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Add to Compare2013 Martin Keith Auriole “Old Soul,” Macassar Ebony/Redwood
Now here’s a fun one that’s in a category all its own: Martin Keith’s hybrid Auriole model, here in Macassar Ebony and Redwood. This one, dubbed “Old Soul,” comes to us from 2013 in primo condition with Martin’s smoothly engineered adjustable neck, zero fret, and carbon fiber reinforcements. Additionally, this Auriole has a K&K Pure Mini pickup installed, here with an 1/8” vintage jack (adapter included). In particular, this Redwood is from Martin’s personal stash of Redwood salvaged from a late 19th century West Coast railroad. The upper register is particularly crisp and present, and balances well with the bass and mids for both fingerstyle and flatpicking. The unique combination of a floating bridge in a flattop design adds clarity and sustain to the bass register, and the offset soundhole gives the player a touch more in their own ear.
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitarbuilding, hybrid guitar, archtop, eve fret, skbSOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Redwood, Ebony - Macassar 
Add to CompareNew BCKingston CR-E AAA Flame Maple/AAA Sitka
We search long and hard here at Dream Guitars to find the best of every type of guitar for our customers. In BCKingston Guitars we have not only found you the best, but they come at a wonderful price point. This CR-E model is a worldclass 17″ Archtop from Brain Kingston crafted in the highest quality at his shop in beautiful Prince Edward Island. But what our pictures can’t show you is how alive and responsive this guitar is. It’s amazing and it rivals any Archtop at twice the price. This should not be a surprise as Brian has over 30 years of experience building his archtops. We are truly delighted to now represent BCKingston Guitars. From Brian Kingston “The CR-E was designed to have a homogenous look. The maple bindings, part of the 3 piece maple/ebony purfling/binding setup, are cut from the same piece of wood as the sides, matching up the curl where feasible.”
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.688 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Maple 
Add to Compare2015 Koentopp Chicagoan, Romanian Maple/Carpathian Spruce
Dan Koentopp is a tried and true craftsperson, from what we can tell by the quality of this 2015 Chicagoan oval hole archtop. A delicate and exacting touch brings together a hand-carved Romanian Maple back with a matching Carpathian Spruce top bound in rich red Macassar Ebony and outfitted with a cello-style tailpiece and Macassar Ebony pickguard. A full 17 inches across the lower bout with three inch body depth around; five pounds on the nose, and a slinky smooth setup. The voice is characterized by a warm, round quality that permeates the bass, miss, and trebles—and translates faithfully when amplified with the Barbera bridge pickup (volume knob under the guard). Waverly tuners help keep build weight down, and Dan appointed this Chicagoan with Pearl skyscrapers on the headplate and a corresponding Pearl inlay on the backplate reminiscent of an “espresso art” tulip.
From tuners to tail, this 2015 Chicagoan from Don Koentopp is a work of functional art. We can’t think of higher praise than that.Other keywords: arched top, arch top, fingerstyle jazz, handcarved, cutaway, ebany, hoffee
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - Carpathian, Maple - Romanian 
Add to Compare2022 LHT Cadenza, Maple/Spruce
Tyler Wells of LHT Guitars’ Cadenza model is a nod to the more traditional proportions of the classic archtop, while still maintaining a very modern and fresh aesthetic and ergononics. This 2022 build is like new, dressed with a rose burl appointment package and finish for the Flame Maple body and Spruce top, understated white-black-white purflings, and Kent Armstrong humbucker. Unlike his other offerings, this guitar features a non-multiscale fingerboard, with 25″ scale and 1.75″ nut. Comes wrapped in a Hoffee fiberglass flight case.
Other keywords: fingerstyle, duane simpson, ken armstrong, 4006
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce, Maple - Flamed 
Add to CompareBrand New LHT Ocean Burl Fugue, Flamed Maple/Sitka Spruce
Beauty is in the details, and this Ocean Burl Fugue from Tyler Wells wins the award. Our last LHT Fugue model sold almost instantly, and this one was pre-purchased while it was being built! Flame Maple back and sides and Bearclaw Sitka Spruce on top, a 24.7-25.7″ multiscale setup, and a custom Parallelogram Kent Armstrong humbucker. An integrated soundport/soundhole gives this Fugue model an impressive acoustic flavor that is engrossing all on its own.
