The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    for the latter is solely acoustic "

    not sure I understand that statement ? Thanks for your input...yea I figured I will have to settle for the sunburst and pay more than $600 ! But thats okay too.

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  3. #52

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    I think 2bornot2bop might be thinking of the 600.

    The 650 looks superficially like a 175 cos of the cutaway, but I think in terms of tone it’s very different? Floating pickup, carved construction, parallel bracing iirc?

    I’m not sure the pickups are great on those guitars btw.

  4. #53

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    I think 2bornot2bop might be thinking of the 600.

    The 650 looks superficially like a 175 cos of the cutaway, but I think in terms of tone it’s very different? Floating pickup, carved construction, parallel bracing iirc?

    I’m not sure the pickups are great on those guitars btw.
    I think of it as a poor-man's L4c. And yes, the tone of the LH650+floater is very different from the ES175.

  5. #54
    Quote Originally Posted by pcpicker47
    for the latter is solely acoustic "

    not sure I understand that statement ? Thanks for your input...yea I figured I will have to settle for the sunburst and pay more than $600 ! But thats okay too.
    meaning the guitar has a floating pickup but the guitar itself is an acoustic. I've only owned 5 of them

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    I think 2bornot2bop might be thinking of the 600.

    The 650 looks superficially like a 175 cos of the cutaway, but I think in terms of tone it’s very different? Floating pickup, carved construction, parallel bracing iirc?

    I’m not sure the pickups are great on those guitars btw.
    Mine shipped with one of the Kent Armstrong "licensed" floaters, maybe a Jazzy Joe? I replaced it with the hand-wound 12 pole floater.

  7. #56

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    Welp, it's my own fault. Haha. I knew the case was too small height wise.

    Long story short I have a new Loar LH-650. I LOVE IT despite the horrible reviews this thing gets. Just one problem. I have a short in my volume knob now. For those that don't know, the volume knob is on the pickguard. It really sucks because it's a lovely sounding guitar. The pickup works REALLY well, it's just that short problem. And it's all because I've been putting it in a case that wasn't tall enough to accommodate the volume knob being on the pickup. I just can't find a case with the right specifications!! So two questions:

    How much will this repair cost? I'm guessing pricey since with an archtop you don't have a huge center hole to reach into it'll be more expensive to get the short fixed?

    The REAL question though is does anyone have/know where to find a case that will perfectly fit my LH-650? The case I have is a dreadnought case and it's big enough but it's not deep enough. Maybe because it was made for a guitar with a flat top. Also the neck rest/compartment is really high. But even still shouldn't my guitar fit in a case that's 5.5" deep already? The guitar is only 3.75" deep but then there's the height of the bridge and then the height of the volume knob which is even higher. Man this is frustrating. I just want a case that's made for the LH-650. Since I got this guitar second hand it didn't come with a case and the seller didn't have one. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED.

    Guitar specs:
    3.75" Depth
    16" Lower Bout
    11.5" Upper Bout
    20.25" Body Length
    40.5" Total Length

  8. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by broturtel
    Welp, it's my own fault. Haha. I knew the case was too small height wise.

    Long story short I have a new Loar LH-650. I LOVE IT despite the horrible reviews this thing gets. Just one problem. I have a short in my volume knob now. For those that don't know, the volume knob is on the pickguard. It really sucks because it's a lovely sounding guitar. The pickup works REALLY well, it's just that short problem. And it's all because I've been putting it in a case that wasn't tall enough to accommodate the volume knob being on the pickup. I just can't find a case with the right specifications!! So two questions:

    How much will this repair cost? I'm guessing pricey since with an archtop you don't have a huge center hole to reach into it'll be more expensive to get the short fixed?
    If you know that the short has been caused by the case closing onto the knob, perhaps the problem is with part of the apparatus on the guard, not inside the guitar. Might be a simple fix. Did you try wiggling the wires that go from the pickup to the pot, and from the pot into the f-hole?

  9. #58

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    It just might be! No I haven't tried that yet. It doesn't help that I don't have an amp to use for myself. I'll have to go to my friend's place and try to use his amp. I only found out because I was playing an open mic night and went to plug in and it kept shorting when I would turn my volume knob. And the volume wouldn't stay on. It was going in and out.

