Jazz Guitar Beauty: Mark Kleinhaut’s Ribbecke Compliant Rim Time Machine

I first “met” Mark Kleinhaut years ago on Facebook and have enjoyed his playing ever since (you can check out two CD reviews of his at A Balance of Light and Secrets of Three). Recently he acquired a Beauty of a Guitar by Master Luthier Tom Ribbecke and was gracious enough to share it with us. So, without further adieu, enjoy this true Jazz Guitar Beauty! 🙂

But first…

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The Compliant Rim Time Machine by luthier Tom Ribbecke has been in development for the better part of a decade. Its concept is to position wood and grain orientation around the perimeter of the soundboard to create a soft surrounding that allows the sound plate to move more freely than an otherwise stiff perimeter.  It’s akin to how a speaker cone has a soft rubber perimeter to permit free movement of the cone.

This instrument is 15” at the lower bout with 3” thickness at its deepest point. The top is constructed with California Spruce and an intricate arrangement of cedar strips forming the compliant rim perimeter: see video below for the details of assembly.

The sides and back are maple with koa binding and “falling paper” inlays on the 24.75 scale fingerboard.

Electronics are provided with a Kent Armstrong 12 pole floating humbucker and has hidden controls tucked under the pickguard.


Please consider spreading the word about Mark and Jazz Guitar Life by sharing this article amongst your social media pals and please feel free to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you 🙂

If you would like to support all the work I do on Jazz Guitar Life, please consider buying me a coffee or visiting the Jazz Guitar Life sponsors. Thank you and your patronage is greatly appreciated regardless if you buy me a coffee or not🙂

About Lyle Robinson 362 Articles
Lyle Robinson is the owner/creator/publisher and editor of Jazz Guitar Life, an online magazine dedicated to the Jazz Guitar and its community of fine players worldwide.

3 Comments

  1. Gorgeous both, playing and instrument. It’s fascinating that two team up fabulously mutually stimulating each other and reaching vertiginous heights of mastery in music and lutherie. It’s the ideal instrument for this very kind of musician in constant search of always more sound quality and expression.

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