Eastman AR805CE loud enough for acoustic jams?

[deacon Mark]

The Eastman won’t cut it acoustically. The only real acoustic archtops i have played that it are Strombergs, real dangelicos, L5s and Super 400s, Epi Emperor.

To actually do that requires higher action and bigger strings than I believe most players are not used to. All of these guitars were made in the 30’s and 40’s. Whole different set up.

56-13 strings with at least 3/32 action at 12th fret.

[Christian Miller]

Again, see the video footage I posted above to get a reference. That’s a fairly low end guitar but the Loars are pretty loud.

Eastmans have always seemed quite loud to me - but maybe my perceptions are wrong idk. And that said I can’t think of any players I know doing that old school stuff who play Eastmans. They do tend to opt for old guitars. Gibson L7s are a popular choice.

I think for what you want the Loar may be a better shout assuming that the budget may not stretch to the real vintage cannons. There are issues with those guitars sometimes.(But that’s true of old guitars too of course.)

They aren’t premium instruments even compared to Eastmans, but they are uniquely strident and powerful 16” boxes compared to anything else I can think of at a similar price point. But then I picked mine up for £350 so i had low expectations, but that said I always love playing mine. (Obviously it doesn’t sound quite the same as the real thing.)

I would avoid things like L50s - they tend to be quite acoustically disappointing in my experience.

Despite what has been said here, with respect (some commenters have a lot of experience of vintage archtops) you really don’t need a super 400 with crazy strings to play in a early jazz or swing trio or quartet lol. Big band, yes maybe. (You can also dial in the action with the bridge on this type of guitar, which is handy.)

In fact, even a decently loud nylon string works (I think people forget those things are designed to project acoustically). you do need to be realistic about what a guitar can do and the instrumentation it is compatible with. A lot of the specifics with the archtop is actually in the EQ as much as the sheer volume.

My perception over the years is that an extra inch of body size or heavier strings gets you a little bit more, but it’s really quite marginal quite subtle once you are playing with a whole band. A super 400 or an old epiphone might get you a very real boost but it’s still an acoustic guitar at the end of the day. Things like the room, audience and band dynamics are key.

There’s a reason why the hot club line up has been so enduringly popular.

I would say GJ guitars are better for single note soloing. I don’t agree that they are de facto louder. They do give you a lot of power for relatively playable action and string tension though. But there’s a lot of stylistic baggage associated with that type of instrument.

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[Dean_G]

It largely depends on the other players. I suggest you consider a tricone resonator guitar and players who are into the acoustic setting and sensitive to the ensemble sound. I played a trio gig at a winery with my tricone and, importantly, the bassist didn't amplify either. That helped to keep the drummer listening. It was outdoors and listeners responded well. The tricone resonator guitar can match and exceed the volume of most other acoustic guitars, which is why they were frequently used in pre amplifier days. If you don't care for the sound there are mahogany bodied tricones like the national M1 that have something closer to an archtop tone. Good luck!

[MMarc]

That's true.

You said English is not your language ... are you in France perchance (and if so, where)?

I live near Paris in France.

[Christian Miller]

It largely depends on the other players. I suggest you consider a tricone resonator guitar and players who are into the acoustic setting and sensitive to the ensemble sound. I played a trio gig at a winery with my tricone and, importantly, the bassist didn't amplify either. That helped to keep the drummer listening. It was outdoors and listeners responded well. The tricone resonator guitar can match and exceed the volume of most other acoustic guitars, which is why they were frequently used in pre amplifier days. If you don't care for the sound there are mahogany bodied tricones like the national M1 that have something closer to an archtop tone. Good luck!

Some of New Orleans street bands use resonators. It’s a different type of sound again.

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[MMarc]

[sgosnell]

A couple of things:

There is a school of thought that guitars playing rhythm don't have to be really loud. Freddie Green made a good living playing unamplified rhythm guitar. Yes, he had incredibly high action, but he was also playing in a big band with many horns. In a small setting with only a quartet or so, huge volume may not be necessary.

Two, it's hard to judge how much volume an archtop is producing when you're playing it. IME, it may sound very weak and muted to me, but much louder out in front. I don't think it's possible to accurately judge how loud you're playing acoustically.

That said, not all that many guitarists play completely unamplified these days.