The archtop guitars of Ted Megas are acknowledged as among the finest
made today, owned by players and collectors worldwide.  What
distinguishes Megas instruments from those of other luthiers and
inspires such fervent loyalty from his customers?

To understand, go back beyond Ted’s twenty-plus years of serious
guitar making, back to the origins of his passion for fine musicmaking.
There was first his father’s basement workshop, where Ted had unlimited
access to woodworking tools and developed his knack for being able to build
just about anything he set his mind to, musical and otherwise.  Close
upon this was the teenage discovery that guitars and guitar music were
way beyond cool.  It being the sixties, a rebellious spirit illuminated
his path, beginning with Hendrix, segueing into McLaughlin, Montgomery
and a stint exploring jazz-rock fusion in his own band in Buffalo, New York.

Ted’s iconoclastic nature brought him to San Francisco in the early 70’s,
where for years he led a double life of custom furniture builder
by day, jazz player by night: one put food on the table, the other fed
his soul.  But even then his craftsmanship was beginning to take the
turn that would lead to the most rewarding expression of his creative
talents: the art of lutherie.  As with all his pursuits an intrepid
spirit of exploration, coupled with a musician’s sense of what a guitar
really needs to work and the critical eye of a perfectionist, led the
way.  He experimented with designs and concepts that were way ahead of
the 80’s mindset, finally coming to focus his energies on that most
demanding, aesthetically beautiful and musically pleasing of
instruments: the archtop guitar.  He mined the lutherie tradition for
its relevant lessons, then added his own distinctive touches.  There he
resides today, taking on every last aspect in the construction of 12
genuinely handcrafted instruments each year from the finest tonewoods
and building materials available on the planet.

What will you find in a Megas guitar?  A craftsman’s fanatical
attention to detail.  An understanding and commitment to superlative
materials.  A genius for the nuances of archtop guitar design and
construction.  The knowledge that a great guitar is much more than the
simple sum of its parts.  The vision to put it all together.

The proof is in the playing.  Pick up a Megas guitar: play it,
inspect it for all the qualities you expect in a fine instrument.  Read what
his customers have to say.  Ask him what he has to say.  It could open up
a whole new world of appreciation for what an archtop guitar can be.