Knight New Yorker Archtop Natural 2000

This Knight New Yorker from 2000 is a beautiful English interpretation of the legendary D'Angelico archtop. Built by Gordon Wells and his son Robbie, this guitar combines traditional craftsmanship with a flamed maple body, solid spruce top, and the classic DeArmond Rhythm Chief pickup for that authentic jazz tone.

The D'Angelico New Yorker is considered one of the most coveted archtops in guitar history. John D'Angelico handcrafted these guitars in his New York workshop between 1932 and 1964, creating instruments that are still considered the benchmark for archtop guitars today. Knight Guitars, based in Surrey, England, has paid tribute to that heritage with this model.

The company was founded by Stanley "Dick" Knight, who, after a workplace accident in which he lost parts of his fingers, decided to build guitars instead of playing them. In 1967, Gordon Wells joined Dick, and together they built Knight's reputation as makers of high-quality instruments. After Dick's heart attack in 1986, Gordon took over, later joined by his son Robbie.

This New Yorker showcases the craftsmanship Knight is known for. The flamed maple body and neck are paired with a solid spruce top, a combination that creates the warm and complex tone archtops are renowned for. The ebony fingerboard is adorned with pearloid split-block inlays, while the bound f-holes and tortoiseshell pickguard complete the classic look. Weighing just 2.91 kg, this guitar is also comfortable for extended playing sessions.

The DeArmond Rhythm Chief pickup is a classic choice for this type of guitar and delivers that characteristic warm, full jazz tone you expect from an archtop of this caliber. The C-shaped neck profile feels comfortable, and the 25-inch scale length offers ample room for both chordal playing and melodic lines.

The guitar's finish shows some cracking and minor dings, and the hardware also shows signs of wear. The bindings on both the body and neck are discolored in places, and there are also small cracks between the parts due to material shrinkage. The guitar is otherwise very clean and in excellent condition. It comes in a hardshell case with a TFOA passport.

Consignment.