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Being a native New Yorker does come with some benefits. One of those treats is being surrounded by some of the best guitars in the World. From the shops in Manhattan , to local dealers like my good friend Larry Wexer - and the captivating workshops of some renowned Archtop luthiers on Long Island.
When it comes to the finest “NY styled” Archtop guitars - it’s history and journey begins with D’Angelico’s built in NY City on Kenmare Street, to the D’Aquisto’s built in Greenport, to the Monteleone’s of Islip , the Trenier’s of Wesley hills (now Uzes France) and the Mirabella’s of Smithtown. Seeing the tradition sustained - is not only remarkable , but a true testament to the passion of each Artisan who continues to retain and evolve certain aspects of the design. I’ve been blessed to have owned, played / heard numerous examples of these guitars for 4 decades. The aforementioned is certainly not inclusive of all the other great Archtop builders - but of those I personally admire.
The other day Cris Mirabella asked me to swing by and check out the “ Blue Siren” before its headed off to the owner of the “ Blue Guitars “ collection . Cris has invited me to play many of his guitars over the past decade - and he’s always seeking my feedback. Giving feedback can be a tricky thing - it’s based on trust and honesty - and I’m honored that Cris respects my opinion to seek that information.
Over the years , I respectfully nudged Cris to make the guitars lighter in certain areas …..to liberate more of his signature tone and push the boundaries of his comfort zone. The Blue Siren screams these changes.
As soon as I picked up this guitar, I felt a reduction in weight, from past Crossfires , I noticed beautifully shaped long delicate tapering of internal braces and a slightly thinner top, and a lower frequency tap tune on the back. These are characteristics I always assess before even strumming one chord. The neck happened to be carved perfect for my hand - and with all Mirabella’s - the fit, finish and attention to the slightest detail is never overlooked. The interior has a slight glossy sheen with not a trace of glue or dust anywhere……..just immaculate.
The most impressive thing I noticed was the responsiveness to the slightest touch - which is indicative of the top and back plate working in unison. The warm , creamy pianistic voice was loud and clean , and pouring out
like no other Crossfire I’ve heard. To say this was the finest Mirabella I’ve played is an understatement - and a result of Cris pushing the boundaries. I was quite overwhelmed. It was one of the finest modern Archtop (solo style ) guitars I’ve played.
A huge two thumbs up to Cris Mirabella. Jim D’Aquisto would approve !
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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09-22-2024 07:00 AM
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Just don't get your fingernails caught on that fingerrest!
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I'm sure that guitar sounds and plays great,but that fade coloring and miniscule pickguard totally kill the aesthetic of that guitar for me.
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I got to play it as well, although not in ideal conditions for listening to it. It’s a gorgeous build for sure. Cris does simply stunning work.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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"Giving feedback can be a tricky thing - it’s based on trust and honesty"
If I'm being honest I'm w nyc chaz on this one. The guard doesn't bother me, however that color/shading scheme isn't for me.
That was my initial reaction and I tried to keep an open mind and came back to this thread for a second look and my opinion hasn't changed. Taking the blue out of the equation and envisioning a traditional color I probably still wouldn't like it. A traditional sunburst pattern gives a harmonious flow that roughly follows a guitars curves/aesthetic. The 'stripe' running through the middle disrupts that aesthetic for me. Change/innovation can be a good thing but sometimes 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' applies.
But I guess the important thing is customer approval. Hope he likes it....
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I too have to admit the blue with what seems a white stripe does not hit me for looks. I am sure though it is a super sounding guitar Cris makes great guitars. I am pretty much a traditionalist with sunburst and blonds.
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That stripe was also the 1st thing I saw (might it be less obvious when held by someone wearing proper pants?).
Originally Posted by wintermoon
I understand the the customer is the owner of the BG collection. IIRC that's a foundation (the Archtop Foundation?) so invididual taste may be a little less at play here.
If not, and if they give their builders a completely free hand they're in for another surprise: Maegan Wells has built them what seems to be a 15" inch "baby Blue" guitar, with sides that aren't blue (not sure about the back right now).
