CRAZY BUSY HERE!!!!

Hope everyone is having a stellar May out there. I know I am too busy right now and could use a rest although that seems unlikely any time soon.  I have taken down some past posts that either have bad links or of instruments already sold.
Right now I am working on a stream of Fodera basses that seem to multiplying like rabbits as well as getting tops and backs joined and roughed out for three soprano guitars and a couple of carved archtops. I'll be building a flat top soprano as a commission and a hand carved archtop version with gorgeous european maple and red spruce top. The third is a prototype with carved back, flat top and new features that cannot be mentioned..... yet!
I'll keep the blog up to date with pics..... Have a great May/June!

The Larrivettes resurface!

Here is an homage to the Larrivettes who skated by night and built guitars by day! Sure there are no skates, pads, pucks or even ice in these pictures but behind each of these steely stares lies a committed player willing to 'go the distance' no matter the foe, even when our biggest obstacle was a serious lack of talent, other than George of course who was poetry in motion!

Picture courtesy of David Wren.

Movie Art for 'DEAD MONDAY'

Used Instruments of interest available soon!!!

I have a couple of cool instruments arriving from the States soon one being a rare (1 0f 31) Martin transition tenor guitar known as the Carl Fischer model. This was a modified 2-18T with a 14 fret neck joint that was built in the months leading up to the creation of the first OM guitar. At the time these instruments were like attempts in a new direction and once the OM was established they stopped making them. It is a fantastic sounding and feeling instrument that I discovered by accident while in Dallas. I had never seen one like it (12 fret neck joints are the norm) but it was it's sound that sold me more than its scarcity. Anyone interested in Tenor guitars and in my neck of the woods, should try it. It's a dream.

The other guitar is a 1959 Gibson LG-3 in excellent shape and is one of the very good ones. I get to play lots of these and they can be small sounding or big. This is the latter and I'm sure it will end up in the right hands very soon.

Used Alleva Coppolo custom colour LG4 bass!!!!

This is an 'as new' bass with only one brief owner with all nitro finish in custom colour, 'plum crazy'.

I will be posting photographs soon but as a taster, it has a rosewood board with dot markers, active preamp, very nice neck and absolutely no issues! Those looking for one are aware of the waiting list and this is a great example you can get right now!

It is $4200 with original gig bag and is for sale by a client. SOLD TO FIRST ENQUIRY!

Visit D'Antone Guitars at G-base.com!!

http://www.gbase.com/stores/dantone-guitars

Here is the link to some of the used guitars for sale right now. There are more which include a 1961 Martin Mandolin, the Manzer Algongquin archtop mentioned in an earlier post and a couple of show guitars of mine which made an appearance at the last Montreal Guitar Show and that reluctant or not, I must sell to make room for the next series waiting to come into reality!

If you have any questions feel free to drop me a line! Have a great October!

Tony

Toronto welcomes Norwegian musician Jacob Matheus

Sometimes roaming the world and looking for the right instrument takes you to a place where an instrument has been built and is waiting for its perfect owner. The very gifted Norwegian guitarist and composer, Jacob Matheus, recently took a four day diversion on his way back to Berklee (Boston) to try out some of my archtop guitars here in Toronto. Knowing that he had a few days to audition these guitars, I arranged with some good friends to set up some jams with wonderful local players so that Jacob could get a sense of how the guitars would respond in a real combo environment. As it turned out he had singled out one instrument early on, so that simplified the process even more. What I found fascinating and different from many previous clients, was that Jacob was primarily interested in hearing how the guitar responded purely acoustically sans amp for his entire stay! Amazingly although he was playing beside an acoustic piano, a synth, electric bass and electric guitar, he was always clear as a bell. Jacob has fantastic technique in many areas and especially in coaxing out great tone while playing at maximum acoustic volume. It blew everyone away that every note he played was heard.

Kudo's to you Jacob!

In the end Jacob headed off back to Boston with a fully carved blonde archtop that had been made as a show guitar four years earlier. It was the perfect guitar for him and the experience was great for both of us. Thanks Jacob for the deciding to come to Toronto and I look forward to hearing all that you create with this instrument. Anyone who gets the chance to hear this great young artist will recognize the depth of his musicality.

I want to thank Monte Horton(guitar), Matt Horner (piano), John Yelland (bass), Terry Logan (keys and guitar), Marcus Ward (BBQ, support/friendship and love of guitars) as well as Marcus's sons Jordan and Nigel and Jordans equally talented bandmate, Jonathon Plytas for making Jacob feel welcome during his stay.

Summer is pretty much over and here's to a magnificent and colourful fall for all of us!

Tony