Archtop

Gibson ES175D Cutaway Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1968

On July 27, 2021 /

The Gibson ES175D Double Pickup Cutaway Archtop was one of the most popular instruments for the working jazz guitarist, from its introduction in 1953 until its recent discontinuation. The 175 was built of Maple laminates, to reduce both feedback and prices. Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, Joe Diorio, Toots Thielmans, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Herb Ellis, Howard Roberts, Jimmy Raney, Pat Metheny – all at one time in their careers played and recorded with the venerable Gibson ES175D.

Vintage

Price: $5,750.00 CAD

Collings I35DLXS Thinline Custom Single Pickup Cherry, 2008

On July 21, 2021 /

Here’s a real beauty – a Collings I35DLXS Thinline Custom with a carved, solid Flame Maple top and single Lollar Imperial pickup in the neck position. This wonderful example was originally custom ordered through The Twelfth Fret during 2008, and has been used professionally. An interesting note about its use and condition is that it’s really only been used in a seated position. Collings supplied a pair of strap pins, which are in the Ameritage case, but as part of the custom order did not drill holes for them or install them.

Used

Price: $5,750.00 CAD

Gibson CS336 Compact Thinline Archtop Electric Burgundy, 2001

On July 20, 2021 /

While it has strong visual similarities to the popular ES-339, the Gibson CS336 compact thinline has significant differences in construction. Instead of using separate materials for the top, back and sides, the CS336 has back and sides carved from a single block of mahogany with a carved, book matched Flame maple top. The Gibson CS-336 came out of the Custom Shop in 2001, five years after the 1996 introduction of the ES-339.

Used

Price: $4,250.00 CAD

Eastman El Rey ER2 Thinline Archtop Electric Sunburst, 2006

On June 28, 2021 /

The Eastman El Rey ER2 is designed to produce a full archtop sound from a smaller, much lighter body – it is only 14 inches across, a bit bigger than a Gibson Les Paul. Otherwise it has a relatively typical archtop construction – solid, hand carved spruce top, solid and hand carved flame maple back, solid flame maple sides and neck, and ebony for the fingerboard, bridge base, and tailpiece cover.

Used

Price: $1,599.99 CAD

Guild Starfire III ReissueThinline Archtop Electric Cherry Red, 2017

On June 16, 2021 /

The Guild Starfire III Reissue brings back one of the popular, professional grade guitars from the 1960’s that was not built by Fender or Gibson.

Used

Price: $1,200.00 CAD

Eastman Romeo SC Thinline Archtop Electric, Red Burst

On June 14, 2021 /

The Eastman Romeo SC is a new limited edition thinline and largely hollow archtop electric design by Otto D’Ambrosio at the Eastman Custom Shop in California. Intended as an imagining of what ‘The Telecaster of the Archtop World’ would be, the Romeo started with defining its balance and player’s hand positions. The body is fairly small at 14.75 inches across, and the ‘Single Cut’ design gives plenty of access to the fretboard.

New

Price: $2,530.00 CAD

Gibson Super 400 Acoustic Archtop Sunburst, 1937

On June 8, 2021 /

The Gibson Super 400 strode above most others when giant archtops roamed the earth, and is still one of the largest production guitars made. Making its introduction in 1934 as the ‘Super L-5 Deluxe’, the non-cutaway model was quickly joined by a cutaway model, initially named the Super 400 P for ‘Premiere’. The ‘400’ designation was originally a reference to the price. These were top of the line for acoustic archtop guitars, and were played by many top artists – Merle Travis being one.

Vintage

Price: $12,999.99 CAD

⚌Reduced‼ Gretsch Anniversary 6118 Two Tone Smoke Green 1964

On April 30, 2021 /

Here we have a very nice Gretsch Anniversary 6118 in Two Tone Smoke Green, built during 1964 in Brooklyn, New York. The Gretsch Anniversary Models were introduced as lower cost versions of the popular 6120 during 1958 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the company’s 1883 founding. This Gretsch Anniversary 6118 dates to 1964 and is in very nice condition, with no binding deterioration. The Two Tone Smoke Green finish shows natural and expected lacquer checking but the colours are rich and vibrant with very little physical damage otherwise. This guitar appears to be all original, with one subtle modification – the black plastic pickup inserts have been removed and flipped to be all black, with the ‘Gretsch’ logo hidden and facing down.

