2000 Amistar Style 'N' Resophonic

2000 Amistar Style 'N' Resophonic
Amistar Resophonics was a boutique Czech guitar manufacturer renowned for high-quality, handmade resonator guitars. 

Founded in 1991 by Franta Javurek, the company ceased production following his passing in 2015, making their instruments rare collectors' items today. 

Amistar Style 'N' Resophonic

Amistar Style 'N' Resophonic guitar. This piece was finished in 2000, November 16th, in the old workshop in Prague, Czech Republic by Frantisek Javurek. The construction is Nickel-plated bell brass, mahogany neck. Style 'N' and was inspired by the National Style 'N'. Designed after the "golden age" resophonics of the 1920s and 1930s, using bell brass bodies. A classic single-cone model featuring a nickel-plated bell brass body, mahogany neck, and rosewood fretboard. Reviewers note it offers a depression-era sound with added brightness and clarity.

Performance and Quality

Experts and players generally consider Amistar guitars to be professional-grade instruments. 

• Aesthetics: Known for a plain, mirror-like "German Silver" finish with a minimalist, unadorned appearance.
• Construction: Nickel-plated bell brass body and a mahogany neck.
• Tone: Delivers a "big, spacious sound" with the clarity and "cut" typically associated with high-end resophonic guitars. 
• Craftsmanship: Amistar produced only about 100 to 120 instruments per year, allowing for high attention to detail.
• Sound Quality: Reviewers on Reverb and other music sites praise them for having "no rattles," providing pure, loud, and clean resonator tones.

Specifications

Body Material: Nickel-plated bell brass

Neck: Round-neck model 

Neck Material: Mahogany

Fretboard Wood: Rosewood

Tuners: Grover Chrome tuners

Cone Material: Spun aluminum

Cone: Amistar

Coverplate: Nickel-plated brass

Headstock: Amistar logo

Tailpiece: Resophonic bright nickel

Bridge: Original biscuit

Case: Dobro hard-shell case

Amistar History

The idea began soon after the New Year of 1991, when I got my hands on a pre-war Tricone metal body National to use as a sample. It took us most of that year to research various materials, technologies, moulds, and construction techniques. Then in December 1991, we made our first two Tricone bodies becoming the first on the market since the ending of the 2nd World War! 

In 1992, we produced the first brass bodies, resonators, and other metal parts for resophonic guitars, which were then assembled in Germany under the Continental brand. From the very beginning, we have prided ourselves on our honest metalworking craftsmanship and on ensuring that each part has the precise shape, correct rigidity, and, above all, sound potential – it is the metal parts that are key to the tone, volume, and color of resonator instruments.

During the year 1996-97, we had ended the Continental production line, with the AMI Company. In 1996, we built our first complete resophonic guitars. These were two "Style OC" guitars with the Amistar logo – a brand that later became known among players thanks to the high-quality instruments manufactured in the Czech Republic. Over the years, we have continuously improved the design and details, tested various combinations of materials, settings, and adjustments, and gradually came up with our own sound system for resophonic guitars – the Duotone System. Soon afterwards, we started our own production line under the AMISTAR brand name and the first complete AMISTAR guitar was born in August 1997. I took 2 guitars to the NAMM Show in January 1998 and made our first distribution agreement for the USA!

We exhibit at the Musik Messe, Frankfurt, Germany and at the NAMM Show, in California (Amistar is a NAMM Member). Amistar received the Annual Prize of John Dopyera 2003 at the DOBRO Festival, in Trnava, Slovakia. We have established the World Resophonic Association and organize the annual Inter-Continental WRA Resophonic festival and events. In the year 2007, Amistar has been placed in the renowned World's Book of "Who is Who" in the Czech republic.

We continue to celebrate Resophonic endeavors and hope you too will join us.

Sincerely, 

Frantisek Javurek

Amistar Guitars

Used – Excellent

Price

$2,500

+ $200 Shipping