Archtop Guitars: The Journey from Cremona to New York is a guitar art book that identifies the cultural parallels of instrument making between 17th century Cremona, Italy and 20th century New York City. Archtop Guitars visually depicts the art and guitar designs of John D'Angelico, James D'Aquisto, John Monteleone and the musicians who play them. These magnificent instruments appeal to anyone who has a passion for art, music, history and design. The Art Deco movement, which had a profound effect on the decorative and visual arts in America, is reflected in early 20th century New York City architecture. These same architectural influences are seen in the archtop guitar designs of Italian-American luthiers, D'Angelico, D'Acquisto and Monteleone.

Author, Rudy Pensa traces the connection of these New York luthiers to the Cremona masters, Antonio Stradivari, Giuseppe Guarnieri and Andrea Amati. Photographer, Vincent Ricardel, captures the sensual design of these guitars through unique angles allowing the viewer to see the intricate curves, shapes and characteristics of each instrument.

The musicians and collectors who own and have played these instruments treasure them for their sound, aesthetic quality and tonal depth. Among them are some musicians who participated in this project, including: George Benson, Jim Hall, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Russell Malone, Woody Mann, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Steve Miller, Jeff Mironoff, Les Paul, Bucky & John Pizzarelli, John Pisano, Paul Simon, GE Smith, Craig Snyder, Mark Whitfield, Anthony Wilson and Al Valenti.

I served as the book designer, taking ownership of the complete visual execution of the project. This involved crafting a cohesive design language through layout, typography, and photographs. I personally managed the extensive image retouching and color correction to ensure the rich details and unique forms of these instruments were accurately captured. My role also included direct collaboration with the printer, overseeing color accuracy and print production to ensure the highest quality final product. This book required careful attention to design, balancing visually compelling layouts with ample text passages.