Vintage

Price: $3,495.00 CAD $3,750.00 CAD

Harrison GB Blister Maple Sunburst, 2021

On April 25, 2021 /

Here we have a brand new Harrison GB Blister Maple with its spectacular figuring emphasised by a hand-rubbed sunburst lacquer finish! The Harrison GB design originated as a custom order from the late Gary Benson, a prominent Toronto jazz guitarist and educator. The concept is a thin chambered Tropical Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) body with a hand-carved Maple top with F-holes, a Mahogany neck with Ebony fingerboard, usually an Ebony bridge and a single humbucking pickup in the neck position.

New

Price: $7,550.00 CAD

PRS Custom 22 Korina 10 Top, 2017

On April 9, 2021 /

Here’s a beauty – a ‘Wood Library’ PRS Custom 22 Korina and Maple body, with solid Rosewood neck and Rosewood fingerboard, built during 2017 in Stevensville, Maryland. Here’s a beauty – a ‘Wood Library’ PRS Custom 22 Korina and Maple body, with solid Rosewood neck and Rosewood fingerboard, built during 2017 in Stevensville, Maryland.

Used

Price: $5,000.00 CAD

Gibson 1963 ES335 Block Reissue Cherry, 2018

On April 2, 2021 /

The 1963 Gibson ES335 Block Reissue re-creates the early 1960s revision of the groundbreaking ES-335 thinline models, in particular the version used in Cream by Eric Clapton. Built as a limited edition historic reissue, the Gibson ES335 Block Reissue is as close as most people can get to the originals. This example was built at the Gibson Nashville plant during 2018, and is in excellent condition with virtually no wear.

Used

Price: $5,400.00 CAD

⚌Reduced‼ Gibson ES350 Electric Archtop Sunburst 1951

On March 26, 2021 /

Here’s a real beauty – a Gibson ES350 Electric Archtop built during 1951 at the historic Parsons Street shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The ES-350 was built from 1947 to 1956, and for 1957 received a thinner body and new name – the ES-350T, the T standing for Thinline. This model was played extensively by top artists like Barney Kessel, Chuck Berry, B B King and Tal Farlow. At its 1947 introduction, the Gibson ES350 was named the ‘ES-350 Premiere’ and was a full body, single cutaway archtop with a single P-90 pickup in the neck position. For 1949, it received a second pickup. Construction was typical of Gibson’s electric archtop production, with Laminate Maple for the top, sides and back, part of an attempt to reduce feedback at stage volumes.

Vintage

Price: $7,995.00 CAD $8,995.00 CAD

Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III Black, 1997

On March 5, 2021 /

The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III, the last iteration of the Howard Roberts models, appeared in 1991 and was built until the model was discontinued around 2010, though it went out of production between 2003 and 2005. The first Fusion models appeared in 1979. Howard Roberts was a prominent American jazz guitarist, session player and teacher, born in 1929 and died in 1992. As part of the key LA session crowd The Wrecking Crew, Roberts played on many recordings, TV show and movie scores.

Used

Price: $3,250.00 CAD

Eastman Romeo Thinline Archtop Guitar Sunburst

On February 23, 2021 /

The new Eastman Romeo is a thinline archtop electric designed by Otto D’Ambrosio and features a solid Spruce top on laminated Mahogany sides and back for feedback resistance. Introduced during 2020 but in short supply due to COVID effects, the Eastman Romeo has an almost fully hollow body, but with a Mahogany block from the tail to the bridge. This block provides the necessary support for the bridge and stop tailpiece supports. The top is carved, solid Spruce and the back and sides are formed, layered Mahogany. The neck is Mahogany, with a bound Ebony fingerboard and Mother of Pearl dot position markers.

New

Price: $2,530.00 CAD

Gretsch Sparkle Jet G6129T with Bigsby Silver Sparkle, 2007

On February 5, 2021 /

Guitar makers and players sometimes don’t want to go for an understated approach, and the Gretsch Sparkle Jet G6129T is a case in point. Featuring a wildly metallic sparkle layer on top of chambered, single cut Mahogany body with Maple laminate top, the Sparkle Jet is anything but subtle. The Gretsch Jet models were introduced in 1955 as a response to the Gibson Les Paul. At the time, Gretsch was resistant to solidbody designs and so the Jet is heavily chambered. The Mahogany back has spaces routed into it, and a Maple laminate top is applied.

