http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/archtops daily 0.75 2023-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1390692104506-KBMVU81DERFF5MDNSADT/Paul+Guitars+4.jpg Archtops - Number One This was The First. My Number One. A total classic in imported Spruce and figured maple with Ebony fingerboard and appointments. Pre-Gibson Epiphone proportions 17" Lower Bout and 25" scale. Honey tinted, tap tuned, body with layered bindings and classic f-holes. Figured Maple three piece neck with standard truss rod and "fingernail" markers. All hardware including the Kent Armstrong humbucker is full floating. Only the Ebony bridge makes contact with the guitar's body. If you face the guitar's top or back and hum, it will hum back at you! Volume and tone controls are mounted under the pickguard. Grover Roto-matic tuners. $4200.00 with Hardshell Case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1390692104506-KBMVU81DERFF5MDNSADT/Paul+Guitars+4.jpg Archtops - Number One This was The First. My Number One. A total classic in imported Spruce and figured maple with Ebony fingerboard and appointments. Pre-Gibson Epiphone proportions 17" Lower Bout and 25" scale. Honey tinted, tap tuned, body with layered bindings and classic f-holes. Figured Maple three piece neck with standard truss rod and "fingernail" markers. All hardware including the Kent Armstrong humbucker is full floating. Only the Ebony bridge makes contact with the guitar's body. If you face the guitar's top or back and hum, it will hum back at you! Volume and tone controls are mounted under the pickguard. Grover Roto-matic tuners. $4200.00 with Hardshell Case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1389836009654-9SV07L01YUEGNF52357N/Paul+Guitars+7.jpg Archtops - The Essential Dutchess The essence of A full bodied Acoustic Archtop! In all PH archtops, nothing makes contact with the top except for the bridge. If you face the guitar's top or back and hum, it will hum back at you! Pre-Gibson Epiphone proportioned 17" Lower Bout. The x-braced top is honey tinted Sitka Spruce, while the highly figured Maple sides, back, and neck are caramel stained . 25" scale neck with ebony fingerboard, headstock overlay, and bridge with pearl "fingernail" inlays. Multi-Layered Bindings on body, f holes, and neck. Schaller tuners. A black Kent Armstrong floating humbucker with volume control is mounted under the pickguard. Vintage Guitar Magazine has included a beautiful review of this guitar by Pete Prown in their April 2017 issue. A copy can be found in the magazine reviews gallery on this site. $4700.00 with Hardshell Case. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1705164163139-MCQYP44LPIQ9VYN4DLV6/retouched%2Bph2%2Bback.jpg Archtops - The Dutchess' Back A rear view to show the grain and color of the body as well as the neck details. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1389836045356-165YXN69R5PNHWM4AE20/Paul+Guitars+5.jpg Archtops - Blue Lagoon The Dutchess model in Cobalt Blue Burst finish with thin poly gloss coat. 25" scale. Imported Spruce, Highly Figured Maple, with Ebony details. Body is bound with Ebony and Maple, f holes and neck are also bound in multiple layers. Neck is three piece figured maple and mahogany with a two way truss rod, horn nut, and pearl "fingernail" markers. Sperzel Locking Tuners with Ebony buttons. Bartolini Floating Humbucker with a volume control under the pickguard. This guitar was included in a builder's showcase review which you can see in the magazine reviews gallery. Sold $6200.00 with Hardshell Case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1388798545802-YRZA08BUCZ5CP3YIJY36/IMG_1848.jpg Archtops - Beneath the Blue Lagoon This picture can't begin to represent this finish properly. The actual perception of depth in the surface is so rich it seems like you could sink your hand into the wood up to your elbow. All PH Guitars finishing work is performed by Gerhard Guitar works. "Cue" Gerhard has been a professional finisher for nearly 50 years, and includes, among others, work as Brian Moore's custom finisher, Specter Basses, and Babiscz Guitars "factory " finishes in his extensive resume'. Options include nitro-celluolose lacquer and modern (thin) polyurethane finishes in satin or gloss. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1496790050039-0KBLA9N5NZH8TER6Y4PT/Paul+Guitars+6.jpg Archtops - Big Red This powerful archtop guitar received a 4 Picks (Stars) rating in the November 2010 review in Premier Guitar. Here are links to the review and sound clips. Many thanks to Jason Shadrick and Premier guitar! http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Paul_Hartmann_Guitars_The_Dutchess_Archtop_Guitar_Review Tap tuned Adirondack "Bear Claw" Red Spruce top, Highly Figured U.S. Red Maple back and sides in vintage cherry burst, bound in ebony and maple. Three piece, 25" scale flamed maple and mahogany neck, with a two way truss rod and water buffalo horn nut. The Howard Roberts "Fusion" style tailpiece allows dissonance in the instrument to be tuned out between the bridge and tailpiece. Sperzel Locking Tuners with ebony buttons. Bartolini Floating Humbucker with a volume control under the pickguard. $6500.00 with Hardshell Case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1392765468941-56P3GOHKFQY8RKI634O8/retouched+big+red+back.jpg Archtops - Big Red from the Back Details of this unique instrument show in this photo. The grain figure of the North East American Red Maple is stunning! This instrument was reviewed in the November 2010 issue of Premier Guitar, receiving 4 Picks (stars) by the reviewer. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/mods-and-repairs daily 0.75 2024-03-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486544977-HELX8MGTSSQTSCRQO278/Paul%2BGuitars%2B3.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Not a Factory S -Type! Many guitarists feel that they could never afford ANY custom instrument, but can't find a factory model that works for them. SO, I offer "Parts-Casters", using mostly Fender inspired (and licensed) elements that can be combined in a vast number of variations of your choice. Component choice and mods incorporated into the build will dictate final costs,but prices can generally be expected to range like mid level to high end "standard" corporate guitars. This example uses a light weight body with tobacco sunburst flame maple veneer, Gotoh locking tuners, GFS lipstick tube pickups wired with the David Gilmour mod to allow independent switching for the neck pickup, giving 8 tone selections instead of the standard 5. The Wilkinson modern tremolo has a removable block. NOT your typical S type instrument. I use this guitar for open G (Keith Richards) tuning and slide work. I switched the pickups out for a Seymour Duncan Everything Axe set. With coil tapping wiring, for the neck and bridge pups, 9 tone options are available. As a premium set, this would , of course,result in a price increase Sold but can be recreated. $900.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486544977-HELX8MGTSSQTSCRQO278/Paul%2BGuitars%2B3.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Not a Factory S -Type! Many guitarists feel that they could never afford ANY custom instrument, but can't find a factory model that works for them. SO, I offer "Parts-Casters", using mostly Fender inspired (and licensed) elements that can be combined in a vast number of variations of your choice. Component choice and mods incorporated into the build will dictate final costs,but prices can generally be expected to range like mid level to high end "standard" corporate guitars. This example uses a light weight body with tobacco sunburst flame maple veneer, Gotoh locking tuners, GFS lipstick tube pickups wired with the David Gilmour mod to allow independent switching for the neck pickup, giving 8 tone selections instead of the standard 5. The Wilkinson modern tremolo has a removable block. NOT your typical S type instrument. I use this guitar for open G (Keith Richards) tuning and slide work. I switched the pickups out for a Seymour Duncan Everything Axe set. With coil tapping wiring, for the neck and bridge pups, 9 tone options are available. As a premium set, this would , of course,result in a price increase Sold but can be recreated. $900.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486290543-DADO22ET71GWN4L6MZR5/sea%252Bfoam%252Bstrat%252Bretouched.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Sea Foam Blues Another Parts Caster in a color from the 50s. Essentially a straight up recreation of one of Leo's best designs, this instrument has some less commonly offered component combinations. It is nearly impossible to find white pickups, black pickguard and rose wood neck with maple headstock on one instrument. The pickups are Texas Wound, but the mid pick up tone knob can be switched between standard tone duty or to neck volume by pulling it out (the David Gilmour mod). This adds three more easily accessed sonic choices to the usual five. You can take this one from Dick Dale's big surf sound to Pink Floyd's Wall, and then to Stevie Ray Vaughan's smokin' blues with ease. The Wilkinson two point tremolo bridge provides solid, reliable return to tuning in addition to being smooth under your palm during muted playing. All in all, an elegant guitar for under a grand. SOLD $800.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486364126-ZJBTIRGB599C7FVA9U7Y/IMG_3295.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Curly Cherry Pie Finally Finished! The 25 1/2" scale neck is a licensed part, the pickups are 2x P-90s that split. VERY meaty and rich with 2 volumes and a master tone circuit. Lots of tone variation here! The bridge is a locking wrap around that offers excellent adjustments. HOWEVER....The previous body was the prototype body for testing my ideas about chambering and layering techniques. It all worked, but like Waterford Crystal...I'm not offering factory seconds. I've created a new body of mahogany and curly cherry equal to the rest of my instruments. I've also taken another step in my chambering process. The bridge and neck blocks are still integral to the core frame, however, I've routed away the spine between them to allow the top and back plates to move more. The result is a round and rich, woody tone without feedback and the appearance of a solid body guitar. Take a look at the next photo to see the visual of the core as it relates to the top and back plates. SOLD With case: $1300.00 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486185784-2B4PULVZZRAEO2MZKA3E/IMG_3293.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - A Little More Depth, a Lot More Looks Here is a "driver's view" of the curly cherry Hybrid. The contrast between the surfaces and the core is quite attractive. Several players have already commented on how comfortable the feel is (LIGHT) with the body relief cuts. As always, my control circuits are intended to be stage friendly and provide an exceptional variety of tones on the fly. You can also get a good look at the gunstock finish I've used on this guitar. Even thinner than sprayed Nitrocellulose, and just as durable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1396228133807-W91536GH3XOKH1YOAZQ7/retouched+8+string+bass+close+up.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Close up of 8 String Bass This is a "body shot" of the 5 to 8 string bass conversion shown in the bass gallery. You can get a better look at the massive ABM bridge plate, and metal flake blue with black edging finish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486499925-9W2D9U0B1XYP7FDUYWW5/IMG_3052%255B1%255D.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - A Collectible Gretsch saved from the Grave This 1952 Gretsch New Yorker was a classic basket case! The dove tail neck block had split so the neck was impossible to reattach. I devised a clamping method that reached through the F-holes to repair it . The block, and the neck heel both needed more repairs to restore a good solid fit. The"repaired" headstock had split and delaminated. These were properly mended, but scars remain. A Micarta nut, a replacement set of Kluson 3 on a strip tuners, and 6 replacement frets were required. The lacquer finish is a bit crazed, but it, and all the bindings, and pickguard are original. The neck has no truss rod, so the action at the 12th fret is a bit high. The lower frets are very playable with a big, round, warm tone with great projection. This instrument wants a collector to adopt it into a good home. Price (with new medium grade hardshell case) is $620.00. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486687476-H6TAUCL5T3NQZFP0I14J/IMG_3039.