Gibson Archtops returning 2026?

[Archie]

So tuning really applies to acoustic part of a Carved Top guitar,from what I understand. If it’s an electric with pickups mounted and built in electronics, what's the point?
Sure there is more carving than a laminate, but I would imagine CNC could do the majority of the work, or even the old paragraph Gibson used for L-5CES models.

And we can split hairs about its better pure acoustic response. But at the end of the day.I think once it is plugged in there goes 90% of the acoustic response.

In carved archtops there are five categories.

1) Carved electric (L5CES/X700 etc..) - These archtops are foremost electric guitars, thick tops, over braced designed to reduce feedback and fall at the bottom of the rung in the world of carved archtops. They could have laminate backs and it wouldn't make much difference to the acoustic sound. Stable tone, easily reproduced from one to the next, no complex overtones per se.
Quicker decay due to absorption of vibrations through components and lack of resonance.

2) Carved acoustic - Not tuned, no active back (L5C/Guild AA). These are one step up from electric archtops like the L5CES. Generally these will have stable sounds with low potential for volatile overtones. Plugged in you will likely hear no difference between these and the CES/X700. Increases sustain due to higher levels of resonance.

3) Carved tuned - Complex overtones, select materials. Plugged in, makes no difference to sound from an L5CES. Likely more sustain due to increased resonance. High potential for feedback.

4) Carved tuned active back - Complex overtones, rich and full acoustic property. Plugged in will sound no different to any of the others but will feedback horrendously.

[Stringswinger]

In carved archtops there are five categories.

1) Carved electric (L5CES/X700 etc..) - These archtops are foremost electric guitars, thick tops, over braced designed to reduce feedback and fall at the bottom of the rung in the world of carved archtops. They could have laminate backs and it wouldn't make much difference to the acoustic sound. Stable tone, easily reproduced from one to the next, no complex overtones per se.
Quicker decay due to absorption of vibrations through components and lack of resonance.

2) Carved acoustic - Not tuned, no active back (L5C/Guild AA). These are one step up from electric archtops like the L5CES. Generally these will have stable sounds with low potential for volatile overtones. Plugged in you will likely hear no difference between these and the CES/X700. Increases sustain due to higher levels of resonance.

3) Carved tuned - Complex overtones, select materials. Plugged in, makes no difference to sound from an L5CES. Likely more sustain due to increased resonance. High potential for feedback.

4) Carved tuned active back - Complex overtones, rich and full acoustic property. Plugged in will sound no different to any of the others but will feedback horrendously.

Um...What's the 5th? You said there were five....

[andrew]

Um...What's the 5th? You said there were five....

There are two kinds of people.

1) those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.

[Rickco]

If the body of the guitar makes no difference to the electric sound, why is it that you can instantly spot an L5CES or L5 WesMo vs. an ES175 on almost any recording? Same pickups, same electronics, but the sound of each is quite distinctive. It has to be the body. And it isn't just size. The L4CES sounds different from an ES175 though both are the same size.

No offense but Ill take that bet anyday, Id like to do it in person and Id bet my over 20k LPs you cant...unless you already know the player, his work and history. From outside the living room we couldnt tell if Bucky was playing Johnnys JS or D'an or mabey it was Les playing the green Gretsch, as a kid in North Jersey my friends dad played and was friends with these guys and we heard them and other top players (George Barnes, Joe Cinderella...) fairly regularly and in casual settings. And Ill just add that your saying every one of these guitars has a signature sound regardless of strings picks fingers players rooms amplifiers recording engineer microphone producer. If you didnt know what Kessel or Ellis was playing or their history I doubt youd guess they were playing a 175 and a 350. The average non guitar playing listener wont hear any difference, theyre not listening for it....

[2bornot2bop]

13 pages based upon a former love. But question is, who owns them now? And what steps will they take to bring back the glory of former days? Hmmm

[Archie]

Um...What's the 5th? You said there were five....

Good point.

[jads57]

The 5th point is, there’s no $$$$ above the 5th fret Lol!

[Gitfiddler]

In the midst of the ongoing mystery about the future of Gibson archtop production, Heritage continues with it's sweet H575 archtop.

[Hammertone]

In the midst of the ongoing mystery about the future of Gibson archtop production, Heritage continues with it's sweet H575 archtop.

Available direct from Heritage for $4,499.00 plus tax. Free shipping in continental US.

[cmajor9]

The 5th point is, there’s no $$$$ above the 5th fret Lol!

Tell that to Django Reinhardt or Joe Pass,

[AllanAllen]

Tell that to Django Reinhardt or Joe Pass,

Were they even wealthy?

