Jimmy Foster was a legendary builder, mostly of 6-string and 7-string archtops, semi-hollows and electric guitars, who was based in Covington, Louisiana. His motto was “Where tradition and art unite.” He passed away on April 26, 2011 at the age of 63. A brief bio on his web site reads:
Jimmy Foster has been practicing the luthier’s art for over 30 years. Just as importantly, he’s been playing guitar for over 35 years – a rarity among guitar builders. It’s this player’s perspective, plus his commitment to perfection, that defines the character of each and every Foster Guitar. Jimmy’s early musical idols were artists such as Chet Atkins, Les Paul, and Tony Mottola. As his talents developed, Jimmy’s taste turned toward the jazz influences of players like Howard Roberts, Johnny Smith, and George Van Eps, the legendary 7-string jazz guitar player. An “everyday man” Jimmy loves to talk to his customers and welcomes their input into the building of their custom instrument.”
This guitar is in excellent original condition showing a minimum number of signs of use and playing time. It has the colorful “Foster” logo inlaid in abalone at the top of its ebony overlain center point paddle-style headstock; the headstock is quite large and 2” lower - at its center -- there is an abalone flourish in white, green, red and blue. Two inches below this is a matte finish ebony truss rod cover with a stylized fleur-de-lis inlaid on it. The nut is the color of bone but we do not know if it is actual bone, and it is unpolished. The fingerboard is neo-classical, meaning that it has no dotmarkers on its front surface, but there are inlaid side dots and there is a flower inlaid at the 12th fret. The ebony fingerboard, which measures 1 11/16” at the nut, appears to be bound in polished ebony and it ends with a carat facing down. The tailpiece is a carved ebony “fan” shaped – essentially a trapeze in function but all filled in with black ebony and with a floral abalone arrangement inlaid at the bottom. The string spacing at the bridge is 2 3/8” and the scale length is long at 25.6”. This guitar has a gloriously pretty solid carved spruce top and highly figured and striped maple sides and back. The back of the neck is one piece of plain maple, which is preferable in a neck since it is extremely unlikely to ever deflect. The dark brown headstock overlay contrasts beautifully with the small oval button gold-plated tuners. The action is extremely low and comfortable and the guitar plays like a toasted and lightly buttered plain New York bagel. Tone and volume can be controlled by to ebony knobs on the lower portion of the pickguard, which is connected to the treble side by a gold plated L-bracket.
Anybody seeking to know all of the negatives should be aware that there are in one or two infinitely tiny areas a curious looking gray-white substance at the binding. We have no idea what this is; it may be a chemical reaction with the binding or it may be glue, but it seems benign. One of these can be seen at the bend in the cutaway on the treble side, just above the top end of the striped ebony elevated pickguard, near the neck heel. There are areas where the black body binding has been lightly scuffed. We do note two very small raised lacquer drips on the treble rim at the widest part. We do, as you know, tend to overstate the negatives and when you see this guitar your natural reaction is likely to be “what negatives?”
This is a beautiful hand-made guitar, carved and arched, delicately and diligently crafted by one of America’s most beloved builders who passed away entirely too young just this past year. Visually it is striking and memorable, played acoustic it is so loud everybody visiting our showroom turns around to see what instrument could possibly by that loud played acoustically, and plugged in it is a balm for all of the frustrations that contribute to modern life.
THIS WAS $5670 BUT NOW ON SALE FOR: