McKerrihan Monk - Master Luthier Handbuilt 16” Archtop - No F-Holes - Carved Spruce Top - Quilted Maple Back+Sides w/OHSC

Stunning one-of-a-kind handmade archtop built by the mythical Glen McKerrihan back in the late '90s, making this an early example of his fine work.

This guitar was built for Arizona jazz guitarist Chris Champion, who worked with Glenn during the development of his early jazz guitar designs. Chris remained the original owner for over two decades (aside from lending it to one of his students for a period of time before eventually getting it back), so this instrument has essentially had just two owners in its history.

It is unique in that it doesn't have traditional F-holes, an intentional design choice to create a carved, solid-top, full-depth archtop that would be highly resistant to feedback on stage. The acoustic presence is still very strong and vibrant despite the lack of F-holes. Construction and craftsmanship are excellent throughout. The guitar is clearly the work of a highly skilled builder, with beautiful wood selection, clean workmanship, and a lightweight, resonant feel. It features a carved master grade Sitka spruce top, stunning 3D looking extremely high grade quilted maple for the back and sides, a single SD Seth Lover pickup, a 25” scale length, a 5-piece flamed maple/walnut neck, beautiful ebony fretboard, 16" lower bout, and full 3” body depth at the rims. The sound is rich in harmonic overtones while remaining remarkably focused and controlled compared to a traditional carved archtop with f-holes.

One aspect I especially appreciated during my time with this guitar is that it remains remarkably controllable at higher stage volumes. Unlike many carved archtops, the no-f-hole design makes it an excellent choice for players using amplifiers, pedals, or louder ensembles who still want the feel and response of a fully hollow carved instrument.

The guitar currently wears a fresh set of 12–52 roundwound strings and plays beautifully. It has been played quite a bit, as it served as the main instrument of a prominent Arizona jazz guitarist for roughly two decades, but it was never abused. It simply shows honest cosmetic wear from years of professional use, including finish checking and handling marks consistent with a lightly finished nitrocellulose instrument. There are no cracks, repairs, or structural issues, and I tried to capture everything accurately in the photos. The most notable cosmetic wear would be the area to the right of the pickup wear the edge of the pickguard would be - the scraped away finish there, as well as some impressions and small chips in the top. Chris mentioned that he swapped the tuners out within a year or two of receiving the guitar - so that the tuning machines and buttons are lighter and allow for even better neck/body balance.

The frets are in excellent shape following a professional refret in 2022.

The original pickguard was lost while the guitar was on loan to Chris's student. I considered having a new custom wooden pickguard made, but ultimately decided not to invest additional money into the instrument unless I ended up keeping it long-term. If it doesn't find the right home, I may revisit that idea and reevaluate.

Opportunities to purchase McKerrihan guitars are uncommon - as it's believed Glen only ended up building approximately 150 instruments. It's even rarer to find an early example with documented provenance. This would make an excellent instrument for the jazz or fusion guitarist looking for something genuinely handmade, distinctive, and unusually resistant to feedback on stage.

Hopefully I don’t regret selling this one day. 🙃 As always, please reach out with any questions. I always answer to the best of my ability and genuinely enjoy talking guitars. Thanks for checking out my listing.