To me the interesting thing about all the luthiers interviewed is that they are perfectionists. Kim Walker, Linda Manzer, and John Monteleone all reacted to the opening up of their long-lost guitars by instantly cleaning off the dust or smudges on them. In every case it reminds me of a Mom cleaning up a messy toddler.
We know that lots of you have had questions about this incredible instrument and in particular the soundport system - hopefully this video will give you what you were looking for!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Putting my ear next to any guitar, I can hear a magical beauty. I could also hear it on my microphoned acoustic recordings. But for me, I wanted a way to get that close up acoustic archtop sound out to a live audience, something I wasn't able to do on a regular quality PA. I knew it had to be possible because, at the time, CSNY were making ot happen with their Martins. No doubt it takes a great sound system as well as a great guitar. I hope to some day make it happen.
To the naysayers. John’s instruments are works of art. If he wanted to build affordable guitars, he would automate his shop and hire 25 handymen to produce 1000 guitars per year that would probably sound as good as his masterpieces. There’s a price to pay for a unique, handcrafted guitar made by who is considered to be the top luthier on the planet. His concepts, ideas, materials and meticulous workmanship are worth the money he commands to those who appreciate his work for what it is. Unparalleled.
there must something about having an Italian last name and being the best master archtop makers ?Sembra che siamo i migliori nel fare li chitarre, fare l'automobili e fare l'amore!
I have been playing since I was in my 20s. I'm 75 now and I'm blooming. God has allowed me to bloom with my harmonica and my guitar but I had to go through withdrawal from drugs from my back. I have spinal stenosis and I went through withdrawn and threw my withdrawal. I smashed all my guitars. I'm very sad about it too but I'm no longer hooked. I'm no longer on drugs. God delivered me. So now I'm singing about it and I have some hundred videos dedicated to the children in Kenya that are being eaten by crocodiles down there getting the pail of water out of the river. It turns floating in it. They're getting all kinds of water infections and everything. So I prayed for over a year and I played the guitar for over a year and dedicated all my videos to bring in water wells to Kenya and last week a guy by the name of Mr. Beast. I don't know who he is. The internet guy off of UA-cam. He went into Kenya and installed 100 water wells next to the schools. They didn't have to walk 2 miles to the river and get the turn infested whatever's in that water. Bring it home twice a day. 44 lb. They had to haul little 10-year-old 9-year-old children trying to make a survival down there mud hut people they they hunt with spears and blow guns still and eat monkey too. I don't know. I can't eat monkey but I'm trying to help him and all my songs are dedicated towards that. If you're interested at all about a monthly owned, that's my father's grandfather's name. I am from Frank, France. I am Jewish background but I became Catholic Catholic Catholic. I don't want to go through but I'm interested in a month telling you can talk and 12 string if there is such a thing. I have six strings and I'm a classical a little bit of a classical guitarist. I have some videos with me playing some classical stuff but mostly harmonica and my voice. I've been singing and playing for 50 years. Easy with the Catholic prayer and all that stuff so I'm looking for a sound and you have one. If you do, here's my phone number 607-422-6588 and my landline is 607 -204 -04 70. You can get me whenever you want to talk. I'll tell you about my heritage. I don't know. Maybe we're related. We'll see. Have a good one
You know the problem I have with this man is this who the hell has 150,000 to spend on one of his guitars I don't know anybody that would spend that much on it and so these guitars are out of reach of probably 99% of the population now mind you I respect what he's been able to accomplish and do but his guitars are useless kind of reminds me of old men and Corvettes and there's something wrong with that picture and you know what that is is that only the old man have the money to buy the Corvettes a young man unless he's got money or something will never write in a Corvette and I don't know anybody that would buy this man's guitars and you know what these guitars are only going to sell to a select few that have the money to buy them and to me it's a waste I wrote this man a letter and asked him to build me a guitar for $10,000and he never got back to me because that money isn't even enough to pay for the wood that he's probably using on these guitars and that being said I wouldn't buy a guitar from this guy if I had the money why because nobody else could get one he needs to build guitars that are accessible to the common Man and unfortunately it's people like this that keep these guitars out of the hands of people that could really use them that could play them and the fact that he's kept these guitars out of the hands of the the common man tells me that this guy I wouldn't give him two cents for his guitars he could hang on to him and wrote with him these guitars are useless and so is this man
they are beautiful instruments, but they are a lot of affordable builders, that build instruments that are just as good. it's the name that commands the price, not the quality.
Agree with your argument. But these guitars are like a Picasso, Van Gogh or Monet or Renoir; not just instruments with strings but actual pieces of art. See Mark Knopfler's visit video on UA-cam when he visited Joh Monteleone at his workshop in New York. Each guitar is precision hand-crafted, a slow and painstaking work lasting months. Everything in a Monteleone arch top is hand made. A genius virtuoso like Knopfler himself said he is not worthy of owning a Monteleone guitar. That's like owning a classic painting which is priceless. I agree that poor schmucks like us can never own such stuff; but we have to admire art for art's sake.
Gorgeous. I don't build or play, I just listen, but this might be the most beautiful instrument I've ever seen.
To me the interesting thing about all the luthiers interviewed is that they are perfectionists. Kim Walker, Linda Manzer, and John Monteleone all reacted to the opening up of their long-lost guitars by instantly cleaning off the dust or smudges on them. In every case it reminds me of a Mom cleaning up a messy toddler.
