Advice on archtop guitar

Geoffers · #1 02-04-2010, 04:34 AM

Hello everyone.

This is my very first post to the forum so I would like to first say "Hi".

I am finally looking to get myself an archtop electric guitar, after many years playing solid body as well as acoustic, so I am looking to your combined wisdom and advice.

Yes, I would love a vintage L5-CES (a friend of mine has one and I have played it!) but I don't have that kind of money.

Any advice please as to what I choose? (Ideally not more than £2,000 GBP)

Geoff UK

gersdal · #2 02-04-2010, 09:28 AM

I think you can get a New Yorker for that money. They are lovely!

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #3 02-04-2010, 09:31 AM

The Sadowsky Jim Hall model:

Sadowsky Guitars | Jim Hall Model

Solidbody · #4 02-04-2010, 10:02 AM

Amazon.com: OE30 Oscar Schmidt Hollow Body Electric Guitar by Washburn, Ebony, Grover Tuners: Musical Instruments

If you can find one of these, they're not bad to start out with.
I got one from a local dealer who had them on sale from $350us to $150us. Eventually, I changed out the pickups for some Carvin humbuckers and swapped out the bridge pickup tone pot for a 250K pot.

but, right out of the box for a cheap guitar, it's not bad.

derek · #5 02-04-2010, 10:15 AM

Welcome Geoff. For that kind of $, there are plenty of options. I would suggest that you first play a ton of different instruments to determine a few things. Some guys really like solid wood guitars with floating pups for more of a woody, acoustic tone, while others prefer laminated models like an ES175 for a darker tone. Plenty of players like archtoped semihollows.

What guitars do your favorite players use. Might start there, and work your way thru all the options. Happy hunting.

Reg · #6 02-04-2010, 11:56 AM

The only advice I can give is usually your first arch top is not the one you end up playing, and if your like most, it takes a while to get your technique together. Depending on how much you played your acoustic, was it a flat top etc... I agree with the posts above don't spend to much and like derek said play a lot of instruments, don't look for momentary gratification, jazz takes time... good luck Reg

Bill C · #7 02-04-2010, 12:29 PM

You might want to take a trip to Foulds in Derby or Ivor Mairants in London. Both carry good stocks of jazz guitars. The Sadowsky that BDLH recommended is a great guitar imo although some way above your stated budget. Think carefully about whether you want to prioritise acoustic or electric sound, and if electric, "traditional" or more modern sounding. ... also whether you prefer, say 16" body 24.75" scale, or 17" body 25.5" scale.

good luck!

Meggy · #8 02-04-2010, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill C

You might want to take a trip to Foulds in Derby or Ivor Mairants in London.

Just my opinion, but I would follow the advice Bill gives here - certainly if you are spending around 2K! That might not get you any guitar in the world, but it is seriously enough to get something very nice indeed! So go somewhere you can try quite a few out, and get knowledgable help too - that way you will know you have spent wisely in the end. Also, remember it's not just about how pretty the guitar looks, but how it sounds and plays. Plus of course you may find that your perfect guitar is not necessarily the one that costs the most, so stay open minded.

And please please PLEASE post us all some nice pictures to drool over when you get it!

Reg · #9 02-04-2010, 01:26 PM

And please please PLEASE post us all some nice pictures to drool over when you get it!

[/quote]
I like this... Reg

Geoffers · #10 02-04-2010, 01:45 PM

Wow! So many replies in such a short time. I think I may have joined a very good site here, especially given what I have seen browsing its content.

I am going to take all your suggestions on board and start looking around. I'm in no big rush to buy and I certainly don't have to spend right up to the limit, so my mind is very open at the moment. As an acoustic player I am a reasonably accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, while on the electric side of things my playing in recent years has been Shadows type stuff although in my younger days I was a blues-based rock player. I guess as one gets older then tastes have a tendency to change ("mature" would be the word that I would use) and, now in my early 50's, I find myself gravitating more and more towards the jazzier side of things. Another advantage that comes with age, I feel, is patience; whereas I would look for instant gratification as a young player, today I find that I will work at something for hours until I get it right. It's a good deal more satisfying too.

So, the quest begins. I will post a photo when I finally do get my archtop and let you know why I chose whatever it is I go for.

Geoff

Meggy · #11 02-04-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoffers

Wow! So many replies in such a short time. I think I may have joined a very good site here, especially given what I have seen browsing its content.

