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Thanks, Chris.
Interesting stuff.

Chris
Thanks for taking time to "write the tour". Good stuff!
Nelson
P.S. For those of you not familiar with Benedetto, he entered into an agreement with Fender in 1999 to have them build his line of archtops. That lasted until 2006 when Bob teamed up with Howard Paul and built the factory in Savannah.
Benedetto
Thanks again, Chris.

Chris,
    Bob and I spent some time together while he lived here in northeast
PA. He's a great guy with a very big heart and a desire to help anyone he
can in the lutherie business....or outside of it for that matter. He and his
lovely wife Cindy hosted me at their home along with some other builders
and students of the craft back in the early 90s and they were a perfect
couple for hosting guests for dinner and talking guitars.


    I have a few photos of us hanging our in Bob's small basement shop
back then with all of his wood and nearly completed guitars hanging in
different stages throughout the shop. I'll try ot fnd them and post them
when...or if...I do.

    Dale Unger of American Archtops worked under Bob in that East
Stroudsburg shop for several years before embarking on his own effort to
build and market his beautiful guitars. They are very much in the line of a
Benedetto, but at a much lower price point.

    Bob was very graious as he offered a flattering critique of one of my
very first guitars during one of those visits. I think back now to that guitar
and wish...as any luthier would...that I'd waited a few years and a hundred
guitars later to have one of the premiere builders of archtops in the world
take a look at it in detail, but he remembers where he came from and is
very humble so he was probably a great guy to receive that
encouragement from at the time.

Great post and all the best to you and to Bob as he continues his
wonderful work.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Kevin--"a very big heart and a desire to help anyone he can in the lutherie business".
I will second that! I emailed Bob, must have been in '99 when I was getting into archtops, and asked him if he could give me some dimensions for the outline of his 17" archtop. He traced his mold on brown wrapping paper and sent it to me. That left quite an impression on this kid.
I met Bob in person at the '02 Long Island Show where he was working the Fender exhibit. Super nice guy!
Nelson

Nelson,
   I was at the '02 Long Island show and was able to have lunch with Bob
and Frank Finnochio and a few other friends that were there.

   Dale was showing his American Archtops that year and had so many
great players pop in to throw out a tune or two that his booth became the
place to be all day long. Duets and trios usually offered great transition
pieces from one artist to another.

   The Long Island shows are always a great place to catch up with old
friends and make new ones.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Kevin Gallagher39091.958587963

Bob's new place in Savannah is about 3 miles from my house as the crow flies. I guess I need to go meet him in person. I was a bit intimidated about visiting him at first but y'all made me rethink it. Thanks.
Tom Armstrong

Thanks,
I know the folks at SEDA (Savannah Economic Development Authority)who worked with him to to help him transition to Savannah and they say the same thing....but, with his reputation I was just a tad intimidated. I'm over my shyness now and will try to scheule a visit.
thanks,
Tom Armstrong

p.s. If you come back to Sav look me up and by all means get out to Bloomingdale and meet Rany Wood. He's a friend and a great luthier...well respected. Stew-Mac even sells a floating bridge and attribute the design to Randy. I'm basically a learning newbie with about 5 -6 builds under my belt but none that I'm really proud of yet. Three more in the works currently.