Looking for an acoustic archtop

GCCUSTOM · #1 01-23-2012, 12:54 AM

I'm interested in getting an acoustic archtop. At a stretch I could pay up to $3500. I am quite new to the world of archtop guitars so I don't have much to go on. I love vintage guitars but new would be fine as well. I would love to hear from experienced players about what to look for and what to avoid.

Buster Loaf · #2 01-23-2012, 01:47 AM

Go out and play some, thats all you need do.

Pierrot · #3 01-23-2012, 02:29 AM

look for: the sound and playability you prefer, after testing many.
avoid: buying according to others taste.

Abaddon2005 · #4 01-23-2012, 04:36 AM

I've heard many good things about vintage Epiphones, never got to play them though. But they do seem to go for a relatively small amount of money.

mattymel · #5 01-23-2012, 04:50 AM

1951 Epiphone Triumph Regent

TRIUMPH! look no further than a triumph or pretty much any other 40s-50s Epi. not only are they GREAT for the money, they are EXCELLENT for the money and many to most outshine their Gibson competitors for 1/10th the price. i have a DeLuxe myself, which is one step above the Triumph, one below the mighty Emperor. but keep your eyes out on archtop.com. Joe is pretty much the world's biggest/best dealer in vintage Epis. love my Deluxe more everyday. personally, in that $$$ range id hold out for the perfect blonde noncut away Triumph. but thats just my preference...literally havent played an Epi that i didnt like-LOVE. luckily im here in Seattle so i get to go hang at Joe's pretty regularly. good luck.

fws6 · #6 01-23-2012, 07:48 AM

By acoustic you really mean acoustic, right ? So no pickup or floating pickup, and not something with surface-mounted pickups ??

3500 is enough money to buy a very high quality; professional instrument

Vintage
- Of course being an Epiphone nut I agree with the posts above ; Triumph (or Triumph Regent; means with cutaway) ; or Broadway
- Gibson L7(C), L10, L12

Other good choices, in a new or recent instrument
-Luthier-built instruments (Campellone; Triggs etc can be custom ordered in this price range. Many upcoming builders like Elferink Excalibur 17" Archtop Jazz Guitar | eBay)
-Heritage Rose or Eagle
-Guild Artist Award (1980s/1990s)

Jazz_175 · #7 01-23-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fws6

By acoustic you really mean acoustic, right ? So no pickup or floating pickup, and not something with surface-mounted pickups ??

3500 is enough money to buy a very high quality; professional instrument

I have never seen a professional instrument without a pickup or floating pickup or surface mounted pickup.
I mean:
Have you ever seen a jazz artist playing live or recording in studio without
a pickup or floating pickup or surface mounted pickup?

GCCUSTOM · #8 01-23-2012, 08:42 AM

Thanks for so many quick replies. I agree wholeheartedly with playing many instruments. Unfortunately I live in southern Oregon and there just are'nt any real archtop dealers around. As for the question of acoustic or not I do really want a purely acoustic guitar. I have a beautiful Gibson L4 CES which is a fabulous guitar but since I am not gigging right now I rarely plug it it.. In a way this is what is driving me to look for an archtop. Also I have always been a flattop player so I prefer a good acoustic sound. My jazz instructor plays an Epiphone at home and loves them as well so I'll spend more time looking at these. I was hoping to get some opinions on the L4,L7, L50 etc since I see several of these on E Bay. Looks like I am going to have to make a road trip to Seattle some time soon.

fws6 · #9 01-23-2012, 09:17 AM

The early L4 are like the L5 but less cosmetic detail. Later L4 models have the sharp cutaway and little acoustic volume (for an archtop) and would work best with a floating pickup installed.

L7 / L10 / L12 (in that price order from low to high) are quite similar in size and shape to the 'normal' 17" wide L5. A nice condition L7C (C for cutaway) is usually priced around 3000-3500 and commonly referred to as a 'working man's' L5.

L50 is pressed woods. Nice guitar, but IMHO not if you have 3500 to spend

The Epiphone equivalents more or less would be:
(Super 400 = Emperor 18" body)
L5 = Deluxe
L12 = Broadway
L7 = Triumph

Jazz_175 · #10 01-23-2012, 09:32 AM

fws6:
I looked into your website. It's really great!!

fws6 · #11 01-23-2012, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the compliment ! I should update and add a few more that I currently have...

I am sorry though that half of the instruments on there are not classifying as 'professional' in your opinion ..... no pickups.....

