Victor Baker Model 18

My guitar is an 18", non-cutaway, full depth archtop, with floating Bartolini pickup. Back & sides of European cello wood beautifully quilted maple. Koa binding on body and neck. Ebony board, pickguard, tailpiece, bridge and headstock overlay (front & back). Finish is a beautiful amber. Soundholes designed by Victor - similar to a D'Aquisto.

Great classic jazz sound. I play it thru an old Gibson tube amp. Works great as an acoustic too - nice "woody" tone, very resonant, and really "cuts".

Construction is top notch. I've played guitars costing 2-3 times as much as Victor's, and his match up to anything I've seen. The quilted bookmatched back, sides, and neck are stunning. Binding and fretwork are top-notch. Top is nice tight-grained spruce. Action is nice and low, same as when I got the guitar 6 months ago.

I've owned the guitar since October of 2000. The action is nice and low - hasn't changed a bit. Everything about the guitar is just like new. Only time can tell how it will hold up over the years, but so far there's every indication that it till do fine. This is a top quality, professional grade instrument, built to last.

Victor is a great guy to work with. Buying a guitar from him is a one-on-one, cooperative effort. It's you and the master luthier - no dealer, no salesman. I knew what I wanted in a guitar, and described my ideal guitar to Victor. He made several suggestions - the amber finish instead of the blue that I originally had in mind, the unique sound holes, etc. Victor took my idea of the ideal guitar and made it better. I've got a unique, beautiful looking and playing instrument. This was a totally different experience from buying a name brand from a store or catalog!

If this guitar was stolen, I'd be at Victor's door with the insurance money, saying "Let's build another one". I'd put this guitar up against guitars costing thousands more.