product types:
- acoustic guitars
- electric guitars
Information:
Nelson Palen has been making archtop guitars since around 1999. His guitars are held in high esteem by jazz guitarists including George Benson and Rodney Jones. Palen started making guitars while working as a design engineer at Sunflower Manufacturing in Beloit, Kansas. A co-worker there encouraged him to make his first guitar. Palen made his first archtop using information from the internet as well as internet-based guitar-making class, and a video on the subject. He also corresponded with other archtop builders. Palen's archtops are very light and acoustic and use “X” bracing like D’Aquisto instruments. Their hand carved top and back is slightly thicker than many other archtops, contributing to a very resonant and acoustic tone.
Source: Beloit woodworker strikes a new note with handmade guitars. Gary Demuth.The Salina Journa. 2002