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Bohemian Jazz Guitars Tribute

Let’s make the finest bohemian vintage guitars sound! We want to present the unknown story of archtop guitars produced between 1930s and 1960s in Schönbach (Luby). Help us make a CD with a book, prepare an exhibition and put on concerts!

EUR 13,003
pledged of EUR 11,476

113%

113% completed

188 contributors pledged

Music, Art

All or nothing. Project finished on Dec 24, 2018 at 07:00.

Show all rewards

It is a fascinating story…

Just a few years after jazz is born in the United States, German craftspeople in the small city of Schonbach in Czechoslovakia are among the first in Europe to build archtop (jazz) guitars. And they are so good that after only a few years their instruments are – under different brands – exported to the whole world. Schönbach thus plays a crucial role in shaping the European jazz scene.

Then comes the World War II after which the Czech Germans are expelled from Czechoslovakia. The Germen craftspeople from Schönbach (newly renamed Luby u Chebu) mostly settle in the Bavarian city of Bubenreuth, where they further develop their craft – their instruments are later played by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Despite these historical turmoils, the production of archtop guitars is maintained in Czechoslovakia. The family of Alfred Bräuer, one of most talented archtop guitar luthiers, stays in Luby and continues high-quality production even after the nationalization of the instrument-making firms in the city.

Here lies one of the paradoxes of Czech history. First-class guitars produced in the 1950s and 1960s that represent the apex of instrument production in Luby (thus mostly intended for international export) are built by Czech Germans, a minority portrayed by the Communist regime as a national enemy. It is no surprise that the Brauer family carried on its work in full secrecy.

...and we want to present it to the world

We fell in love with this story. We have researched the history of these unique guitars from the 1930s to the 1960s for more than 20 years. And now we want to show what we have discovered.

  • We want make the finest guitars play again and record a CD with Czech jazz pieces, songs of the period of their origin.
  • We want to add a book full of photos and information...
  • ... and a traveling exhibition to get the story to as many people as possible.
  • And if everything goes well, we want to put on a series of concerts in the Czech Republic and Germany with some of the renovated guitars.

How far along is the project?

We managed the first to recording sessions and found out what is needed for the recording of such rare instruments (and the amount of resources needed to repair them). For the rest, we need you :-)

Who are we?

We are a group of enthusiasts who got together to bring this project to life... Guitarist Marek Rejhon, musician and instrument restorer Tomáš Dvořák, photographer Karel Pazderka, recording studio Good Day Records, experts from the German project Bubenreutheum, AnFas studio and many others.

Comments

Choose reward for your contribution

  • sold 7
    Signed postcard

    The most beautiful archtop guitar of all made in Schönbach (Luby) is Sněhurka (Snow White). We will send you a personally signed postcard with its picture.

    Reward delivery: on address, in a quarter after the Hithit project end

    EUR 5.94
    (CZK 150)

  • sold 17
    Digital recording

    We know that CDs are a bit oldschool. Although this project is about old guitars, we follow the trends. So if you are a fan of the project and a digital version of the recording is sufficient for you, this is the right reward. And, of course, we will thank you for your support.

    Reward delivery: in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 11.87
    (CZK 300)

  • sold 19
    Digital set (recording + book)

    With your help the world will hear these amazing guitars play again! And want to read something about them! We will send you the recording and the book, both in digital form (the book will be compatible with standard readers). And of course, we will mention your name in the acknowledgements.

    Reward delivery: in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 19.79
    (CZK 500)

  • sold 90
    CD + book

    Enjoy fully the beauty of the guitars and learn their story in detail. Get the CD and the printed book with plenty of great pictures from Karel Pazderka, lots of archival materials, and all the information about guitars we have found during more than 20 years of research. And acknowledgement for your support, of course.

    if you would like a personal dedication, write its text in the note.

    / for delivery outside the Czech Republic, please add 8 EUR for postal services /

    Reward delivery: on address, in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 39.57
    (CZK 1,000)

  • remaining 30 from 70
    CD + book + launch party invitation

    Do you want to meet personally? The best opportunity is during the CD launch party. If all goes well, it will be in the autumn of 2019 in Prague. Additionally, you will get the book with signatures of the authors and we will mention your name in the acknowledgements.

    Reward delivery: on address, in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 59.36
    (CZK 1,500)

  • remaining 47 from 50
    CD + book + poster

    Prague is too far, but you want something extra. What about a poster, with all the renovated guitars pictured on one place? It will have a size of A1 and a visual style similar to that of our website's header. And additionaly, of course, the signed book and your name mentioned in acknowledgements.

    / for delivery outside the Czech Republic, please add 16 EUR for postal services /

    Reward delivery: on address, in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 79.15
    (CZK 2,000)

  • remaining 1 from 10
    A picture on the wall of a selected guitar

    Decorate your wall! Choose one of Karel Pazderka's photos and we will print it on canvas or on an aluminum (dibond) board of the size 70 x 50 cm.

    / for delivery outside the Czech Republic, please add 20 EUR for postal services /

    Reward delivery: on address, in half a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 118.72
    (CZK 3,000)

  • remaining 1 from 3
    Individual guitar restoration workshop with Tomáš Dvořák

    What does it comprehend to renovate a guitar? What to watch out for? What materials to use?

    Tomáš Dvořák restores the majority of guitars used in the project. Come to learn from him.

    Reward delivery: in half a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 395.73
    (CZK 10,000)

  • remaining 2 from 3
    Individual workshop of guitar improvisation with Marek Rejhon

    Do you want to improve your guitar playing technique? Discover a new approach to musical interpretation?

    Marek Rejhon will spend all day with you. You do not have to play jazz, but you should not be a beginner in playing guitar :-)

    Reward delivery: in half a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 395.73
    (CZK 10,000)

  • remaining 3 from 3
    A concert for you

    A special opportunity to see the vintage guitars live in action even before the CD is launched. For this amount, Tomáš Dvořák and Marek Rejhon will perform for you an approximately hour long concert anywhere in the Czech Republic.

    Reward delivery: in half a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 989.32
    (CZK 25,000)

  • remaining 3 from 3
    Become partner of the project

    Connect your company with the project! We will present your logo on all project outputs, and provide 10 exclusive CDs and 40 concert tickets for your employees.

    Reward delivery: in a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 1,582.90
    (CZK 40,000)

  • Sold out!!
    The Radiotone 1935 Guitar

    The reward for real enthusiasts. The completely renovated Radiotone guitar, made in Schönbach in 1935, whose sound can be heard on the CD in the song Svítá.

    Reward delivery: on address, in half a year after the Hithit project end

    EUR 3,759.40
    (CZK 95,000)

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