Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York

Description

For more than a century there has been a remarkable tradition of stringed instrument making in the New York City area amongst people of Italian descent, with local craftsmen building traditional violins, mandolins, and guitars as well as American instruments such as banjos and archtop mandolins and guitars. This catalogue focuses on three New York master craftsmen of the archtop guitar who have had a profound influence on the musical world. Since the 1930s New York City has been a center for archtop guitar manufacturing, and the guitars of three makers—John D’Angelico (American, 1905–1964), James D’Aquisto (American, 1935–1995), and John Monteleone (American, b. 1947)—stand out for their quality of sound and design. The work of these legendary artisans is firmly rooted in the long history of Italian, particularly Neapolitan, stringed instrument making. By examining their archtop guitars against the backdrop of the extensive collection of Italian and Italian-American stringed instruments in the Metropolitan Museum, Guitar Heroes traces the transformation of a centuries-old craft to meet the ever-changing demands of musicians and markets.

48 pages, 80 full-color illustrations. 8 1/2'' x 11''. Paper.

• 48 pages
• 80 full-color illustrations
• 8 1/2'' x 11''
• Paper