AN INTRODUCTION
by Stan Jay & Larry Wexer
What sets John Monteleone apart from other artisans working today
is his refined sense of aesthetics which reveals itself in designs
of great artistic beauty. He maintains the highest musical and
sonic standards while exploring new ideas which express his vision
as he captures and executes (but without malice) their own concepts
of tone and playability for his paying customers. Every guitar
and mandolin is designed as an entity, each with its own thematic
decorative motifs, with little overlap.
John Monteleone's reputation was initially made with his mandolin
family instruments. He has approached the making of both flat
and arch top guitars in a completely fresh and original way, beginning
with the ECLIPSE and HOT CLUB models. In addition we now have
the RADIO CITY and the RADIO FLYER which embody the sophistication
of the city for which they are named and incorporate the acoustic
attributes of the great arch top guitars of the past.
Every time that we visit John's shop we see the
miracle of creation anew (no, really). He takes a tree - the ordinary
kind that you see every day - cuts it into wood, and then from
planks he makes amazing instruments that you play and make music
with. He even makes the metal parts himself. How does he do it?
How can one person, and a relatively young one at that, be this
creative and have such a unwavering standard of excellence? It's
certainly a mystery to us. Yet we still believe that it is John
Monteleone himself, who does all this.
John Monteleone
P.0 Box 52, Islip, N.Y. 11751
(631) 277-3620
