Up for sale, a 1970s T. and Joodee model JP-100 archtop in exceptional condition and in perfect working order. T. and Joodee is the original label of Japanese master luthier Shiroh Tsuji, and these guitars were produced in very limited quantities. Tsuji is well-established in the world of Japanese luthiery, best known for his D'Angelico-style archtops. This early (double digit serial) JP-100 clearly takes its design cues from Gibson's L-4C archtop, featuring a carved spruce top paired with flame maple back and rims, 16” lower bout width, and a florentine cutaway. Early in its life, the guitar was augmented with a neck position DiMarzio PAF humbucker.
A three-piece maple neck and bound rosewood fretboard rounds out the tonewoods, and this guitar has a rich, textured natural acoustic tone with a woody, percussive cut. These qualities are channeled via the DiMarzio humbucker which meters at 7.35k ohms. Offering a notably rich lower-midrange and bass register response, this humbucker is ideally suited for full-bodied Jazz tones and complex chording, responsive to picking dynamics and retaining plenty of treble detail. Weighing 5lbs 14oz, this JP-100 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with low action, accurate intonation, and 12-53 flatwound strings.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Three-piece maple, walnut stringers -Shape: Chunky C, generous shoulders, measuring .880” 1st fret, .945” 9th fret -Fretboard: Rosewood, split parallelogram inlays -Frets: Medium jumbo, hint of wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-6 -Scale Length: 24 3/4” -Nut: 1 11/16”, bone -Headstock: “Open book,” Gibson-style crown inlay -Tuners: Grover Rotomatic
Body Specs:
-Wood: Carved spruce top, maple back/rims -Pickups: DiMarzio PAF, 1977 date stamp on baseplate -Controls: Volume, Tone -Hardware: Zig-zag trapeze tailpiece, compensated rosewood bridge -Plastics: Gold bonnet knobs, four-ply pickguard -Serialization: Label visible through bass-side f hole with handwritten model, serial info, signed by Shiroh Tsuji
The gloss Sunburst finish highlights wall-to-wall flame figuring in the maple back and sides. Cosmetic wear is limited to light buckle worming on the back, a small finish chip on top at the treble-side lower bout edge, and a handful of minor dings on the body as a whole, largely relegated to the rims and back. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss.
