Home / Instruments /Accessories / Ordering / Tips / Friends

archtop.com

2018 Sonntag J18 Augusta

Status: For pricing and hold status for this instrument, please check our Instruments page here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold, and is no longer available. Photos and descriptions of Previously Sold instruments may by found here. To be notified of examples of this or any other model in the future, please contact [email protected].

Serial #: 2790818, label hand signed by the builder

Nut Width: 1 3/4" Scale Length: 25 1/2" Body size: 18" Body depth: 3 1/8" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .81/.93

Materials: Solid bookmatched handcarved Alpine spruce top; solid AAA tiger flame maple neck and body; solid ebony fingerboard; multiply binding; polished bone nut.

Hardware: 100% original dark ebony hardware includes contoured tailpiece, bound pickguard, compensated adjustable bridge. Gold Grover Super Rotomatic tuners; adjustable truss rod; Armstrong Handwound PAF floating pickup, with volume control and endpin jack.

Notes: A native of Augsburg, Germany, luthier Stefan Sonntag has won accolades for his hand crafted archtop guitars for over a quarter of a century. Treasured by celebrity artists such as Bruce Forman, Robin Nolan, and Mundell Lowe, Sonntag's guitars have earned a reputation for outstanding performance and uncompromising craft.

The Augusta is his top-line model, and a tribute to the legendary D'Angelico New Yorker, the undisputed ruler of big band rhythm sections. Named after the ancient Roman fort in his native city, the Augusta is adorned with a headstock inlay of Mercury, messenger of the gods, which has crowned a local fountain since 1599. The fingerboard inlays depict nuts of the Swiss pine tree, which since the 13th century has emblazoned the town's coat of arms as well. (They also have traditionally been used to flavor a local variety of schnapps. Prosit!)

Hand carved of European curly maple of stunning AAA fiddleback figure, the Augusta is topped with a tap-tuned, X-braced soundboard, air dried by the builder for a minimum of five years. At just 6lb. 6oz, this instrument is light in weight for a full depth super jumbo archtop, and evenly balanced in the lap.

The bound pickguard and tailpiece are both crafted of solid dark ebony, and the guitar is faithfully amplified with a Kent Armstrong Handwound Adjustable PAF floating pickup, with volume control and endpin jack. The voice is rich and woody, with the deep resonance only the 18" noncut body can produce, and the X-braced soundboard adding characteristic warmth and sustain. In showroom condition, the guitar has 100% original hardware and finish, without playwear of any kind, and the neck has a slim, gentle "D" profile, with smooth low action over a fresh high-precision setup.

Old school orchestra archtop meets Old World craftsmanship: a rare find indeed on these shores, or any other. One only, call now.

Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" 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 black plush lined hardshell case.

Home / Instruments /Accessories / Ordering / Tips / Friends