Incoming: 2007 Blanchard 16” Hybrid Archtop

[iim7V7IM7]

I just purchased a used archtop from my friend, California luthier Mark Blanchard. Mark is an inventive guy. He has a patented truss rod design that he builds and supplies to other luthiers and builders (Benedetto uses them for example).

https://patents.google.com/patent/US7507887B1/en

This archtop was built by Mark back in 2007 and it has been with a single owner until 2021 when he tried to sell it unsuccessfully through a reseller. Mark purchased the guitar back from the reseller late last year. I wasn’t really in the market for another guitar, but this one really “spoke to me” because its acoustic potential, so I decided to go for it.

I own two wonderful flattops that Mark built for me. Mark is primarily a flattop builder, but also builds some archtop and nylon string guitars as well. Mark took a hands on archtop building course in 2000 with Tom Ribbecke and Linda Manzer to learn the basics. He had already been building guitars for a decade prior to that. I believe this guitar was his fourth archtop guitar, but his 93rd guitar that he made.

Tonally, Mark was trying to blend two styles: The clarity, projection and articulation of an archtop with some of the warmth and richness of a flattop. This is the only one of this model he ever made. To achieve this he carved the top and back plates thinner and flatter. He braced the top in a hybrid fashion adding a UTB, tone bars and finger braces. He created a smaller, smaller diameter round sound hole to drop the air resonance of the body and increased the rim depth from the standard 3” to 3-7/16” for additional internal volume in a 16” guitar.

Here is what the top bracing and carve looks like. Mark keeps detailed notebooks on all of his builds. The extra bracing (UTB, tonebars and finger braces) is their for extra structure due to the flat arch and thin carve.



The fiddleback Bigleaf Maple back is thick at the center seam and tapers to less than 1/2 its thickness at the recurve.



The prior owner added a Lollar gold foil pickup which looked odd placed over the sound hole, had an aftermarket finger rest with a tall/large potentiometer knob, and also added a K&K pickup. The tall, large potentiometer knob actually interferes with your right hand when picking. It also has some minor wear and tear that needed some nitro drop fills. Mark is also going to make a Ebony new finger rest and will return the guitar to its original acoustic state.

This is the guitar before he will make his modifications:



I will have it set it up with 80/20 brass strings first and also try 92/8 PB strings to see what I like best and keep it as a pure acoustic archtop like my 16” Comins Zelig archtop. One of the things I could not believe is the owner (or someone) used a sharpie to mark the bridge position (see the dots!). Mark thinks he can remove those with some sanding and local touch up.



The worst ding is in an odd spot, adjacent to the low E string side of the upper bout next to the fretboard extension (bottom photo). The main ding will always be there, but a nitro drop fill/sand/buff will close up the wood.



Most importantly, he says that the thinner, flatter top with his bracing has held its bridge position across 16-years structurally. When one tries something “new” or “non standard” that is always a risk. Also, having the person who made an instrument set it up is a plus.

Year: 2007
Model: Hybrid Archtop
Serial #: 093

Dimensions:
Scale Length: 25-1/4”
Nut Width: 1-3/4”
Saddle Spacing: 2-3/16”
Lower Bout: 16”
Upper Bout: 11-5/8”
Body Length: 20”
Body Depth: 3-7/16”
Sound Hole: 3-5/8”
Neck Shape: C

Materials:
Soundboard: Carved European Spruce
Back & Sides: Carved Bigleaf Maple
Bindings: Snakewood
Neck: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
Fretboard: Gaboon Ebony
Finger Rest: Gaboon Ebony
Bridge/Saddle: Gaboon Ebony
Tailpiece: Gaboon Ebony
Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Fret Wire: Jescar EVO 0.047” x 0.104”
Tuners: Waverly, Snakewood Buttons
Case: Hiscox

Mark is about to exhibit at the La Conner Guitar Festival in Washington State. He has started the nitro drop fills this week which need time to fully sink before sanding/buffing. I don’t expect to receive the guitar until June/July. I will take some photos then.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Wow, what a superb looking instrument. Mark is like the Rembrandt of the luthier world. To me anyway. Flawless in all design aspects, down to the very minute details that no one would ever likely come across as a player, except to enjoy the tone and playability in the end product.
Thanks for the pics and informative description. Hearty congrats!

