Thesesiblingarchtops (not exactly twins, but definitely related) come from Cincinnati, OH, builder David Schneider. Both guitars are made with European spruce tops; the backs and sides are of German maple from the same tree. Fretboards, finger-rests, bridges and tailpiece are ebony. The pin bridge SoHo 16 is 16-1/2" at the lower bout, and the SoHo 17 (with tailpiece), is 17-3/8". Both are 25-3/8" scale with 1-3/4" bone nuts.

Schneider was mentored by Jimmy D’Aquisto before apprenticing with lute maker Lawrence Brown, with a final stint in India learning to build sitars. The wrap-around end clasp terracing on these guitars was inspired by one of Schneider’s lutes.

The headstocks are chambered and resonate, providing a slight stereo or echo effect. The bridges are glued on, and the guitar with the tailpiece features a string-through bridge, a technique the Cincinnati-based builder has also used on flat tops. The bracing system was adopted from D’Aquisto, the Circle of Sound. There are four K&K transducer pickups mounted inside the guitar on the bridgeplate, a system Schneider feels is more natural sounding than bridge saddle-mounted transducers.


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