The intended use of the guitar should be foremost in the mind of the luthier every step of the way, as the instrument must first succeed to be the finest musical tool that it can be. Its second obligation is to inspire the musician, which cannot be supported unless the first requirement is already in place.
You just know when something is right. I can feel it immediately. The excitement. A rush comes over me that tells me I’m on the right path, and the pulse quickens and I can’t wait to see where it is going to go. That is how it happens almost every time at the workbench. The design begins to dictate where it wants to go. It takes you for a ride. I grab the wheel and hold on.
John Monteleone - 2010
ARCHTOP GUITARSThe Journey from Cremona to New York
by Rudy Pensa & Vincent J. Ricardel