[iim7V7IM7]

Thank you…

Unless someone commissions one, no, it is a one off. I appealed to me because I did a project back in 2015-16 with luthier Bill Comins which attempted to combine archtop and flattop guitars but in a different manner. Having two of Mark’s flattops and knowing the quality of his work, I couldn’t pass it up.

Mark has only made 4 archtops across his 30-years at the bench. He had been a pro luthier since 1994, but in 2000 decided to expand his horizons to archtops by taking a hands on course with Linda Manzer and Tom Ribbecke to learn the basics. This guitar was his fourth and last archtop and as you can see, a bit of an experiment of combining aspects of flattop guitar together with an archtop.

Originally Posted by AndreF

Wow, what a superb looking instrument. Mark is like the Rembrandt of the luthier world. To me anyway. Flawless in all design aspects, down to the very minute details that no one would ever likely come across as a player, except to enjoy the tone and playability in the end product.
Thanks for the pics and informative description. Hearty congrats!

[Maryc-k]

Tom has a flat backed archtop model, from what I remember. I played one of those and was very impressed by the volume it possessed.

[iim7V7IM7]

Tom? Who are you referring to?

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

Tom has a flat backed archtop model, from what I remember. I played one of those and was very impressed by the volume it possessed.

[Maryc-k]

I was referring to Tom Ribbecke, who you mentioned.

[iim7V7IM7]

Gotcha...(my bad). I think you are referring of Tom's Halflings. Did it have a sound hole in the upper bout?

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

I was referring to Tom Ribbecke, who you mentioned.

[Maryc-k]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Gotcha...(my bad). I think you are referring of Tom's Halflings. Did it have a sound hole in the upper bout?

LOL. Now you are taxing my memory, but yes it did have a soundhole in the upper bout, and it was indeed a Halfling. I had to think there there for a minute because I was almost thinking it was like the Solomon that I hesitated buying that had the cutouts in the upper bout, and ultimately lost out on.

btw, I grew up in NJ (I left there in 2010), but I never lived near any of the Turnpike or Parkway exits.

[iim7V7IM7]

Erich builds interesting archtops and is an exceedingly nice guy…. I have a 16” ladder braced, mahogany flat backed archtop by luthier Bill Comins. The Blanchard is fully carved.

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

LOL. Now you are taxing my memory, but yes it did have a soundhole in the upper bout, and it was indeed a Halfling. I had to think there there for a minute because I was almost thinking it was like the Solomon that I hesitated buying that had the cutouts in the upper bout, and ultimately lost out on.

btw, I grew up in NJ (I left there in 2010), but I never lived near any of the Turnpike or Parkway exits.

[Maryc-k]

Erich lives about 45 minutes from me, and there are a few local folks who play guitars he made for them.

[eKat]

Bob, Kath here.

Just wanted to say I'm stoked that Blanchard went for this restoration. We both came up with the idea at the same time. Let the record show, that guitar was incredible the day it was strung up back in 2007. Its condition, 16 years later, actually made me cry when I saw it screaming to be rescued. Nothing made more sense than for it to spend some quality time in the hands of its creator. Some things are worth the effort.

I'm also stoked that it has become part of your remarkable collection. Here's to untold hours of musical bliss, as soon as you're able to play it.

Thanks for helping to keep the magic alive.

[iim7V7IM7]

Kath. thanks for your note. I put another thread here.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=672887

Mark did a wonderful job bringing the guitar back to life. I am currently suffering from a broken finger, but have played it enough to tell that it is a superlative instrument. I am happy to be its current caretaker.

Originally Posted by eKat

Bob, Kath here.

Just wanted to say I'm stoked that Blanchard went for this restoration. We both came up with the idea at the same time. Let the record show, that guitar was incredible the day it was strung up back in 2007. Its condition, 16 years later, actually made me cry when I saw it screaming to be rescued. Nothing made more sense than for it to spend some quality time in the hands of its creator. Some things are worth the effort.

I'm also stoked that it has become part of your remarkable collection. Here's to untold hours of musical bliss, as soon as you're able to play it.

Thanks for helping to keep the magic alive.

[eKat]

I moved over to that thread, too.

And, you are correct! This RoundHoleHybrid is a superlative instrument. I'm really terrible on steel strings, but that didn't stop me from playing it, a lot. Plus, it's a true work of art.

I really hope you enjoy your time as its caretaker.