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The process of building an archtop guitar

I hand-carve each back and top. I don't use any duplicating equipment or cnc machines. Everything is hand crafted.

For extra strength, I add carbon fiber rods along-side the truss rod in my necks. This helps to straighten and stabilize my necks. It also reduces any dead spots on the neck. I also believe it has helped the tone and playablility.

I really concentrate on the playability and tone of my guitars first. Those are the most important issues for me. The beauty and elegance is a bonus, though it doesn’t happen by accident! Each archtop is finished with many coats of lacquer, using finer and finer sandpaper between coats until I achieve the beauty and smoothness I want. These processes take time, and there is really no way to shortcut that. The instruments deserve it.

I treat each and every instrument as if it was my own child. Every instrument has its own voice, which is why I name them. I put so much love and attention into each guitar, they become part of my family. Each one has it's own personality and elegance, and yet still belongs to the Pilkington Archtop family.

Care and maintennance

To ensure your archtop's appearance and performance, we offer a few common sense recommendations. As with any hand-made instrument, keeping it in it's case will prevent undue exposure to sunlight and dust. Strings should be replaced one at a time to maintain truss rod and bridge tensions. Sudden temperature and climate changes should be avoided, as they can cause the neck to twist or warp. The finish can be gently wiped with a soft damp cloth, and guitar polishes may be applied occasionally as desired.

Shipping your archtop

With some care and planning, archtop guitars can be shipped pretty much anywhere. Once the guitar is in it's hard case, we recommend putting it in a rigid cardboard box that leaves at least 2 inches of space on all sides. You can often find these discarded boxes in you music store's back room. Add padding on all sides by stuffing newspaper, foam, or other filler to protect the case from possible bumps and drops during shipping. Finally, be sure to loosen the strings prior to shipping, to avoid undue stress on the instrument due to changes in air pressure, etc.