A Chicagoan in Melbourne
This 2017 Chicagoan was delivered to a client in Melbourne, Australia. Instead of telling you about my experience with it, here are the words from its owner.
“When you engage with Danny Koentopp to fashion a guitar for you, you enter into a detailed, intuitive and in-depth collaboration.
My association with Danny began with me being an F-hole arch top Jazz box fan. Along the way I encountered pics and reviews of his arch top Oval Hole Chicagoan. I was slowly, but very surely won over. I loved the clean, simple elegance.
My guitar is the clearest, richest, most versatile guitar I have ever owned or played. (And at 62 years I have known quite a few).
I do a lot of composition, (for self and friends), and Danny’s guitar will profoundly shape my work into the future.
It sounds like a flock of well-orchestrated birds, open, clear, rich, full throated and ecstatic, (I am), and light! My F hole jazz boxes are twice the weight with half the sound, both in terms of richness, volume and note separation within chords, which just blows me away, because I like to use close pianistic intervals (which is helped by Danny making this guitar a 24/34 inch scale).
The craftsmanship and finish are immaculate. The sound is profoundly beautiful and versatile. The neck and finger board are a dream: super low action and so comfortable. The left hand seems to almost just rest and glide. I wanted a really simple, elegant and minimal design. He surpassed all expectations.
Danny Koentopp is a thoroughly accomplished artist, who creates guitars, and he continues to search for the next peak of perfection.
Whilst his understanding of the relationship between tone woods, body and neck sculpting, and sonic resonance is nothing short of astounding, his greatest attribute is to deeply tune into his clients’ ideas, to draw them out gently, and allow them to generate the direction of the making, but in his safe hands.
I have now ordered a fully acoustic, full body Amati.
Enough said.”
-Koentopp Guitar client from Melbourne, Autralia
Specifications for the Chicagoan Oval Hole
- Master grade, figured Romanian spruce top
- Master grade, select Romanian maple back and sides
- X-braced
- One piece flame Maple neck with bone nut width of 1.75″ (.85″.95″)
- Macassar Ebony fingerboard with scale length 24.75″ (String .012-.052)
- Rosette bound in Mother of Pearl and Macassar Ebony
- Truss rod with carbon fiber reinforcements
- Macassar Ebony headstock face veneer
- Macassar Ebony veneer on rear of headstock
- Macassar Ebony heal cap
- Macassar Ebony body binding with violin style purfling
- Medium jumbo frets
- Unadorned Fretboard
- Edge position elliptical ebony inlay markers in Mother of Pearl
- Waverly Tuners with Ebony buttons
- Hand cut and intonated adjustable Macassar Ebony bridge
- Macassar Ebony tailpiece
- Finish, thin gloss lacquer
- Custom fit Hoffee carbon fiber case
Front and Back of 2017 Chicagoan OH
Flame Maple back with Macassar Ebony accents
Close up of back with purfling detail
Lovely Maple
Waist detail
Bridge and Rosette detail
Another view of the Macassar Ebony bridge and Rosette
Front view of bridge
Neck Extension with Mother of Pearl position markers
Top perspective
Back arching
Waist detail with binding detail
2017 Chicagoan Oval Hole
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