Used

Price: $2,650.00 CAD

‼️New Stock • Eastman T59 V Thinline Archtop Electric Antique Varnish

On February 2, 2021 /

The Eastman T59 V is a take on one of the most successful and influential of Ted McCarty’s innovations, the thinline, semi-hollow archtop electric guitar. Around 1957, Gibson was looking to update its product line to address a number of issues, one of which was the rise in amplified stage volumes causing feedback. While the engineering team is credited with most of the design, it was apparently president Ted McCarty’s idea to put a solid Maple block through the center of the guitar.

New

Price: $2,180.00 CAD

Gibson Custom Le Grande Archtop Electric Natural, 2008

On January 20, 2021 /

Here is a rare beauty – a Gibson Custom Le Grande archtop electric model from 2008, the successor to the classic Johnny Smith model built from 1961 to 1989. The Le Grande made its debut in 1993 and while it hasn’t appeared on Gibson’s website or catalog since around 2010, is still available on special order. The ‘stock’ finish is a Vintage Sunburst, with the Natural finish seen here as an extra-cost option. Always intended for the serious professional guitarist and never in mass production, the Gibson Custom Le Grande features a 17 inch wide body with carved, solid Sitka Spruce top, carved solid and highly figured Maple back and figured maple sides.

Used

Price: $14,999.99 CAD

Vega C56 Archtop Guitar Natural, 1940

On December 21, 2020 /

Built to compete with the Gibson L-7 and Epiphone Triumph, the Vega C56 Archtop was built from the 1930s until 1950. It was was Vega’s most popular full sized guitar and featured a solid Spruce top with Maple sides and back, Mahogany neck and Rosewood fingerboard. Here we have a Vega C56 archtop in the natural finish introduced in 1940. The serial number is somewhat below other models known to have been produced in 1940, so there’s a possibility this example was built in 1939. The top is solid Spruce, likely Adirondack.

Vintage

Price: $1,850.00 CAD

Gibson ES225T Thinline Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1958

On December 16, 2020 /

Introduced in 1955 and built until 1959, the Gibson ES225T was one of the first three new Thinline guitars with the Byrdland and the ES-350T. The ES-225T had the lowest price of the three and used the Les Paul trapeze tailpiece. Most models sported a single P-90 pickup in the middle position, though from 1956 to 1959 the ES-225TD – thinline and double pickup – was available. Both of these versions were discontinued shortly after the 1958 introduction of the very popular ES-335 and ES-355; the ES-345 appeared in 1959.

Vintage

Price: $2,999.99 CAD

Gibson ES235 Gloss Cherry Thinline Electric Guitar, 2019

On December 8, 2020 /

Here’s a brand new model, the Gibson ES235 Gloss thinline arch top, flat back, solid center block electric in translucent Cherry! This is new for 2019 model from Gibson, and it has plenty going for it. Designed and originally built at the now-closed Gibson Memphis plant, this single cutaway, smaller body guitar is built in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s available in Ebony black, Cherry and Sunburst versions.

New

Price: $2,199.00 CAD

Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1947

On November 26, 2020 /

This Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe was built around 1947 based on the middle-position pickup type and location, control layout and the serial number. The serial is ‘75194’ with the 75 being a prefix for this model and the ‘194’ its production rank; this serial scheme was used from 1944 to 1950. The top is Laminate Spruce, the back and sides Laminate Maple and the neck a five piece layup of Maple and Walnut.

Vintage

Price: $2,950.00 CAD

Eastman T486B Thinline Archtop Electric Vintage Red

On July 13, 2020 /

The Eastman T486B Thinline is an excellent take on the classic semi-hollow design introduced by Ted McCarty, president of Gibson, with the 1958 ES-335. Like most other versions of this design, the Eastman T486B uses pressed Maple Laminate for the top, back and sides, with a Maple block running down the center of the body. The top has a pair of F holes, and here they are bound. On the Eastman, the neck is Maple with a bound Ebony fingerboard sporting Split Block Parallelogram inlays (similar to an ES-345).

