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Thanks for the input Jim. I will consider the AFJ91, if I can find one to play. It could save me some valuable ££££ that might eventually go towards a good SS amp !
It seems that my favoured retailer has an AF151 in stock, which I will try to play this week, along with the Eastman 371 and 503, plus the Godin Composer. As I already own an Ibanez AS153, I'm pretty familiar with Ibby necks and pickups - which are identical on the AS153 and AF151 - unless, that is, Ibanez have differently voiced versions of the Super 58 Custom for full hollow and thin-line guitars. As I believe I'm looking for something different to what I already have, I will probably use the AF151 as a reference point for the other instruments that I will test.
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02-22-2014 12:09 PM
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Does anybody know of a mid priced archtop with a 25" - 25.5" scale length, a 15" - 16" body width and a 3" - 4" depth? ... Seems like an impossible combination
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I think the closest is the Gretsch Symchromatic G100CD. It's a 25.5" scale length with a 16" body but it's only 2.75" at the rims. The Peerless Cremona 16" also comes close but it's probably too expensive to be called a "mid-priced" guitar.
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Just a note that we're talking about Laminate Archtops in the mid priced level ,correct? Cause when you start talking about actual solid carved wood guitars it really narrows your options for affordability.
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Agree with Tom and was going to say the same thing, check out the AR403!
Originally Posted by Tom Karol
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Most of the guitars on my list are laminate due to the price restriction, not because I need a laminate for gigging. However, there are a few solid tops in the price range. For example, I believe the Eastman 503 is carved, as is the Peerless Monarch. The new Guild Savoy is a solid top, but probably pressed rather than carved. Originally Posted by jads57
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I have an alternative scenario:
Buy an Ibanez AF55
...only £250
Upgrade the Super 58 Custom pickups in my Ibanez AS158 to Bareknuckle Mules (£220), put the S58Cs into the AF55. Upgrade some of the AF55 hardware (e.g. rosewood or mahogany tailpiece, new bridge and tuners ~ £200). I will have improved my favourite thinline semi and have a unique custom archtop for well within my price range.
Instant archtop nirvana .....or foolish waste of money ?
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The Eastman 503 has a carved solid top over laminated sides and back. And the Peerless Monarch is listed as a pressed solid spruce top over solid maple sides and back. Originally Posted by newsense
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Thanks for the clarification. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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No problem. Originally Posted by newsense
It sounds like you have access to several of these guitars. That being the case, if you decide not to do the whole upgrade thing with the two guitars, my suggestion would be to not even think about it until you get there and then see if you can find one that just really speaks to you. Most of these are pretty well made and pretty much all of them give great bang for the buck. That's just the basic state of the market these days: lots of really good functional guitars for not much money. So just go in like you would go to pick a puppy: be open to the experience and see if there's that one special pup that jumps up and says "take me home".
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thanks! cremona is perfect, except for the price. that Gretsch looks good. has anybody played it or other Gretschs ? Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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Thanks Jim - that's still the plan - but let's hope I don't come home with a dog ! Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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I too wondered how different the various ibanez Originally Posted by newsense
I have an alternative scenario:
Buy an Ibanez AF55
...only £250
Instant archtop nirvana .....or foolish
low to mid archtops can be ....
They all come out of the very same cnc machines
presumably
and that af 55 has a mahog neck which I like
the tailpiece is fine for me but I'd probably put a rosewood bridge saddle on there
Ripout the Neck pickup and put something nice
on there (a proper super 58 maybe ?)
It might turn out to be a better guitar acoustically
than some more upmarket types because of the thinner matt finish
Ten again an afj is also incredable bang for the buck
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Have you seen the Heritage Eagle on UK Ebay at £1500.
You can always use the Ebay "Make offer" button.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heritage-E...item2335e24220Last edited by GuyBoden; 02-24-2014 at 09:56 AM.
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+1 on the recommendation for the Godin 5th Avenue Jazz by Doctor Jeff..
Fould's list it on their website, it might therefore be on the stock list that Dan sent you.
I bought mine here (but not as cheap as this):
http://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/...-with-case.htm
All the best in your search.
Derek
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Newsense,
On the subject of the AFJ91, I tried this at the weekend in the new Jet Blueburst Flat finish. At first I thought that the flat finish looked a bit plasticky but after 2 minutes playing, I kind of lost sight of the finish, or even the colour. Since blue doesn't bother me in the way that red does in guitars, it became a non-issue and I even warmed to it after I'd played the guitar.
