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2007 AJL Model 17 Archtop

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SN# 0707, label signed and dated by the maker, 4/23/07. Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16" Body depth: 3 1/4" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .80/.89

Materials: Bookmatched hand graduated European spruce soundboard; AAAA curly Euro maple body and neck; solid ebony fingerboard; multiply bound body and neck; polished bone nut.

Hardware: Original gold hardware includes Grover Imperial tuners, adjustable finger tailpiece, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge; bound tortoise pickguard, double-acting truss rod with bell cover. Benedetto S-6 floating humbucking pickup with thumbwheel volume and tone controls, 1/4" jack.

Notes: Noted luthier Ari-Jukka Luomartanta doesn't just build master quality guitars, he plays them himself. A member of the Hot Club De Finlande, he has performed gypsy swing with Andreas Oberg, Robin Nolan, and Basie style big bands throughout Scandinavia and Northern Europe. Granted a Certificate from the Master Craftsman's Council in Helsinki, Ari dove deep into the intricacies of vintage jazz guitars in intensive research in Paris. Now he builds a full line of gypsy and archtop guitars one at a time by hand in his atelier in scenic Kokkola, Finland, right on the Gulf of Bothnia.

His Model 17 is a scrupulously faithful tribute to the classic Gibson L-5C, the pioneering cutaway archtop that became the most influential and widely imitated jazz guitar of the 20th Century. The meticulously hand graduated, tap tuned Euro spruce soundboard is supported with traditional parallel braces, for maximum acoustic projection and punch. The neck is reinforced with stiff, lightweight carbon rods to add stability under tension, and to minimize vibrational drain from the body.

This stunning guitar is crafted of deeply figured, masterfully bookmatched European curly maple in the back, sides and neck. The neck profile is a delight, with a gentle D profile and polished medium jumbo fretwork, with a fresh high precision setup, and double acting truss rod. It's also arguably the most fanatically accurate in appearance to the classic L-5 as well, right down to the iconic 'Chippendale' headstock and flowerpot inlay, so jealously guarded by a certain firm in Nashville, TN.

At just 5lb 10oz, the guitar is notably lightweight and well balanced, and rests nimbly on the lap or the strap. Lovingly maintained in showroom condition, the guitar has all original warm amber lacquer finish, without checking or playwear. A Benedetto S-6 floating humbucking pickup with thumbwheel volume and tone controls is installed, replacing an earlier DeArmond style pickup, and transmits the rich acoustic voice faithfully to the amp.

Meticulous to a fault, Ari even produces his own custom molded cases, stamped with the serial number of the guitar. (This one has snazzy zebra lining too, talk about style.) AJL archtops are extremely limited in production, and even scarcer on the vintage market: players tend to be keepers. So if you're tired of fighting the collectors for a vintage L-5, you won't find a more accurate clone of this fabled guitar anywhere. Jump the queue, and bag a bargain while you can. One only: call now.

Setup: Trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished. Electronics tested and adjusted as required. This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.