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Hai, my 3rd building is acoustic OM and is still building on half way. But I want to prepare for next build, and that is The Archtop, and I need you suggestion for the wood choise.
The questios is:
Now I have Mahogany for the Back and Side (plank) also the neck.
1. Can the TOP mahogany also (I'v had the plank too), so I no need to buy
2. Fingerboard I' v had macassar ebony and Maple (what is the choise?)
3. Nut bone or wood?
4. I had two plan: cutaway from LMII and from the book of Robert Benedetto, which one good to me?
thank's a lot everyone...

My choice would be mahogany back/sides/neck with spruce top, macassar f'bd and bone nut (mainly because I'm french polishing one just like that)!

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON

Hello, Herry,
I'm sure you will receive several different answers to your questions. I will assume that your are building the archtop guitar for your own use and as a learning experience. I'll base my opinions on that assumption.

Choice of plan:
I would study both as I worked through the project. I believe the LMII plan is for a guitar with an 18-inch lower bout. The Benedetto plan has a 17-inch lower bout, which I believe is a more common size. Many people would find it more comfortable to hold and play. In addition, it might be easier for you to find a case for a 17-inch archtop and that is an important consideration. The instructions in the Benedetto book are pretty thorough, and if you follow his specifications you will build a very satisfactory first archtop. I would follow Benedetto's methods and techniques regardless of which size instrument I was building. The final choice of size is more a matter of your personal preference.

Choice of nut material:
Either will work, and I have archtops with both kinds of nuts. I believe bone will be more durable and resistant to string grooving in the bottoms of the string notches, and it is more traditional. If you choose wood, use a very hard wood. With either material, use just a couple of small drops of glue to fasten it into its slot, so that you can remove it easily if that is ever necessary.

Fingerboard material:
Either macassar ebony or maple will work. I believe ebony is a better choice for several reasons. It will look beautiful on a dark guitar, whereas maple might look out of place. Maple will be more likely to show grime and discoloration over time. Ebony is much less likely to show discoloration. However, if your ebony has beautiful light and dark stripes along the grain, the light stripes will gradually darken from finger oils. You can pair your ebony board with a matching head plate, bridge and tailpiece, and that would be a beautiful combination. I would choose ebony for my own guitar.

Mahogany top:
Here is where you will find the biggest difference of opinion. Spruce is definitely a more traditional choice.
I believe it would give you a more traditional sound. It's generally light and stiff and easy to carve. It can be finished light or dark, and in any color you wish. It is what most people expect to see on an archtop instrument. But if you would like to build a mahogany top, I think you should try it. I'm sure you can make a very playable guitar with it. It is likely to sound a bit different than a spruce-topped guitar. I imagine the tone would be mellow and "dark"-sounding, less bright in the trebles. But I believe it is a worthwhile choice for your own guitar. In fact, I've often thought of building an all-walnut archtop for myself as an experiment.

Back and Sides:

You didn't ask about this, but I can assure you mahogany is a valid choice for the back and sides. John D'Angelico used mahogany on some of his early instruments. Maple is the more traditional choice, but you can make a fine guitar with mahogany back and sides.

My last opinion is simply this: I believe you will build several archtops in the future. They are fascinating instruments. I encourage you to build your first one any way you wish. You can experiment with other materials on future instruments.

Good luck with your project, and post it here when it's finished so we can all see it!

Patrick

Thank's a lot Patrick, I'll do the best, fisrt I 'll use the wood I have..
plans I bought from LMII is Archtop Jazz Guitar - Courtnall archtop, single cutaway,
BL-20.24”, W-9.6”, UB-11.96”, LB-16.14”, BD-3.11”, OL-41.24”, SL-642mm, F-22
and the plan from Benedetto is 17".
thank's again..

My first archtop had mahogany B&S and a spruce top, and my first successful archtop classical was the same. Go for it.

Thank's Alan, Can I add stripp for Back (with Rosewood) and how wide Usually...

" Can I add stripp for Back (with Rosewood) and how wide Usually..."

That's your call. Since most archtops use figured wood for the back, the 'chevron' is enough to set off the back join, so no strip is needed. With a striped wood like mahogany you might want something, but that's up to you. Do reinforce the joint, though.

OO I see, my mahogany back have straight grain... Alan thank you so much...