Jazz Archtops from Spain?

[kelmad2006]

Hey Guys, Just wanted to get everyone's opinion. What do you think about Fernando alonso Jaen guitars? If you've never heard of them take a look at my site for a full description of this guitar. This pic was in it's construction stage.

Have a look at the finished product, it can go from Strat tones to Jazz archtop with a quick snap of the push pull switch.

Thanks,

[pollysurfs]

their prices are telling me, I'll never own one

[kelmad2006]

Hi polly, this addition to the forum is to gauge the american response to these guitars.

I've extensively tested this guitar through various setups, and it has been able to deliver a wide range of tones. The push pull activates the inner single coil at the bridge and the outer at the neck which is how a strat kinda sound comes from.

Just an example. I A/B this puppy to an es 335 and it blew it out of the water. Now this is a jazz forum so I would imagine the purist Jazzbox player would frown upon such a thing.

But this guitar is just as "Archtopy" as it is "straty" or "semi hollowy".

Just looking for some feedback on what your perception of such a thing is, my NY clients have loved it.

I will not reveal the price here...better yet...what would you pay for such a thing?

[kelmad2006]

BTW would love to go head to head with a Heritage H550

[kamlapati]

Looks nice.

I was talking with a luthier friend the other day about the relatively small market, and small number of makers, for good archtops in Europe. Good to see someone trying to push the boundaries over there.

[Archie]

Michele Della Giustina from Italy also makes jazz archtops; click on "Other Works":

Michele_Della_Giustina

[hot ford coupe]

Originally Posted by kelmad2006

Hey Guys, Just wanted to get everyone's opinion. What do you think about Fernando alonso Jaen guitars? If you've never heard of them take a look at my site for a full description of this guitar. This pic was in it's construction stage.

Have a look at the finished product, it can go from Strat tones to Jazz archtop with a quick snap of the push pull switch.

Thanks,

I just have to say it. In the picture, the guitar looks like a Piccaso.
Cool looking finished product.

[kelmad2006]

Hey Hot Ford,

I can see the resemblance to picasso. The question stands....how do you all like it...better yet...what would you pay for such a masterpiece....yep handmade and the first of it's kind.

[JohnW400]

This guy's in Barcelona. He had a few for sale in NJ

MELO GUITARS CUSTOM INSTRUMENTS / Instruments

Looked nice.


Hey Kelmand,

You should contact Jack Zucker. He has already mentioned that he would be happy to check out guitars and review them for the forum.

Judging from what he's posted so far he knows a lot about guitars and equipment.

I think most of us on this forum prefer the impartial review

[hot ford coupe]

Originally Posted by kelmad2006

Hey Hot Ford,

I can see the resemblance to picasso. The question stands....how do you all like it...better yet...what would you pay for such a masterpiece....yep handmade and the first of it's kind.

By the looks of it, I would say it's about 6 grand. The fact that it says "inquire within" for the price makes me thing it's way high like about $15 grand.

[carlescountry]

I have spoken several times with Fernando Alonso on their guitars 15" and 15.5". Currently I don't know but last year prices in Spain of theses guitars were about 2.200-2.500€ = 3100-3550$, more or less. Very competitive prices for handmade guitars and solid woods!

[kelmad2006]

Hi carles,

Prices have risen in the past couple of years due to the high cost of materials rising as well as import taxes. But I can assure you the prices are very competitive and very well worth it.

Jack Zucker, if you are reading this please contact me if interested in reviewing.

[carlescountry]

Yes, that's what I thought. However, the prices of F. Alonso has always been very competitive.
I have a friend who owns a Jamaica model (15") and look and sounds great!

[oldane]

Seems to be very nicely made. I have one reservation based on my sonal ideosyncratic preferences: The neck pickup is placed to far towards the bridge for my taste. That gives a compact, centered sound. I prefer neck pickups placed more or less under the string node midway between the 12th fret and the bridge, which gives an more spread and lush sound.

IMHO, pickup placement is an often overlooked spect of guitar design.

