Joe Beck was an innovator in jazz guitar developing what is known as the alto guitar.  He also played a straight 6.  The guitar for sale here was Joe's last alto guitar, made for him and marketed by CF Martin in Pennsylvania.  Prior models had been made by the Cort Company who along with Joe's guitar  was building inexpensive Larry Coryell archtops.  This was Joe's first expensive rendition of his alto guitar.  It is a modified CF-2 developed by the well known Dale Unger and built by Martin.  The idea of an alto guitar, is to sound like 2 or more guitars at once.  The string gauges which are given in the photos are the way this is done.  The tuning is ADGCEA.  The chord forms are the same as standard tuning.  There are two output jacks - one for the upper 4 treble strings, and one for the 2 lower bass strings.  Sort of like lead and rhythm. Two amps service this in stereo.  It can also be played as one, by a coil tap switch in mono through one amp.   The coil tap is seen on the face of the guitar- a push pull.  So there are 2 volume controls when in stereo and a third coil tap knob for mono or stereo selection and tone control. CF-2's usually have 2 pickups.  Joe had the bridge pup removed as can be ever so slightly seen on the face.  The case is like an armored car and weighs about 30 pounds.  All the paperwork from this guitar is included.  The build sheet is there, as well as the string gauges and tunings. The guitar is in mint condition.  Very few if any marks on the back. 

When Joe died several years back he gave all his guitars to his local guitar shop in Connecticut  to sell.  It has been stored in a smoke free humidity controlled, and temp controlled environment.  We knew of Joe's guitars through Jimmy Bruno with whom our CEO studied for several years.  The last concert they did together was in New Jersey before 500 people in a municipal library in Shrewsbury, NJ.  The audience was mesmerized.  You can hear part of the concert below.  In this clip Joe is playing his standard 6.  It was Jimmy and Joe's desire to do another album together.  Polarity is probably Jimmy's best album of all.  The rapport between these 2 giants was really beautiful.  They like to tell the story when they were auditioning:  competing against each other for a seat in the Buddy Rich orchestra.  Joe got it.  But Jimmy later got a tour also.  The respect for each other on stage was obvious as Joe commented on Jimmy the wizard that he couldn't keep up with, and Jimmy laughing - sure...  Thats a joke. It's great to see two masters performing without backup.  It's so good you forget that there were just 2 guys , with laminate jazz boxes, and two little amps, hypnotizing 500 people in a large auditorium.  No one got up. They just reveled in it in absolute silence except for what seemed like a whole orchestra. 

We have a return policy in the event the listing is not correct.  In other cases we may charge a 5% restocking fee.  We aim to please and satisfaction is guaranteed.  Please realize that this guitar will sound not like any other guitar you have played.  We are including a link to the album "Polarity" by Jimmy Bruno and Joe Beck together after the photos.  Joe plays almost all tracks with his alto guitar at the time.  You will get the idea.  There are many interviews with Joe and Jimmy talking about the alto on line.  Joe talks about how he developed it and how to use it. 

 The guitar is as Joe left it.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1_lfcGCL9I