Artinger Quilted Maple & Sapele Hollow Body

NOTES: Built specifically for the 2025 Artisan Guitar Show, this is a one-of-a-kind Matt Artinger creation featuring extraordinary detail and craftsmanship. Museum-quality instrument in impeccable condition.

When an Artinger Quilted Maple and Sapele Hollow Body arrived at the shop, I knew we were in for something extraordinary. Built specifically for the 2025 Artisan Guitar Show, this instrument represents the pinnacle of Matt Artinger's vision and craftsmanship. The moment you hold this guitar, you realize you're experiencing a masterpiece that transcends mere instrument making – this is functional art at its finest.

The highly quilted maple top immediately draws you in with its mesmerizing depth and three-dimensional quality, perfectly complemented by the flamed maple binding that frames it like a precious painting. But the visual journey has just begun. The insanely quilted sapele sides and rear create a stunning contrast, with the sapele rear binding adding an elegant finishing touch that showcases Matt's meticulous attention to detail.

Looking deeper, you'll discover what Matt aptly calls "Easter eggs" – those incredible details that reveal themselves over multiple encounters with the instrument. The slotted headstock with its full inside trim and matching quilted maple accents demonstrates an obsessive commitment to cohesive design. Matt's handcrafted elements – from the ebony humbucker rings to the custom ebony and snakewood bridge – create a visual rhythm throughout the guitar that's both sophisticated and organic.

What truly elevates this Artinger is how its sonic qualities match its visual splendor. The Lollar Imperial low-wind pickups, nestled beneath custom ebony and snakewood tops, deliver a tonal palette that's warm, articulate, and incredibly responsive. The figured sapele neck, reinforced with carbon fiber and featuring that beautiful maple rear stringer, feels absolutely perfect in the hand, with a playing comfort that invites hours of exploration.

The 25" scale length strikes that sweet spot between tension and playability, while thoughtful touches like the inset strap buttons and electrosocket jack cup demonstrate Matt's consideration for both form and function. The gold and snakewood Waverly tuners aren't just visually striking – they provide the rock-solid tuning stability that players at this level demand.

What makes this hollow body so special is the harmony between its custom-designed elements: the one-off inlay scheme, the custom switch top, the bespoke knobs – all working together in perfect concert. This guitar isn't just built; it's composed, with every element precisely where it should be, creating a visual and tonal symphony that's greater than the sum of its already impressive parts.

In my years of handling exceptional instruments, this Artinger stands among the most inspired and inspiring. It's a guitar that not only showcases Matt's unparalleled craftsmanship but also his understanding that great instruments should awaken something in the player – a desire to create, to explore, to express. This hollow body does exactly that, and I'm genuinely thrilled to have it grace our shop, even if only for a brief time before finding its forever home.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.