If you would like to commission a custom build of your own, please reach out!
Other keywords: fingerpicking, lutherie, luthier, guitarbuilding, bespoke guitar, build thread, archtop, arched top, electricSOLD Read moreScale Length 24.7 in - 25.7 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Maple - Figured 
Add to Compare2005 Marchione 15″ Archtop, Maple/European Spruce
Stephen Marchione brings us this 15″ Archtop, decked out in classic Marchione fashion. The sharpness of its florentine cutaway is representative of just how sharp this instrument looks. Beautiful Flamed Maple, throughout and European Spruce on top. Spretzel Locking tuners, floating bridge, single Marchione humbucker– this is a sublime example of an ultimate jazz box with plenty of gears for other styles.
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, duane simpson, bam
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.688 in String Spacing 2 in Woods Spruce - European, Maple 
Add to Compare2003 Marchione 16″ Siren Archtop, Maple/Spruce
Stephen Marchione’s 16 Inch Archtop is a complete instrument. Silk smooth playability, gorgeous tonewoods, and an expressive and dynamic acoustic voice that translates faithfully into amplified tone thanks to a custom collaboration between Stephen and DiMarzio. Maple body with Spruce top and Ebony tailpiece, bridge, and pickguard. Locking Sperzel tuners in black match up perfectly with the Ebony headplate, rendered in Marchione’s trademark headstock shape. A slim 1 11/16″ nut allows for deft lefthand work, and the relatively light build weight under six pounds makes this 16″ archtop from 2003 exceedingly comfortable in hand.
Here’s an additional video with Tim Fischer playing this Marchione 16″ Archtop!: https://youtu.be/LEuoR6pwCio
Check out another video featuring this gorgeous archtop: https://youtu.be/o-82AEA3AOQ
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, duane simpson, fingerstyle, 093003
Add to Compare1998 Marchione 17″ Archtop, Curly Maple/European Spruce
Stephen Marchione manages to make a 17 inch archtop play as easy as a much smaller guitar–without losing the projection and power and resonance of the big box. The 3″ sides help with this, as well as the silky setup and neck carve. Back and sides are cello-grade Curly Maple, and on top Stephen opted for a set of European Spruce that matches perfectly. Ebony hardware throughout, and the pickup has been more recently upgraded with a custom Marchione-DiMarzio PAF collaboration–and this humbucker sings!
Check out this additional video featuring Duane Simpson on this magnificent Marchione Archtop: https://youtu.be/8QY6ML2LtAY
Other keywords: marchione guitar, lutherie, luthier, duane simpson, 012899, fingerstyle jazz, 17-inch
SOLD Sale! Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - European, Maple 
Add to Compare1937 Martin F-7 Brazilian/Adirondack
Only 187 F series Martins were ever produced and probably only 40-50 of those were the Martin F-7 Archtop model we have here. It’s 16″ body with a carved arched top and a back arched by way of curved braces was unique at it’s time and was the foundation for the 0000 M body flattop Martins that came after. This is a BIG sounding guitar. This particular F-7 Martin has a lot of energy and really cuts. The Brazilian Rosewood is the kind we all lust after, straight and dark and the Adirondack top has perfect grain. This one has been preserved remarkably well making it, in our opinion, one of the finest and rarest Martin F-7 Archtop guitars you’ll find anywhere.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2004 Martin CF-2 Flame Maple/Adirondack Red
The goal of this collaboration between Martin Guitars and famed archtop builder Dale Unger was to create a high quality instrument that player’s could afford. Dale oversees the construction of these beautiful guitars which are built at Martin. The CF-2 offers the thinner 2 1/2″ body with dual Seymour Duncan pickups. This guitar is very versatile and works for clean Jazz and screamin’ blues.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.06 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Maple 
Add to Compare2009 McCurdy Perfecta, Maple/Spruce
Ric McCurdy’s Perfecta model is appropriately named, indeed. Ric designed this model in conjunction with the venerable John Abercrombie to offer an archtop voice and play feel in a feedback-resistant electric stage-ready package. This beauty from 2009 is decked out with Lollar Imperials, twin volume & tone knobs, and 3-way switch at the treble upper bout. Maple body with a Spruce top and figured Maple neck; six pounds play weight; slinky smooth setup—our ’09 McCurdy Perfecta is defined by versatility, playability, and sharp looks for the complete package.
