Archtop

Forster Archtop Guitars – Handmade, modern, unmistakable

Handmade. Modern. Unmistakable.

WHAT IT IS

The Forster archtop is a lightweight, hand-carved semi-acoustic guitar. Designed not to imitate vintage instruments but to stand alongside them. The most popular version is the Charlie model — carved European spruce top, shallow maple body, long mahogany neck, elliptical soundhole. Articulate, warm, and clear.

WHY CHOOSE IT

It started almost by accident. A new design that ended up with a feel and tone all its own. Most archtops in this category lack sustain. This one doesn’t. A serious instrument for players.

WHAT YOU GET

A fully hand-carved archtop built to order with premium materials. Custom detailing and finish options available. A lifetime warranty.

HOW MUCH IT COSTS

If you’d like the current price list, scroll down and fill in the contact form at the foot of the page.

 

This design has so many benefits for the player – the sustain of an electric guitar coupled with the broad tonal range and resonance only possible from an acoustic instrument. Add to this great access to the upper frets, a compensated zero fret and saddle making for super accurate intonation over the whole fretboard.

This "long neck" design is a total rethink of how archtop guitars work, there is nothing quite like this around anywhere.
Charlie head
Charlie back
charlie - a modern archtop guitar
oscar - modern archtop guitar headstock
Charlie - a fine archtop guitar
Charlie spruce top
Charlie Archtop Guitar
charlie - handmade archtop guitar
charlie - maple archtop
Modern Guitar
oscar - fine archtop guitar headstock
Charlie maple back

  • Material

    Soundboard: Carved European spruce.

    Back and sides: carved maple, many upgrades available.

    Neck: New Guinea rosewood, mahogany or flame maple.

    Fretboard and bridge – Sri Lanka ebony or rocklite ebano.

  • Hardware

    Tuners - Gold Gotoh 510.

    Handmade lacquered brass neck hardware.

    Handwound alnico pickup.

    Paper in oil capacitor.

    Highly polished Evo Gold fretwire

    Nut and saddle - polished bone.

  • Dimensions

    max body width: 390mm
    body length: 490mm
    depth: 110mm
    nut: 44mm
    bridge spacing: 57mm
    scale: 630mm or custom