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2009 Ribbecke Halfling
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Serial#: 1147 Dated: 1/10/09
Body size at lower bout: 17", Body Depth: 3 " Scale length: 25" Nut: 1 3/4"
Finish: Honeyburst, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Solid bookmatched Alaska cedar top; handcarved bigleaf tiger flame maple back and sides with Venetian cutaway; 3 piece flame maple neck with birdseye maple facing on back of peghead; solid ebony fingerboard; pearl headstock logo; bound body, headstock, neck and soundhole; solid bone nut.
Hardware: Hardware includes solid ebony finger rest, tailpiece and tuner buttons; gold Grover Rotomatic tuners, compensated adjustable ebony bridge; Kent Armstrong Handmade floating humbucking pickup with thumbwheel tone and volume controls and endpin jack.
Notes: Few have done more to further the craft of the modern archtop guitar than California luthier Tom Ribbecke. Since founding his first workshop in San Francisco in 1972, Tom has produced not only master quality instruments but master quality luthiers themselves, in workshops and videos that have made him a legend among builders worldwide. Now relocated to scenic Sonoma County, Ribbecke continues to produce hand built masterworks of stunning quality for a few lucky players each year.
This exquisite instrument is an example of his Halfling Model, a revolutionary design that employs a unique compound curvature of the soundboard. With a conventional arch on the treble side, the instrument produces the characteristic clarity and precision of a traditional archtop. A dramatically flattened profile for the bass side, combined with the round soundport, allows for greater bass response and sustain. This hybrid construction is designed to give the player a tonal response combining the best of both arch and flat top instruments.
This handsome example is constructed of bookmatched bigleaf tiger flame maple, with a solid bookmatched Alaska cedar top, and hand crafted ebony hardware. The 17" Venetian cutaway body is X-braced, and finished in a lustrous amber blonde sunburst, subtly shaded from rim to rim. The neck is in a classic gentle D profile, with a generous 1 3/4" nut, and a fine solid feel. The voice is warm and woody, with exceptional bass response, and an attractive mellowness that translates smoothly through the pickup. Ribbecke's guitars a rare and welcome find on the vintage market. We are pleased to offer this outstanding creation in immaculate condition. Please call for a detailed in-hand audition.
Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original deluxe arched plush lined hardshell case.
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