DYNAMIC Series : Metropolitain GT
People who feel diffident about playing an Amboyna Burl Metropolitain
can buy a Gold Top version.
Our New Original Design DYNAMIC Metropolitain features Retro-Euro styling and appointments
inspired by early pre-WWII innovators of the modern archtop jazz guitar.
Metropolitain models feature an arched top with two F-holes, wide open cutaway,
full-scale Ebony fretboard with 22 easily accessible frets and SR (Smooth/Round) Neck Heel.
But Why?
I've always loved electric guitars, and especially the aesthetics of the old big box archtops...the gorgeous curvy lines, fancy bindings, classic f-holes and beautiful woods and finishes. I've played many many of them, most all of them, over the years.
As a young kid, starry-eyed by the Beatles I started out on the requisite entry-level electrics of the day: Duo-Sonic, Melody Maker, Les Paul Junior. Perhaps due to some early violin lessons, who knows, but along with the usual Cowboy Chord positions
I also enjoyed taking advantage of the entire fretboard, playing way up the neck into the wide open cutaway, stretching that
22nd fret in full Santana mode. To me those frets obviously seemed meant to be played along with all the other ones, of course.
Discovering Tal, Wes and Johnny (Smith) in my late teens I so dug that jazz archtop style I sold my Les Paul and started in on playing those big hollow boxes. They were a bit big and bulky, but man they were cool. But the one real drawback I found I always struggled with them was... upper fretboard access. Or lack thereof. 'Cause gosh, even my lowly intro-level guitars had easy, full fretboard acess, and I was very used to playing those. And so my ongoing dilemma began.
First off, there is no 22nd fret on an L5. Actually, almost all jazz-style guitars only have 20 frets, with a neck/body joint way down at the 14th fret. Even as a young player I used to think, 'why'? I discovered there are 22 frets on a short-scale Byrdland.
But hey, ever try to easily get above even the 17th fret on a shallow cutaway Byrdland? (Maybe Ted Nugent could do it, I couldn't.) 'What's the point of those extra frets if you can't reach'em?' I recall asking the music store guy.
Yes, there are all the thinline ES-style guitars et al, a more comfortable size really, especially once you've gone full-on electric,
but they normally only have mid-scale length (24.75") boards, and I greatly prefer the full 25.5" jazz scale. (As did even Leo.)
So began decades of ever-searching for that elusive full-scale jazz-style (f-holes) guitar with full access to 22 frets.
Quick,..name one! Any? OK there are a few around now, the odd Hofner Jazzica or Johnny A somesuch. But by then
I'd already given up searching and decided to design one myself, and exactly how I wanted it to be.
...Introducing Our New DYNAMIC Series.
The wide open cutaway is inspired by the sometimes almost flat cutaways of European-style jazz and Gypsy guitars, offering enhanced access to the upper reaches of the Full-Scale, 22-fret Ebony fretboard. The higher register has has been further unfettered with our new SR (Smooth/Round) Neck Heel. The unique, enlarged semi-hollow body shape features an Arched top with twin bound
F-holes and Retro-Euro appointments. One BergerBucker II neck humbucking pickup offers smooth warm jazz tones, while a Push/Pull Tone Knob splits the coils for lighter brighter tones reminiscent of early European jazz guitar recordings.
( Addendum: also check out our new DYNAMIC Caravan models for the Ultimate in Upper Fretboard Mayhem. )
Fancy extra-wide multiply bindings, full block Pearloid fret markers, double-line bound Ebony fingerboard
with finial tip, large "fluted fan" tailpiece and Ebony Knobs with Parisian-Eye insert are among the
rich decorative stylings inspired by early European archtop jazz guitar makers.
So what's with the wacky position of the Volume and Tone controls?
Or ... is it?
Jazz and fingerstyle players tend to stay positioned in a more focused space on their guitars as their fingers
weave through intricate chords and scales patterns (verses say Pete Townsend's windmill-power-chord Rock style!)
Integrating the Volume & Tone controls within this "vertical playing plane" enables adjustment of settings
with only the subtlest hand movement, requiring less time off the strings and a more seamless performance.
Retro-Euro inpired asymetrical headstock with full block Pearloid fret markers, colourful Abalone logo inlay
and black satin tuning buttons are set off by a classic Cordovan finish on back and sides.
New PTB Proprietary SR (Smooth/Round) Neck Heel enhances playability of upper fretboard.
Il n'y a plus d'autres mots que C'est Magnifique !
Specifications
DYNAMIC Metropolitain GT
BODY
PTB Original Design Arched Top Semi-Hollow Thinline with Open Cutaway (15" Body)
PTB Custom Design SR (Smooth/Round) Neck Heel
Fancy Multiply Binding, Double-bound Front & Back with Bound F-holes
"Vintage Gold Top" Thincoat finish, "Cordovan" Back & Sides
NECK
Full-scale (25.5") 22-fret Ebony fingerboard
Full Block Pearloid Fret Markers
Double-line fingerboard binding with Finial Tip
Abalone Logo on Black Laquer Bound Headstock
1 11/16" Bone nut. 6130 Medium/Jumbo frets
Slim Taper "Modern D" neck profile
HARDWARE & ELECTRONICS
Gold Hardware
VR 18-1 Ratio Sealed Tuners with Black Satin Buttons
Bergerbucker II Neck Humbucking Pickup
Push/Pull Split-Coil tap on upper bout Tone Knob
Uniquely Placed Volume & Tone Control Knobs facilitate jazz and fingerstyle playing
Ebony Knobs with Parisian-Eye Insert
Floating Adjustable Bridge
Euro-Retro Fluted Fan Tailpiece