New

Price: $1,725.00 CAD

SS Stewart Model 4024 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1930s

On June 3, 2020 /

Here’s a lovely piece – from the early 1930’s, an SS Stewart Model 4024 archtop guitar, built by either Regal or Harmony and sold through Buegeleisen and Jacobson, owners of the Stewart brand. The SS Stewart company, named for Samuel Swain Stewart was a major producer of banjos between 1878 and 1904, and was bought by B&J (Buegeleisen and Jacobson) a few years after Stewart’s death. Over the years, B&J shifted to producing mostly guitars with the brand, had many companies build the actual instruments including Chicago Musical Instruments, who also built Harmony, Kay, and Silvertone brands.

Vintage

Price: $1,499.99 CAD

Eastman T64V P90 Bigsby Thinline Hollowbody, Amber Antique Varnish

On May 19, 2020 /

Built on the concept of the thin bodied yet fully hollow archtop electric guitar, the Eastman T64V delivers the tone, feel and look of early 1960s models. Gibson produced the first of these in 1959 with the ES-330, and in 1961 extended the design to their Epiphone line as the ES-230 Casino. That model was quickly picked up by British players including Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison who used theirs on many hits.

New

Price: $2,269.00 CAD

Douglas Harrison CJ 16 Archtop Guitar, 2019 – With New Video!

On May 5, 2020 /

Here’s an excellent brand new Douglas Harrison CJ 16 custom archtop guitar, in Spruce and Red Maple with a Lollar Gold Foil pickup! The Harrison CJ 16 is a single-cutaway, 16 inch wide archtop with hand-carved top and back plates, as suggested by the ‘CJ’ for ‘Classic Jazz’ name. Top quality Spruce and Red Maple are used for the body, and a three-piece Maple neck carries a Macassar Ebony fingerboard. The body, neck, headstock and pickguard are bound with Roasted Maple, and the bridge and tailpiece are Macassar Ebony.

New

Price: $10,900.00 CAD

Kay ‘TrueTone’ Speed Demon K573 Thinline Sunburst, 1962

On April 6, 2020 /

Beyond the TrueTone name, this is a Kay K537 model, with an arched top and back body made of laminated Maple, a bolt on Maple neck with bound Rosewood fingerboard and brass frets, floating Rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, and Kluson Deluxe single-line tuners. The original pickguard is intact and included.

Vintage

Price: $999.99 CAD

Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean 6119 Thinline Electric Walnut, 1966

On April 2, 2020 /

Here is a Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean 6119, dating to December of 1966, before the July 31 1967 sale of Gretsch to the Baldwin Piano Company. Introduced in 1958 and built until 1980, the Tennessean started as full size, hollow body and single-pickup, plainer version of the 6120. For 1961, however, Gretsch made dramatic changes to many models and the 6119 gained the new, sealed ElectroTone body and a pair of new single coil HiLo’Tron pickups.

Vintage

Price: $3,950.00 CAD

Eastman MDC805 Mandocello Classic Finish

On March 31, 2020 /

The Eastman MDC805 Mandocello is a wonderful, rich sounding instrument that works well as a solo, ensemble or accompaniment instrument in a wide range of styles and genres, from Celtic to Classical, Latin and back again. The Mandocello had been in existence for some centuries in Europe, beginning with flat back and then bowl back. However, in 1905 Orville Gibson’s company began producing mandolin family instruments, including Mandocello models that drew from his blending of violin and guitar concepts.

New

Price: $2,759.00 CAD

Hofner Club 40 Thin Archtop Electric Guitar Natural, 1957

On March 23, 2020 /

The Hofner Club 40 was built from around 1953 until the early 1960’s, distributed by Selmer in the UK and very popular with skiffle groups and players, including both John Lennon and George Harrison. At this time, Hofner guitars were built in Bubenreuth, Bavaria. Bearing similarities to violin bass construction, the Hofner Club 40 features a sealed, hollow body, with a solid Spruce top and Maple for the sides and flat back. The body is bound with black and a white/black purfling layer.

Vintage

Price: $2,750.00 CAD

Harrison GB Spruce Top Thinline Archtop Amber Tint, 2007

On January 16, 2020 /

This Harrison GB Spruce top thinline archtop electric in a lovely Amber tint, built during 2008 at Harrison’s shop in Toronto, Canada. The Douglas Harrison GB thinline archtop guitar has proven very popular with jazz guitarists. Designed with – and originally for – the late Gary Benson and built in Toronto, Ontario, the Harrison GB uses a carved solid spruce top on a chambered back. The neck has a compound radius, from 12 to 16 inches.