I took my own Blueskat amp with me to try this guitar, and it sounded just great. Very nice neck, full sound (and thankfully Ibanez had the sense to put Chromes on it!) and ridiculously good value for that price IMHO - bit of a bargain. As it is, I'm looking to upgrade my semi's into one decent guitar and so couldn't drop the £££'s on this - I had to grit my teeth and walk away. But if I'd been in the market for a new jazz guitar, I'd have called on Mr. Mastercard right then for £449.
Oh and there was GAS in the car, oh my yes.Last edited by mangotango; 02-24-2014 at 11:23 AM.
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Sadly I'm on holiday this week so I'm not there to help but fingers crossed he finds a new axe he's happy with :-)
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No problem, Dan. My meetings yesterday overran, so didn't get to Derby as planned. Hopefully I can do so next week. Originally Posted by Foulds Jazz Guitars
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If you make in next week I'm around Thurs, Fri and Sat (stuck in Scotland Mon,Tue + Wed)
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LOL - I actually ordered a AFJ91 on Sunday evening - thinking I had made up my mind that a £450 guitar was all I deserved. My preference for colour lies at the long wavelength end of the spectrum, so I ordered a Sunset Red version. I received an apologetic phone call on Monday to say that the distributor had now distributed all stocks of this older model, but would I like the current Blueburst version instead. At this stage I believed the GAS gods had intervened on my behalf to prevent me making a mistake; this was a message to make me think again. It was their way of saying that I must hold out and test an Eastman, "because you're worth it". So I cancelled the order - it wasn't just the blue colour, - I'm not sure I like that they have moved the controls onto the pickguard - you don't have the option of removing it. Originally Posted by mangotango
So, back on plan - despite my inability to get to Foulds this week, I will hold out and test more guitars over the next ten days, with an AR371 amongst them. There is still a fallback position, because I do know of a retailer with a Sunset Red AFJ91 in stock.
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Just tried a Blueburst AFJ91 at the local PMT. As usual testing in a general music store isn't great. Although they did put me in a booth to save my embarrassment, the amp was a Blackstar Studio 20, which hasn't the most jazz friendly clean channel, plus the foam strip was still wedged under the bridge. But, yes, it does play very nicely and Metheny's "Bright Size Life" fell a little more easily under my left hand than on some guitars. However, in deference to the blue colour, I didn't feel it appropriate to attempt a rendition of "The Red One".
The last remaining Sunset Red AFJ91 in the UK possibly has my name on it.
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If I could buy (well I could, but I won't) a £600 guitar, that would hold its money and not need any tampering (Ie money spent that you won't only lose on resale, but also devalue the guitar by adding), I would go for the single pup Eastmen Es-175 copy/ Eastman-AR371CESB.
I have never played one and the draw back is, it 'may' be a little thin sounding (16" body maple construction etc), like the Gibson Es-175 'can' be. Plugged in with the right strings, I'm sure its the best option. They also hold their money pretty well, unlike the Ibanez which you will lose half on and fight to sell with many others.
If I could suggest though (and i might be wrong) you try this
http://rguitars.co.uk/collections/st...m#.Uw-uXHna4nQ
Its a Stonebridge made by Furchs, a Chez company that make the guitars by hand. I had the pleasure of buying one of their Dreadnoughts for £900. It is the most lively resonant and balanced acoustic I have ever owned and it played and sounded, exactly like the Guild D55 sitting next to it, for £2350. I played it to a friend this evening who owns a Martin and he is now looking to buy a new one (he was that impressed).
I haven't tried the Archtop, but I know the company and boy can they make some really singing guitars. For £1,000 at Richard's music, I think you should seriously consider it.
I have seen two of these archtops, sell on ebay and fast for £700/800 so they hold their money well. (You would lose the same on an Ibanez art core). I've never seen my dreadnought second hand on ebay so I can only say, people who play them keep them.
I don't blame them. Order one from Rich, if you don't like it, send it back, but I bet you won't get a nicer sounding archtop for the money, that will hold its money as well. It will feedback live though so decide on what you want to do with it. If your sitting at home, hands down the Stonebridge.
Heck I will buy it off you second hand if you don't like it :-)
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Why would anyone care to use my exact words without quoting me? Originally Posted by cpark007
How strange.
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cpark007 seems to be a spambot, designed to get you to click on the signature line. Its posts in other threads are the same - quotes from higher up the thread. Originally Posted by palindrome
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A bot. Of course. (Slapping hand against forehead). Originally Posted by newsense
BTW, given your (preferred) price range, did you ever consider a Cort Yorktown? The Dark Violin Sunburst ones look cool and feel OK. I tried one, and although I was definitely under the impression that the build quality of my Ibanez AF-105 I owned at the time was superior, the Washburn was a lot less plasticky than the Ibanez and had smokey Gibsoneque tones of sorts. I remember Foulds demoing this model somewhere on Youtube.
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