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Regretfully, the iPhone camera cannot pick up the subtle blends and graduation of color between the sunburst.
Unfortunately when taking shots, you end up with a hard line in a sunburst or in the case of this Horizontal sunburst, a "stripe" in the middle, as the camera can not capture the radian transitions.
However, while many will and have found beauty in seeing the instrument in person, I’m sure there still would be others that even then, just might not like it for themselves.
And that’s OK, that's why guitars can be many different colors....?
I appreciate Steve (QAman) trying to share with you what he found in the playability and voice of the latest Mirabella Archtop.
Steve and many of the other players over the last 30 years or more, have helped to make the Mirabella instruments what they are today, and it's that voice and playability that I hope you will be impressed with, take note of and consider for your own musical voice.
And again, guitar can be nearly any color you like ? if horizontal blue burst isn't your thing...
Thankfully I will report, that the guitar was overwhelmingly, positivity received when it was presented at the Rocky Mountain Archtop festival just a week ago. And it's owner was in fact, very pleased with the guitar... Color, sound and playability.
For me, it is an excellent representation of the inspiration of Jimmy D'Aquisto's influence on me ( which is what the original blues were commissioned for), a tribute as well as a new addition to the original Blue Guitars and most importantly, a prefect example of what a player can expect if they decide to choose a Mirabella Archtop..
Best to all and enjoy!!
C Mirabella.
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You should "file a radar" about that, a phone with a so-called Retina display should also "see" at least as good as we do Originally Posted by Mirabella
Sure, as long as it's black? I mean, woodAnd that’s OK, that's why guitars can be many different colors....?
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Wow! So happy to hear your enthusiasm for Cris' latest Crossfire. Congratulations, Cris! Originally Posted by QAman
Being a native New Yorker does come with some benefits. One of those treats is being surrounded by some of the best guitars in the World. From the shops in Manhattan , to local dealers like my good friend Larry Wexer - and the captivating workshops of some renowned Archtop luthiers on Long Island.
When it comes to the finest “NY styled” Archtop guitars - it’s history and journey begins with D’Angelico’s built in NY City on Kenmare Street, to the D’Aquisto’s built in Greenport, to the Monteleone’s of Islip , the Trenier’s of Wesley hills (now Uzes France) and the Mirabella’s of Smithtown. Seeing the tradition sustained - is not only remarkable , but a true testament to the passion of each Artisan who continues to retain and evolve certain aspects of the design. I’ve been blessed to have owned, played / heard numerous examples of these guitars for 4 decades. The aforementioned is certainly not inclusive of all the other great Archtop builders - but of those I personally admire.
The other day Cris Mirabella asked me to swing by and check out the “ Blue Siren” before its headed off to the owner of the “ Blue Guitars “ collection . Cris has invited me to play many of his guitars over the past decade - and he’s always seeking my feedback. Giving feedback can be a tricky thing - it’s based on trust and honesty - and I’m honored that Cris respects my opinion to seek that information.
Over the years , I respectfully nudged Cris to make the guitars lighter in certain areas …..to liberate more of his signature tone and push the boundaries of his comfort zone. The Blue Siren screams these changes.
As soon as I picked up this guitar, I felt a reduction in weight, from past Crossfires , I noticed beautifully shaped long delicate tapering of internal braces and a slightly thinner top, and a lower frequency tap tune on the back. These are characteristics I always assess before even strumming one chord. The neck happened to be carved perfect for my hand - and with all Mirabella’s - the fit, finish and attention to the slightest detail is never overlooked. The interior has a slight glossy sheen with not a trace of glue or dust anywhere……..just immaculate.
The most impressive thing I noticed was the responsiveness to the slightest touch - which is indicative of the top and back plate working in unison. The warm , creamy pianistic voice was loud and clean , and pouring out
like no other Crossfire I’ve heard. To say this was the finest Mirabella I’ve played is an understatement - and a result of Cris pushing the boundaries. I was quite overwhelmed. It was one of the finest modern Archtop (solo style ) guitars I’ve played.
