Ken Parker La Gioconda Archtop, 2015

There may be no more brilliant a luthier working today than Ken Parker. I've known Ken since I played his very first archtop some 40 years ago. He is maybe the most courageous builder I know. His creativity is evident from his early Parker Electric Fly to his commitment to bringing the archtop into the modern playing world. The hours and hours of guitar chats we have had could fill a book, and what has always impressed me is his relentless quest for excellence and invention, leaving no stone unturned to build a better guitar. His deep knowledge of all things guitar is encyclopedic. I suspect that if you gave him a box of pencils, a brick, and a hubcap, he would somehow be able to coax something inspiring from them. He's a one-of-a-kind explorer in what a guitar can be.

Built in 2015, the Parker "La Gioconda" is a stellar example of his superb work. Yes, it has the pianistic range of tone and playability of Parker's best work, but it is not an incremental improvement on existing archtop designs. It's totally its own thing - at its heart, it's an acoustic guitar. It's as light as a feather and explosively dynamic. The bass is big, rich, and deep, and the high-end shimmers. Ken's innovative sound-port design allows you, the player, to fully experience its glorious tones.

The playability is off the charts, thanks to its superb neck shape and ergonomic design. To get a complete picture of this instrument's magic, I invite you to visit Ken's website - [url=https://kenparkerarchtops.com]https://kenparkerarchtops.com[/url]. Check out his YouTube series "Archtoppery" as well. There is a wealth of fantastic artist videos along with a very in-depth dive into Ken's ideas, build process, and the guitars themselves.

A great testament to his guitars comes from a long-time Parker owner, friend, and artist Kingsley Durant. His words:

"Think of it as an acoustic guitar. Because that's what it is. It isn't easy to let go of the musical/stylistic boxes we all create in our minds. Doing so is essential to understand Ken's guitars, much less to get the most out of one.

"What strikes me most when I play one of Ken's guitars was how incredibly efficient it is. A mere brush of my fingers translates to a sweet, romantic whisper that is still quite audible. A forceful, whole-handed strike translates as a definitive statement. No crashing or compression. Soft is soft, loud is loud, and the whole range in between is available.

"What also struck me was how - from the first few notes on the low E string to anything above the 12th fret, the sound and dynamics of the notes are consistent across the entire range of the guitar. That's rare in any guitar."

Ken Parker doesn't look back. He is continually looking forward.

His dedication and craftsmanship mean his instruments are treasured by everyone fortunate enough to own one. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of this rare opportunity to own a fine instrument built by a world-renowned luthier working at the top of his game.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.