Used

Price: $4,299.00 CAD

Eastman 405E Archtop Electric

On October 19, 2019 /

Tags: archtop, Eastman, electric, P-90

This cool Eastman 405E is similar in construction to the Eastman 403CE, the 405 is a non-cutaway archtop with a 16 inch body and a P-90 pickup. Eastman Strings is one of the largest producers of archtop instruments in the world, including violins, cellos and other related instruments. Archtop guitars are a natural fit for them.

New

Price: $1,325.00 CAD

Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Thinline Archtop Electric

On December 21, 2017 /

The Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Thinline Archtop Electric is a semi hollow, dual pickup, 22 fret electric thinline guitar, featuring arched top and flat back, bent sides, gold plated hardware and a 648mm (25.5 inch) scale.
With the Starplayer TV Phonic in an all-over bright Venetian White we are continuing our vision of truly independent hardware design. As the first model in our Starplayer TV line it features our new spectacular ‘Phonico’ pickup covers and the 4-way rotary pickup selector placed at the cutaway.

New

Price: $3,849.00 CAD

Passing Through- 2016 Douglas Harrison GB Custom Archtop Guitar

On December 22, 2016 /

Tags: archtop, chambered, electric, gary Benson, GB, guitar, Harrison, jazz, made in Canada, The Twelfth Fret, thinline, www.12fret.com

This brand-new Douglas Harrison GB Custom thinline, chambered archtop guitar is just passing through, and we had to show it off.

New

Duesenberg Fullerton TV

On February 4, 2016 /

Tags: archtop, bigsby, Catalina Blue, Duesenberg, electric, Fullerton, Fullerton Elite, Fullerton TV, guitar, metallic, Plek, thinline, trem, TV, vibrato

The new Duesenberg Fullerton TV is named after two things – their new US office in Fullerton, California and Gibson’s vintage TV white finish.

New

Price: $3,599.00 CAD

Hofner 500/2 Club Bass

On July 21, 2014 /

Tags: bass, club bass, Hofner bass

Based on the Club guitar, the Hofner 500/2 Club Bass was introduced in 1965 and built to 1970. It was never as popular as its cousin the 500/1 violin or ‘Beatle Bass’, but its more traditional single cutaway guitar shape perhaps works a bit better without a strap.

New

Hofner HCT500 1 SB Violin Bass Contemporary Beatle Bass

On September 13, 2013 /

Tags: Hofner

We’ve just received a shipment of CT basses including the Hofner HCT-500 1 SB, great reproductions of vintage Hofner instruments!

New

Eastman AR 503

On January 2, 2012 /

Tags: archtop, Eastman

Eastman makes some of the best-value jazz boxes around, and the Eastman AR 503 is a prime example. It plays and sounds great, and wouldn’t look out of place anywhere.

New

Price: $1,840.00 CAD

Eastman AR371 CE – Sneak Preview!

On December 16, 2011 /

Tags: Eastman, Hollowbody

The Eastman folks just dropped by with a brand-new model, the AR-371 CE and it looks, plays and sounds great.

New

Price: $1,350.00 CAD

Gibson Le Grande

On May 30, 2011 /

Tags: Gibson

Every year, I go to the MIAC trade show here in Toronto, and every year I find something special. This year the Gibson Le Grande is it!

New

Hofner 500/1 – 62 Reissue Violin Bass

On April 20, 2011 /

Tags: bass, Hofner

Based on Paul McCartney’s 1962 Violin Bass, the Hofner 500/1 62 Reissue bass has delighted Hofner aficionados by replicating details of the original.

New

Eastman John Pisano AR680CE Jazz Guitar

On December 18, 2010 /

Tags: Eastman archtop & thinline

World renowned jazz guitarist John Pisano personally designed his signature Eastman John Pisano AR680CE model from top to bottom with all of the features he ever wanted in a guitar. John collaborated with noted pickup designer Kent Armstrong to design a humbucking pickup that covers the complete tonal spectrum and makes this guitar sound as good plugged in as it does acoustically.

New

Eastman AR805CE Jazz Guitar

On December 18, 2010 /

Tags: Eastman archtop & thinline

The Eastman AR805CE Jazz Guitar is a high quality archtop guitar sporting a cutaway and traditional neck-mount pickup, with controls on the pickguard so the solid spruce top is not restricted by extra hardware.

New

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