Moll Custom Instruments builds guitars striving to become much, much more than the sum of their parts. Moll's focus is the intersection of creativity and acoustic physics, applied to produce instruments that perform, inspire, and expand horizons. Infusing a background in violin-making into the building of fine archtop guitars, Moll's designs break from the ordinary, and each is hard-working, road-weary instrument capable of delivering night after night.
Perhaps Moll's most recognizable creations are the custom 7-string archtops made to John Pizzarelli's specs. Since building the first one for John in 1999, Moll has offered variations on this design, known as the "Pizza Hero." The intriguing combination of a fine archtop build and a low 7th string affords a wide range of sonic possibilities. In the right hands, this guitar can be an entire rhythm section!
This W.E. Moll archtop was custom made in 2007 for a player named Rick Haydon (as noted on the label). It is essentially a 17" variation of Moll's Pizz Hero, complete with the 7-string neck and low B-string. It has a manageable 25-1/2" scale length, a Spruce top with a Florentine cutaway, and Flame Maple back and sides. The pickup is a floating humbucker custom-made by Moll, and it is controlled by a single volume control discreetly mounted to the pickguard. The nut measures 1-15/16", and combined with a comfortable neck carve, it doesn't really feel that different from a regular 6-string.
A 7-string archtop is an ambitious undertaking for any builder—not to mention an independent luthier—but this handcrafted instrument shows substantial build quality. This 17" Pizz Hero Custom is a hard-working, reliable archtop that—with a low B-string—gives a wider range of sound. It shows some minor scuffs and signs of play, but it is in nice shape all around (see photos). The frets show minor wear in the lower positions, but they are still very playable with no buzzing or issues. At some point along the way, a second slot was cut on the bridge, which sets the B farther from the E to facilitate bass fingerpicking with your thumb. But the original slot is still usable if you'd rather stick with the original string spacing.
This 2007 W.E. Moll 17" Pizza Hero Custom includes a custom-fit Hoffee case.