These sibling archtops (not exactly twins, but definitely related)
come from Cincinnati, OH, builder David Schneider. Both guitars
are made with European spruce tops; the backs and sides are of
German maple from the same tree. Fretboards, finger-rests, bridges
and tailpiece are ebony. The pin bridge SoHo 16 is 16-1/2" at the
lower bout, and the SoHo 17 (with tailpiece), is 17-3/8". Both are
25-3/8" scale with 1-3/4" bone nuts.
Schneider was mentored by Jimmy D’Aquisto before apprenticing with
lute maker Lawrence Brown, with a final stint in India learning to build
sitars. The wrap-around end clasp terracing on these guitars was inspired
by one of Schneider’s lutes.
The headstocks are chambered and resonate, providing a slight stereo
or echo effect. The bridges are glued on, and the guitar with the tailpiece features a string-through bridge, a technique the Cincinnati-based
builder has also used on flat tops. The bracing system was adopted from
D’Aquisto, the Circle of Sound. There are four K&K transducer pickups
mounted inside the guitar on the bridgeplate, a system Schneider feels
is more natural sounding than bridge saddle-mounted transducers.
schneiderguitars.com
Photography by Michael Schneider