A huge two thumbs up to Cris Mirabella. Jim D’Aquisto would approve !
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Haha, I had the same association Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
There's at least 1 other country that has a flag with a blue-white-blue banner design with something on the white field ... but they should really be diagonal swaths, or maybe vertical ones
EDIT: I also wondered if Cris drives a Chrysler and with what kind of paintjob
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El Salvador? Originally Posted by RJVB
Haha, I had the same association There's at least 1 other country that has a flag with a blue-white-blue banner design with something on the white field ... but they should really be diagonal swaths, or maybe vertical ones [...]
Honduras?
Guatemala?
Nicaragua?
Like Argentina all FCKed up by Henry Kissinger in the 70ies/80ies.
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Hah, make that 5 then.
I was thinking of a country that's a bit more often in the news these days.
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Steve,
Looking Good my man. I still say you and Richard Gere are related somehow..
People seek your opinion because you know your stuff. You are an excellent player, who plays it right. You are on the money with the fingerstyle and when you play it with a pick, you punch with just the right amount of attack to coax the real sound out of a guitar. You've been with the greatest builders of all time and your opinion SHOULD be respected and valued.
If I had the money to allocate to a high end guitar, I would beg Cris to make me a guitar. His craftsmanship, his desire to innovate and perfect a classic design are just a cut above most others who make guitars. Not to mention, the couple of times I've communicated with Cris, left me with thinking, Wow, this is the nicest dude ever! He makes BEAUTIFUL guitars and deserves every bit of noteriety he gets.
Amongst the Blue Guitars, that guitar is going to look like a running back standing next to his offensive linemen. And it will also stand out in its beauty and uniqueness.
Great post Steve.
Joe D
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I know of course what you were thinking of but I am working on a separate dedicated thread regarding that other country ATM. Originally Posted by RJVB
The colors of Bavaria are white and blue as well BTW. The Greeks have kept those colors after they threw out their Bavarian king in 1862.
But back to the original topic: That coloring makes a beautiful guitar unbelievably cheesy and cheap looking IMO. Somehow it reminds me of those white laquered classical guitars you can buy for 50 EUR at Amazon. YMMV.
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Joe- thanks for the kind words – greatly appreciated. My intention with this post was to share my recent experience with Archtop guitars produced by current builders I admire. I don’t get paid to do these things – it’s a passion of mine. Originally Posted by Max405
Gestalt principles influence the brain perceptions - and result in how we view things. Any kind of radical change from the norm is met with varying degrees of reaction……which is all quite normal. If we think back to when Jim D’Aquisto developed the modern series of Archtop’s - beginning with the Avante garde, that too was perceived with mixed reactions. But it was those modern instruments (Avante garde, Centura and Solo) which paved the way for builders to pursue innovation and advance the Archtop guitar design. In the later years, Jim D’Aquisto wanted the Archtop guitar to be an unplugged solo instrument…….and he accomplished that in a profound way.
World renowned builder John Monteleone has continued to advance that concept in both a sonic and artistic way. One particular feature, besides the sound port, is the application of horizontal finish shading – which his clientele obviously admire, since they eagerly pay over 100k for a new Monteleone. John has become an enormous influence on many of today’s Archtop builders for good reason, and I’ve spent over 30 yrs. frequenting his shop on a regular basis.
When we look at a Mirabella guitar we clearly see the design influence from both Jim D’Aquisto and John Monteleone. But what people don’t see is the learned knowledge of restoring D’Angelico’s and D’Aquisto’s for 30 years. This applied knowledge is inherent within each Mirabella, and this particular “Crossfire Siren” is an example of the evolution of applied knowledge and modern artistic concepts - combined with sonic pleasure at the highest level .
Fortunately, for those who appreciate the Mirabella Crossfire design- and would like to acquire one, they are still reasonably priced ……..but don’t wait too long. He currently only has one slot left for 2027.Last edited by QAman; 09-24-2024 at 12:26 PM.
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