Acoustic Archtop as an Acoustic Guitar?

**jads57** · 02-24-2014, 07:14 PM

Jaberwocky, YES that's the one! Unbelievably great acoustic big tone.

**AlohaJoe** · 02-24-2014, 10:10 PM

You do get more bass from a larger body, but not necessarily less treble.

I really like the sound of my '46 Triumph. It excels at swing rhythm, but I also play finger style on it at home. it has a nice even balance and a full rich sound perfect for that setting. I've played a number of L4s that sounded great too. There is a warmth and overtone richness in great vintage carved arch tops that I don't hear in most of the new instruments.

D.G. mentioned the Eric Skye model Santa Cruz. I was fortunate to play with Eric a few months ago and we traded guitars for a bit, so I got to play the one SC made for him. It is a beautifully finished, very lightweight guitar and a total canon with bass beyond its size, but pricey.

**krusty** · 02-24-2014, 10:14 PM

DRS, where are you located in Canada?

**Hammertone** · 02-24-2014, 10:26 PM

DRS, if you are ever in Toronto, you are welcome to come by and play some of my acoustic archtops.
I have…more than one…and fewer than 100...somewhere in there.

**Eddie Lang** · 02-24-2014, 11:35 PM

And DRS, if you are closer to Calgary and want to try a few Gibsons, 1930s to 50s 16" vs 1940s 17".... I have... More than one... And fewer than five.

EDIT to add: and for good measure, a 1941 small bodied Martin.

**DRS** · 02-25-2014, 01:01 AM

Thanks for the all the offers.

**Spook410** · 02-25-2014, 01:55 AM

Dang.. maybe I'll fly up to Canada. Umm.. in summer of course.

**Phil in London** · 02-25-2014, 04:41 AM

I have a 1950s Hofner, solid top, which has no pickup and is incredibly rich and satisfying acoustically. I play it all the time. In England, one can find one of those for very little money, and after restoration, they might be a gem.

**Hammertone** · 02-25-2014, 06:56 PM

Hofner? Summer? Did someone say….Hofner? and summer? The old gals here at the retirement home do like a bit of sun now and again.

**pingu** · 02-25-2014, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Phil in London

I have a 1950s Hofner, solid top, which has no pickup and is incredibly rich and satisfying acoustically. I play it all the time. In England, one can find one of those for very little money, and after restoration, they might be a gem.

Yes agreed , I've got a 60's Hofner President acoustic , its very nice , loud too
plus it was very cheap ..... hurrah !

**medblues** · 11-11-2016, 01:18 PM

I found that I have enough good-sounding electric archtops and finally built up to the courage to completely free the acoustic sound of my Heritage Johnny Smith.

It has new "tanlines" and a couple of screw holes.

It is louder. It sustains more. It still sounds like an archtop.

It weighs one pound lighter (5.75 lbs)

I am pretty happy with it, curious how long it will take the new tanlines to blend in.

**medblues** · 11-12-2016, 04:39 PM

A couple photos:

**Greentone** · 11-12-2016, 05:30 PM

I would agree with Hammertone. I think that a 40s or early-50s Gibson L-7 is about the pinnacle of archtop acoustic sound per dollar spent. A CLOSE second would be the similar period Epiphone Triumph.

I am talking about non-cutaway guitars in each case. For acoustic guitar work I think the cutaway is largely a waste of money. You are going to pay more and get less in tone in return. Hmm? What's up with that.

The Gibson and the Epiphone sound recognizably different from each other--immediately--to even an untrained ear. I don't think that one sounds necessarily better than the other. IME, the Epiphone is a bit "zingier" with a tad more top end, while the L-7 is a more even sounding guitar. The L-7 has a solid sounding low end, again, IME.

If I were going to use a guitar to accompany myself or a vocal group singing, I'd pick the L-7 in about two seconds. I consider it to be just about the best sounding rhythm guitar of all time. It is sweet on the single-string work, too.

If I had to pick a guitar to battle acoustically with a horn band, or hold my own against a piano, It would be the Triumph. (Actually, I wouldn't mind having access to even bigger Gibsons and Epiphones, but I'm holding to a mid-line model and price range. The L-7 and Triumph are professional guitars, without being the "look at me" instruments that the L-5 or Epiphone DeLuxe are.)

Either way, these guitars are GREAT acoustic guitars. Neither is as "sweet" as a 20s L-5 (which can actually compare favorably against ANY vintage Martin guitar for pure tone). But, an L-7 or Triumph non-cut won't cost you a second mortgage on your home the way a 20s L-5 will.

**Longways to Go** · 11-12-2016, 11:53 PM

my 1934 L-7 continues to rock my world

Acoustic Archtop as an Acoustic Guitar?-p_20160908_145721-jpg

**entresz** · 11-13-2016, 08:02 PM

I think my next guitar will have to be an old Epiphone.

I get excited whenever Hammertone posts pictures of Hofners. I have a 1958 Hofner Senator. Super loud and punchy, I've used it for a lot of gypsy jazz work. Even though it's a laminated guitar, it still sounds very sweet. Hofner used really nice light, resonant laminates.

**Hammertone** · 11-14-2016, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by entresz

...I get excited whenever Hammertone posts pictures of Hofners. I have a 1958 Hofner Senator. Super loud and punchy, I've used it for a lot of gypsy jazz work. Even though it's a laminated guitar, it still sounds very sweet. Hofner used really nice light, resonant laminates.

I guess I'll have to post more pictures of Hofners, heh. Like this one:

**Papawooly** · 11-14-2016, 03:05 PM

I was just doing the same thing...

...shopping for an Acoustic archtop...

And I found the winner (for me anyway)

The winner was a newish X-braced L7C that I got from Archtop Guy (and was previously owned my Max405).

It has better "thump" than all of my other archtops including a 1945 L7 (non-cut) and 34 L5 reissue
although this guitar is so much lighter than all of my other archtops except my 51 L4CN and it has
that huge sound when strumming open chords, the sound does not diminish when playing up and down
the fretboard. I would wager that the L5 may be actually "louder" if you use a dB meter, but it doesn't
have the "thump" that the 17" L7 X-braced delivers... Also, the tone this guitar emits is pure sweetness.

I am done shopping!

**oldane** · 11-14-2016, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Hammertone

I guess I'll have to post more pictures of Hofners, heh. Like this one:

Now, that's a VERY pretty one.

**cmajor9** · 11-17-2016, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Hammertone

I guess I'll have to post more pictures of Hofners, heh. Like this one:

Hammertone - that one is a real beauty! I bet she makes a good compliment to your Bozeman L-7C! Which model?

**Hammertone** · 11-18-2016, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by cmajor9

Hammertone - that one is a real beauty! ...Which model?

It's a Hofner New Committee from the mid-1960s. Made by Hofner specifically for English distributor Selmer, the Committee was introduced in 1953 along with the Model 468, which was made for European and other markets. The Committee was available as an acoustic archtop or with pickups. In 1963, it was updated and renamed the New Committee, with the body size increased from @17" to @18", and with a simplified headstock shape. The New Committee was available up to the end of the 1960s. Hofner also offered it as a thinline electric.