2001 Tom Bills Blue Aurora Archtop

Up for sale is a is a unique Tom Bills Aurora archtop built by Tom Bills in 2001. This is the finest guitar I have ever owned or played, and I hate to let it go, but I simply never play it; it just sits in the case, which is a shame. Tom's current build list extends to 2-3 years with new builds starting at over $25,000. Here’s your chance to purchase a mature guitar, cheaper, and without the wait.

 I visited Tom’s shop in December 2001 and personally selected all of the materials with him. The body in neck are stained with the same dye used in the Scott Chinery’s Blue Guitar Commission, which was a dedication to the late Jimmy D’Aquisto. Although this guitar wasn’t part of the Chinery Commission, a copy of the book Blue Guitar highlighting the guitars that were part will be included.

 The Aurora is a 16-inch archtop with 1.75-inch nut and 25-inch scale. It is fully carved out of master grade Sitka Spruce and Curly Maple, African Ebony fretboard, bridge & tailpiece, pick guard, heel cap, and headstock veneer, MOP inlays, and Quilted Maple binding. I believe that the neck is Quartersawn Curly Maple, but I can’t swear to that. The neck and body are hand-bursted, and the finish is hand-rubbed shellac, which took Tom almost two weeks. In the right light, you can still see the hand-rubbed swirl marks, giving it a truly authentic look. This was also the first production guitar Tom made with his now-iconic leaf inlays, AND the first to adorn his signature “B” logo. It is also the first and (to my knowledge) only archtop he ever sold without a pickup or electronics. Truth be told, I couldn’t afford the extra cost at the time, and I am experienced enough to install them myself – I just never got around to it.   So – here’s your chance to get your favorite setup installed from the start, versus the hassles of upgrades.

 Inside the guitar is Tom’s signature, and a hand-written prayer that I asked him to add. The Cedar Creek case was custom-made for the guitar. It is covered with faux alligator skin, and is in perfect condition, save a couple of minor scuffs. As mentioned, it has only been outside of my house twice.

 This guitar is in perfect structural condition and per my opinion, requires no setup or action adjustment. I have never adjusted the truss rod, or even removed the cover. The finish is not checked, and although I live in a dry environment, there are no signs of grain settling or wood movement.

 Besides some occasional home practicing, I played this guitar in church (mic’ed) on two occasions. It sounded amazing with just the microphone, but to be honest, it is so beautiful that I have always been a bit timid to do much more than admire it. It still has the strings Tom installed in 2001, and they, like the frets, show no signs of wear, albeit a bit tarnished. In fact, from head to tail, I am unable to find a single scratch anywhere, with the exception of a small chip at the tip of the back side of the headstock (see pictures). The chip could be easily fixed with a dab of blue-tinted lacquer. I would do it myself, but for authenticity, it should be corrected with stain and shellac, and I don’t want to deal with it.

 Unfortunately, since Tom made this work of art when he was just getting started, it didn’t include any documentation, records, tags, or case candy; just his business card, which I will include. I reached out to Tom to see if he could provide me with some certification or registration, but I haven’t heard back.

 Enough yammering. This is a true collector’s piece. Let me know if you have any questions or need more pictures.