I am going to take all your suggestions on board and start looking around. I'm in no big rush to buy and I certainly don't have to spend right up to the limit, so my mind is very open at the moment. As an acoustic player I am a reasonably accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, while on the electric side of things my playing in recent years has been Shadows type stuff although in my younger days I was a blues-based rock player. I guess as one gets older then tastes have a tendency to change ("mature" would be the word that I would use) and, now in my early 50's, I find myself gravitating more and more towards the jazzier side of things. Another advantage that comes with age, I feel, is patience; whereas I would look for instant gratification as a young player, today I find that I will work at something for hours until I get it right. It's a good deal more satisfying too.

So, the quest begins. I will post a photo when I finally do get my archtop and let you know why I chose whatever it is I go for.

Geoff

Have fun in your quest Geoff! Since I now realise you are an experienced musician, I imagine some of my advice may be "telling my grandmother how to suck eggs"! Apologies if I was inadvertently a little patronising! Although I still think a day out to Foulds or Mairants is justified. Plus several photos please, pretty please?

djlindquist · #12 02-06-2010, 08:51 AM

Hi - I just got a Godin 5th Ave Kingpin, and it is a great little archtop at a good price - I would recommend it for a "starter" ( and a keeper )

Geoffers · #13 02-06-2010, 09:56 AM

I've just been looking at those - thanks for the advice. They certainly appear to give a lot of bang for the buck (pound, in my case) and I like the way the spec. reads. I must head into London and try one soon. I would actually prefer a cutaway so I will take a look at the CW model as well.

TommyD · #14 02-06-2010, 10:40 AM

I don't know whether Heritage guitars are sold in the UK, but if they are, give them a close look. In some ways they're better than Gibsons.
T/

Jazzophobe · #15 02-06-2010, 08:12 PM

Very good recomendations by all...I've got several archtops including a Gibson ES 135, a Heritage H575, and an Epiphone ES 175 Reissue. Now the gem of the collection is the H575 (SOLID maple body), with the ES 135 (a VERY nice guitar which one can find for around $1000.00 US give or take) close behind, but, I have to say, that either I really got lucky, or these epi's are generally very nice guitars, but, the Epiphone (purchased brand new for about $470.00) continues to amaze me! I love playing this thing...the pickups are a little brighter than a Gibson ES 175, but I simply adjust the tone down and everything sounds wonderful. Check out youtube and I'd bet you would find some very nice jazz boxes there also...

Jazzophobe · #16 02-06-2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzophobe

Very good recomendations by all...I've got several archtops including a Gibson ES 135, a Heritage H575, and an Epiphone ES 175 Reissue. Now the gem of the collection is the H575 (SOLID maple body), with the ES 135 (a VERY nice guitar which one can find for around $1000.00 US give or take) close behind, but, I have to say, that either I really got lucky, or these epi's are generally very nice guitars, but, the Epiphone (purchased brand new for about $470.00) continues to amaze me! I love playing this thing...the pickups are a little brighter than a Gibson ES 175, but I simply adjust the tone down and everything sounds wonderful. Check out youtube and I'd bet you would find some very nice jazz boxes there also...

The archtop in my avatar is my Heritage!!

82Benedetto · #17 02-10-2010, 05:50 PM

Geoffers-

Not sure if you're still around or if you've made a purchase, but I'm in the process of introducing a great guitar below your price range that has features we've not seen in an archtop at the price point (in fact, there's never been an archtop with these features at this price point.)

Please PM me if you're interested in hearing details, but I'd you don't mind waiting a little bit. Sample piece is, realistically, about a month off and production should come almost immediately after I finalize everything.

Eddie Lang · #18 02-10-2010, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82Benedetto

Geoffers-

Not sure if you're still around or if you've made a purchase, but I'm in the process of introducing a great guitar below your price range that has features we've not seen in an archtop at the price point (in fact, there's never been an archtop with these features at this price point.)

Please PM me if you're interested in hearing details, but I'd you don't mind waiting a little bit. Sample piece is, realistically, about a month off and production should come almost immediately after I finalize everything.

Okay, I'm new here and I admit it, I am an absolute guitar geek. Please, give us details and post pics soon. (Pretty please!

)

82Benedetto · #19 02-10-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie Lang

Okay, I'm new here and I admit it, I am an absolute guitar geek. Please, give us details and post pics soon. (Pretty please!

)

My goal is to get a solid carved, spruce top archie with case and shipping to price between $1000 and $1600...there's even a possibility it could run as low as $900-950 (that's not a promise, though. I'm working

)

Significantly less than any Eastman or Peerless solid top, and even less than a used Eastman.

Working really hard on this one guys.

