D'Aquisto Jazz Line

[JPMike]

Hey guys, a new member has been added to the family.

An Aria made D'Aquisto Jazz Line, I love it's looks really awesome looking guitar, gives me that Jim Hall vibe.

Tone wise, acoustically it's really loud and resonant, really nice for non amplified playing. Would be nice to practise with it.

What actually amazed me, was the amplified tone. I had been reading around that the pickup it comes with it, it's not that good, muddy etc. To be honest, the pickup is not bad. I mean, it's nice not the best but nice. The guitar is really warm, I actually I wasn't expecting it. I was expecting a more trebly tone. Also, it had enough clarity and presence. I will change the pickup sometime in the future and I might also do the same with the electronics.

It came with 12 Flatwounds, I think La Bella brand, but soon will change them to Thomastik 13 flatwounds as soon as I am done with all the stuff I got today. To be honest, I had intonation problem regarding the octave on the 12th fret. How can I fix that?? Move the bridge? It might be the truss rod??

Also, the action is a bit too high to my tastes, I don't play super low action, I don't like it, but the action is really high on it. It doesn't buzz at any place on the neck though, which is good.
You will be like, how can the guy actually talk about tone and stuff while he can't intonate his own guitar, well, I know right but I am not the best.

Anyway some photos for the usual eye candy thingy, hehe.

[Anandbhat]

Beautiful! Enjoy!

[rpguitar]

Mike, take the foam out from under the bridge. Then deal with your intonation and action height. Nice lookin' axe!

[disco~juice]

Hey guys, a new member has been added to the family.

An Aria made D'Aquisto Jazz Line, I love it's looks really awesome looking guitar, gives me that Jim Hall vibe.

Tone wise, acoustically it's really loud and resonant, really nice for non amplified playing. Would be nice to practise with it.

What actually amazed me, was the amplified tone. I had been reading around that the pickup it comes with it, it's not that good, muddy etc. To be honest, the pickup is not bad. I mean, it's nice not the best but nice. The guitar is really warm, I actually I wasn't expecting it. I was expecting a more trebly tone. Also, it had enough clarity and presence. I will change the pickup sometime in the future and I might also do the same with the electronics.

It came with 12 Flatwounds, I think La Bella brand, but soon will change them to Thomastik 13 flatwounds as soon as I am done with all the stuff I got today. To be honest, I had intonation problem regarding the octave on the 12th fret. How can I fix that?? Move the bridge? It might be the truss rod??

Also, the action is a bit too high to my tastes, I don't play super low action, I don't like it, but the action is really high on it. It doesn't buzz at any place on the neck though, which is good.
You will be like, how can the guy actually talk about tone and stuff while he can't intonate his own guitar, well, I know right but I am not the best.

Anyway some photos for the usual eye candy thingy, hehe.

Nice one! Greek now.
Ξεκούρδισε ελαφρά. Ένα τόνο το πολύ.
Πρώτα φτιάξε το ύψος από τη γέφυρα από τις χρυσές βίδες.
Αν χρειαστεί πείραξε λίγο και το trussrod.
Αρκεί να είναι ευθεία η χορδές σε όλη την ταστιέρα.
Μετά για να φτιάξεις τη γέφυρα γιατί φαίνεται στραβή, πρέπει να ξεκουρδίσεις αρκετά έτσι ώστε να μπορείς να την μετακινήσεις χωρίς να κάνεις ζημιά. Αν δεν το έχεις ξανακάνει, για να μην το μάθεις με το δύσκολο τρόπο, πήγαινέ τη σε έναν ειδικό. Ο Πάνος απο enigma guitars είναι πολύ καλός.
Και κάτι άλλο.
Αν αλλάξεις χορδές δεν θα έχεις Intonation γιατί φοράει συγκεκριμένο σέτ πάνω.
Καλή τύχη και καλό παίξιμο.

[JPMike]

Thank you guys!! Btw, that blue thing on the bridge was put on by the guy who sold me the guitar, so to show me where to attach the bridge again. Cause the bridge was taken out so to be shipped.

Nice one! Greek now.
Ξεκούρδισε ελαφρά. Ένα τόνο το πολύ.
Πρώτα φτιάξε το ύψος από τη γέφυρα από τις χρυσές βίδες.
Αν χρειαστεί πείραξε λίγο και το trussrod.
Αρκεί να είναι ευθεία η χορδές σε όλη την ταστιέρα.
Μετά για να φτιάξεις τη γέφυρα γιατί φαίνεται στραβή, πρέπει να ξεκουρδίσεις αρκετά έτσι ώστε να μπορείς να την μετακινήσεις χωρίς να κάνεις ζημιά. Αν δεν το έχεις ξανακάνει, για να μην το μάθεις με το δύσκολο τρόπο, πήγαινέ τη σε έναν ειδικό. Ο Πάνος απο enigma guitars είναι πολύ καλός.
Και κάτι άλλο.
Αν αλλάξεις χορδές δεν θα έχεις Intonation γιατί φοράει συγκεκριμένο σέτ πάνω.
Καλή τύχη και καλό παίξιμο.

Καλησπέρα φίλε μου, χρόνια πολλά κιόλας και καλή σου χρονιά.
Δεν ήξερα οτι είσαι Έλληνας.

Την μεριά της γέφυρας που είναι τα μπάσσα να την κουνήσω λίγο έτσι να έχει μία μικρή κλίση προς το λαιμό??

Επίσης, το Intonation πως ακριβώς ρυθμίζεται? Με το truss rod ή κάνω λάθος?? Σε περίπτωση, που αλλάξω χόρδες?? Βέβαια θα ψάξω και στο google.

Πάντως, σε ευχαριστώ πολύ για τη βοηθεία σου.

I apologise for the Greek, guys. :P

[IbanezAS100]

Looks great Mike, enjoy in good health (με γεια σου και καλη χρονιά)!

Just to get you started, after you've put you choice of strings on you can set the intonation so that the low and high E (6th and 1st strings) are in tune by comparing the open strings and harmonic/fretted string on the 12th fret. There will always be a bit of a compromise (unless you go for a compensated bridge or tune-o-matic) but it should be OK for a start and then you can maybe have the guitar set up professionally.

The truss rod has to do with neck relief as opposed to intonation if that helps...

disco, καλη χρονιά...

[JPMike]

Looks great Mike, enjoy in good health (με γεια σου και καλη χρονιά)!

Just to get you started, after you've put you choice of strings on you can set the intonation so that the low and high E (6th and 1st strings) are in tune by comparing the open strings and harmonic/fretted string on the 12th fret. There will always be a bit of a compromise (unless you go for a compensated bridge or tune-o-matic) but it should be OK for a start and then you can maybe have the guitar set up professionally.

The truss rod has to do with neck relief as opposed to intonation if that helps...

disco, καλη χρονιά...

Σε ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ, εύχομαι και σε σένα καλή χρονιά και οτι καλύτερο.

I will do so, I guess it will a be a little off.

[disco~juice]

Αφού φτιάξεις το ύψος από το trussrod και τη γέφυρα, θα πρέπει οι χορδές να έχουν το ίδιο ύψος σχεδόν σε όλο το μήκος της ταστιέρας . Μετά θα ισιώσεις τη γέφυρα με σχεδόν λυμένες τις μεσαίες χορδές και μόνο τις E και e κουρδισμένες. Όταν έχεις σωστό κούρδισμα στο 12ο τάστο, στην αρμονική του 12ου και στις ανοιχτές χορδές τότε είσαι κομπλέ. Απλά όταν δείς ότι οι αρμονικές είναι ψηλότερες από το 12ο τάστο (όταν το πατάς), μετακινείς τη γέφυρα. Δε θυμάμαι πάνω ή κάτω. Δοκίμασε το. Πάντως αν δείς ότι ζορίζεσαι να μετακινήσεις τη γέφυρα, έστω και λίγο, μην το κάνεις! Καλή τύχη και καλή χρονιά.

[disco~juice]

"disco, καλη χρονιά..."

Καλή χρονιά!

[2bornot2bop]

Gorgeous shade Mike! I observed that identical model sell a few weeks back on feebay. Congrats!

[PTChristopher]

Mike,

My greek understanding is abysmal even though my father spoke it until he went to school as a kid.

But it may be that you will do well to set up the guitar as follows:

1. Get the strings you intend to use on there.

2. Get the nut slots at the right size and the right depth/slope/rear-exit-shape. No other adjustment can be accurately done until the nut is right. No, none. This is not great news of course since this is often best done by a pro, and many pros do not do an amazing job. Also the majority of guitars have a badly adjusted nut, yet the players are very happy. So consider that I have an impractical opinion on this to some extent.

But really, the nut has to be right first, most are too high by quote a bit.

3. Set the action roughly to your preferred height. If I understand the opinions above correctly,it is my opinion that you do not at all have to have the same action height for all strings. Many player prefer slightly higher action on the bass strings and there is nothing at all wrong with this.

So after the nut is right and the rough action is set:

4. Adjust the truss rod for your preferred relief. I suggest about the thickness of your B string as a good starting point for relief.

5. Now re-set the action to your final preferred height.

6. Now and only now can you adjust the bridge position for bridge compensation. I suggest using the A and B strings rather than the E strings. It almost always results in a better overall fit.

Forget the 12th fret harmonics. Our grandfathers used these. If you own a tuner simply tune the open string, then try a few notes between the 7th and 17th frets. If the fretted notes are sharp move the bridge back toward the tailpiece. If the fretted notes are flat move the bridge forward.