[Aiq]

The 5th point is, there’s no $$$$ above the 5th fret Lol!

Maybe but all the mojo is up there.

[jads57]

Point is Jazz guitarists had a very short window of financial opportunity in the past. And the public mostly, are not interested in music made by serious musicians,sadly!

[Archie]

Tell that to Django Reinhardt or Joe Pass,

No wonder Joe got paid more when he went to Ibanez, they had two extra frets.

[LesB3]

Don't know where you go to get the blue one, but they must have made at least one of 'em!!!



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[AllanAllen]

Instagram

[ccroft]

...
For Archtops, once amplified, the scale length is the only thing that really determines whether or not you can hear a difference.

In my small stable, there is something else that changes tone amplified and acoustically: the weight. I believe primarily it's mostly thickness of the top and braces.

I have 2 solid carved that have all the same appointments, same woods, same scale, same size body inc. depth, both X braced, and both with KA USA made pickups. They sound different. Lehman weighs 1.2 lbs more than Eastman. The top is 2mm thicker at the f's. I can't measure, but I believe the bracing is heavier as well from what I can see and feel. The Lehman also has a way more substantial neck.

(not trying to make trouble my friend. just trying to help with your research)

And on that note, my B-120 sounds diff than my friends 175, but those 2 have a host of differences. For one, 175 is thicker top and deeper body. They're both laminates though.

I haven't experienced as many archtops as you, but I think everything that affects how the string vibrates affects tone. And maybe the aggregate of a number of differences affects things more. Sum of it's part and so on.

You have my sincere best wishes in figuring out how to control all that to a known end!

[L50EF15]

Just spotted this on Instagram and had to take a screenshot and share the news:

It’s happening.

Gibson is getting back in the game.

This made my year and it’s only January


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Archie]

In my small stable, there is something else that changes tone amplified and acoustically: the weight. I believe primarily it's mostly thickness of the top and braces.

I have 2 solid carved that have all the same appointments, same woods, same scale, same size body inc. depth, both X braced, and both with KA USA made pickups. They sound different. Lehman weighs 1.2 lbs more than Eastman. The top is 2mm thicker at the f's. I can't measure, but I believe the bracing is heavier as well from what I can see and feel. The Lehman also has a way more substantial neck.

(not trying to make trouble my friend. just trying to help with your research)

And on that note, my B-120 sounds diff than my friends 175, but those 2 have a host of differences. For one, 175 is thicker top and deeper body. They're both laminates though.

I haven't experienced as many archtops as you, but I think everything that affects how the string vibrates affects tone. And maybe the aggregate of a number of differences affects things more. Sum of it's part and so on.

You have my sincere best wishes in figuring out how to control all that to a known end!

No trouble at all CC. I respect your views greatly. I still debate your findings but it doesn't mean I'd be right.

Your premise on weight and components effecting electric tone through mass and changes in vibrations is logical and perhaps I should include that, given we're essentially making the same argument. But I would counter with, I don't think the thickness of 1mm in a top (for example), would make enough difference, that you could reliably hear that difference in a blind test, and that there is likely more variation in tone between models than across different models, until you get to scale length.
The tone argument (not that you're making this one) always likes to say “see we have 3 different pieces of wood and the all sound different” therefore tone wood exists.
Ok now take 3 different pieces of the same species of wood and tap them, all 3 are going to sound different.

It's a buggers muddle *imo*

[wfarr]

Was glad to see the L-5 prototype crop up at NAMM but a little surprised there was no real mention of it in any of the product announcements or on the main account.

Perhaps it’s a little further away from entering production than previously thought?

[Stringswinger]

Are those tuner buttons plastic on that L-5 prototype?

[wfarr]

Are those tuner buttons plastic on that L-5 prototype?

They appear to be (different photo from the same post that shows the headstock more clearly): https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram...DA&oe=69814E3B

That said, with it being a prototype, I suppose hardware touches like that are still subject to change.

[2bornot2bop]

They appear to be (different photo from the same post that shows the headstock more clearly): https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram...DA&oe=69814E3B

That said, with it being a prototype, I suppose hardware touches like that are still subject to change.

who is this player?

[wfarr]

who is this player?

Ponpon Chen, according to her instagram account. She's got a decent amount of stuff out on YouTube from what I can see.

[2bornot2bop]

Ponpon Chen, according to her instagram account. She's got a decent amount of stuff out on YouTube from what I can see.

thx. Oh from Taiwan! Good for her! She’s in LA now.