Where are Eastman archtop guitars made?
Eastman guitars are not “Made in China”. They are proudly hand-crafted in Beijing. In our increasingly global economy this is an important distinction. Founded in 1992 by a Chinese music student named Qian Ni, Eastman strings initially gained their reputation in the world of violin making.
Is the ES 335 an archtop?
The Gibson ES-335 is an archtop guitar equipped with two hollow chambers separated by a solid maple wood block running down its center, and twin humbuckers. The maple block provides the ES-335 with a hybrid solid/hollow body perfect for jazz and blues musicians.
Where are Alvarez guitars made?
Alvarez was established in 1965 by St. Louis Music. In the late 60’s the company began working with Master Luthier, Kazuo Yairi. This collaboration turned out to be a remarkable success and our Alvarez-Yairi guitars are still handmade in the Yairi factory today, in the small town of Kani, Japan.
What kind of guitar was Maton Alver made of?
Although only a budget priced plywood guitar, the Alver was a well made and structurally sound instrument, and there are many surviving examples still in good repair. Alma and Vera would be proud.
When did Maton start using the name Alver?
What’s less well-known is the origin of the Alver brand that was used on a range of Maton student guitars between 1952 and 1971. I had heard that Bill May’s wife Vera was the reason for the ‘ver’ part of the name, but was unsure of the origin of the ‘Al’.
Where did the name Maton guitar come from?
It’s generally known in guitar circles that the founder of the Australian guitar company Maton was Melbourne-born jazz musician, woodwork teacher and luthier Bill May, and that he came up with the name as a derivative of the words “May” and “Tone”.
Why did Maton stop making Alver hollow bodies?
According to Bill May’s wife, the reason they stopped making Alver’s was that it cost too much to make them, as despite them being simple they still took a long time to make. They couldn’t cut corners on quality, it just wasn’t in them to do that.