NGD - Blanchard 2007 16” Hybrid Archtop [European Spruce | Bigleaf Maple]

[iim7V7IM7]

I just purchased a pre-owned archtop from my friend, California luthier Mark Blanchard.

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. After lingering there, 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 2002 with Tom Ribbecke and Linda Manzer to learn the basics of “archtoppery” (borrowed that word from Ken Parker ). He had already been building guitars for a decade prior to that. I believe this guitar was the 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 about 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 interfered with where my right hand would be when picking. It also has some minor wear and tear in the upper bout that needed some nitro drop fills and re-finishing. Mark was also kind enough to make a new Gaboon Ebony finger rest, Bone nut, fret redress and set up to return the guitar to its original acoustic state.

Model:
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





Right now, I am unfortunately sporting a broken ring finger on my right hand that I broke in a fall on July 15th so real playing isn’t possible right now. I suspect I am another two weeks or so. I will report back then.

[mhw48]

Beautiful guitar! I don’t know if it is the lighting or not, but it appears in the photos to have a very subtle sunburst. Either way, it’s gorgeous! I am sorry to hear about your fall and finger injury, hopefully you’ll be recuperating quickly and be able to enjoying this guitar soon! I will be very curious to hear your take on it’s tonal characteristics.

[iim7V7IM7]

Thanks…. It is a subtle amber burst tint to it.

Originally Posted by mhw48

Beautiful guitar! I don’t know if it is the lighting or not, but it appears in the photos to have a very subtle sunburst. Either way, it’s gorgeous! I am sorry to hear about your fall and finger injury, hopefully you’ll be recuperating quickly and be able to enjoying this guitar soon! I will be very curious to hear your take on it’s tonal characteristics.

[Steve Kinnaird]

That really is a beauty. Congrats, Bob!
Now, heal quickly.

[Nemoman]

Beautiful guitar, Bob--hope your finger recovers well and that you'll be playing this one soon...

[Gitfiddlemann]

It’s a Blanchard. ‘Nuff said.
Hearty congrats. It looks spectacular. I’m sure it will sound even better than it looks.
It’s the first time I see Mark’s archtop style logo on the peg head. Very cool retro look.
Hope your finger heals soon! Must be torture to be so sidelined under the circumstances.

[justonwo]

Great looking guitar! Congrats, I IV V!

[mhw48]

I was checking out your guitar on the Dream Guitar website -- and enjoying the sound:

https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/in...le-spruce-093/

I noticed that the guitarist was holding his picking hand a little strangely while he was playing, and realized that it was because of the placement of the potentiometer knob! Much better without it...

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Beautiful guitar, Bob--hope your finger recovers well and that you'll be playing this one soon...

Thanks! I think I am another two weeks from playing.

Originally Posted by AndreF

It’s a Blanchard. ‘Nuff said.
Hearty congrats. It looks spectacular. I’m sure it will sound even better than it looks.
It’s the first time I see Mark’s archtop style logo on the peg head. Very cool retro look.
Hope your finger heals soon! Must be torture to be so sidelined under the circumstances.

Me too! Mark pin routed the logo in MOP.

Originally Posted by justonwo

Great looking guitar! Congrats, I IV V!

Thanks Juston…

Originally Posted by mhw48

I was checking out your guitar on the Dream Guitar website -- and enjoying the sound:

I noticed that the guitarist was holding his picking hand a little strangely while he was playing, and realized that it was because of the placement of the potentiometer knob! Much better without it...

Unfortunately, the guitar was poorly set up with dead flatwounds at the time. Between that and the potentiometer, I have no idea how they played it. Mark’s nee pickguard is fantastic! It is the most stable that I have encountered despite being neck mounted/cantilevered.

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

That really is a beauty. Congrats, Bob!
Now, heal quickly.

Thanks Steve!

[eKat]

(Movin' this over here)

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]

One of the things that really stands out on Blanchard's archtops is how the tailpiece mimics the shape of the headstock. He's got this thing for integrating design elements, and it seems to work.

[iim7V7IM7]

Kath, thanks for chiming in...

I wasn't looking for another guitar, but sometimes the stars just align. When Mark told me about the guitar being available, I was of course intrigued given my musical style and my past experience with Mark with his flattops with my Pinyon (2015) and Bristlecone (2021).

Despite my bum finger, I could not resist taking the guitar for a spin for about 20 minutes yesterday. My initial playing impressions is that it is a magnificent acoustic archtop guitar marrying an archtop with aspects of flattop tonality. More to come once I heal up...

Originally Posted by eKat

(Movin' this over here)

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.

Originally Posted by eKat

One of the things that really stands out on Blanchard's archtops is how the tailpiece mimics the shape of the headstock. He's got this thing for integrating design elements, and it seems to work.