Other keywords: McCurdy guitars, jazz guitar, hollow-body, hollowbody, gotoh, cedar creek
Add to Compare1998 Lewis Archtop Walnut/Redwood
Here we have an excellent archtop guitar in Redwood and Walnut from builder, Michael Lewis. It’s obvious this one’s been played, judging by the openness of the voice. It’s remarkable how sweet this instrument sounds played acoustically, but when plugged-in, the true beauty of it’s voice, as well as the quality of the Bartolini pickup, really shines through. Sweet, fat, and mellow are all apt descriptors, and surely this guitar has seen many a late-night jazz club jam session. Additionally, the satin-finished walnut neck feels superb in-hand.
SOLD Sale! Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.63 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Redwood, Walnut 
Add to Compare2004 Moll Quat-Not-Troport Flamed Maple/Adirondack
Simply Stunning Custom Quat-Not-Troport Archtop by Bill Moll. This very special guitar is one of a kind and is based on John Monteleone’s Quattroport design. Outstanding workmanship and incredible tone that has attributes of a Fine Archtop and Flattop and is equally at home playing straight ahead Jazz or Fingerstyle Blues. Excellent volume and clarity thanks to the three extra sound ports on the bass side of the body and the stunningly flamed Bigleaf Maple back and sides and Adirondack Spruce top. There is also a Piezo pickup built in. The tailpiece, fingerboard and pickguard are each crafted from figured Macassar Ebony in stunning detail. Superbly playable, this instrument is an attention-getter.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.06 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Maple - Bigleaf 
Add to Compare1998 Monteleone Radio Flyer, Red Maple/Adirondack
A thing of beauty is a Monteleone. We are fortunate to have acquired an exquisite sample of John’s masterwork that’s been kept in excellent condition since its birth in 1998: a Radio Flyer in flamed Red Maple and Adirondack Spruce. 17 inches across the lower bout, 3 inches deep at the sides, gently radiused back and sides, African Ebony tailpiece, bridge, and pickguard, 1 13/16” nut—the dressings of archtop royalty. Bound in Red Maple, and with a Red Maple neck, this Monteleone reminds us just how beautiful flamed Maple can be, and John hand-rubbed Nitrocellulose finish has adopted a honey amber patina to bring the Adirondack and Maple together.
In spite of a generous lower bout, this archtop is built light and airy, and its voice lines up accordingly. We were delighted to find trebles which absolutely sang, and meshed smoothly with an overall middle register emphasis that lent the tone an simultaneously crisp and woody flavor. John describes the sound of individual notes on an archtop as articulate bubbles, and we find the description fitting: there’s a well-defined pop that separates each note and keeps solos ringing and chords clear. With a gentle fingerstyle touch, the Radio Flyer could purr; dig in with a pick to accentuate an agile, airy response. A colorful splash of treble overtones bloom when played softly, keeping the voice clean and lively even when quiet.
In short, this is one of the finest archtop guitars we’ve ever laid hands or eyes on. It’s an honor to offer a piece of functional art of this calibre from John Monteleone.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.06 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Maple - Red 
Add to Compare2015 Pagelli The Massari Quilted Maple/Moonspruce
2015 is a very good year for the guitar world. Why? Because this is the year that the Massari was made by Pagelli, a monster of a jazz guitar dyed in blue that sings like gold. Only the choicest of woods were used in this build, from the Canadian Quilted Maple back and sides to the super rare Swiss Alpine “Moon” Spruce, so called because it’s only harvested according to a specific calender which follows lunar cycles to ensure the Spruce is lighter, and stronger, than its other brethren. So, acoustically, the Massari is filled to the brim with a sweet, fat voice–but when amplified, the custom-wound Haussel Humbucker transforms the guitar into a surgeon’s knife: immaculately clean, unerringly precise, aggressively responsive. The secret behind Haussel’s technique involves his use of poles in the middle, not unlike a single coil, so the pickup catches string vibrations at one defined point, creating an articulate single coil tone with none of the hum. Take it anywhere, throw any genre at it, and the Massari will keep up. You’ll want to practice more, just to play it. This guitar comes with the original Ameritage hardshell case.
Follow this link to see Al Petteway’s take on this gorgeous instrument: youtu.be/eCTVYzqWtjc
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.81 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce - Moonspruce, Maple - Quilted