Davidh · #20 02-11-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82Benedetto

My goal is to get a solid carved, spruce top archie with case and shipping to price between $1000 and $1600...there's even a possibility it could run as low as $900-950 (that's not a promise, though. I'm working

)

Significantly less than any Eastman or Peerless solid top, and even less than a used Eastman.

Hi,
You don't show a profile.

How do we know your design pedigree?

82Benedetto · #21 02-11-2010, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidh

Hi,
You don't show a profile.

How do we know your design pedigree?

I understand your skepticism, and I can't do much except let the product speak for itself. I'll keep you posted throughout the process

jackmac · #22 02-15-2010, 12:11 PM

Im in a similar situation, want to move away from folk music to jazz, dont have Geoffers budget, its the usual suspects, Ibanez AF 75 or 125, might stretch to a Yamha AEX 1500, The website at Welcome - U.K. International Cyberstore
seems to have a wide selection, and is also stocking the Godin CW which is still to make it to the shops here.
Jack

coolvinny · #23 02-16-2010, 05:59 PM

I briefly owned an Ibanez AF125 - I only returned it because I was within the 30-day return period and I found another guitar on the used market that I just had to get (the solid body mentioned below...it was a great deal).

The Ibanez AF125 is great in terms of fit/finish and playability (wonderful necks). However, the tuners were crap (believe me, it was the tuners and not the nut) and personally I found the pickups to be quite "harsh" sounding, at least compared to the wonderful Buscarino humbuckers I have in two of my guitars. I have a solid-body with a Buscarino pickup that sounds much better amplified than the Ibanez (full hollow) did. Admittedly, it's a Buscarino jazz-oriented (neck pick-up only) guitar, but surely the pick-up played a major role.

I'd say get an AF125 and then, when your budget permits, upgrade the tuners (if you don't dig the pickups then I highly recommend Buscarino's humbuckers).

coolvinny · #24 02-16-2010, 06:00 PM

I briefly owned an Ibanez AF125 and it was great for the money - I only returned it because I was within the 30-day return period and I found another guitar on the used market that I just had to get (the solid body mentioned below...it was a great deal).

The Ibanez AF125 is great in terms of fit/finish and playability (wonderful necks). However, the tuners were crap (believe me, it was the tuners and not the nut) and personally I found the pickups to be quite "harsh" sounding, at least compared to the wonderful Buscarino humbuckers I have in two of my guitars. I have a solid-body with a Buscarino pickup that sounds much better amplified than the Ibanez (full hollow) did. Admittedly, it's a Buscarino jazz-oriented (neck pick-up only) guitar, but surely the pick-up played a major role.

I'd say get an AF125 and then, when your budget permits, upgrade the tuners (if you don't dig the pickups then I highly recommend Buscarino's humbuckers).

daveg · #25 02-17-2010, 12:37 PM

I hear good things about EASTMAN:

Guitar Shop - Eastman AR805CE Classic S/B

DG

Eddie Lang · #26 02-17-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveg

I hear good things about EASTMAN:

Guitar Shop - Eastman AR805CE Classic S/B

DG

A friend of mine who has a guitar store is a retailer for Eastman. I have played many Eastman archtops and they are well made guitars, they sound good, play well and feel right. I generally prefer vintage guitars but I were to buy a brand new one, I would not hesitate to get one of those. Very good bang for the buck.

82Benedetto · #27 02-17-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie Lang

A friend of mine who has a guitar store is a retailer for Eastman. I have played many Eastman archtops and they are well made guitars, they sound good, play well and feel right. I generally prefer vintage guitars but I were to buy a brand new one, I would not hesitate to get one of those. Very good bang for the buck.

Just wait, guys. I've got something coming that I hope will take Eastman down a notch. (Not saying there is anything wrong with Eastmans...I own one and love it) But we can get equal or greater quality for less!

I say, "Solid Carved Archtops for all!"

Hoopskidoodle · #28 02-19-2010, 03:25 AM

I wouldn't have suggested such a thing a month ago, but now the "jazz" guitar that has captured my fancy is a Tele w/ 1 - 3 Lollar Charlie Christian pickups.

YouTube Video

jackmac · #29 02-19-2010, 06:25 AM

are these the C90 pick ups?

Hoopskidoodle · #30 02-19-2010, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackmac

are these the C90 pick ups?

They are the same type of pickup, but they are made by a different company. C90s are made by a U.K. company. These pickups are made by Lollar, and they come in Tele (neck & bridge), arch-top and Humbucker size formats.

I wouldn't mind having one in an ES-175 type guitar w/ a single neck pickup. That would be sweet.