Jaen / Astoria Manouche / 2011 / Amber / Guitar
This is an uncommon archtop with a sweet powerful tone that you won't find in any other.
It is built around a low breakover angle at the bridge, so that the top and back plates are carved thinner. Another feature is the rosewood (Dalbergia granadillo) back and sides, which is extremely uncommon in archtops. This is complemented with rosewood bindings.
The headstock has the shape mostly associated with Manouche guitars.
A - Soundbox
- Rialto/Astoria, 17"
- Depth: 80 mm
- Top: European Spruce, carved with smaller arch and thinner than usual
- Back and Sides: Dalbergia granadillo; back carved with smaller arch and thinner than usual
B - Neck
- Scale length: 24 3/4 "
- Nut: 44.5 mm (1 3/4")
- Zero fret
- Small frets
- Variable curvature fretboard: 12" at first fret, flat at bridge
- "Spanish Classical" neck construction (separate peghead, laminated heel). Curly maple
- Inlays: motif at 12th fret
- Ebony fretboard
- Wooden bindings (Dalbergia granadillo)
- Peghead: "Manouche" style, with front and back veneer (Dalbergia granadillo)
- Waverly machines, gold with ebony buttons
C - Others
- One-piece bridge, not adjustable, with mustache
- Pickup: Kent Armstrong, handmade by Aaron Armstrong in UK
- Pickguard with hidden volume and tone controls plus single coil/humbucker switch
- Grounded tailpiece (Dalbergia granadillo)
Guitarras Jaén, Spain 
I started making guitars in 1992. My philosophy is to work on very small batches of at most four guitars, as this lets me focus better on the needs of each client. I am a believer in applying the best method available to each job in the making, so that the final result is the most precise, beautiful and responsive: you'll se me using my hands, conventional tools, power tools and CNC. Together with the finest craftsmanship, I use the finest selected materials available. The final ingredient is my love for logical, functional and useful improvements hidden under a traditional look.
My building process is as follows:
Most ideas that you have for your guitar will adapt to my basic templates for 15, 15.5, 16, 17 and 18 inches, but don't let that imprison your imagination. I absolutely enjoy and find the greatest provilege in digging your own design ideas, especially if you are a seasoned player with a lot of years of hard work behind you, or a good guitar connoisseur. After this initial brainstorming, that can take several weeks in some cases, the design comes to an end as a list of frozen specs. Then I begin making the guitar, which will typically take from two to four months. During that time I will send you reports on a weekly basis. Or, if you take your time and come to my shop, I will show you the progress and let you choose the woods and materials.
If you have a dream guitar in mind, I will make it real!
