15” arch top recommendations

[JosephDraper]

Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some recommendations for an arch top. What I am looking for is a 15” laminate construction arch top, with a single mini humbucker (Johnny smith) pickup. I was looking around the £2000 + range. Any suggestions would be most appreciated thanks

[EvansDrD]

Interesting challenge!

The Kikuchi NY155 would be my starting point here. Never played one but I bet it is amazing. I think he headed up the Sadowsky Tokyo operation, and you can see it in the aesthetic here. I think it would run closer to£3.5K though

菊池嘉幸氏監修によるアコースティック･アーチトップ！

A MIJ Ibanez George Benson might be worth a look. They come up used quite regularly in the UK. You could have the stock pickup/s rewound by Aaron Armstrong to Johnny Smith spec. Obviously it has the bridge pickup that you don't want, but it otherwise ticks most of your boxes

Something by Fibonacci maybe?

[sgosnell]

A 15" laminated archtop is easy enough, there are many on the market. The mini humbucker may be more difficult to find. I don't know of any, but I haven't really looked.

[Jabberwocky]

Martin Taylor has or had a line of guitars made by Peerless viz. Maestro and Virtuoso which fit the bill. There may be used ones on the market in the UK. Write to Martin Taylor to ask him what he has to offer currently.

[Blkat]

Interesting search.

If money was no object, it's easy!

It might involve compromising one element of your parameters or another to stay in the price range.

Does Eastman make anything close?

[Jabberwocky]

Money no object: 2019 Collings CL Jazz Archtop Electric Guitar – Gryphon Strings

[Jabberwocky]

Trust fund babe: 2019 Ken Parker Archtop, Flamed Mahogany/Red Spruce - Dream Guitars

[mr. beaumont]

Trust fund babe: 2019 Ken Parker Archtop, Flamed Mahogany/Red Spruce - Dream Guitars

I'd never tell anybody I had won the lottery...but there would be clues...

[pingu]

ibanez gb15

[Woody Sound]

Trust fund babe: 2019 Ken Parker Archtop, Flamed Mahogany/Red Spruce - Dream Guitars

I believe Ken's archtops are at least 16".

[JosephDraper]

awesome I hadn’t heard of Kikuchi, I definitely will be checking them out

Interesting challenge!

The Kikuchi NY155 would be my starting point here. Never played one but I bet it is amazing. I think he headed up the Sadowsky Tokyo operation, and you can see it in the aesthetic here. I think it would run closer to£3.5K though

??????????????????????????

A MIJ Ibanez George Benson might be worth a look. They come up used quite regularly in the UK. You could have the stock pickup/s rewound by Aaron Armstrong to Johnny Smith spec. Obviously it has the bridge pickup that you don't want, but it otherwise ticks most of your boxes

Something by Fibonacci maybe?

[JosephDraper]

The maestro seems closest to what I am after, thanks!

Interesting challenge!

The Kikuchi NY155 would be my starting point here. Never played one but I bet it is amazing. I think he headed up the Sadowsky Tokyo operation, and you can see it in the aesthetic here. I think it would run closer to£3.5K though

??????????????????????????

A MIJ Ibanez George Benson might be worth a look. They come up used quite regularly in the UK. You could have the stock pickup/s rewound by Aaron Armstrong to Johnny Smith spec. Obviously it has the bridge pickup that you don't want, but it otherwise ticks most of your boxes

Something by Fibonacci maybe?

A 15" laminated archtop is easy enough, there are many on the market. The mini humbucker may be more difficult to find. I don't know of any, but I haven't really looked.

Martin Taylor has or had a line of guitars made by Peerless viz. Maestro and Virtuoso which fit the bill. There may be used ones on the market in the UK. Write to Martin Taylor to ask him what he has to offer currently.

[Cunamara]

The simplest and most abundant option is going to be the Ibanez GB10 or a derivative thereof. Just don't use the bridge pickup. It was designed to sound like a smaller, feedback resistant Gibson Johnny Smith.

[Woody Sound]

The maestro seems closest to what I am after, thanks!

I believe the Maestro is all solid carved, not the laminate you are looking for.

[Woody Sound]

ibanez gb15

There is a single pu version, which pretty much nails everything you want. If you like red.

[JosephDraper]

Thank you all for great ideas. I fell down the rabbit hole and have stumbled upon the archtop tribute series. Im trying to work out how much it would cost to import to the uk!