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - An Acoustic Salvation This customer's Gibson had been his father's with a history only possible from the streets of New York City in the late sixties. The "repair" to the original bridge included a couple of Electric staples. (Like the ones you use to hold Romex cable to your 2x4 studs in house construction). There were other issues including a broken (off) headstock, back bent neck with corroded truss rod, worn nut, and some other "minor" problems. The restoration of the bridge was foremost due to the unavailability of a replacement bridge. The next slide shows the ebony bridge after being repaired. By blending in replacement segments of ebony where original had broken away, the original shape and geometry was restored. With the repairs to the other more typical problems, this Gibson squared shouldered dreadnought has regained its classic "thump" and power. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709486862344-HV15DLSKJITT96NOYE2N/IMG_3050.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - It's ALIIIVE! After removal, scarfing in replacement ebony, re-drilling and forming the pin holes, using pearl dots to camouflage the staple holes, and regluing the bridge in its rightful place, the venerable Gibson still shows its heritage, but along with the other (comparatively) simple repairs, plays and sounds like a true thoroughbred again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1493668009099-VND5I9NZS6MQUTQ3M0AB/IMG_0116.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Dan Pitt's BDP, my first Mod In 2007 as I was finishing up my first instrument (the #1 Archtop), a co-worker asked if I could salvage an instrument his brother had begun years before as a RISD engineering project. The original intent had been to recreate a factory Peavey guitar as a custom walnut version. The body succeeded, but there were unsolvable issues with the neck. I started with a licensed Fender neck as a replacement, but that changed the scale length by over an inch, and the tremolo is a through body device like a strat's. The next two photos show how I re-routed the tremolo pocket's back end, and filled the front end . Another photo shows Dan, with the finished guitar. We kept the original circuit design, but replaced the pots, and installed some hot Golden Age Humbuckers from StewMac. The pickguard was originally gold, but later switched to black to let the walnut take center stage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1493667863040-420FCYG9376VWK21RXXP/IMG_0082.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - The back inside of the re-made BDP trem pocket This repair actually required two separate pieces of wood to fill the replaced space. One for the interior "floor" of the trem spring well, and the "cap" on the upper body that would hold the trem stud bushings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1493667974328-O4OCSMWJF7CTYKQEOQC4/IMG_0083.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - The Re-made Top of The BDP Trem Pocket Relocation If you look carefully on either side of the trem stud bushings, you can see the lines outlining the remade upper surface. Even though I knew that the pickguard would hide the repair, I tried very hard to keep grain pattern and color consistent with the original body's JUST IN CASE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1493667764683-2GA7HCE0RHW0TPMU84OK/IMG_0123.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Dan and his BDP Dan asked for a monogram in the headstock that would reflect his brother's initial role in the guitar's creation. We agreed that a simple green abalone BDP would show on the maple and do the job. Dan also requested a change to a black pickguard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1581540379119-Z37717N4UU5F0CUBKVWQ/20181007_173147.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Good Friend's "Warhorse" A while ago, a friend from my childhood reconnected with me. He’d been a bass player since he was a teen and had achieved a fair measure of local and national attention in his bands. This Guild had been his long time performing bass with the road scars to prove it. It was essentially “all there”, just a little mixed up with some tough problems to address regarding the bridge and electronics. Both were very different from anything easily documented. This was my starting point. We knew there wasn’t going to be a total refinish, but the worn areas should, to protect the raw wood, get sealed. A nasty dent had been earned between the heel block and the control knobs when the bass flew off the roof of the road van after a gig. I was going to do my best to, at least, swell out the damaged fibers to prep for the day when the refin was actually performed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1581540547077-MB28B91RPJZFF9TDK0J9/20181011_122753.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - New Ebony Saddles Although they don’t look like much, these were the most difficult part of my repair for this bass. The intonation system uses ebony pieces that are shaped and slotted to sit on L-shaped metal tabs which handle the mechanical adjustment. 2 of the metal tabs had fatigued and failed and had to be duplicated. The shape had to be correct, and the location of the bend needed to be correct. 3 of the ebony saddles had crumbled and needed to be remade. The slots in the ebony saddles had to be open enough to sit on the tabs without weakening them to the point that the string pressure would snap them. Jobs like this are where my background in jewelry fabrication pay off to keep bench time in a reasonable range. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1581540612512-SKE7EIN5BFYGVTSAJ3UM/20181013_092411.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Ready for the Road Well, the work was really for nostalgia and a sense of honor to a righteous instrument more than to take it to the stage again, but this was the result right after tuning and preliminary testing that the circuits were intact and functional. The dent was swollen out with pinpoint application of water to the fractured wood to swell the compressed fibers. The darkness will eventually fade to match the rest of the body, but until the total refinish is performed, the cross cut fracture will still show. Light coats of lacquer were applied to the bare spots with an artist’s brush just to seal and blend the raw areas of the finish by the pickups. It’s a heavy beast, but it plays beautifully and sounds like thunder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1581541406393-V3V74DSLQ8B06SSVMN7Z/20181015_121131+%282%29.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - The Martin Crack This 1978 Martin 00-18 came into the shop with a lifting pickguard and a warped and cracked spruce top shown here between my awl and scribe. This photo was taken after the warpage had relaxed, but before I had glued, and clamped it together. Tracing paper let me duplicate the original pickguard shape left in the finish. This is a well documented issue with this vintage of Martins. The idea was to save time and material on each instrument by gluing the plastic guard to the bare wood prior to finishing the guitar. The plastic of the era was unstable, and the finish increased the bad reaction. The pickguards shrank and pulled the spruce apart on the grain lines. The cracks happen anywhere between the sound hole and waist. You can see the degree of pickguard shrinkage. I clipped the original guard to my finished replacement. You have to start a bit large, then gently pare down to exact shape with light shears and sandpaper. If you cut too much, you start over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1581541467342-KTI3LSIYLBFJQFSSUIZV/20181031_104310.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Joni Mitchell should take a second look! The bare wood was sealed with lacquer before the new guard was applied. The original finish rises like a well surrounding it perfectly, and the crack is no longer visible. The back story to this guitar, is that it was sent to Joni Mitchell as a promo. For whatever reason, she didn’t accept, and returned it…..SO… The Martin “mantra” of the era was that certified Martin dealers would set up the instrument to YOUR specs as part of the purchase. But these instruments did not have adjustable truss rods! ALL adjustments happen at the nut and bridge. This guitar was a gift, and its owner didn’t know the policy, so it was never set up. I greatly improved the action by shaving the saddle, tuning the nut, and stringing the guitar with “10s”. Further improvement would require deepening the saddle slot and shaving the top of the bridge. This may be done later. This guitar has power, balance, and tonal complexity that you don’t get very often. Joni missed her chance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1583246229996-S8WCTE84RNYR36XO8GJH/IMG_0182.jpg Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - The Saving of a Mandotar My friend Eric brought his mandotar to me (like an “A” style tenor mandolin with a guitar scale neck length) with a total headstock break. The GOOD news was that when the break occurred, the severed headstock had been put in the case with the instrument and no fussing or other repair attempts had ben made. The BAD news was that there were some serious chip fragments lost forever from the face of the headstock near the truss rod and first tuning pegs. I was able to “knit”, align, and re-glue the headstock to the neck, but the face was too scarred to leave as it was. With Eric’s permission, I shaved the face down to solid wood and inlaid an ebony piece that covered the face damage and echoed the truss rod cover. The next slide shows the back side of the repair, but the end result is a unique instrument that can be played again with confidence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1583245440253-ZRUT7TGT9ENGWPW2AU1X/IMG_0183.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - You Can See It, But You Can't Feel It A cross grain break will never be invisible, so the next best thing to do is make it “invisible” to the player’s hand. This shows the back side of Eric’s Flatiron Mandotar neck repair, filled, faired, and polished. Famed instrument repairman, Dan Erlewine, refers to these repairs as the “smile” cracks because they are almost always one or two arcs across the grain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1685991580571-AXMUVD4Y5RRDFG6I640M/IMG_0484.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Saving the Phoenix This is a story about friends. A customer brought me this body which he found as he cleared his closets preparing to move. It had been given to him by his lifelong friend so far in the past that neither remembered it. It was finished,bound, pre-drilled, and routed for its electronics, but no neck pocket had been cut, and the finish had checked badly. He asked if we could complete it so that he could give it back to his friend for Christmas. There were no labels, ink, numbers or clues to its origin, but I dug in and started. This photo shows my first steps to reshape the pickup routs to fit existing units, since no available pickups fit the spaces. I had also begun to wet sand and re-amalgamate the finish. Over time, I used a partially finished neck, Lace jazz fusion pickups, best guess bridge and tailpiece components and completed the guitar as seen in the next photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1685992786465-764AEDKOCTNW4OK2SBLX/IMG_0515.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - Getting the wires to fit in the Phoenix The double rib spine construction of the body made the prospect of wiring the Lace jazz fusion pickups with coil tapping a formidable challenge. You can see how I had masked the fills to the pickup routs with pickguard material and routed for humbuckers. to eliminate the need for feeding an excessive number of wires through impossible space, I attached 4 chassis ground lugs to the bottom of the guitar under the neck pickup. It was still very tight work, but it made the job possible. The finish is nearly finish sanded and ready for a dress coat of lacquer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1685991608109-O9X8186X8T8GTBIG5UOX/IMG_0522.JPG Mods, Repairs, and Part-casters - The Phoenix This was the finished guitar. I had gotten a case that fit, so the package was complete. The finish is attractive though showing some pedigree compliant with a 50 year old instrument that’s been around the block. As it turns out, I was actually able to find who had originally made the body in or around 1970. It was going to be an Ovation Tornado. The parts I’d used to restore the body were very much in line with the components Ovation had used in this line although I think I upgraded the bridge, tuners and pickups. Even the new lace pickups resemble the original Ovation units. The original instrument, if completed, would have been priced roughly equivalent to a Gibson SG. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/pricing-of-instruments-and-services daily 0.75 2024-01-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1484254175822-UE5L1CONW4IN40L7OF8Q/IMG_3233.JPG Pricing and Warranty - You Don't Need a One Trick Pony In my Home Page Gallery, I stated that no guitar can be totally machine made. Further, it follows that the more handmade an instrument is, the more it should reflect the player that will call it their own. I've priced specific instruments on the gallery pages to convey a sense of potential range. The exact cost of materials can have a profound impact on price. I've built instruments that have had investments of $1000.00 in the wood ALONE, others only about $120.00. Pickups can cost from around $100 for a damn good set, to $500+ for a freakin' awesome set. What's consistent throughout, is my attention to quality work. My necks and setups rival the best available anywhere. Use the contact page to get in touch. I'm here for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1484254175822-UE5L1CONW4IN40L7OF8Q/IMG_3233.JPG Pricing and Warranty - You Don't Need a One Trick Pony In my Home Page Gallery, I stated that no guitar can be totally machine made. Further, it follows that the more handmade an instrument is, the more it should reflect the player that will call it their own. I've priced specific instruments on the gallery pages to convey a sense of potential range. The exact cost of materials can have a profound impact on price. I've built instruments that have had investments of $1000.00 in the wood ALONE, others only about $120.00. Pickups can cost from around $100 for a damn good set, to $500+ for a freakin' awesome set. What's consistent throughout, is my attention to quality work. My necks and setups rival the best available anywhere. Use the contact page to get in touch. I'm here for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1391981169729-80M2WD9QCINYAOICPNHN/big+red+archtop.JPG Pricing and Warranty - Pricing and Warranty info for Instruments or Services Each PH guitar is hand built by one person, from scratch. As such, each represents a combination of woods, components, and geometry to form a physical embodiment of a particular player's concept of what looks and sounds good. Wood as a raw material, at builder's cost, can be around two hundred dollars (the Blue Wave), or possibly beyond one thousand dollars (the Big Red archtop). Regardless of the cost, good wood makes a good guitar. I select the tone wood for each instrument for a premium sonic and visual potential. Component costs will equally affect an individual instrument's cost as a material or its complexity to work with or install. IN GENERAL, prices can range from around $1300.00 to $5500.00 for instruments as shown on these pages. "Parts-casters" may be under a grand depending on component sources and detailing. Guitar cases are supplied through various third parties, and would be warranted by the respective manufacturer. I warranty all work performed by me to the buyer for the parts and workmanship. Please see the next page for my full Warranty Statement. Please use the CONTACT page to begin a dialogue about what youwant to be playing and how I can put that instrument in your hands. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1722801287385-KD5Z3EADDEYLNE6P7K5K/guitar%252Bhang%252Btag%252Bscanned%252Bimage%252Bresized.jpg Pricing and Warranty http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/homepage-phguitars daily 1.0 2024-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1703879693768-7CTHJB4I6JXIMR2BNAF3/cropped%2Bguitar-for-paul.jpg Home - Something Old, Something New After 60 plus years of modern guitar building, players still rely on only a few early designs, from a few famous factories. Some skilled builders have tried to address recognized flaws in each of those classic masterpieces without compromising the wonderful essence of them. After 40 years of playing those guitars, I realized the only way to get MY look, feel AND SOUND would be to build my own, AND I CAN BUILD YOURS! If you want more than the same old same old, I have a lot to offer you as a player. I craft each guitar to your specs, without a corporation to add to the cost . You get a "custom shop/special order" or "left handed" at prices often lower than middle to high end factory instruments. Please, look at my "What's Special" page to check some of my standard features. No factory. Just an expert craftsman creating guitars to customer specs. Tell me your dream, let's make it work. Select pictures from the galleries to get a taste of what I can build for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1703879693768-7CTHJB4I6JXIMR2BNAF3/cropped%2Bguitar-for-paul.jpg Home - Something Old, Something New After 60 plus years of modern guitar building, players still rely on only a few early designs, from a few famous factories. Some skilled builders have tried to address recognized flaws in each of those classic masterpieces without compromising the wonderful essence of them. After 40 years of playing those guitars, I realized the only way to get MY look, feel AND SOUND would be to build my own, AND I CAN BUILD YOURS! If you want more than the same old same old, I have a lot to offer you as a player. I craft each guitar to your specs, without a corporation to add to the cost . You get a "custom shop/special order" or "left handed" at prices often lower than middle to high end factory instruments. Please, look at my "What's Special" page to check some of my standard features. No factory. Just an expert craftsman creating guitars to customer specs. Tell me your dream, let's make it work. Select pictures from the galleries to get a taste of what I can build for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1388871133502-XEF66ACMOF7Z51DHMGAH/cropped+me+in+the+shop.jpg Home - Each Instrument by Hand It's true that no guitar, wherever it's made, must be hand built to some extent. No machine can address all the facets of construction like a human hand. THAT said, many operations can be done by machine, but at the cost of design flexibility. We all know what the necks of certain companies will feel like because they set their machinery up to "bulk out" the heavy work. Did you ever wish you could get the bullet proof assembly and "quack" of a certain California build with the feel of one of those old "baseball bat" necks? Or maybe a semi hollow body with a quarter sawn solid wood top and back instead of laminate build? How about left handed custom anything at the same price as an equivalent “righty” instrument? This is how it's done. No line to shut down and retool, no corporate structure to support, just me and my tools, and your input to create your dream machine of tone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1576855252936-S6P1FFT32MDX59W7IFSL/HARTMAN_ICON_DEC2014+VG+promo+cover.jpg Home - Please don't just take my word for it. As we move further into our digital new world order, I'm finding that it will be more convenient to provide a gallery page of the collected reviews which have been written about my instruments. Having links to the reviews on line has worked for some of the articles, but several had pre-dated the digitization of Vintage Guitar's content, and more print publishers are finding it necessary to require subscriptions and log-ins for on line issues to stay in business. One review for my Big Red Archtop will still be accessible by link, simply because it was a three page article with sound clips connected to it (thank you Jason Shadrick at Premier Guitar!) You'll find a note in the specific guitar gallery pages if there is a review available for that instrument that you would like to read. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1436369097355-6665LY39CCCIIGEOVXXD/cropped+guitar-for-paul.jpg Home - Something Old, Something New For over 60 years, luthiers have mostly followed the format of a few instantly recognizable designs, created by the iconic builders we all know by name. A few notable builders have tried to address widely recognized flaws in each of those original masterpieces without compromising the basic truths discovered in those first great guitars. After 40 years of playing many of those guitars, I realized the only way to get the look, feel AND SOUND I wanted would be to build my own, AND I CAN DO IT FOR YOU! If you have felt that Gibson guitars felt "small", Fender instruments feel 'Large" and PRS are just expensive, I have a lot to offer you as a player. Each guitar is individually crafted. Your instrument is constructed to your specs, without the expense of a corporation to add to the purchase cost . The result is "custom shop/special order" or "left handed" at prices equivalent to a middle to high end factory "standard" instrument. Please look at my "what's Special" page to review some of my standard features. There is no factory. Just a craftsman creating guitars to customer specifications. If the parts and forms you want can fit together physically and sonically, let's try it. Look through the samples presented in the galleries to get a taste of what I can build for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1485974174565-NIL4EBX0NBAUTTAT5LFJ/VGAPPROVED_ICON_SINGLE.png Home - Thank You VG! For over a decade, Vintage Guitar Magazine has provided me with solid and interesting information about guitars and the people who play, build, and maintain them. They have also been very supportive for me as a new builder. I can't thank them enough for that. I feel honored to be able to have been included in the ranks of their Approved Gear. If you aren't familiar with their publication yet, I suggest trying an issue or two. It's available digitally and on News stands. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1484499595532-7S2Z25OR97OR7UIX4JW1/20161029_095502.jpg Home - Come and See the Show! Here's where I'll be soon. My show schedule is pending. The pandemic is still showing its effects on public attendance and promoter offerings. For the present, please browse through my pages to see if there’s an instrument you might be interested in from stock, or if there might be something special you’d like to talk with me about as a new project. I’ve been building a few single ended amplifiers from kits during the pandemic and will be listing a couple of those on this site soon. If you happen to be in the Mid-Hudson valley, and would like to stop in to try an instrument, give me some advance notice and we’ll make some arrangements. Hyde Park is a cultural destination with Historic river view mansions, including the FDR presidential home and library, the Walkway Over the Hudson, and the Culinary Institute of America, and numerous parks and other attractions. You’ll find a contact link at the bottom of my menu listings. Photo taken at the Farmington, CT Northeast Guitar Expo October 2016 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1483449097334-IV9C0XUAVAV9UWH0OBRS/cropped+guitar-for-paul.jpg Home - Something Old, Something New For over 60 years, luthiers have mostly followed the format of a few instantly recognizable designs, created by the iconic builders we all know by name. A few notable builders have tried to address widely recognized flaws in each of those original masterpieces without compromising the basic truths discovered in those first great guitars. After 40 years of playing many of those guitars, I realized the only way to get the look, feel AND SOUND I wanted would be to build my own, AND I CAN DO IT FOR YOU! If you have felt that Gibson guitars felt "small", Fender instruments feel 'Large" and PRS are just expensive, I have a lot to offer you as a player. Each guitar is individually crafted. Your instrument is constructed to your specs, without the expense of a corporation to add to the purchase cost . The result is "custom shop/special order" or "left handed" at prices equivalent to a middle to high end factory "standard" instrument. Please look at my "what's Special" page to review some of my standard features. There is no factory. Just a craftsman creating guitars to customer specifications. If the parts and forms you want can fit together physically and sonically, let's try it. Look through the samples presented in the galleries to get a taste of what I can build for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1583247425595-OZ2S0WHIXJM4YK2053D2/IMG_0183.JPG Home - Build New or Repair the Old No shop survives on new builds alone. I’m proud to say that after decades of restoring fine antiques, teaching jewelry fabrication, and working as a semi-conductor equipment installer, I am able to apply those skills to some of the most challenging repairs needed in lutherie. In the mods and repair section, you can see descriptions of several instruments that needed repairs for their bridge, neck, body, headstock, and combinations of all of those together. Pricing is always fair and reasonable with owner’s approval for all work prior to commencement. There’s no “bench fee and estimates are free. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/travel-guitars-1 daily 0.75 2024-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483315831-3U7KOC10KJ2VCJ3460WK/IMG_1444.jpg Travel Guitars - The PH Stage/Travel Guitar In 2006, I was flying often to help with my Dad's care. I reworked another company's travel instrument, but even with a new nut, saddle, tuners, & adding a pickup it still sounded, and felt like a cross between a banjo and ukelele with six strings to me. I needed to make a real guitar small enough to fly with. This body style is "worn" inside your right thigh like a flying vee. Your wrist rests on the body and bridge stabilizing the instrument. The size is like headless guitars without the odd feel they can have. The hollow bodies are very resonant for their size. This guitar has a maple core with Honduran Mahogany top and back. Everything else is full scale. The 3 piece bird's eye maple neck is 25" scale with a 12" radius. The tuners and hardware are top quality. These Pickups are coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbuckers that let me play everything from jazz to hard rock ON STAGE. A well padded gig bag lets everything meet the strict overhead compartment limits now enforced by the airlines. Sold but can be recreated. $1300.00 with fitted gig bag https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/5862cf5fe3df28e04ed24649/5862cf9f6b8f5b4665f92984/1482870687377/ Travel Guitars https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483315831-3U7KOC10KJ2VCJ3460WK/IMG_1444.jpg Travel Guitars - The PH Stage/Travel Guitar In 2006, I was flying often to help with my Dad's care. I reworked another company's travel instrument, but even with a new nut, saddle, tuners, & adding a pickup it still sounded, and felt like a cross between a banjo and ukelele with six strings to me. I needed to make a real guitar small enough to fly with. This body style is "worn" inside your right thigh like a flying vee. Your wrist rests on the body and bridge stabilizing the instrument. The size is like headless guitars without the odd feel they can have. The hollow bodies are very resonant for their size. This guitar has a maple core with Honduran Mahogany top and back. Everything else is full scale. The 3 piece bird's eye maple neck is 25" scale with a 12" radius. The tuners and hardware are top quality. These Pickups are coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbuckers that let me play everything from jazz to hard rock ON STAGE. A well padded gig bag lets everything meet the strict overhead compartment limits now enforced by the airlines. Sold but can be recreated. $1300.00 with fitted gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483181166-QH760P2NKNU8RM1ADA2K/IMG_3203.jpg Travel Guitars - Little Red Twang Machine In 2006, I owned another maker's travel guitar, but even with new tuners, nut, saddle, & adding a pickup it felt, and sounded like a toy to me. I needed to make a real guitar small enough to fly with. This body style is "worn" inside your right thigh like a flying vee. Your wrist rests on the body and bridge to steady the guitar. The size is like headless guitars without the odd feel they can have. The hollow bodies are very resonant for their size. This guitar has a spruce/mahogany top, with a figured maple back. Everything else is full scale. The Satin oiled, figured maple neck is 25" scale and a 12" radius. The tuners and hardware are top quality. This guitar has a t-style bridge with Seymour Duncan stacked hot rails for tele, and a Stew Mac '59 Parson Street P-90 that creates the classic twang we expect from a "t style" ON STAGE with a rock punch from the P-90! These instruments come with a gig bag to stay within the strict new overhead compartment limits enforced by the airlines. $1200.00 with fitted gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483242712-CMC573V298YSUP73LR4Q/IMG_3193.jpg Travel Guitars - Little Amber '59-ish In 2006, I owned another maker's travel guitar, but even with new tuners, nut, saddle, & adding a pickup it felt, and sounded like a toy to me. I needed to make a real guitar small enough to fly with. This guitar is "worn" inside your right thigh like a flying vee. Your wrist on the body and bridge steadies the guitar. The size is like headless guitars with a better feel. With a spruce/mahogany top and figured maple back, the hollow body is very resonant for its size. The rest of the instrument is full scale. The satin oiled, figured maple neck is 25" scale with a 12" radius. The tuners and all hardware are top shelf. The pickups are a set of Stew Mac Parson's Street '59 PAFs (Alnico 2 bridge, Alnico 5 Neck), using the "50s circuit" for all the classic tones ON STAGE that we expect from this combination. The bridge is a Gotoh wrap around with Tune-O-Matic style saddles. A padded gig bag lets these fit the strict new overhead compartment limits set by the airlines. $1200.00 with fitted gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483771052-SU5GSD8O3MOFJWZJS0ZB/IMG_1564.jpg Travel Guitars - A Little Bloodwood, Please In 2006, I owned another maker's travel guitar, but even with new tuners, nut, saddle, & adding a pickup it felt, and sounded like a toy to me. I needed to make a real guitar small enough to fly with. This guitar is "worn" like a vee shaped guitar inside your right hip. Your wrist "lands" on the body and bridge stabilizing the instrument. There's a headless guitar size to these with a better feel. The chambered body has surprising resonance. This instrument uses a figured maple core with bloodwood top and back caps. The rest of these instruments is full scale. The flamed and figured laminated neck is 25" scale with a 12" radius. The tuners and all hardware are top quality. These pickups are a set of coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbuckers that let me go from warm jazz through the hardest rock ON STAGE. A gig bag lets these stay within the airlines' strict new overhead compartment limits. Sold, but can be reproduced for you. $1400.00 with fitted gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483113462-D5SLKRT2G2EYHWAVL1CA/IMG_3200.jpg Travel Guitars - Details Details! This photo shows how the controls are accessible in standard fashion. The neck end strap button is on the upper bout neck bolt. Like all my neck to body joints, there is a constant regard for a smooth tactile ease that lets you play without rethinking your grip on the neck. The bolt on process has let me "swap out" neck and body combinations for several customers who found that what they thought they wanted at first didn't quite work for them. They kept what they wanted, and I rebuilt new for what needed to be changed. You also get a nice view of the color core ply I use for many of my bodies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1484500941603-SRCIW498U1WYZ0DCITXM/20161113_155633.jpg Travel Guitars - A Busker's Dream Sometimes You just Can't Make It Up! In 2016, my wife was an exhibitor at the Artist's Craft Show in the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Dance Museum. I got the gig as background music for the show. Sitting in front of the Firebird costume display got some raised eyebrows, but you can see my busker's rig. I put a 6" Weber speaker, and an extension jack in my Roland Cube so that I can add a 10” speaker cab I’d built. At conversational volume levels, the sound is warm and rich. As you can see, supporting these like mini Vee body guitars keeps them stable and comfortable. I've used a Vox Amplug with headphones while riding Amtrak from Rochester to Rhinecliff, NY for even lighter travel. The point of these guitars is to have a small, stage capable version of YOUR guitar. The instrument in this photo is the mini version of my mahogany "understated perfection" guitar in the electrics gallery, including the same full feature neck profile and electronics, the average listener would be hard pressed to tell the difference in sound between the two guitars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482871292876-HTU799SXS8JGJIEBTU0D/IMG_1423.JPG Travel Guitars - The Jotoba (Yah' Toe Bah) mini This is the travel guitar body that had been Tom's "Italian" guitar. It got a new neck and is now a full featured mini guitar with a body of natural finished Jotoba (Brazilian Cherry) that's "worn" inside your right thigh like a vee shaped guitar. Your wrist rests on the body and bridge stabilizing the instrument. These are small without the headless "something's missing" feel. The body is totally chambered and resonates like a much larger body. Everything else is full scale. The laminated flame maple neck with ebony fingerboard is 25" scale, 12" radius. All hardware is top quality. Pickups are coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbuckers that cover everything from jazz to hard rock. This guitar has a Schaller Tune-O-Matic wrap around bridge. To comply with the new strict overhead compartment limits enforced by the airlines, these instruments now come with a gig bag. $1400.00 with fitted gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482870756293-IZUQQRPZ5DEJO1YYF946/IMG_1444.jpg Travel Guitars - The Prototype Stage Travel Guitar In 2006, my Dad became really sick. Living 1000 miles away meant regular airplane trips to help with his care. I bought another maker's travel instrument, but even after substantially reworking its nut, saddle, adding a pickup, upgrading tuners, it still always sounded, and felt like a compromise. I needed to make a REAL guitar that just happened to be small. This instrument represents my second body style which is "worn" a bit like a vee shaped guitar inside your right hip. Your wrist "lands" on the body and bridge stabilizing the instrument very comfortably. The bodies utilize a massively chambered core to produce a resonance not expected from a body this size. This body is a maple core with Honduran Mahogany top and back. Everything else about these instruments is full scale. The laminatedbird's eye maple neck is 25" scale, 12" radius (like all of my necks unless requested otherwise), the tuners and all hardware are top quality. Pickups are your choice, but these are my favorite coil tapped hot rodded humbuckers that let me play everything from jazz to the hardest rock ON STAGE. There's a headless guitar compactness to these without the headless weirdness associated with them. These instruments come with a gig bag to stay within the newer strict overhead compartment limits enforced by the airlines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483692794-HOJK45IRUTQ26PJ0BMSK/323.jpg Travel Guitars - Brent’s "Prince" In 2019, Brent called from Alabama to request a travel version of his Ernie Ball Majesty Monarch. We discussed various options and went with a 25.5” scale through neck like the Monarch. My headless basses use this technique so by adding a headstock and a different bridge, this was the result. One big contributor to the sound and feel of the guitar was to reverse the wood sequence for the neck and body core from maple shoulders on a mahogany center, to a maple center with Mahogany shoulders. It looks stunning and feels warm and smooth. Hollow wings add resonance. The Monarch’s neck is nearly identical to 70s Martin neck specs. I had a Martin from that era in the shop for repairs so it was easy to replicate the shape for Brent. Brent chose the DiMarzio Sonic Ecstasy pickups, a premium set with a premium sound! Coil tapping adds tone choices from classic humbucker crunch to hot tele. With a string through, low profile, locking saddle ABM bridge, the tone and sustain is much bigger than the guitar’s size would indicate. The sister instrument can be seen on the Stormy Monday page. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483049838-NDFCM43VYTB7315ZCEUK/326.jpg Travel Guitars - The Back of Brent's guitar This back side view of Brent’s travel guitar shows the through neck and the significant clearance at the heel that is possible with this construction method. Brent’s other requests that added a slight twist to my usual travel formula were 24 frets and a 25 1/2” scale. As with the headless basses, the wings are a hollow sandwich construction of maple on mahogany. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709482887069-1WDXTAMF2IKI69E1VA49/IMG_0720.jpg Travel Guitars - Stormy Monday This instrument is the “sister” to Brent’s “Prince”. The only differences are in the custom blended color, and a set of coil-tappable Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Pickups. This guitar was reviewed in the December 2023 issue of VIntage Guitar magazine. the 4 color print image was a little “off” in print, but the review was very gracious in its praise. This is an exceptionally playable instrument that never fails to impress sonic-ally or visually. $1500.00 with padded gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709482835277-U5VCC5A0PQLQU48QY43B/IMG_3519.jpg Travel Guitars - Stormy Monday's other side Here is a rear view showing the neck’s maple core with mahogany shoulders. This produces a very nice feel but helps offer a defense against the classic head stock break that plagues solid mahogany necks with a headstock angle. The tuners are Grovers mini locking tuners like the ones used on Brent’s instrument. A very nice auto lock mechanism that doesn’t add the extra weight of knobs, pins, gears, etc. The color is a custom blend made with art pigments and finished in Nitro cellulose lacquer. This guitar will turn heads because of its looks and its sound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483511140-K86WNZ42MM6T6ZOJ8D6H/nekoda%252Bretouched.jpg Travel Guitars - Nekoda's Jazz 1 Nekoda requested a travel guitar with a jazz flavor and visual feel. He also wanted it to be for a left handed player. It would need to be able to rock out when called for, but sing sweet, smooth, and low for jazz work. He provided a seymour Duncan Benedetto A6 neck pickup, and after speaking with my Seymour Duncan rep, I chose a custom custom for the bridge. We decided on a spruce top with maple for the rest of the very chambered body. Bindings would have added disproportionately to the cost, so we opted for a finishing trick similar to one I used on my Manhattan Semi-hollow electric. By masking the sides and back, staining and sealing the top, I could, then, mask the edge of the top and stain and finish the back. Final finish coats were applied to the entire body. The next slide shows the effect’s final appearance. No extra costs were incurred by being built as a left hand instrument. Sold, but a twin sister with Lace jazz fusion pickups will be completed soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709482762047-RBAWBQK0CYSFQOEQ132D/IMG_0706.jpg Travel Guitars - The No Binding-Two Tone Finish This photo shows the effectiveness of the two tone-no binding finish. You can also see the high grade spruce top and highly figured maple used for this guitar. The pickup combination achieves exactly what Nekoda is looking for sonically. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483419412-CRTQ8EZ83IWKFE8VCS96/IMG_0711.jpg Travel Guitars - The Nekoda Sister This is the near twin sister to Nekoda’s Left hand travel guitar. All details and features are identical, except for the Lace Jazz Fusion set of Pickups. This is the third instrument that I’ve used these pickups in, and they don’t disappoint! They’re smooth, and versatile, with a no hum ,tapped single coil tone and full bodied humbucker range. This is a beautiful looking and sounding instrument to take with you on your travels or onto that “wish it was larger” stage venue. $1375.00 with padded gig bag http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/electric-guitars daily 0.75 2026-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516547262965-A8KKOETJUDUEB4PHTMIW/IMG_3222.JPG Electric Guitars - Understated Perfection In 2007 I built 3 identical guitars to prove or disprove the concept that different body woods matter (they do). The others are Cherry Twist and Kind of Blue. Imagine a Mahogany body Tele, or a maple necked SG. This instrument with a body of solid heartwood Honduran Mahogany has near perfect tonal balance of warmth and precise attack. Honduran mahogany varies in density and color from the soft, pink-ish, less stable outer sap wood to the denser, rust red mature heartwood. Many factories, don't sort their mahogany supplies except for their highest end instruments. The 3 Piece, 12" radius, soft vee maple neck is easy and fast, while the string through hip-shot bridge imparts terrific sustain with a tusq nut at the head end. A coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set offers classic jazz through drop tune metal tones. This is my personal number 2 stage instrument. Sold but can be recreated.$2200.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516547262965-A8KKOETJUDUEB4PHTMIW/IMG_3222.JPG Electric Guitars - Understated Perfection In 2007 I built 3 identical guitars to prove or disprove the concept that different body woods matter (they do). The others are Cherry Twist and Kind of Blue. Imagine a Mahogany body Tele, or a maple necked SG. This instrument with a body of solid heartwood Honduran Mahogany has near perfect tonal balance of warmth and precise attack. Honduran mahogany varies in density and color from the soft, pink-ish, less stable outer sap wood to the denser, rust red mature heartwood. Many factories, don't sort their mahogany supplies except for their highest end instruments. The 3 Piece, 12" radius, soft vee maple neck is easy and fast, while the string through hip-shot bridge imparts terrific sustain with a tusq nut at the head end. A coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set offers classic jazz through drop tune metal tones. This is my personal number 2 stage instrument. Sold but can be recreated.$2200.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1483382778131-GYGWUG1LVBHOYLWFJ4Z3/IMG_3222.JPG Electric Guitars - Understated Perfection This is one of three guitars built in 2007 to identical specs with only the body tone wood changing to prove (or disprove) the concept that body wood matters. The other two are Cherry Twist and Kind of Blue. This is a combination not often seen in other manufacturers, and I'm baffled! Did you ever wonder what an SG (there's that copyright thing, again) with an all maple neck might sound like? This instrument with a solid heartwood Honduran Mahogany body has a near perfect tonal balance of warmth and precise attack. Honduran mahogany varies tremendously in density and color between the softer, lighter colored (pink-ish), and less stable outer sap wood and the older, denser, rust red mature heartwood. It should be noted that the big manufacturers, generally, don't bother to sort their mahogany supplies except for their highest end instruments. The 3 Piece soft vee maple neck with 12" radius fretboard is easy and fast in your hand, the string through hip-shot bridge imparts terrific sustain with a tusq nut working the head end duties. A coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set provides tones from classic jazz through drop tune metal. I use this guitar as my personal number 2 stage instrument. Sold but can be recreated.$2100.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1734626335430-KBPE0B25IWBRSGHPETXR/cherry%252Btop%252Bnothawk%252Bedited.jpg Electric Guitars - My Nothawk I re-invented the cherry top from the previous page in 2024. Two guitars that inspired me to begin creating my own instruments were the Rick Turner model 1 and the Gibson Nighthawk. They looked unique and were extremely versatile on stage. The Gibson nighthawks used an odd trio of pickups, but the arrangement and switching circuit were particularly variable. It was re-introduced with different circuits several times, but it never quite caught on.. With Stew Mac hot PAF replicas, and their fat pole single coil, I achieve proper humbucker and single coil tones via a 2×5 super switch, a push pull tone pot, and an alternate switching pattern offering 5 strat, 3 tele-ish, and 3 Gibson humbucker choices in logical progressions relevant to those pickup combinations. Audio pots tame tone “sound shelves” Sold, but can be recreated for $2800 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482872577439-TGIEH3X5B5BZ2MA64KKJ/Paul+Guitars+9.jpg Electric Guitars - Cherry Twist on a classic Recipe This is one of three guitars built in 2007 to identical specs to prove (or disprove) the concept that different body wood matters. The other two are my Understated Perfection and Kind of Blue. This is a combination not often seen in other builders, and it's a shame! Cherry is nearly identical to maple in density, and while it rarely produces flame figure, it has grain patterns and color prized by furniture makers. Layered with a Heartwood Honduran Mahogany back produces the same tonal balance of warmth and precise attack produced by the classic maple cap on mahogany combination. The 3 Piece soft cee maple neck with 12" radius fretboard is fast and easy The string through hip-shot bridge and tusq nut impart terrific sustain . A coil tapped Golden Age (Stewart MacDonald) hot humbucker set provides tones from classic jazz through drop tune metal. This guitar has become the Nothawk on the next page, but can be recreated. $2000.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516547313918-HX6RHVSY2TL7PJJ74XWJ/IMG_3223.JPG Electric Guitars - Kind of Blue This is one of three guitars built in 2007 to identical specs with only the body tone wood changing to prove (or disprove) the concept that body wood matters. The other two are Cherry Twist and Understated Perfection. This instrument was an experiment rarely seen in other manufacturers, and I was quite surprised! The body wood is Furniture grade Baltic birch selected for its grain pattern. The resulting striping from the ply laminations with the shaded blue stain produced striking visuals, with a raw edge that makes this guitar superbly suited for hard rock and metal! It can clean up beautifully, But "cranked" takes on a different meaning. The 3 Piece soft cee shaped maple neck with a 12" radius fretboard is fast and easy. The string through hip-shot bridge and tusq nut impart terrific sustain. A coil tapped Golden Age (Stewart MacDonald) hot humbucker set provides tones from classic jazz through drop tune metal. $1900.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482872441951-P1LU66KHABI0VB8II96E/Paul+Guitars+1.jpg Electric Guitars - Custom Manhattan This guitar began conceptually as an instrument that most players would find to be the simplest and most versatile guitar they ever played. I think I succeeded, and so did Vintage Guitar. You can read Pete Prown's opinion in the magazine reviews gallery. Unlike a 335 style guitar, the solid interior block ends at the bridge to improve acoustic response. I use this as my own main guitar because it works so well for so many styles and tones. If I build one for you, all details (neck specs, bridge, etc.) are your choice. To retain the versatility this instrument is capable of, I strongly recommend using the Seymour Duncan P-rails and control circuit I've used here, which, MINIMALLY, can create 9 tones with one volume, and one tone control. With a mini 3way switch and a blend pot as shown here, closer to 15 tones are possible without using the volume or tone knobs . It's possible to instantly switch between "woman tone" and Sam & Dave funk, and much more! Plus it's GORGEOUS with orchestral grade flame maple top and back! Sold but can be recreated.$3800.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484880707-DHTIWU9ACV37UIBBOW5T/Paul%2BGuitars%2B2.jpg Electric Guitars - Morrocan Cool This guitar exemplifies a formula that I use for tone and visual effect. By using a cavernously chambered colorwood Birch Plywood core, with exotic tone wood caps ( this is Bloodwood), unique looks can be created with a "family" feel. Compare this guitar to Wild Walnut and you'll get the idea. The five piece maple bloodwood neck with a 12" radius ebony fingerboard has a water buffalo horn nut and zero fret for perfect string height. The string through Hannes graphite bridge is a beautiful, tone marvel. Sperzel locking tuners, and a pair of coil tapped Lace Alumi-tone "death-buckers" make this instrument one of the most precise tone machines you'll find. The chambered body provides a crisp snap without harshness, while the maple & ebony neck provide warmth and depth. The Alumi-tones are super versatile and 1/3 the weight of normal humbuckers! They can be sweet, and they can crank, but they never get muddy. $3800.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482879422096-2R1PVUIYGXM6Q694Z8A5/IMG_3222.JPG Electric Guitars - Understated Perfection This is one of three guitars built in 2007 to identical specs with only the body tone wood changing to prove (or disprove) the concept that body wood matters. The other two are Cherry Twist and Kind of Blue. This is a combination not often seen in other manufacturers, and I'm baffled! This instrument with a solid heartwood Honduran Mahogany body has a near perfect tonal balance of warmth and precise attack. Honduran mahogany varies tremendously in density and color between the outer sap wood and the older mature heartwood. It should be noted that the big manufacturers, generally, don't bother to sort their mahogany supplies except for their highest end instruments. The 3 Piece soft vee maple neck with 12" radius fretboard is easy and fast in your hand, the string through hip-shot bridge imparts terrific sustain with a tusq nut working the head end duties. A coil tapped Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set provides tones from classic jazz through drop tune metal. I use this guitar as my personal number 2 stage instrument. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484914188-PP66LFCMSEGUHXSEJ97G/Paul%2BGuitars%2B10.jpg Electric Guitars - Moroccan Spank This guitar uses a formula that I vary for tone and visual effect. Using a vastly chambered colorwood Birch Plywood core, and exotic tone wood caps (this is Blood wood), I create unique looks with a "family" feel and quality. Compare this guitar to Wild Walnut. The five piece neck is maple/bloodwood with a 12" radius ebony fingerboard, Sperzel locking tuners and a zero fret guarantee perfect string height at the nut. The roller bridge and B5 Bigsby is a tried and true combination. This is one of the most accurate tone machines you'll find. The powerful coil tapped pick up set is a Seymour Duncan Stag-Mag in the bridge, and an SH1n '59 for the neck. You get true single coil bite and twang when split, or sparkly humbucker tone that stays clear. The chambered body offers a crisp snap without harshness, while the maple & ebony neck provide warmth and depth. This is a pro's guitar! When you're good, it'll make you sound GREAT! The review of this guitar is in the magazine reviews gallery. $3600.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516546959598-W8LAMTS8T48T42HFCJYE/IMG_2020.jpg Electric Guitars - Tom's Blue This is a why I recommend bolt on necks! My first two sales were to a man who has since become a close friend. He bought a guitar which had this neck and the body of the Solid Flame guitar a few pages ahead. Tom has back problems and the classic mahogany/maple body, was too heavy. The "problem" was that he absolutely loved the original guitar's bird's eye maple and ebony neck! Tom had a very old piece of redwood, and as soon as I saw it I got ideas. I'd begun to chamber my bodies which reduces weight. I'd used, and liked, the Alumitone pickups and Hannes bridge which reduces those components' weight by about 30%. When the neck was swapped to the new, feather light, resonant, redwood body the finished instrument weighed a bit under 5 pounds without losing sustain or definition. The premium blue burst finish is by Gerhard Guitar Works. This is now Tom's main guitar, with "Red" being backup. Sold but can be recreated. $3600.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768339756939-W8W3ZJSN9J0S06D1YYNO/IMG_3062.jpg Electric Guitars - Tom's Red This is another neck/body transfer story. Once Blue was "in the can", Tom asked about reusing a neck from a travel guitar I'd made for him. Originally, Tom wanted a mini version of Blue with him when he summered in Italy. Tighter travel restrictions made it wiser to just leave an instrument there instead. He liked the idea of a punchy, semi-hollow guitar that would let him re-use the travel guitar's neck as a back up. Red is the result. Using the same redwood as Blue's body, we added an F hole in the upper bout. With the Hannes bridge the combination opens up a whole new acoustic tonal palette before Tom even plugs in. He chose Seymour Duncan Stag Mag and Seymour Duncan Sh-1n '59 pickups like I'd used on the Moroccan Twang. The result is VERY punchy and a bit "woody". With a Cue Gerhard Candy Apple Metal Flake finish this guitar looks HOT. No pictures do it justice. (BTW, the Jotoba travel body has a new neck and is awaiting adoption) See it in the Travel Guitar gallery! Sold but can be recreated. $3600.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709482398266-PHND026YTB1KVUYI7WMO/Paul%2BGuitars%2B11.jpg Electric Guitars - Wild Walnut Burl This is one of my most beautiful guitars employing a formula that I use for tone and visual effect. Exotic tone wood caps (these are walnut burl) on vastly chambered tone wood cores, create unique looks with a "family" feel. Compare this to the bloodwood models. The U.S. made Bigbsy B-5 with roller bridge is classic and gorgeous. The neck is five piece maple/walnut with a 12" radius ebony fretboard, aged bone nut, and Sperzel locking tuners. The chambered body offers a crisp snap without being harsh. The maple/ebony neck provides warmth and depth. The super versatile, tap-able Lace Alumi-tone "death-buckers" make this a super accurate tone machine! Plus they're 1/3 the weight of normal humbuckers! They'll crank, but they're never muddy. This is a pro's guitar! When you're good, you'll sound GREAT! This guitar was sold at the NorthEast Guitar Show in 2016. It can be reproduced (with a different burl), and detailing of your choice. $3600.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1756390313276-L0Y5XQN9O178FK7EUEHZ/IMG_3221.jpg Electric Guitars - Solid Flames This had been Tom's original body for his main guitar. It uses the tried and true combination of quality heartwood Honduran Mahogany with a book-matched flamed maple cap. It produced fabulous tone, but Tom's back couldn't handle the weight. You can read the whole story on Blue's page, but suffice to say, with a new neck, solid flames lives again and is waiting for a home. The pickups are my 1st choice Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set (JB bridge/Jazz neck). The bridge is a top loading Schaller with locking saddles to boost sustain. I had a bit of fun with the fret markers. This is a beautiful looking, superb sounding instrument. $2800.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709485050541-0OYOLPFKTZTOCPZVOGJ2/IMG_3375.jpg Electric Guitars - The Royal It's been a distinct pleasure to create this incredible custom with Roy Abraham. He wanted his first custom guitar to speak to and through him. He actively helped to design the body shape, select wood, details, and neck contours . This is his Royal. The carved and tap tuned curly cherry plates are mounted to a sapelle core, connecting to the top and back only at the rim, bridge and neck. The shape is derived from a vintage 30's Airway archtop by Wilkanowski (Johnny Cash had one), updated to fit in a 335 style case. We gave it 24 frets, special royal fret markers and Roy's personal doodle on the headstock. Ebony fingerboard, black Gotoh 510 tuners, Hipshot Babygrand bridge, bone nut, and Seymour Duncan P-rails with 3 way mode switch and blend pot complete the picture. The next gallery photo shows the high access neck joint. As shown $3800.00 with hardshell Gator journeyman linen case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768339882892-4V65X7RO7UQ2PE9NH3IA/IMG_3366.jpg Electric Guitars - The Royal Sister It was evident as Roy and I were designing the Royal that it would be very special. I wanted a less specific version to offer after it was gone so this is the Royal Sister. Structurally identical to the Royal, but with 22 frets, more traditional markers, and a truly Gibson-esque neck profile, this is one stunning instrument visually and sonically. The highly figured maple neck is set with a very aggressively shaped ergonomic joint that can be seen in the next slide. Chrome Gotoh 510 tuners, bone nut, hipshot Babygrand bridge, and Seymour Duncan P-rails with a 3 way mode selector and blend pot offer enormous sonic versatility. $3600.00 with Gator Journeyman linen case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516487784808-2P1BD25AJ3Z3F3Y1QR0C/IMG_3386.JPG Electric Guitars - The set neck joint You can see here that the highly figured maple neck is cored with a strip of Sapelle, heel to headstock. The heel joint is shaped to allow the players hand to have clearance for the palm, and the thumb where it's wanted when you play. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768226681890-P7AIXTYIHA8UDZ4XC8KN/IMG_3481.jpg Electric Guitars - Gary's Dream In 2018 I was called by a man who has played all his life and never had the guitar he wanted. He knew a professional woodworker and using excellent hardwoods from the Pennsylvania mountains, they created this beautiful body blank of burled walnut capping a Sapele body. They felt that the neck, top carving, and detailing were more than their shops and time allowed them, though. This one of a kind instrument is the result of a cooperative effort. Gary provided intense birds-eye maple for the neck, and did his own immaculate finishing work. I provided the body carving, binding, neck construction and attachment, detailing, and set up. I’ve made a life time friend through this project. Gary was and is a gentleman through and through. I thank him for the privilege of helping with his dream instrument. Gary is no slouch as a technician! He is THE man to call if you need a Muncie or Borg Warner transmission rebuilt to factory spec. Look him up at Gary’s Gearbox. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768248476234-PM04JYPUC00JOFZ1RMUR/IMG_0843.JPG Electric Guitars - Curly Cherry Manhattan I built this instrument as I was helping a young friend build his first archtop. It uses much of the design theory I’ve used in the Manhattan, but added a pair of push pull volume pots to allow the player to select single coil or humbucker functions independently for each pickup, totaling 9 separate tone options from the Seymour Duncan hot rodded humbucker set. The curly cherry top and back are combined with an old growth chambered pine core, ebony fretboard and 5 piece maple and cherry neck, resulting in a very light, 5 lb. instrument with a strong acoustic presence. Locking Grover tuners and a hipshot baby grand bridge complete this very amazing instrument. ‍ ‍$3500.00 with Gator white linen journeyman case. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1482871939285-QGKPUI9FHO471QS5KX7L/IMG_2020.jpg Electric Guitars - Tom's Blue This is a perfect example of the inherent wisdom of bolt on necks! My first two sales were to a man who has since become a close friend. He had me build a guitar which had the body of the Solid Flame guitar a few pages ahead, and this neck. It's a classic mahogany maple body, but Tom's back had been injured and the weight was more than he could support. The "problem" was that he absolutely loved the bird's eye maple and ebony neck on the original guitar! After discussing a number of options, Tom mentioned he had a very old piece of redwood, As soon as I saw it everything started to gel. I'd begun to chamber my bodies which reduces weight, I'd tried and liked the Alumitone pickups and Hannes bridge which reduce weight to about 1/3 of those components typical weight and the redwood was old growth, resonant, and feather light! The neck was transferred to the new body resulting in an instrument that's a bit under 5 pounds without losing sustain or definition. The blue burst is a premium finish applied by Gerhard Guitar Works. This is Tom's main guitar, with "Red" being backup. Solid Flame gotnew neck and as they say.."Life is GOOD!" Sold but can be recreated. $3600.00 with hardshell case http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/magazine-reviews daily 0.75 2023-11-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486915769333-430DUIRF4Z6N7O2QOZFM/IMG_20170212_0006.jpg Magazine Reviews - Premier Guitar December 2010 My first mainstream guitar review. This is the first page of the article/review written by Jason Shadrick. If you'd like to read the rest and hear the sound clips he created, please use the links on the gallery page for this guitar in the archtop gallery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486915769333-430DUIRF4Z6N7O2QOZFM/IMG_20170212_0006.jpg Magazine Reviews - Premier Guitar December 2010 My first mainstream guitar review. This is the first page of the article/review written by Jason Shadrick. If you'd like to read the rest and hear the sound clips he created, please use the links on the gallery page for this guitar in the archtop gallery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486915298377-OW04P8CCG4DV3TW85B6R/IMG_20170212_0004+california+dreamin+review.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar March, 2012 My second review, previously available only in hard copy. A quick note about Bigsby trems. I once owned a vintage Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean ..."the one that got away". Until I made my own, it had the best neck and set up I've ever played, and it influenced my sensibilities ever since. New Gretschs can't match that guitar's set up. Bigsbys NEED a roller bridge. PERIOD! Never change the strings all at once, and just give a pre-tweak, fingers only bend at the ferrule, pre-stretch the strings well once mounted, and life is GOOD! Paul Bigsby was near genius. A Bigsby can go up a half tone and down a full tone and come back for more. With locking tuners and a zero fret it's a thing of beauty. As a tech, I've had my FILL of FR trems that require special tools and more time than I can justify to tweak them into compliance. If you're a die-hard FR fan, I can install one, but they are a needy beast. You should expect to have a tech of significance available on a regular basis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486918443063-JDCPTM1HDNPJYNRBB3F7/IMG_20170212_0008+new+builder+review.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar June 2012 A review of me...also previously unavailable except in print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486916695267-483G71IIUK658UUEOQU9/IMG_20170212_0007+not+your+grand+daddy+review.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar December 2014 A very nice review of, I think, my favorite guitar. This guitar became the inspiration for the Royal and the Royal Sister. Pete Prown has been the reviewer for the Vintage Guitar reviews. I'm pleased to be included in their list of preferred gear builders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486916349398-Y95Z5BEUW0WLZXOGHZJ0/IMG_20170212_0001+regal+archtop+review.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar April 2017 The most recent of my Dutchess standard archtop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1486918656734-8Y0FU3W90UX5R3S7SUJU/IMG_20170212_0009+new+good+company.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar November 2016 A builder's showcase issue that I was invited to be part of. I think I'm keeping pretty good company here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1701099180202-ZEBISVHZSS9NWYJNVQVV/IMG_0722.jpg Magazine Reviews - Vintage Guitar December 2023 My most recent review for the Stormy Monday travel guitar. The 4 color print process, somehow, didn’t capture the complex color of this instrument well, so please, take a better look at its page in the travel guitar section of the website. the inspiration for this guitar was a commission from Brent, whose “Prince” guitar was designed to emulate his favorite full size guitar, an Ernie Ball Majestic Monarch. After receiving his guitar, Brent told me that we really got it right, and, apparently, the reviewer (Pete Prown) also liked the result. As always, I’m very grateful when a reviewer appreciates my work. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/basses daily 0.75 2023-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516545987118-9W8CSRRFAY9JX7JWY2EG/epi+bass+paint+adjusted.jpg Basses - Restored 70's Epiphone Bass This instrument shows what I can do with a "terminal" case. This short scale, out of production Epiphone had a loose neck and splitting seams. It had lost its tone bar (like a violin has inside between the top and back under the bridge), no tailpiece, no bridge, one pickup, and grinding tuners. At the end of the rebuild, unplugged, with a set of nylon flat wound strings this restored 16" hollowbody bass has acoustic 3/4 upright sonic aspirations, but sings through an amp with a super smooth jazz tone. I believe that Gibson/Epi "evolved" this bass into the Jack Cassidy signature bass. This instrument could be reinvented in a fashion similar to my Manhattan or Royal series electrics. SOLD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516545987118-9W8CSRRFAY9JX7JWY2EG/epi+bass+paint+adjusted.jpg Basses - Restored 70's Epiphone Bass This instrument shows what I can do with a "terminal" case. This short scale, out of production Epiphone had a loose neck and splitting seams. It had lost its tone bar (like a violin has inside between the top and back under the bridge), no tailpiece, no bridge, one pickup, and grinding tuners. At the end of the rebuild, unplugged, with a set of nylon flat wound strings this restored 16" hollowbody bass has acoustic 3/4 upright sonic aspirations, but sings through an amp with a super smooth jazz tone. I believe that Gibson/Epi "evolved" this bass into the Jack Cassidy signature bass. This instrument could be reinvented in a fashion similar to my Manhattan or Royal series electrics. SOLD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1516488386909-FEJ4Q566E9UT1EDWWAC5/IMG_3389.JPG Basses https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709483975725-WMTDCRP2GVUK87VAM5VA/IMG_3211.jpg Basses - A HoPHner? At face value this is what it seems to be, and sounds just like it ought to sound. The back story ads clarity to the confusion. The body was a "salvage", found on an internet parts site as a violin shaped box.... just the box, and no clue to what was inside structurally. Aftermarket parts are available, but no necks, tuners, and, at first, no plans to work from. I used photos and scaling techniques I'd learned in scale modeling to reverse engineer the neck dimensions. I wanted to use Hofner's original raised fingerboard ('62 and earlier) but the short neck tenon is known to be fragile. I used a proven dovetail joint like my archtops. As I finished the work, I located plans which confirmed my work within a millimeter of the original basses. The superb sunburst was applied by Gerhard Guitar Works, so the end result is a very authentic reproduction at roughly 1/3 less than the current top tier re-issues. $2100.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484033243-IB2MO8PHBI3YAQA7MYHU/Paul%2BGuitars%2B8.jpg Basses - 8 String Short Scale Bass Conversion This compact sapphire gem began life as an Ibanez 5 string bass. The conversion involved: Drilling and routing the body for a machined ABM string through bridge Filling, re-laminating, and re-boring the headstock for a new complement of tuners (Grover Standard Roto-Matics combined with four of the original Ibanez set) Replacing the original nut Adding a metal flake blue finish for visual punch. My bassist is a Steinberger collector. He has commented that this bass plays as easily as a standard 4 string bass. Full, Beautiful, and ethereal 4 course octave sound without pedals. $900.00 with hardshell case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484516700-I75J81BIQOCR34BVEIMN/IMG_3389.jpg Basses - 5 String Headless #1 My bassist, Danny, asked me to create a 5 string bass for him so that he could leave his prized Steinberger safe at home, but there were requirements. It had to sustain. It should use standard strings. It shouldn't need batteries, and most difficult...the string spread should be as close to the Steinberger's 2 1/4" as possible. We didn't want to use Steinberger parts. Prototype 1 is a 34" scale neck-though core of maple, cherry and bloodwood, with hollow wings of figured maple and sapelle. ABM hardware is used with passive Delano pickups and a pull out boost switch in the tone knob. String spacing is 2 9/16" at the bridge (no good for Danny, but is standard 5 string spec), Fender 5 string spacing at the nut. LIGHT, fast, and deep throated tonally, with extra sparkle in single coil mode. $2000.00 with padded gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484612199-C1YEZX3XOSN8ZTFTNV17/IMG_3392.jpg Basses - Neck through back view Here's the back of prototype 1 clearly showing the neck through core. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484257962-MLJQZHGBZ9ZDM1NDY3XH/IMG_3397.jpg Basses - 5 string Headless #2 As part of my experiments toward Danny's Bass, this prototype utilizes standard Hipshot light weight tuners with Hipshot individual saddles. Pickups are a powerful, rich sounding passive set from Seymour Duncan. String spacing is standard Fender 5 string at the nut, 2 9/16" at the bridge. 34" scale neck through core is cherry, mahogany, and maple with hollow wings of Curly cherry and a sapelle core. $1800.00 with padded gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484177024-1JPBCUHNDPO35NPBGXXJ/IMG_3510.jpg Basses - Dan's Bluebird (a work in progress) If you’ve looked at my other headless basses, I mention my bassist Dan and his quest for a headless bass without the drawbacks associated with the classic headless basses. Particularly weight, a need for a battery, and special string requirements This is the guitar that got us in his wheelhouse. It is still in development in regard to some specifics, but it’s in his hands and he’s playing it….OFTEN! What he likes: It’s really light! This and the next photo show bare wood patches where we removed more wood for comfort cuts and incredible fretting access. I modified 5 ABM single string tuner/saddle bridges to allow narrowing the string spacing by a total of 8 mm. The sound!! The Bartolini pickups are phenomenal! Coil tapping makes them even better. The color… The maple and bloodwood combination gave the inspiration for the name like an Eastern Bluebird. What’s left to do: The bridge string spacing is still too wide. I’m developing my own bridges and headpiece to resolve this. This is close to the final prototype for my headless basses going forward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484099902-IUIHWV10Z19VN18DYWLK/IMG_3513.jpg Basses - Bluebirds Back This photo shows how striking the color combination is. When I asked Dan about what color he would like, he suggested asking my wife, Helen, who is a career artist and sculptor. She said “Blue!” with no hesitation and total conviction. By masking the bloodwood and cherry shoulders, the blue is just electrifying in contrast to the natural colors. We’re still thinking about the areas where we relieved material. Bluebirds have saome white in their plummage, so we’re thinking of leaving them natural with lacquer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1741373326089-5A8JOA91QMCO6O7RAQ4U/IMG_0523.jpg Basses - Redbird After building Bluebird for Danny, I wanted to make a 4 string version. I had bloodwood and my custom color core ply that I had used in the Moroccan guitars, so it seemed natural to make a redbird bass. This instrument uses a Steinberger bridge and head piece with coil tapping Bartolini pickups. The headpiece is a new Steinberger design that allows use of double ball or standard strings. As in all my instruments, a 2 way truss rod allows the neck to be compensated exactly where you want it. Body routs like the ones used on bluebird make the bass comfortable on a strap or on your lap. The next photo shows the back with the body relief cuts. Price $3200 with padded gig bag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1709484338180-OYCR19R07Y7T2SFXDEJ9/IMG_0525.jpg Basses - Redbird's Back You can see Redbird’s 7 piece through neck and the body routs that make it so comfortable to use. All 7 laminations in the neck taper from tuners to head piece. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/new-gallery-1 daily 0.75 2026-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768226897485-X2JD0EAVTLAMGIDGFBEW/IMG_0829.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Trinity Tramp This is an amplifier kit no longer offered through Trinity amps of Canada. I have built two so I can retain one for myself. The design provides an efficient, single ended (one power tube and an efficient preamp stage) amp that, using 2 additional switches in the bias circuit, allows you to substitute any octal tube from a 6V6 producing about 5 W, to an EL34 producing about 10+ W. I prefer a KT77 which is similar in power and gain to an EL34 but more touch sensitive like an EL84 powered amp. Many of us are discovering that smaller amps used in smaller venue gigs can be played in their sweet spots without being told to turn it down or set up in the next town over. This amp’s impressive range of volume and tone allows it to hold it’s own in a typical bar or smaller venue with a drummer that isn’t trying to play for an arena event, or a band mate who doesn’t quite know what his Marshall’s volume control is for. It also shines in cleaner modes for blues, jazz, and even some acoustic work. The control panel and circuit are described in the accompanying slides and help define the “Swiss army knife” qualities of this impressive amp. The Tweed Deluxe style cabinet is cherry and maple and comes with build documentation. $1795.00 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768226897485-X2JD0EAVTLAMGIDGFBEW/IMG_0829.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Trinity Tramp This is an amplifier kit no longer offered through Trinity amps of Canada. I have built two so I can retain one for myself. The design provides an efficient, single ended (one power tube and an efficient preamp stage) amp that, using 2 additional switches in the bias circuit, allows you to substitute any octal tube from a 6V6 producing about 5 W, to an EL34 producing about 10+ W. I prefer a KT77 which is similar in power and gain to an EL34 but more touch sensitive like an EL84 powered amp. Many of us are discovering that smaller amps used in smaller venue gigs can be played in their sweet spots without being told to turn it down or set up in the next town over. This amp’s impressive range of volume and tone allows it to hold it’s own in a typical bar or smaller venue with a drummer that isn’t trying to play for an arena event, or a band mate who doesn’t quite know what his Marshall’s volume control is for. It also shines in cleaner modes for blues, jazz, and even some acoustic work. The control panel and circuit are described in the accompanying slides and help define the “Swiss army knife” qualities of this impressive amp. The Tweed Deluxe style cabinet is cherry and maple and comes with build documentation. $1795.00 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768231960977-1NC93VBBQW529IV8H6AJ/IMG_0837.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Trinity Tramp Control Panel Two important push/pull options are found on the control panel, visible in the photo. The 1st is labeled “Gain“ and is a significant option. Pulled up, it removes the negative feedback loop. Negative Feedback returns some speaker output to the preamp stage and is a permanent feature in Fender amps, is controlled by the presence knob in Marshalls, and non existent in Vox styled circuits. It evens out a player’s pick attack, but at the expense of touch sensitivity. Country pickers and shredders use negative feedback so that none of their rapid fire notes get lost. Blues and Jazz players tend to prefer the touch sensitivity of no negative feedback to allow nuanced picking to add volume control note by note and emotive effect to their playing. My personal playing style removes the negative feedback, which allows the KT77 to be more emotive than a typical octal circuit allows. The 2nd switch alters the circuit for the bass control to “fatten” the amp’s tone. The speaker is a 12” Celestion Gold voiced custom speaker made by VinTone in Redhook NY. Modern improvements to the original circuit’s design (basically a small Fender) include a Master volume, and a variable power switch which provides standby and graduated power. All the controls are very interactive and allow satisfying volume and tone from bedroom levels to small venue gigging., and yes, they do go to 11. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768234885402-PV90A9E0WFXITW6EGOS4/IMG_0830.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Trinity Tramp's Rear View The back of the Tramp shows the open birch ply back, top vent, and keyed mitered Case joinery, as well as the single KT77 power tube and the VinTone speaker badge. The open back allows the speaker to move freely and projects some sound to the rear which created an airier voice to the amp because of the minute delay in the “bounce back” sound within the playing space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768233459990-LU4U3IV7F8IUET46HOPQ/IMG_0838.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - The Trinity Tramp Circuit Here is the interior of the Tramp’s chassis showing the quality of my lead dress (neatness and accuracy when I run the wires and solder them to their connection points). Visible on the outside bottom of the chassis are the two switches to change the bias needed to change from a 6V6 power tube to its larger octal cousins. You can also see the VinTone Custom speaker. The cabinet back is open so the speaker’s front projected output is warmer and round from the lack of closed back damping effect and the added backward projected sound. An impedance selector provides 4, 8, and 16 ohm output capability, so extension speaker can be utilized to “move more air” if you need to. It should always be pointed out to those unfamiliar with tube powered amps that they produce an amount of sound surprisingly disproportionate to their power ratings. This little amp can really cook when you get it into its sweet spot with the gain near 2 or 3 o’clock on the dial and the master and power full on . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768249655909-DTNE2XSGMFXF50B8X5FU/IMG_0834.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - MOD 102+ as a combo amp Mod never intended this amp to be built as a combo style amp, but I didn’t want to build it as a head and cab design. It took some planning to build as a simple “grab and go” amp. The power and versatility of this little box is impressive. Absolutely capable for practice sessions for most blues and pop bands, and even local bar venue gigs if your drummer doesn’t play like he’s Thor wielding a pair of magic hammers. The cherry and maple cabinet is sized to use the cover for Vox AC10-c1 amplifiers. More details regarding the circuit and internals are with the following slides. Build documentation comes with the amp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768248620376-R61IJ11RUAYCGPQ969RW/IMG_0833.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - The MOD 102+ Controls The MOD 102+ is a second generation design based on their 5 watt 102 model. It is a true single ended class A style amp meaning it uses only one power tube (an EL84 in this case) and no negative feedback loop. The result is similar in character to a Vox AC 4, with some important differences. The plus version of this amp adds a pull up switch to each control knob. A mid boost is added to the bass knob, bright is added to the treble knob, and turbo is added to the volume knob. All controls are interactive and effective with turbo providing a grit that’s great for classic rock and blues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768248650674-FZPU90JMB2RMRYYWUECN/IMG_0832.JPG Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Back view of the 102+ The top center panel is the cover for the internal circuitry. Access to the tubes is by removal of the speaker grill on the front of the amplifier. I installed an Eminence Li’l Buddy 10” hemp cone speaker with a wattage rating high enough to always allow a clean sound, but would break up without getting fizzy if you use the turbo setting or an overdrive pedal. The open back allows the speaker “breathe” an dproject some sound rearward , adding some natural warmth and depth to the sound in the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1768249465557-4LQTBV9IUL2CHBOEMTPO/20240929_120900.jpg Custom Kit Built AmplifiersAmplifiers - Mod 102+ Circuit You can see that this is a straight forward circuit, as well as my consistency regarding clean wire routing and soldering. The mounting bases for the single preamp and single EL84 tubes are visible to the right. Because they face the front of the cabinet, I installed vents on the cabinet top. The speaker’s motion acts like a pump to circulate air past the tubes to maintain a healthy working temperature. As mentioned in the first slide for this amp, it is a true class A amp, defined by 2 design aspects. The main point being that only one power tube is utilized (multiple preamp tubes are allowed within the definition), and no negative feedback is used between the speaker output and the initial preamp stage. The result is a very dynamic and touch sensitive circuit. Your picking attack and style inflects a great deal of quality in the sounds you can generate through this amp. Its volume level is surprising for it’s power rating of about 5+ W played without the added features, and closer to 7W with the bump added by the pull up switches in the control panel. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1391395563466-UU71UTVPTAB1M5HHL907/image-asset.jpeg Contact http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/whats-different-about-ph-guitars daily 0.75 2024-01-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1480433520072-M8IZ22ZTEEI89W533HAT/IMG_3167.JPG What's Special About PH Guitars - Standard PH Ergomics 101 This is the body/neck joint on one of my Moroccan models. You can see several important aspects of my construction and design processes here. The "contour map" of colors is the result of using dyed through laminate plywood custom ordered with my pattern. The top and back panels of bloodwood (or other tone woods) are laminated onto this core after I have removed large portions of the interior space. The result is to create a more reactive Torsion Box body that resonates more openly than a solid slab would. Additionally, there are extensive relief carves that allow every part of your hand to access the upper frets without edges and corners to contend with, as well as adding comfort for your belt line, picking wrist and forearm. Lastly, a HAND SHAPED laminated neck from heel to headstock logo that can hold up to a "face plant" and expect to survive. I use recessed screws to attach my necks. No thick plate to add even MORE body thickness, and in case something DOES happen, neck and body swaps are easy. No need to suffer with the costly choice between a re-glued headstock, or buying a new guitar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1480435524744-6EKO6EW5DD9JPC8BU644/IMG_3169.JPG What's Special About PH Guitars - Quality Detailing With an Eye On Saving Your Wallet I recently built an amplifier from a kit whose designer coined a wonderful phrase about his component selection. He said he "looked for the best quality he could find without paying for Unicorn Breath". There are lots of ways to drive an instrument's price up exponentially by using components that ARE top shelf, but don't give you that much more for what they cost (Almost never wholesale pricing on these, thank you). Will I use them if you want them? OF COURSE, but I'll be sure to ask you if you'd like an alternative. What you can't see in the photo is the two way truss rod that I incorporate into every neck I make. Any PH guitar can have its neck relief set exactly as you'd like it. What you can see is the attention I give to my selection of wood combinations for tone and visual effect, the ergonomics of my neck to headstock transition, and my preferred headstock angle for good string tension over the nut. My personal preference for neck woods are figured maple with a center laminate for strength and color coordination to the body. I use maple and ebony fingerboards because they've been proven to have the widest and most balanced tonal response. (Thank you Taylor Guitars for that research). Neck finishes can be Glossy, Satin, or Polymerizing Oil. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1480436144622-6IFT02H2PAZETCWWP1TE/IMG_3202.JPG What's Special About PH Guitars - Sample 1, Same Guitar, Different Product This photo and the next display how the same instrument can be totally different as an end product. This travel guitar uses exactly the same woods as the amber PAF model. What is different is the obvious choice of hardware and color. This little beast has a neck contour that feels much like a Telecaster (don't forget that's copyrighted, please), and a sound that matches....except you'll notice that I put in a reproduction '59 P-90 for the neck. There is also a nice perspective of the neck to body joint that helps clarify how I strive to make that transition as close to "invisible" to the hand as possible. Notice also that each fret end is nicely rounded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1480433727879-4RGKSQRBR1YTJG0USM5B/IMG_3194.JPG What's Special About PH Guitars - Sample 2 Same Guitar, Different Product Here you can see the obvious color difference from the previous photo, but also the very different final result in tonal choices as an end product. Nearly all of my instruments (to date) utilize humbuckers with coil tapping to increase sonic options. This instrument, however, is loaded with Reproduction '59 PAFs with the "50's wiring". The result is a somewhat warmer version of a "typical" classic humbucker instrument. The sealed hollow box constructions makes these airline friendly guitars sound much bigger and rounder than any travel instrument I've tried. All my travel guitars are fully stage capable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1483297655807-RW7K1MHB9T5IO2D10WUO/Paul+Guitars+1.jpg What's Special About PH Guitars - Stage Friendly Versatile Circuits Most players have a range of tones that they use for different songs, sometimes within one song. Some players bring an arsenal of guitars or lug enormous pedal boards to get these tones. I've learned that the difference between being "lazy" and being "efficient" is that you still accomplish something by being efficient. SO...by having a single guitar with a minimal number of switches still capable of 6 different tones ** before you even roll back the volume for "cleans" or touch the tone knob, you get an efficient stage friendly circuit with the ease of utilizing one guitar. ** Most of my circuits utilize moderately hot, coil tapped humbuckers with a 3 way switch. I can, however, use any pickups and circuit you would prefer. It should be noted that the pictured guitar is capable of 15 distinct tones thanks to the Seymour Duncan P-Rails/ 3 way mini switch for coil selection, plus pan knob circuit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52c42837e4b05fa3de878f98/1496789870835-2US5EWG0XWXE3K45M0IH/IMG_3227.JPG What's Special About PH Guitars - No Guitar Goes Unprotected! There's a disturbing trend these days for manufacturers to price their instruments without a case. For Shame! Case prices can vary greatly with no difference in quality. The added hassle of shopping and paying for an item that is necessary (no quality instrument should "live" in a gig bag) just insults my personal sensibilities. All my guitars have a good quality hardshell case to protect your investment. I shop for the best bang for the buck for you. My only exception to the hard case rule applies to my travel guitars. Airlines have become more strict about overhead compartment rules, and the only way to keep these stage ready instruments out of the cargo hold was to equip them with a padded gig bag designed for lap steel guitars. http://paul-hartmann.squarespace.com/new-products-1 daily 0.75 2025-03-01