  10. #59

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    Just thinkin' here but... You could replace the volume pot and knob with a Schatten thumbwheel volume control which will eliminate the high profile from the current knob. Yes, I know you'll have a hole in the pickguard but you could just cover it with a round piece of black tape and if down the road you feel that looks too tacky, you could always take the Schatten out and replace it again with a regular volume knob. Another option might be to just take the knob off the volume pot and adjust it using the pole on the pot. That could lower the top of the volume knob by 1/4 inch or more. Maybe enough to still fit in the case you're using.

  11. #60

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    This is actually pretty genius. If I can't get the problem solved and I have to take it to a luthier I'll have him change the knob to be low profile!! I love it. Because I'm not trying to spend another $100+ for a nice case!!!

  12. #61

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    This is not an uncommon problem with archtops that have pickguard-mounted pots and full-sized knobs, that are stored in cases with flat or shallowly arched lids.

    Companies like Gibson solved this years back by using low-profile pots and knobs, and case lids with higher arches.

    IMO, the easiest solution is to grind down the posts of the potentiometers, and use low profile knobs or grind down the knobs appropriately. Knobs are cheap. This work should be done by someone who is not an idjit.

  13. #62

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hammertone
    the easiest solution is to grind down the posts of the potentiometers,
    If you do this, be sure to thoroughly cover up the body of the potentiometer with some low tack masking or painter's tape. You want to cover all the "holes" or openings on the potentiometer. You don't want any metal dust from the grinding getting in the pot; that would not be good.

  14. #63

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    Thank you everyone for your help! it looks like underneath the pickguard the cables aren't set in a way that they can just sit still. If you turn the volume knob too much you end up twisting the cables right along with it. I somehow got it in the PERFECT position. And I've had no issues. So temporary fix that's working very well. Also, it's not the case I have now but the case I had before that pushed the button in so that is also a relief. I will be getting a low profile knob anyway that soon enough. Soon as all this corona stuff blows over. Thanks again!

  15. #64

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    Old thread, but the photos in the attachment to Loar LH-650 show something I seem to observe also in the LH-650 I'm currently checking out:

    it's as if the neck extension (the part over the body, starting right under the 14th fret) is a different piece of wood. I've seen it in 2 other LH650s.

    Does anyone know if it's indeed the case, or are they maybe just 2 strips of wood glued to the actual neck extension and just thick enough to hold the screws for the fingerboard and floating pickup (as a protection of the neck itself, in case something happens with the floating stuff or the screws)?

  16. #65

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    LH350 here - laminate back & sides. I see two additional pieces of wood. One dedicated to attaching the floating pickup. As for the longer piece beginning beneath the 14th fret, It appears to be attached (glued) on both sides.
    I attempted to attach a photo below.

    Loar LH-650-20211206_093001-jpg

    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    Old thread, but the photos in the attachment to Loar LH-650 show something I seem to observe also in the LH-650 I'm currently checking out:

    it's as if the neck extension (the part over the body, starting right under the 14th fret) is a different piece of wood. I've seen it in 2 other LH650s.

    Does anyone know if it's indeed the case, or are they maybe just 2 strips of wood glued to the actual neck extension and just thick enough to hold the screws for the fingerboard and floating pickup (as a protection of the neck itself, in case something happens with the floating stuff or the screws)?

  17. #66

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    Quote Originally Posted by chasranney
    LH350 here - laminate back & sides. I see two additional pieces of wood. One dedicated to attaching the floating pickup. As for the longer piece beginning beneath the 14th fret, It appears to be attached (glued) on both sides.
    Thanks! Impossible to say if those pieces run under the entire with of the fretboard, I suppose?

    Makes you wonder if this is somehow related to the fact that so many of these guitars apparently needed a neck reset out of the box...

  18. #67

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    Using a flashlight, I can see that the piece to which the pickup is attached runs the entire width of the fretboard. I assume that the longer piece does as well.

    I have a different guess than you about what we're seeing. My guess is that this construction method is easier and cheaper than carving a cantilevered neck extension. You can see the line where the neck heel meets the body; there's no more neck beyond that point. Glue the neck to the body then glue another small piece of wood to the top where the fretboard will eventually extend. If that piece isn't long enough to accommodate the floating pickup then glue on another one later!

    For what it's worth, I very much like this cheap guitar. It sounds very good - very acoustic. It doesn't have as quick a decay or as much midrange focus as a I'd expect from a parallel-braced archtop. It sounds a little more like a flattop. With roundwound strings it can be used for just about any style

    I've had it for about 10 years. Replacing the original bridge saddle with a slightly more massive one improved the sound a great deal. My only complaint is the fret wires; they are the thin, steep "vintage" type which I don't like.

