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After my announcement of a promotion at work, my wife uttered the immortal words " I think you ought to treat yourself".
I know she instantly regretted it when she realized the implications of what she had just said, but she's too sweet to retract it.
So I am in the market for a new archtop. My current stable is definitely what I would term low to mid priced: a Yamaha NTX 700 classical, the Martin 000X1AE (yes, the formica and papier mache one - sounds great), a Gitane DG-255 and an Ibanez AS153.
So, a thin-line semi is my only electric, and obviously I need a fuller bodied hollow archtop (although I can already hear some of you saying "no, he really needs a Tele" !). In the next 2 or 3 weeks I hope to be able to test drive the instruments listed below (not an easy task in the UK), and am keen to hear opinions on their merits as toneful instruments for a strict amateur (..... not expecting any gigs this decade).
As my Ibanez is brighter than I originally expected (but in a good way), I am now looking for something rather more mellow with gentler attack for straight ahead jazz. I expect to mainly play amplified with a plectrum, although something with the flexibility to carry off acoustic fingerstyle might persuade me to expand my repertoire.
The candidates are:
Hofner HCTJ17
Ibanez PM2 / PM35
Peerless New York
Ibanez AF155
Eastman 371 SB
Eastman 403
Peerless Manhattan
Gretsch G100CE
Peerless Monarch
Godin 5th Ave Composer
Peerless MT Virtuoso
Eastman 503
The more observant of you will see that they are more or less in order of increasing price, with the majority being below £1000. Most of them are of laminate construction, but that is a function of the price, not choice, and I have no real feeling (yet) for whether I prefer a floater or an inset pickup. I do have a preference for natural over sunburst - but that will come secondary to the tone and feel of the instrument. Given the range of my other instruments, I don't find myself over-sensitive to scale length or neck profile - but the test-drives ought to sort that.
Before anyone suggests a 5th Avenue Kingpin, I did own one for a few months, but didn't really bond with it. I think it may have been the P90s that left me a bit cold. However, from other previous experience (a Flat Five) I am not against Godins and am certainly prepared to give the Composer a good hearing.
Yes, I know that only I can make the decision, which is why I am going to try to play them all, but some opinions may help me look out for certain things that I otherwise might miss.Last edited by newsense; 02-20-2014 at 05:32 PM.
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02-20-2014 04:43 PM
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If it was me I'd probably get the Eastman 371 with some Thomastik flatwounds
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Haven't played the Peerless, but I agree w/ the eastman 371 choice!
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FWIW, I would study the nut/scale length of the choices as you may have some strong preferences one way or another.
I've played quite a few on that list and the 371 is an awfully good choice if you can get along with the nut/scale.
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Be sure to try the Peerless models, especially the MT Virtuoso. A good value, in my opinion.
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never tried Eastman.
I had a good impression about the gretsch G100ce and the Ibanez PM.
I've tried a Peerless, longtime ago, the Manhattan I think, I remember the neck radius was not at my taste and the pickup needed to be replace. But it was a good archtop, and the quality of sound was present.
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From Leeds, it's not too far to get to Foulds in Derby. Have a word with Dan first (he posts on this forum) and see if you can line up as many as possible on your list to try out, or if he can suggest anything else that fits your budget and criteria.
Personally I would add the Peerless Jazz City to your list. If you look around you can find this within your budget.
Good luck!!
By the way, had you thought about a Tele?
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Good morning,
well let me second the suggestion of the Ibanez PM35.
I had the chance to play one extensively a couple of weeks ago and have been positively impressed by the overall build quality. It way modified, however. The owner had the original tailpiece replaced with a custom wooden one so that may have affected the tone. However, quality-wise it came very close to my (far more expensive) GB-100, that had been my to go guitar for six years. (I switched to a Gibson Pat Martino last year)
Also, the Super 58 pickup is a very good choice in my opinion. The PM35 i tried was strung with Thomastik GB strings (12) and had that nice and mellow sound that you seem to be going for.
However, I also played a mid-priced Peerless of an entirely different build (Songbird) that was also impressive for it's price.
So yes, I would advise you to check the Peerless and the PM more closely.
Sebastian
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Thanks mangotango - of the list of candidates, most are on Foulds web-site (although not necessarily in stock), the rest are in stock at GuitarGuitar in Edinburgh.
Originally Posted by mangotango
I am hoping to get away early from a business meeting n Coventry on Tuesday and call in to Derby on my way up the M1, so I should take a stock check before I go. If I don't fall in love there, it may be worth the price of an off-peak rail journey to Edinburgh to check out the stocks in GuitarGuitar. Nowhere else in the UK appears to stock as many archtops as these two.
The Eastman 371 certainly seems to have a lot of support. Perhaps I can get over my dislike of the Florentine cutaways especially as Ivor Mairants has a very pretty blonde in stock.Last edited by newsense; 02-21-2014 at 08:14 AM.
