How much does a Monteleone guitar cost?

At most, it takes 100 hours to build one. Paying $300 per hour (no one’s labor is worth more than that), you can justify $32,000 for a guitar made by the very best. More than that is just plain crazy. Monteleone is getting rich building guitars at those prices.

How old is John Monteleone?

Monteleone, who is 57, has made more than 300 guitars; he put his first one together when he was 10.

Who is John Monteleone?

A self-taught luthier who learned by examining high-quality instruments, Monteleone began experimenting with building and repairing stringed instruments at a young age. He first gained notoriety for the innovative design of his mandolins, which were admired and used by the best players in a variety of genres.

What are archtop guitars good for?

The original acoustic archtop guitars were designed to enhance volume, so they were constructed for use with relatively heavy strings. Even after electrification became the norm, jazz guitarists have continued to fit strings of 0.012″ gauge or heavier for reasons of tone, and also prefer flatwound strings.

Is Kay a good guitar brand?

Kay is best known for their large production of student-grade, budget instruments but also built higher quality instruments that were used by professional artists of the time including a line of electric guitars endorsed by Barney Kessel. The current line of Kay instruments sold by A.R.

Where can I find John Monteleone guitar shop?

If you haven’t checked it out yet be sure to visit John Monteleone’s website and if your a guitar builder interested in Johns approach, read his article in the GAL issue number 62. We touched on many of the points from that article in our discussions.

Who is the luthier who makes archtop guitars?

Ever since the first time I saw an archtop guitar made by luthier John Monteleone, I wanted to one day visit his shop and spend a little time learning from him, it was immediately obvious to me that he was an artist at heart.

What did John Monteleone do for a living?

John has introduced many innovations, both acoustic and aesthetic. His work continues to evolve, expanding the boundaries of archtop instrument making.