears, I was blown away by the Monteleone and I had never seen a guitar with closeable ports. I had seriously considered rustling up the funds to get John to make me a identical guitar but even at that time I think his price was over 25K and that was more than I could afford. Looking backwards, I should have taken out that second mortgage.