[kelmad2006]

Originally Posted by oldane

Seems to be very nicely made. I have one reservation based on my sonal ideosyncratic preferences: The neck pickup is placed to far towards the bridge for my taste. That gives a compact, centered sound. I prefer neck pickups placed more or less under the string node midway between the 12th fret and the bridge, which gives an more spread and lush sound.

IMHO, pickup placement is an often overlooked spect of guitar design.

Hey oldane,

Here is the beauty, we are a custom shop. This guitar is a first for fernando and it is something we spec'd together. The idea to create an instrument that would be very versatile.

Fernando can build anything as traditional or experimental as possible.

[jzucker]

does this have 24 frets? I'm guessing it does due to the closeness of the 2 pickups. 24 frets is kind of a no-no for jazz guitar tones...

[kelmad2006]

Well tradition is one thing and I do agree to call this a jazz box would be a miscategorized instrument. However, Fernando is very innovative and we agreed that this guitar would be suitable as a jazz box due to it wide range of color. My NY clientele has been blown away by this guitar.

Finally, I enjoy working with builders and encourage those who are not afraid to shy away from tradition and be innovative.

All the great and historical guitars that we all love are the result of experimentation and innovation.

[jzucker]

nothing wrong with that. In general, i'm not a big fan of 24 fret guitars. It puts the 2 pickups too close together and moves the pickup out from under the sweet spot in the 24th fret harmonic node.

[kelmad2006]

One more thing i might add. When we agreed to show one of Fernando's guitars here in NY. It didn't quite make sense to get one of his archtops which is what he offered.

The guitar market is dominated by Names. So I asked fernando if he was up for doing a 335 type/Archtop and he loved the idea.

Take a look at the phoenix guitar Company 15" archtop I have for sale. An american traditional guitar.

This guitar has been played my many of my NY clientele, however they feel they can get something cheaper made via cnc because of the fact that it is a straight forward instrument.

If you look at the builders I work with you will see out of this earth instruments which can be built to any spec.

[gcb]

Seems a hybrid to me. Don't like the rectangular block of wood glued to the top where pickups go. Prefer x braced light carved tops.Rims too thick, also equipped with more electronics than what I would need or use. To sum up, nice guitar but not for me, irrespective of cost. Would not choose one of this boutique beauties aganist a Heritage.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by gcb

Seems a hybrid to me. Don't like the rectangular block of wood glued to the top where pickups go. Prefer x braced light carved tops.Rims too thick, also equipped with more electronics than what I would need or use. To sum up, nice guitar but not for me, irrespective of cost. Would not choose one of this boutique beauties aganist a Heritage.

1. What does it matter if its a hybrid or not? Thick tops like that are great for rejecting feedback at louder volumes and increasing sustain.
2. I love my 4 heritage guitars. Don't be bad mouthing them.

[oldane]

Originally Posted by kelmad2006

Well tradition is one thing ........

Not just tradition. Placement of pickups is in fact important for the sound. IMHO it is that more than anything else that makes the difference in sound between a 175 and a L5. On the first the neck PU is placed closer to the bridge than on the L5 where it's placed under the "24th fret" node. The sound of the L5 is more open, spread and lush than the 175 which is more compact and centered. I don't say one is better than the other, but they are different.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by oldane

Not just tradition. Placement of pickups is in fact important for the sound. IMHO it is that more than anything else that makes the difference in sound between a 175 and a L5. On the first the neck PU is placed closer to the bridge than on the L5 where it's placed under the "24th fret" node. The sound of the L5 is more open, spread and lush than the 175 which is more compact and centered. I don't say one is better than the other, but they are different.

I agree that pickup placement is key but i don't agree that it's the biggest difference between an L5 and 175 in terms of tone. Maple Plywood and the short scale are the biggest differences. My heritage 550 is maple ply and has the L5 pickup placement along with a 3pc maple neck and still sounds much closer to a 175 than an L5.

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by jzucker

I agree that pickup placement is key but i don't agree that it's the biggest difference between an L5 and 175 in terms of tone. Maple Plywood and the short scale are the biggest differences. My heritage 550 is maple ply and has the L5 pickup placement along with a 3pc maple neck and still sounds much closer to a 175 than an L5.

interesting. Jack - how does scale length impact tone?

