JOHN MONTELEONE BIO
My first childhood encounters with a guitar began with a horrible excuse for a guitar which stood in a
corner in our family dining room; a cheap Harmony acoustic archtop model, It had three or four
of the blackest, rustiest, and nastiest strings ever seen on any guitar. It was dangerous enough
that it could have sent its victims to the hospital for tetanus shots. Since it was of no use to anyone
I took it downstairs into my laboratory where I conducted an experiment which tool, only a minute or two.
I was only twelve. I wound up with a round house swing and smashed it to bits around a lally-colum. It was
perhaps the best sound that it ever made. It produced a pile of interesting splinters of spruce and maple and
at the same time revealed the inside of this lousy guitar. I then realized that there was a reason for all of
these things and the inside and that it was somehow important to the sound of any guitar. This was an enlightening
experience for this curios twelve year old boy.
I met the Mandolin Brothers in 1973 and began repairing and restoring vintage instruments for them
until about 1980. My first workshop was a kitchen table and the next shop appeared in my bedroom
where I shared space with a workbench and a table saw. I opened my first real shop in 1976 at the
waters edge in the town of Bayshore, New York where I remained until I built my current shop in 1989.
My early instruments reflected my experiences with many fine (and otherwise) examples of vintage
guitars, mandolins, and banjos encountered during the Mandolin Brothers years. Although influenced
by the greatest luthiers, I responded to the need for a better and more advanced approach to designing
the sound, look, and feel of my instruments. I therefore began building with my own evolutionary concepts
at a time when new ideas and designs were discouraged by those musicians who had more traditional expectations.
As the guitar market went soft in the 1980's the reputation for my mandolins was reaching new highs.
I continued refining my, guitar designs during this period and was ready for the renewed interest in
vintage archtop, and flattop guitars at the end of the 80's. More importantly, the recent acceptance
of the "new" luthiers has opened doors to the possible realization of finer guitars from John Monteleone.
I am consciously working toward broadening the Musicians' interest in both archtop and flattop guitars.
The weakening lines of division between the various classifications of music have made it possible for
a great melding of music. These influences have generated a need for inspirational instruments of greater
versatility for the musician. The music itself has always been the driving force behind the success of all
musical instruments and the artisans who make them. There has always been a supply and demand for
fine musical instruments. The demand for guitars and mandolins of extremely fine performance quality
has never been greater than now.
John Monteleone
P.0 Box 52, Islip, N.Y. 11751
(631) 277-3620
