The justjazzguitars collection of vintage and rare jazz archtops.

guitars for sale

archtops for sale.

NEW.

Rhythm Section is LIVE.

DUE TO THE CURRENT LOCKDOWN  -  ALL PARTS SHIPMENTS  ARE SUSPENDED.

CATALOGUES.            

Vintage Hofner and Selmer catalogues in Mint condition from 1960 to 1990's.  

I also have a comprehensive library of old Framus, Gibson, Gretsch, Guyatone, Harmony and Kay as well as Hofner catalogues on CD.    Please ask.

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#001 Gibson Byrdland 1965

All Design and photography

by Alan Cramp

© Copyright Alan Cramp

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020.  2021.

All rights reserved.

A personal collection of classic, rare & vintage jazz archtops.

jazz guitars for sale    Archtops   Jazz Guitars For Sale

Count Basie Band of 1938 with Freddie Green, Jo Jones and Walter Page.

From a vintage gelatin silver halide print on RC paper 21 x 25.4cm

I stopped collecting in 2016 having built a collection over the years that spanned the Hofners of my youth, included the most jazzy archtops from the US, and concluded with the superbly playable hand crafted guitars from Japan.

With the lockdowns of 2020, and with more time on my hands, I resumed collecting,  just a few guitars,  but exploring a fresh interest  -  something quite different.    I wanted to get to know some of the guitars that stem from the instrument makers of the Czech Republic, the luthiers with great tradition who fled to Bavaria and gave birth to the Hofners, etc, where my collecting began.  Full Circle perhaps!

I have dedicated a separate chapter to these guitars but how to refer to them collectively.    In Germany they are known as Shlaggitarren, in the US as Orchestra Guitars and in the UK, simply as jazz guitars.

In trying to understand what they represented in their day, I have tried to visualise what these guitars were designed for.   Certainly they were not Rock guitars, nor folk nor pop nor blues!  These were guitars to accompany family groups playing and singing together on a Saturday evening, or for playing gypsy music around an open fire,  and probably for a little jazz!!  

What has become clear is that these guitars were intended for accompaniment.    Where they excel is in punching out big chords  -  these guitars were designed to be loud and musical!!

Initially I thought I might call them "Big-Band Guitars" but they are more than that  -  they are  "The Rhythm Section"!

So come and meet The Rhythm Section - HERE.

jazz guitars, archtops, for sale, gibson,  guild,  D'Angelico, X-700,  X-500,  x-700,  x 500,  x-700 LS,  NYS-2,  NYS-2 FH,  NYS-2 Vestax,  vestax,