Go for a best-fit on the A and B strings.

Don't go crazy and adjust the bridge all the time. It will be imperfect anyway. It will also change its ideal position as the strings get dirty.

It is very normal for the bridge base to not be perfectly level and parallel to the frets.

All in my opinion. I suppose I have done this thousands of times, but I could also have done a lousy job thousands of times,...

Chris

[IbanezAS100]

Chris, I'm sure your abysmal understanding of Greek will be forgiven for the
sake of your informed opinion...although you've definitely earned extra brownie points since your father spoke it (enter quote from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding here')...

Thanks for the corrections and usual sound advice...

[Spook410]

The finish makes it look like it's giving off heat. Very pretty guitar. Congats!

[JPMike]

Thank you very much for your beautiful comments and setting it up information.

I have to admit, I saved all the instructions to a text file for future reference of setting the guitar up. As my teacher says, a guitarist should know how to set up his own guitar. My teacher helped me out a bit with the set up. So the guitar for now is playing nice, I believe with a pro setup the guitar will play even nicer.

I might have noticed a few things regarding arcthops, but I won't express it out since I am sure about what I am talking about it. I need to spend more time with it.

So far, I am still learning the guitar and how to play with it, I can say for sure it's not the same thing like playing a TOM bridge equipped guitar or a Semi. Also, I am not used to flatwound strings. So it's a kind of transition phase.

[PTChristopher]

>>> a guitarist should know how to set up his own guitar

100% agreed. And really it is not that hard at all. You do have to be disciplined and do things in order.

>>> I believe with a pro setup the guitar will play even nicer.

Right, but this can still be done by you if you want. The nut is absolutely the hardest part and the most important if you want a superb setup.

It is still possible to do a semi-crap-o-potamus setup with a marginal nut; it happens all the time.

I have PM'ed back and forth with Jazzbow (who can crank out the ol' setups just fine and then some) on this subject.

Since we are not living in the 80's or something (no Mr. Mister on the radio,...) don't we have the technology to do a live setup with back and forth conversation so questions can come up right away - and of course starting with a terrible nut that needs everything fixed?

I think this would be fun, and really unique to this rather small forum.

Anyway - great looking D'Aquisto and I am sure you will nail the setup as you get more used to it.

Chris

[edh]

@PTC, that's a great idea.

[JPMike]

>>> a guitarist should know how to set up his own guitar

100% agreed. And really it is not that hard at all. You do have to be disciplined and do things in order.

>>> I believe with a pro setup the guitar will play even nicer.

Right, but this can still be done by you if you want. The nut is absolutely the hardest part and the most important if you want a superb setup.

It is still possible to do a semi-crap-o-potamus setup with a marginal nut; it happens all the time.

I have PM'ed back and forth with Jazzbow (who can crank out the ol' setups just fine and then some) on this subject.

Since we are not living in the 80's or something (no Mr. Mister on the radio,...) don't we have the technology to do a live setup with back and forth conversation so questions can come up right away - and of course starting with a terrible nut that needs everything fixed?

I think this would be fun, and really unique to this rather small forum.

Anyway - great looking D'Aquisto and I am sure you will nail the setup as you get more used to it.

Chris

I had been practising with it for around 3 hours straight today. Honestly, I am starting getting used to it on how it feels. It's not in a bad shape, I mean if you could pick it up I think you would like it how it is setup for a guitar that flew overseas and took around 2 and a half weeks to get here. I did a few adjustments, regarding the bridge's height and the bridge placement.

There is no reference point on how the guitar should feel or to be setup. I mean, I have an ES 175 but it's closer to my semis as a feeling and setup, so virtually you can say this is my first archtop. As time comes I will learn more I believe.

So Christoper that means I can spam you with questions and what not through pm'ing? hehe.

[PTChristopher]

>>> There is no reference point on how the guitar should feel or to be setup.

I understand. But there are clear ways to methodically go through a setup and make informed decisions along the way.

>>> So Christoper that means I can spam you with questions and what not through pm'ing? hehe.

Har-har. I have nothing against PMs, but if it is about a guitar, then the forum is better for two reasons in my opinion:

- The idea is to share experiences and views.

- If someone disagrees or has a different way of looking at something, I would rather not hide any discussion from such alternate views.

Chris

[Arnesto]

I have the same guitar in natural, I love it, it has a great sound! congrats

[Woody Sound]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

Regarding the nut setup: One of the best practical purchases I ever made was a set of nut files. I can get all of my guitars to play exactly how I like myself, instead of a tech's preference.

[kris]

+1

[JPMike]

I am afraid If I do it on my own, something might go wrong.

[Woody Sound]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

Well if you are inexperienced or don't have cheap guitars to practice nut work on, by all means don't do it yourself. There are several tricks to bringing back a slot that is filed a hair too low.