    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    Thanks! Impossible to say if those pieces run under the entire with of the fretboard, I suppose?

    Makes you wonder if this is somehow related to the fact that so many of these guitars apparently needed a neck reset out of the box...

  19. #68

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    Evidently my explanation doesn't hold if the pieces of wood run the entire width of the fretboard. Yours may be right, but you'd expect them to have a (hand-operated) CNC machine or something of the sort to produce the pieces that lend themselves for it in series (my Seagull came with a nice explanation of what "hand built" means in this day and age ).

    I guess we'd have to hear from owners of other LH-6/700 series who do NOT have this patchwork neck. In that case we may be looking at guitars that did get a neck reset or correction at the factory.

    My baroque violin has something comparable. It was originally built for an orchestral project, with a very baroque, very flat fingerboard. I bought it after that project was terminated, from the luthier who built it and ultimately did the kind of personalisation he'd have done for an original owner. That included a new, higher bridge to get a fuller sound and rather than replacing the entire neck he put a wedge under the fingerboard. Except he went so far as to match the flame of the wedge to the flame of the original neck so you can hardly see it's there.

  20. #69

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    Yes! I hope others respond and let us know if they have the patchwork neck!

    All the best, RJVB!

  21. #70

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    @RJVB - my LH 300 also has a separate piece of wood for the floating neck extension - but so do 90% of all acoustic archtops, from vintage Gibsons to modern luthier built ones - that's simply how you build an archtop - you carve the dovetail, then add the fretboard & extension - nothing to worry about!

  22. #71

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    I was just curious, and probably wouldn't have asked about it if unaware of the apparently recurrent neck issues in these guitars.

    Being able to see that these pieces run the entire width using a flashlight, that does sound a bit worrysome though ... as in they're not perfectly matched and glued to each other blocking light from passing between them??

  23. #72

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    Quote Originally Posted by chasranney
    For what it's worth, I very much like this cheap guitar. It sounds very good - very acoustic. It doesn't have as quick a decay or as much midrange focus as a I'd expect from a parallel-braced archtop. It sounds a little more like a flattop. With roundwound strings it can be used for just about any style
    Exactly the impression I get from the videos out there (including of the 600 and 700), and one that I hope I'm not wrong in because I definitely will want to use it for all kinds of styles.

  24. #73

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    I don't quite understand what you mean by "blocking light from passing through them"?

    Do you mean between the extension and the top? That's the way it should be!
    Or is there a gap between the extension and the actual main part/heel of the neck? That would be shoddy workmanship, indeed!

  25. #74

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    Quote Originally Posted by RomanS
    I don't quite understand what you mean by "blocking light from passing through them"?

    Do you mean between the extension and the top? That's the way it should be!
    Or is there a gap between the extension and the actual main part/heel of the neck? That would be shoddy workmanship, indeed!
    I was referring to this:
    Quote Originally Posted by chasranney
    Using a flashlight, I can see that the piece to which the pickup is attached runs the entire width of the fretboard. I assume that the longer piece does as well.
    I can't really imagine how you could see they run the entire width other than that the light could pass between the extension and neck. Could be just along a very shallow groove where the 2 pieces don't align perfectly of course.

    I do not get the impression that the entire neck extension is floating on these guitars, btw, the part holding the pickup might but the rest seems to sit really flush to the top.

  26. #75

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    The part that seems flush is where the neck block sits inside the guitar, that's where the dovetail joint of the neck attaches to. The extension then sits above where the actual free vibrating top starts.

    The point of the free hovering part is that it shouldn't impede the vibrations of the top (though on some vintage budget archtops, the fretboard will be glued straight to the top...) - but in the area where the neck block sits inside the body, the top can't vibrate, anyway, so that's where all the parts are attached for solidity.

    With typical vintage acoustic archtops, the neck is a solid until the end of the heel, where the dovetail is carved into it - that dovetail "positive" goes into the "negative" - the slit carved into the neck block, which sits inside the guitar, and connects the top, back, and sides. The fretboard extends way beyond the end of the neck, and that extension is carved so it starts on the top, right behind the end of the actual neck, and then curves upwards, so the vibrations of the top aren't damped.
    That's pretty much how all vintage archtops were made - there are a few exceptions where the extension is actually carved from the neck blank itself, but those are rare. And there are some experiments by modern luthiers like Ken Parker, who use completely different neck joints.
    But the way it's done on the Loar is how it was done on almost every vintage acoustic archtop!
    Last edited by RomanS; 12-07-2021 at 08:38 AM.