Rethinking the Semihollow Electric Guitar

by Stephen Marchione

from his 2011 GAL Convention workshop

Originally published in American Lutherie #119, 2014

I have worked with jazz guitarist Mark Whitfield since 1998. I made him a 16" archtop guitar in 2000 and he has recorded six albums of his own with that guitar. In 2001, he started touring with Chris Botti, the Grammy-winning trumpet player who came from Sting’s band. Mark is a very busy player.

In 2006, I went to see him playing with Chris Botti and a symphony orchestra at Jones Hall in Houston. Mark said, “Oh, I gotta show you a couple things on the guitar.” He was wearing through the binding with his right arm. A lot of the binding was worn away, and the sweat was going under the lacquer, although most of the lacquer was still intact.