Archtop

Gibson ES-175 Figured Top Tobacco Sunburst, 2006

On December 2, 2021 /

Here we have a Gibson ES-175 figured top, in a classic Tobacco Sunburst, built during mid-2006 at the now-closed Gibson Memphis plant. For 2016, the Figured top was featured as a distinct model, noted on the label, but here this is a standard ES-175 model.

Used

Price: $4,500.00 CAD

Collings SoCo Custom Thinline Archtop ‘Dog Hair Black’, 2014

On December 2, 2021 /

The Collings SoCo, namded for the South Congress section of Austin, is a single-cut thinline archtop model. This 2014 example features a solid carved Spruce top and solid carved Mahogany back, and sports a stunning ‘Dog Hair’ black finish!

Used

Price: $6,250.00 CAD

Gretsch G6120DSW G-Brand Archtop Electric Orange, 2006

On December 2, 2021 /

Based on mid 1950’s models, the Gretsch G6120DSW Chet Atkins model is probably the iconic Gretsch with its G brand in the top and ‘Western’ motif inlays. A fully hollow guitar with tone bars and a soundpost for support, the DSW designation indicates that DynaSonic style pickups are installed, and the Western decorations are used. Here we’re looking at a Gretsch G6120DSW built at the Terada plant in Japan, dated to August 2006. It’s in great, original condition with very little wear. Fret wear varies from light and to negligible and the finish is in great shape.

Used

Price: $2,799.99 CAD $2,999.99 CAD

Eastman AR803ce Archtop Electric Guitar Sunburst, 2009

On December 2, 2021 /

The Eastman AR803ce archtop falls in the category of the ‘Jazz Box’ guitar – providing the warm, rich, rounded tone an arched top guitar provides so well. Eastman is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hand made, carved top instruments, with a background in violin and cello family construction. They pride themselves on following European luthiery traditions, particularly those flowing from 17th century German builders. At the time, many of the the most respected Italian builders were actually German!

Used

Price: $2,199.00 CAD

Epiphone Elite 1965 Casino Natural, 2003

On December 1, 2021 /

The Epiphone Elite 1965 Casino recalls one of the most famous guitars – the one played by John Lennon on many recordings. In fact, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison all had Casinos and McCartney still uses his. There were many other Casino players, including members of the Rolling Stones and Beach Boys. Originally built as a Sunburst model, by 1968 (during the White Album sessions) Lennon had the finish stripped off, with two coats of thin clear lacquer re-applied. It was felt that this improved the tone and resonance of the guitar, and this look has become a de facto standard, especially without the pickguard.

Used

Price: $2,650.00 CAD

Gretsch Brian Setzer Signature 6120SSU Nashville, Orange Flame, 1997

On November 24, 2021 /

The Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120SSU, built from 1993 to 2014, was one of the earlier of the Setzer Signature models based on the 1960 6120s used in the Stray Cats, Brian Setzer Orchestra and various solo projects. Introduced in 1954 as a Chet Atkins model, the Gretsch 6120 featured a fully hollow, 16 inch wide and 2 7/8 inch deep Maple Laminate body with bound F holes, tone bar / sound post bracing and a Maple neck with Rosewood or Ebony fingerboard and bridge base.

Used

Price: $2,999.99 CAD

Yamaha AEX1500 Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1995

On November 9, 2021 /

Built in Japan from 1994 to 1999, the Yamaha AEX1500 is a single-cutaway archtop electric guitar originally designed by Yamaha and British jazz guitarist Martin Taylor. Taylor used these guitars as his touring instruments. While these models were sold in North America as the AEX1500, in Europe and the UK they were called the “Martin Taylor” model. The Yamaha AEX1500 is built, like many other professional grade archtop electrics, with Laminated Maple for the top, back and sides. The use of laminates improves both physical stability and feedback rejection at stage volumes.

Used

Price: $2,500.00 CAD

Eastman AR803ce Archtop Sunburst, 2008

On November 5, 2021 /

Now discontinued, the Eastman AR803ce Archtop Electric features a 16 inch wide, single Venetian cutaway body with carved, solid Spruce top and Flame Maple back. The sides and neck are also Flamed Maple, with Ebony for the bridge, headplate and bound fingerboard. Hardware is gold coloured, with Gotoh tuners bearing ‘Imperial’ deco-style stairstep tuner buttons. The original Ebony / metal tailpiece has been replaced with a standard trapeze model.

Used

Price: $2,199.00 CAD

Gretsch Model 35 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1933

On October 21, 2021 /

The Gretsch Model 35 American Orchestra archtop guitar appeared in 1933 and was built until 1940, when it was replaced by the Synchromatic line and the model 30. The Model 35 features a solid carved Spruce top with small-size F holes. Maple is used for the sides and back, Flamed Maple for the neck and Ebony for the fingerboard and bridge. The Gretsch logo is a Banner style using an engraved pearlescent plastic – rather like a drum covering.

Vintage

Price: $2,250.00 CAD

Collings I35DLXS Thinline Custom Single Pickup Cherry, 2008

On October 8, 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

Eastman T186MX Thinline Hollowbody Classic Sunburst, 2011

On September 20, 2021 /

The Eastman company builds more arched top instruments than anyone else, and they apply their expertise to thinline archtop electrics like the Eastman T186MX. This model seems largely based on classic thinline hollowbodies like the Casino and ES-330. Featuring solid wood construction, the Eastman T186MX has a solid, carved flame Maple top, solid Mahogany sides and solid mahogany carved back with a support block under the bridge and tailpiece.

Used

Price: $1,900.00 CAD

⚌Reduced‼ Gibson Custom Le Grande Archtop Electric Natural, 2008

On September 15, 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: $13,999.00 CAD $14,999.99 CAD

⚌Reduced‼ Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1947

On August 31, 2021 /

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: $2,750.00 CAD $2,950.00 CAD

⚌Reduced‼ Gibson ESDT335 Thinline Archtop Lightburst, 2004

On August 23, 2021 /

Here’s a very nicely figured and very good condition Gibson ESDT335 in Lightburst finish, built during 2094 at the now-closed Gibson Memphis plant. The Gibson ESDT335 is a slight variation on the standard ES-335, with the ‘ES’ standing as always for ‘Electric Spanish’. ‘Spanish’ refers to how the guitar is held and played, with one of the few other primary designations being ‘EH’ for ‘Electric Hawaiian’

Used

Price: $4,150.00 CAD $4,650.00 CAD

Gibson ES-175D Cutaway Archtop Electric Sunburst, 1968

On July 27, 2021 /

The Gibson ES-175D 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 ES-175D.

Vintage

Price: $5,750.00 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

⚌Reduced‼ 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: $9,999.99 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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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: $1,999.99 CAD $2,750.00 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

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

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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