;-)

GCCUSTOM · #12 01-23-2012, 09:51 AM

Thanks fws6. This is just the type of information I am looking for. I know very little about the construction of these various models of guitar because as I stated I have had a preference for flat tops up to this point. My emphasis in music has been finger style guitar, Celtic and other acoustic genres. It's only after I bought the L4 CES that I really started studying jazz. I have found it difficult to find much information on the design and construction of these instruments online halve my posting here. I suppose I should have done this a while back.
Again I appreciate the genuine input.

hot ford coupe · #13 01-23-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCCUSTOM

Thanks for so many quick replies. I agree wholeheartedly with playing many instruments. Unfortunately I live in southern Oregon and there just are'nt any real archtop dealers around. As for the question of acoustic or not I do really want a purely acoustic guitar. I have a beautiful Gibson L4 CES which is a fabulous guitar but since I am not gigging right now I rarely plug it it.. In a way this is what is driving me to look for an archtop. Also I have always been a flattop player so I prefer a good acoustic sound. My jazz instructor plays an Epiphone at home and loves them as well so I'll spend more time looking at these. I was hoping to get some opinions on the L4,L7, L50 etc since I see several of these on E Bay. Looks like I am going to have to make a road trip to Seattle some time soon.

I'm glad you mentioned the L7. You can get a decent vintage instrument for the price you're willing to spend. The good thing about the L7 is that it is essentially an L5 with less surface bling. According to some, the less junk on the guitar, the better it sounds. I've got a 35 L7 which I bought for $3500 at Gruhn Guitars. If you don't mind mail order or online buying, there are a couple of good ones there now. Gruhn is very reputable (at least he has been with me) and won't try to slip you something you don't like. I believe he gives a 3 day trial period which is pretty good. You can verify that with them.

fws6 · #14 01-23-2012, 02:33 PM

Very nice condition L7, underneath 3k; 48hrs approval time, or since it is located in Oregon probably easy to pickup yourself and still negotiate on the price ....

1947 Gibson L-7 Sunburst > Guitars : Archtop Electric & Acoustic - McKenzie River Music | Gbase.com

AlohaJoe · #15 01-23-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz_175

Have you ever seen a jazz artist playing live or recording in studio without a pickup or floating pickup or surface mounted pickup?

Yes, many times... less so live due to volume considerations, but I regularly go see a great post-Dixieland/swing band with an all acoustic Super 400 cranking out the Freddie Green old-school and they sound fantastic.

In the studio where there are microphones the only reason to play electric is if you prefer that particular tone. Of course not everybody does, and you just can't get that great acoustic archtop tone from an electric guitar.

I hope you get a chance to hear this sometime... it's excellent!

As is this:

jazzrat · #16 01-23-2012, 08:24 PM

I was very fortunate to have had a gorgeous non-cut Emperor on extended loan from our local jazz guru. It was essentially acoustic but did have an original D'Armond on it. Fabulous sounding and playing guitar.....with heavy strings and a heavy hand. It sounded great for what it was designed for.
If you are after a thinner top that responds to a lighter setup and touch a
more modern take on the acoustic archtop might be in order.
The Eastman archtops I've owned had a warmer acoustic tone than the Emperor. At $3500 I'd say you have a lot of choices.

mattymel · #17 01-23-2012, 08:36 PM

Eastman warmer than an vintage Epi? maybe NEW Epis. Nothing against Eastmans as i think they are fine...but I've never played one that was even remotely in the same arena as a vintage Epi Emperor.

big +1 on L7s. even the newly made L7s are nice arch tops. i think those are about the only Gibson arch tops i dig anymore. but vintage L7s are very nice guitars too and exist in that price range.

Buster Loaf · #18 01-23-2012, 09:22 PM

he didn't say it was "in the same arena" (whatever that means), he said "warmer"(whatever that means).

GCCUSTOM · #19 01-23-2012, 09:43 PM

Thanks for all this input and the opinions. I had seen pictures of the L7 for sale at McKenzie River Music. It's only about 2.5 h away so think a road trip is in order for Saturday. My wife likes to get away from time to time and Eugene is a good place. Having purchased a nice instrument or two in the past I realize there is no substitute for holding it and playing it. My local boutique guitar store handles Eastman but I would prefer something with a vintage vibe any day.

mr. beaumont · #20 01-23-2012, 10:00 PM

If I were buying a vintages Archie with a 3500 dollar budget tomorrow., thefirst five or six names on my list would be epiphones.

jazzrat · #21 01-23-2012, 10:11 PM

Quote:

maybe NEW Epis

This was an old Emperor. My friend got it when he was playing for Armed Services Radio. Granted it's the only Emperor I've played. This is just my limited experience though I've played a number of other period archtops and had a similar impression. The top was much thicker than modern archtops and so took heavier strings to drive it. It was a superb guitar no doubt but it would not produce the volume and tone of newer archtops with my preference of light (11-50)gauge strings. No criticism of the old beauty. Just a different take on things in case the OP prefers a guitar that responds to a lighter touch and strings.

Snap · #22 01-24-2012, 12:33 AM

+1 about Epis. But don't skip the '30s Regals (avoid post war). High end Regals never had a Regal label. They were marketed under a whole lot of different brands. If you are not used to them you probably won't recognize them, but it's not that difficult once you know a few and the posible brand names they would have. For 3500 you might afford two or three great ones. You may ask Scott Freilich at Top Shelf Music. He knows these Regals inside-out. A sure bet. Here's a good sample.

Another great option are early Vegas. Great affordable guitars. Just skip the budget models often made from Harmony made bodies.