MARCHIONE GUITARS

Stephen Marchione builds recording quality archtop and special commission guitars. Marchione's clientele primarily consists of New York's top studio and stage players, and he has received commissions from the likes of Mark Whitfield, Mike Moreno, John Abercrombie, Vernon Reed, and Mark Knopfler. Other notables playing Marchione's guitars are George Wadenius (Steely Dan's Alive in America CD), Mark Stewart (Bang on a Can's Music for Airports CD), and Kenny Brescia and Ira Seigel (sound track for the Broadway smash Rent).
Marchione approaches his craft from many different angles. He understands players' sound and comfort needs as a guitar player himself. Marchione also seriously studies the great guitar and violin instruments in order to build archtop guitars that function as pinnacle pieces. When a player brings in a D'Aquisto or D'Angelico to Marchione's studio, Marchione scrutinizes the instrument's construction, draws blueprints, and then quizzes the player about the instrument's best qualities. These important elements are then incorporated into his own designs.
The violin tradition has also figured prominently in Marchione's building. A hands-on understanding of cello arching is crucial to Marchione's ability to recreate the arching subtleties that imbue his archtop guitars with full acoustic volume and tambour. Marchione's friendship with violin maker Guy Rabut has impressed upon Marchione the importance of incorporating centuries of stringed instrument knowledge.
Personal musicianship, an exacting approach to guitar making, and the experience of hand building over four hundred acoustic archtops, neck-throughs, and electric guitars are the groundwork for each and every Marchione guitar.