Musical Masterworks tells the story of one of America’s most talented and famed makers of archtop guitars. From his workshop in Islip, New York, John Monteleone has built a world-renowned following as a skilled luthier. Monteleone’s guitars are one-of-a-kind masterpieces of functional art, and instruments made for some of the leading rock, jazz, and folk guitarists of the late-20th and early-21st centuries: Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Julian Lage, Anthony Wilson, and Ben Harper, to name just a few.

Beginning in the early 1970s as a repairer and maker of mandolins, Monteleone has made an extraordinary lifetime journey as a craftsman of his signature guitars and other instruments. Although stunningly beautiful, there are no features of his instruments that are entirely decorative. All elements—whether they provide a refinement in acoustics or imbue a sense of style and inspiration to the performer—are deployed to create instruments with exceptional sound that happen to also be great-looking. Now LIM visitors can enjoy seeing this largest-ever exhibition of John Monteleone’s musical art assembled and displayed at a single venue.

This exhibition features nearly 50 guitars, mandolins, and other instruments by Monteleone, made between 1971 and 2023, including the famed Four Seasons guitar quartet (2002-2006), on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with other historic guitars from Gibson, John D’Angelico, James D’Aquisto, and Selmer-Maccaferri.

On view in the LIM History Museum May 23 through October 13, 2023

Cover Image: (left to right) [1] John Monteleone (b.1947), Radio Wave Archtop Guitar, 2004. Loaned by Dan Stanton. Photograph by Rod Franklin [2] Super Chief Archtop Guitar, 2011. Loaned by Al Vontz. Photograph by John Monteleone [3] Radio City Archtop Guitar, 1996. Photograph by Vincent J. Ricardel.