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Jimmy's guitar, resting comfortably in Scotland last time I checked:
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03-14-2023 10:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Irishmuso
Keith
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I’ve not had the opportunity to play a Campellone, but photos and owner comments attest to his use of beautiful woods and great attention to detail. I own a couple of Treniers, a Jazz Special (laminate construction), and a Jazz Classic (carved spruce and maple). Both are modeled after D’Aquisto models. Given their advanced skills, perhaps the requested comparison is analogous to comparing a Gibson Citation/L5 CES to a 17” D’Aquisto.
Recently I watched a Small’s live video of guitarist Freddy Bryant’s trio; he was playing a 17” Trenier. He sounded good.
An earlier post noted that a number of pro’s play Marchione and Sadowsky archtops. My understanding is Sadowsky designed, but doesn’t build his archtops. He imports them from a Japanese shop and does a final setup in his NY shop.
I‘ll note that along with Trenier and Marchione there are a few other outstanding archtop builders whose instruments are in the same category. They include Koentopp, Wilkie, AJL, Meagan Wells, and a few others. Pro players Ed Cherry, Faton Macula, and Ted Ludwig (sometimes) play out with Wilkie archtops. Price-wise these builders all seem to be in the Trenier-plus range.
AKALast edited by AKA; 03-18-2023 at 08:23 PM.
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
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Originally Posted by seventhchord251
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Top level guitarist who gig many jobs sometimes just play guitars that will get the job done and leave the real good ones at home or in recording studio. What a top level pro plays certainly has meaning but as far as I am concerned not much do I put in any of it. Many great guitarists have gone through guitars that were given to them by makers and then they sold them or went with someone else.
Many unknown but very fine players play guitars made by Campellone and Trenier, as well at Ribbecke. I know fellows on the forum who have Ted Megas guitars and they are as good as they get in my opinion. I find Mark Campellone to be very much different and an amazing fellow in his approach. His waiting list is so long and demand so good I believe he now has what I call the "jimmy D'aquisto syndrome."
In effect towards the end Jimmy's guitars were selling used for more than he was making them just due to demand. Guys did not want to wait and would pay the price. I think Jimmy caught on but maybe did not handle it the best because he was a true fellow. He had orders and he had commitments. I think Mark Campellone could probably simply stop taking any orders and make whatever guitars he wanted in batches that he wanted to deal with. Then he could simply float them on the market and get more money. In fact, I think if he made a batch of say 5 Campellone Deluxes with the appropriate trim he could make much more money. This would allow him to work at a slower pace, or at least one that did not require as much stress. On the other hand, he has not made at least many "one off" presentation type guitars. I have seen a few guitar builders do that and given their profile and notoriety I am completely turned off.
I can say though that if Mark Campellone wanted to do this it would not put me off except of course I could not afford one. I am not speaking for Mark C but with his backlog and reputation for him to be so accessible is amazing. He wins in all the ways and that could very well be why he is where he is today and what I just said is not correct?
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
A review will be forthcoming on this forum sometime in the next week or so. How do I like it so far? Let's put it this way, today, I wrote to Mark Campellone asking to be put on his B list (the wait list for his wait list).
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would that be your first archtop commission?
some people would never buy a guitar w/out trying it but if it's being made by someone w/this kind of rep there's no worries, guys like this just don't turn out any duds.
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Originally Posted by wintermoon
I know a couple of forum members who have had bad experiences with some well known luthiers (who get a lot of love around here), but I have only heard super positive things about the Campellone build experience. It seems that not only is Mark Campellone a gifted guitar builder, he is also a smart businessman. IMO, Smart businessmen take care of their customers and insure that their reputation is sterling.
Whether this happens is up to fate. Mark has a long waiting list (even the waiting list to be on the waiting list is pretty long) and neither he nor I are young men (This year he turns 69 and I turn 66). Time will tell.
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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In that case ^ [Stringswinger’s post] it would be good if he took on a good apprentice. We don’t want all that knowledge and insight disappearing someday (hopefully not soon!).
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Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Keep up the great work Mark, and congratulations on the success. You've earned it!
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Ford or Ferrari? There so many great choices available,even on the used market! Great to admire them, but these are tools to make music. And if you can afford it buy a bunch and sell the ones that do t speak to you!
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Originally Posted by frabarmus
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Originally Posted by frabarmus
The best time to get on Mark's list? Yesterday!
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Mark told me yesterday 48 on the A list 19 on the B list which is growing weekly.
The B listers have to hope for A’s to drop out. I got bumped into the next batch. Mark doesn’t allow any cuts in line.
I tried and it was a flat no.
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
007 got his Deluxe when our other good buddy canceled.
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Holy cow 6 years I was expecting like 1 or 2 years. Dang, I need $5k right now!
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Originally Posted by chris32895
For a Campellone I would have thought 3 or 4 years, but if he's got about 60 people on the waiting lists 6 years makes sense, I guess...
NGD - Guild X-150 (Westerly)
Today, 11:34 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos