Archtops

PICTURES                VIDEO

We have just finished this beautiful Jimmy Foster Basin Street Edition Archtop. When we saw the unfinished body, neck and other items available for sale from Mr. Foster’s estate, we immediately did some research and discovered how Mr. Foster made beautiful looking and sounding instruments that were treasured by their owners. His website is still available to see his work and read about his superior playing talents and guitar building skills. (www.fosterguitars.com)

We purchased these parts with the goal of completing Jimmy’s work and finishing his creation. We have done that, and this great guitar is available. It is likely the last “New” Jimmy Foster Archtop to ever be on the market.

The guitar has great volume unplugged, plays very smooth and has significant sustain. It produces a full acoustic sound while offering the comfort given by its’ compact design.

Here are some specifications for this instrument.

Standard Features:

 Hand Split Carved Cedar Top with X bracing

 17″ lower bout

13” upper bout

2” depth at heel and tail

25.5” scale length

1.75” nut width

20” body length

 Select One Piece Mahogany back and sides

 One Piece Mahogany neck joined at the 15th   fret

 Venetian Cutaway

 Body Bound in Black Plastic Binding

 Adjustable Steel Truss Rod

 Solid Ebony Tailpiece, Pickguard, Bridge,   Fingerboard, Headstock, Truss Rod Cover and Heel Cap

Beautifully Chamfered F Holes

 Engraved Truss Rod Cover

 Delicate Abalone Inlay on the 12th fret,   headstock, and tailpiece

 Custom Kent Armstrong Built In Pickup with   Volume, Tone

 Gotoh mini locking Rotomatic tuners

 High Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish

 6-String

Fishman Jack

Custom Hardshell Case

We received the beginnings of the build as shown in the pictures. Basically, the body construction was done but the neck fittings, pickup fittings and other such items were not finished. We also received the neck with the fretboard attached but no frets. Included loose items were the truss rod cover, bridge and the metal part of the tail piece. We sourced and obtained from other sources the rest of the items needed to finish the guitar.

Our project consisted of doing all these items:

NECK

Drill Correct Size Tuner and screw Holes

Install Gotoh Mini Locking Rotomatics

Finish and Install Truss Rod Cover

Square Nut Pocket

Radius and sand Fretboard

Install Frets, Med #148

 Add Heel Cap

Fit Neck to Body

Sand and Finish

Attach to body

Detail

Install Strap Button to Heel

BODY

Reshape Neck Pocket

Reshape Pickup Hole

Fit Body to Neck

Sand and Finish

Attach Neck

Drill Hole for Tail Piece and Jack

Drill Holes for Pickguard in Top and on sides

    OTHER

 Made and Installed Ebony Pickguard, mounting   holes, hardware

 Re-aligned Tail Piece Hole in Body and Brass Mount

 Reshape Tailpiece Hinge to fit

 Added Grounding for each string in Ebony   Tailpiece

 Shape Bottom of Bridge to Top of Guitar

Lower the Saddle to allow for up and down   adjustment

 Installed Armstrong 12 Pole PAF Pickup, 1   Volume, 1 Tone

 Installed Fishman Endpin Jack

Installed Pickup Rings

Installed Wood Control Knobs

Carve, Slot and Polish Bone Nut

Recheck and Detail Finish entire guitar

Assemble

Polish Frets

Install Tomastik-Infeld Jazz Flatwound 12-50   Strings 

Setup

So, it is ready to go! 

SOLD