Bobby Broom’s Chicagoan
I have known Bobby for most of my life, or known of him would be a better way of putting it. It is next to impossible to go without hearing about the amazingly talented Chicago jazz guitarist while growing up in the same city with a passion for guitar. I think my mom had taken me to the Green Mill long before I was old enough to enter on my own, to see him perform. Bobby’s sound stuck with me. He had this deep, lush, and powerful voice. It was the kind of experience that you leave with an overwhelming sense of inspiration and energy.
Years passed, many years passed… After I was established in Chicago with my business and making guitars on the North side of Chicago, I got a phone call from Bobby one day. He wanted to discuss the making of an instrument. After getting over the shock of the hearing “this is Bobby Broom”, we began discussing his custom Chicagoan archtop. We spent the next two years talking about sound, about his playing style and his requirements. We talked about things he liked and things he did not like. This build was a great challenge for me. I wanted to get everything perfect and blow him away.
“Among other things, I was interested in hearing a richer depth in tone quality when sitting behind the instrument,” explained Broom. “This should really enhance my listening pleasure!”
It was an honor and pleasure to work with Bobby and develop the natural friendship that comes from this process
I measured Bobby’s main guitar and we decided to build the guitar off of similar specifications:
- 17″ Lower Bout
- Cutaway
- Maple back and sides, Spruce top
- 25.5″ scale length
- Parallel bracing
- 1 11/16″ nut width
- Slimmer neck profile
- Kent Armstrong Pickup with controls in top
- Patina brown finish with contrasting maple binding
- Ebony fingerboard and fittings
- Schaller tuners with Ebony buttons
- Bobby Broom logo inlay on rear of headstock
Bobby opening the case for the first time
First time looking it over
and the first time under the hands of Bobby Broom!
Bobby Broom custom Chicagoan Front and Back
Back and sides
Bound Fhole and Bindings
Player’s eye view
Laid down
Front in perspective
Maple bindings and inner waist
The money shot!
Tags: archtop, Bobby Broom, chicagoan, Guitar, jazz guitar, Luthier, luthiery
I listen to Bobby Brown play this guitar today. The tone astounded me. Never heard anything like it before. He played at Emory University, which has a wonderful sound room. I spoke with him afterwards and he told me the name of his guitar. I just read this short article about it. Can you tell me more about your guitars? Thank you very much.
Hi Hank! That is so cool! Thanks so much for the kind words! I will respond in more depth to your email address. If you don’t hear from me feel free to look up my phone number here and give me a call. All the best, Danny