We know that lots of you have had questions about this incredible instrument and in particular the soundport system - hopefully this video will give you what you were looking for!
What an absolute beauty.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Putting my ear next to any guitar, I can hear a magical beauty. I could also hear it on my microphoned acoustic recordings. But for me, I wanted a way to get that close up acoustic archtop sound out to a live audience, something I wasn't able to do on a regular quality PA. I knew it had to be possible because, at the time, CSNY were making ot happen with their Martins. No doubt it takes a great sound system as well as a great guitar. I hope to some day make it happen.
I remember being in this legends studio while he was building this or one that looked just like it-Michael
To the naysayers. John’s instruments are works of art. If he wanted to build affordable guitars, he would automate his shop and hire 25 handymen to produce 1000 guitars per year that would probably sound as good as his masterpieces. There’s a price to pay for a unique, handcrafted guitar made by who is considered to be the top luthier on the planet. His concepts, ideas, materials and meticulous workmanship are worth the money he commands to those who appreciate his work for what it is. Unparalleled.
there must something about having an Italian last name and being the best master archtop makers ?Sembra che siamo i migliori nel fare li chitarre, fare l'automobili e fare l'amore!
My dad has a monteleone mandolin. One of his most prized possessions and for good reason.
I can totally understand that!
I am a MONTELEONE SPIRITUAL BLUES HARMONICA AND 12 STRING GUITAR. DOES A MONTELEONE GET A BREAK ON THE USED GUITAR PRICE?
I have been playing since I was in my 20s. I'm 75 now and I'm blooming. God has allowed me to bloom with my harmonica and my guitar but I had to go through withdrawal from drugs from my back. I have spinal stenosis and I went through withdrawn and threw my withdrawal. I smashed all my guitars. I'm very sad about it too but I'm no longer hooked. I'm no longer on drugs. God delivered me. So now I'm singing about it and I have some hundred videos dedicated to the children in Kenya that are being eaten by crocodiles down there getting the pail of water out of the river. It turns floating in it. They're getting all kinds of water infections and everything. So I prayed for over a year and I played the guitar for over a year and dedicated all my videos to bring in water wells to Kenya and last week a guy by the name of Mr. Beast. I don't know who he is. The internet guy off of UA-cam. He went into Kenya and installed 100 water wells next to the schools. They didn't have to walk 2 miles to the river and get the turn infested whatever's in that water. Bring it home twice a day. 44 lb. They had to haul little 10-year-old 9-year-old children trying to make a survival down there mud hut people they they hunt with spears and blow guns still and eat monkey too. I don't know. I can't eat monkey but I'm trying to help him and all my songs are dedicated towards that. If you're interested at all about a monthly owned, that's my father's grandfather's name. I am from Frank, France. I am Jewish background but I became Catholic Catholic Catholic. I don't want to go through but I'm interested in a month telling you can talk and 12 string if there is such a thing. I have six strings and I'm a classical a little bit of a classical guitarist. I have some videos with me playing some classical stuff but mostly harmonica and my voice. I've been singing and playing for 50 years. Easy with the Catholic prayer and all that stuff so I'm looking for a sound and you have one. If you do, here's my phone number 607-422-6588 and my landline is 607 -204 -04 70. You can get me whenever you want to talk. I'll tell you about my heritage. I don't know. Maybe we're related. We'll see. Have a good one
I'm with John - I prefer the sound of an oval hole archtop. Orville Gibson made a bunch of them.
Most of these instruments are owned by rich people who never play them.
Yeah………..but green?
You know the problem I have with this man is this who the hell has 150,000 to spend on one of his guitars I don't know anybody that would spend that much on it and so these guitars are out of reach of probably 99% of the population now mind you I respect what he's been able to accomplish and do but his guitars are useless kind of reminds me of old men and Corvettes and there's something wrong with that picture and you know what that is is that only the old man have the money to buy the Corvettes a young man unless he's got money or something will never write in a Corvette and I don't know anybody that would buy this man's guitars and you know what these guitars are only going to sell to a select few that have the money to buy them and to me it's a waste I wrote this man a letter and asked him to build me a guitar for $10,000and he never got back to me because that money isn't even enough to pay for the wood that he's probably using on these guitars and that being said I wouldn't buy a guitar from this guy if I had the money why because nobody else could get one he needs to build guitars that are accessible to the common Man and unfortunately it's people like this that keep these guitars out of the hands of people that could really use them that could play them and the fact that he's kept these guitars out of the hands of the the common man tells me that this guy I wouldn't give him two cents for his guitars he could hang on to him and wrote with him these guitars are useless and so is this man
they are beautiful instruments, but they are a lot of affordable builders, that build instruments that are just as good. it's the name that commands the price, not the quality.
Agree with your argument. But these guitars are like a Picasso, Van Gogh or Monet or Renoir; not just instruments with strings but actual pieces of art. See Mark Knopfler's visit video on UA-cam when he visited Joh Monteleone at his workshop in New York. Each guitar is precision hand-crafted, a slow and painstaking work lasting months. Everything in a Monteleone arch top is hand made. A genius virtuoso like Knopfler himself said he is not worthy of owning a Monteleone guitar. That's like owning a classic painting which is priceless. I agree that poor schmucks like us can never own such stuff; but we have to admire art for art's sake.
John told me he would have built you a guitar for $500 is only you could use a little punctuation…..😅