[gcb]

Originally Posted by jzucker

1. What does it matter if its a hybrid or not? Thick tops like that are great for rejecting feedback at louder volumes and increasing sustain.
2. I love my 4 heritage guitars. Don't be bad mouthing them.

It matters for me, beause hybrids sometimes mean compromise solutions like the one you mention. For example, I am not interested in sustain, on the contrary, prefer fast decay. As to feedback, I play at normal volumes and when needed tape the f holes.

Can´t imagine what would make me bad mouth a Heritage. During my last trip to the US I played some and are excelent instruments. That's why I said I would choose a Heritage over the one in question. I am basically a Gibson and Martin man. Have have owned a Super 400 CES blonde, two 175s, a 335, two Les pauls, a 350T (very nice guitar), a 165 Herb Ellis, a Martin D 28 and now I own two L5 Studios and a Martin concept II gold. Don´t need more. But if and when I buy a new guitar, it would most probably be a Heritage, a Super Eagle or a Golden Eagle with a built in HB pickup. I am also impressed by the sound of the Henry Johnson model (played by him)

¿

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by gcb

It matters for me, beause hybrids sometimes mean compromise solutions like the one you mention. For example, I am not interested in sustain, on the contrary, prefer fast decay. As to feedback, I play at normal volumes and when needed tape the f holes.

I can't imagine wanting fast decay. I have 7 archtops and one of them has a block under the bridge and has great sustain. That guitar is so much fun to play because you can actually do saxophone like phrasing on it. It's not very traditional sound but it sure is musical.

[kelmad2006]

Hey guys,

speaking of middle blocks I agree. Meet Juha Ruokangas from finland.

This is his Duke Artisan model (not to get away from the "spain thing")

See pics below, I showed this one to a client today and it blew away, an L5, PRS Private stock and a Les paul.







This client in particular is shopping around and told me his heart sunk to see this guitar blow away his "Gems".

We brought it to his rehearsal and he played a 45 min set with his (wedding band) and he played everything from sweet sue to Django to queen without a hitch.

A great guitar should be the full package and very versatile.....oh yeah no feedback.

[Taqui]

Hi:

This is my first post, so hello everybody!!

I have a Jamaica's from Fernando, very good luthier and very cool man. As my friend Carles wrote, the Jamaica is a 15' archtop (carved, not pressed) solid top. Mine's 22 frets, ebony fingerboard....It's mounted with a classic 57, that in my opinion sounds more natural than the original Aaron Armstrong hand made.

This guitar is incredible!! It's very well done, with good handmade details such as pu covers, and the most important, the playability is the best one that I've found.

Here's an example, playing with my group...not too good sound, but...
YouTube - John Cointreau Trio - Manha de Carnaval

Cheers

[gcb]

JZucker,
Thanks god that’s not my case. Should I like to sound like a sax I would play sax. However, I sometimes I do enjoy working with Charlie Parker’s transcriptions and the absence of a center block in my guitars never became an obstacle. And again, for playing fast passages - in my modest point of view- too much sustain conspires to getting a clear distinction from note to note. I sold one of the guitars I had with a center block, a cherry Gibson 335, because of that and the same happened with the Les Pauls. Anyway, and changing subject, you mentioned you have 7 archtops. Wow!! That’s a lot of guitars to play and keep set up and stringed and in working conditions. ¿Do you have any assistant for that, like the late Scott Chinery had? And, as I am always interested in Gibson, how many Gibsons you own and what models? Among them, is the one that has the center block? If not, ¿how do you get the long sustain you like with them? Every day one learns something new ant that’s the attractive of this forum. Finally, my point is that I prefer the classic archtops, but as I said in previos posts, it's in the hands, personal taste and kind of music one plays.

[jzucker]

I also prefer classic archtops but if I could get one that had the acoustic sound of an L5 with more sustain I would do it. When I studied with Martino, he was using an L5 solidbody. I don't think that guitar conspired against him playing fast lines.

Let me know if you think these conspired against me...(All either solid bodies or with center block)

YouTube Video

YouTube Video

YouTube Video