REVIEWS

VISIONARY

"I never thought any current guitar could make me play anything other than my vintage Gibson jazz boxes. Well, John Cross and Riversong have made me rethink that position. JC worked closely with me in designing and building an archtop electric that exceeded my expectations. Using his vintage Epiphone template, we incorporated features I requested that yielded a truly unique and irresistable instrument. I am inspired by its beautiful appearance but also the fine recreation of my 1964 L5 neck and fingerboard. The guitar has a warm welcoming tone acoustically yet comes alive when plugged into an amplifier. We added Throbak PAF pickups to the recipe and final result is magnificent."

--Wolf Marshall

Check out Wolf Marshall at www.wolfmarshall.com for lessons and excellent guitar books!

“I had the opportunity to purchase “Wild Thing.” She’s a beautiful f5 mandolin made by John at Riversong. If I have free time, she’s in my hands. The action, setup and tone of Wild Thing rivals any mandolin period. Her chop is gnarly but if you back off Wild Thing has an impressive sweetness. I have yet to find anything I would change. John has a life long customer. Why purchase an instrument from anyone else? It just wouldn’t be as good… ”-Nic Bordwell

Check out Nic's YouTube Channel playing his new f5 Riversong Mandolin!

You can visit his channel here: https://youtube.com/@nicbordsy?si=bmrvWsWAxFk2wGw5

The Funky Monkey

“Recently, my friend John gifted me a handmade archtop guitar—his very first build from back in the day. He gave it to me under the humble premise that it was “far from perfect,” and that “this thing is funky”—hence the name. It had been played, knocked around, and lived-in over the years. But the moment I held it in my hands and played the first few notes, I realized just how special this guitar truly is.

We’ve affectionately dubbed it The Funky Monkey, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine a more fitting name for something with this much character and soul.

The craftsmanship carries a beautiful, lived-in feel. The neck feels incredibly natural, the wood has aged gracefully, and the sound—both acoustically and through the P-90—is fresh, light, airy, dynamically balanced, warm, and full of depth. It doesn’t just play—it speaks. It invites playfulness.

For the first time in a long time, I’ve felt truly excited to wake up and play guitar. The Funky Monkey has inspired me to play more—and more curiously. I find myself exploring new textures, unusual chord shapes, and expressive phrasing I hadn’t touched in years. There’s something about this guitar that invites experimentation—it encourages me to let go and see where the music wants to go.

It may be John’s first build, but it plays like something crafted by someone with years of experience and even more heart. And the fact that he was able to take this guitar built many years ago and dial it in many years later to such perfection is a true testament to his artistry and his craft. I’ll treasure it not just for what it is, but for how it’s opened me up creatively.

Before John shipped the guitar to me, he took great care—asking questions about my setup preferences, string gauges, and playing style—wanting to be sure it arrived ready to go. And it did. Right out of the box, it played perfectly.

John, thank you. This guitar is more than a gift—it’s a doorway into playfulness, wonder, and joy.

— Rob S.