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Well, take a look at an AR403 then! Originally Posted by newsense
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A little while back, I tried the Peerless Jazz City and the AR371 side by side at Mairants. Two very different guitars. If I'd been buying to supplement my current stable (ha! Stable! More like a doghouse...) of guitars, I'd have gone for the Eastman as being something different; however, if I were buying my one and only guitar, it would have been the Peerless. Bigger sound, better feel, and thinking about it, more like the guitar that I normally play nowadays.
And no Venetian cutaway.
On the subject of shops stocking jazz guitars, I have just been to Mairants this lunchtime to enquire after a second-hand Sadowsky Bruno that was on their website (already sold!). A reasonable sampling of decent archtops and semi's in there, but probably a bit of a hike from Leeds. A Vestax D'Angelico, couple of D'aquisto's (Jazzline and Junior), bunch of Peerless, the AR371 in natural, some Ibanez's, others that I didn't recognise, two Comins, a whole load of Collings of different varieties....but there's never a lottery win around when you need one, is there?
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You'll find a lot of support for Peerless and Eastman around here--I almost got a Peerless Sunset recently, decided to wait til the GAS attack passed.
If you want a more full-bodied guitar you might add the Godin Jazz--impeccable build quality, beautiful gloss finish and a floating pickup. Also I have seen the Ibanez GB10 go used for a little over a thousand.
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Re trivia for newsense that might otherwise escape his attention:
As to Peerless guitars, and their pickups especially, I have a positive impression, on reading quite a few reviews both before buying my Sunset and ever since, that their p90 gets unanimously praised while opinions on their humbucker are divided.
Incidentally, they call their p90 "Gibson-style" and their humbucker "Epiphone-style". If anyone here happens to know that _that_ is supposed to mean, I'd be glad to know.
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In fact I was in London at the weekend for a family weekend, but unfortunately didn't get enough time to visit Rathbone Street. Next time, perhaps. Originally Posted by mangotango
Dan e-mailed me a stock list from Foulds, which unfortunately didn't include a 403 - but does include a 503 !!Well, take a look at an AR403 then!
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Have you seen an Ibanez AF155 in Antique Amber ?
Come on .......... thats pretty innit ?
only avail in the USA in AA finish though
http://forum.ibanez.com/yaf_postsm50...que-Amber.aspx
And as we all know , the looks are the most important thing to get right
I'd get one of those
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The Antique Amber would be preferable to the Aged Whisky Burst, but both the AF155 and AF151 are currently only available in AWB in the UK.
Last edited by newsense; 02-21-2014 at 06:58 PM.
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Yeah I know , I don't like the AWB red colour so much Originally Posted by newsense
I'm in the UK
where you at ?
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I'm not familiar with all of the guitars on your list, but I did own the Eastman 810CE not long ago. It was nice, but not quite for me, and was not up to snuff regarding fit and finish with many tiny cracks in the binding that were a little tough to accept. I was told by the dealer that it was because of decreased quality control overseas, but I have owned and played many other imported guitars that were less expensive, but with flawless finishes.
Ibanez makes some nice guitars, and I would not rule out a nice used Epiphone. A Guild X-175 is also worth considering and here in the states can be had for around $1500 USD. It is low to mid priced, but professional quality as George Benson has used both the X-500 and X-175 (same guitar with gold vs chrome hardware, and Ebony vs rosewood fretboard). A vintage 1950's Guild CE-100 with Franz pups is also a fantastic guitar, and with a single pup goes for the same $1500 in mint condition, but it is 16 3/8 vs 17. Also worth considering is the new Guild X-175 and A-150, both from the Newark Street line that are made in Korea. Both are repro's of the original 1950's models and have been receiving rave reviews thus far. I have tried both, and the X-175 at $1000 USD is surprisingly close to the 1961 X-175 I once owned and loved. It is very versatile and can do much more than just great straight ahead jazz. The A-150 is a pure jazz machine, and may find its way to my home one day soon. These two are also likely to be easier to find in Europe than a nice used Guild.
Clearly I am a proud Guild guy, but I'm sure all of the guitars in your list are very nice as well. Good luck!
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Does anybody know the dimensions and scale lenght of the Godins ? Can't find ...
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5th Ave Composer GT: Originally Posted by cmedina
16" (406 mm) fingerboard radius
24.84" (630 mm) Scale
1.72" (43,7 mm) nut width
I share my time between Leeds (Work) and South Cumbria (Home); most of my gear is in Leeds. Originally Posted by pingu
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Burny RFA-75 ?
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Interesting - and available from Richards Guitars - who has a reputation for selling good quality gear. Originally Posted by pubylakeg
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How about a used Heritage? Best bang for your buck there..
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I wish ! UK Heritage prices, both new and used are crazy. Originally Posted by Kolbi2112
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Nice list and most of these guitars have their fans on this site. Since you've included the Ibanez AF155, I would also encourage you to include the Ibanez Artcore Expressionist series. The AF155 is really just the most ornate guitar in the series but they all have similar necks, construction and identical pickups. When I checked the AF155 head to head with the AFJ91, I preferred the sound of the AFJ91 and it was significantly less money so the decision was easy. The whole series share a fairly small neck, so you have to be able to get comfortable with that but I'm really impressed with how much quality they deliver for the price and I like my AFJ91 a lot.
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