Venetian or Florentine Cutaway?

[0zoro]

I have a Godin Montreal as my main guitar. I have been concidering getting an archtop for some time, feeling that I m getting close to some sort of decision. I have been out and tried several jazz boxes that are here in Stockholm to be tried, though that is not my question. Rather, is there a difference other than pure personal estetics when chosing between a Venetian or a Florentine body? Would one be easier to play high up, or suit a hand size better than the other model, is the sound affected in any way? I ask so as to better be aware of the difference when trial playing, to make a better decision. Thanks, and Glad Midsommar!

[pubylakeg]

I think the generally accepted opinion is that the Florentine theoretically offers better upper fret access, being a deeper cutaway.

Personally, I feel the difference is mainly visual.

[vintagelove]

Both of course!!!

[SamBooka]

having tried both I prefer flornetian.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Florentine x 2!





Actually, could Ibanez have made that work with a Venetian on top? Or is that crazy talk?

[bananafist]

I prefer Venetian for looks, but my Slaman avatar is Florentine - c'est la vie! Not detected any difference soundwise.

[pingu]

venetian
its feng shui innit ....

i prefer rounded bodies to pointy bodies

ooooooh !

[Engine Swap]

The pointy one.

[MarkRhodes]

I have a Venetian cutaway guitar and find myself with Florentine envy. My hand is big and my access to the upper register is restricted.

[mr. beaumont]

Florentine, almost always...

The exception is on an L5. Just don't look right.

[Gabe]

Venetian for me.

[fws6]

having tried both I prefer flornetian.

I am working on a venetine prototype but it is still top secret

[Flat]

Florentine works better. Venetian looks cooler, sometimes.

[vinlander]

I definitely prefer Venetian on a 17 inches bout Gibson style, but on a 16 inches bout like the 175, a florentian is quite right...I guess my cosmetic expectations might play a huge role

[Patrick2]

One can't assume that all Venetians and Florentines are dimentionally or symmetrically identical to each builder.

[Max405]

Whichever one has a carved top, low action and is in Mint Condition. No Bigsby please..

[helios]

Kenny Burrell weighs in on the topic below, courtesy of "Vintage Guitar Magazine", and Wolf Marshall:

"Earlier, you had a Gibson ES-175 and then a custom L-5 CES with a Florentine cutaway. That was years before the Florentine cutaway on the L-5 and Super 400. How did it come about?
Gibson made me an L-5 with a deep cutaway in the late ’50s. They did it reluctantly. I played that guitar for a while, but it was too heavy. It had a much bigger block; they thought the body wouldn’t hold the neck with the deep cutaway otherwise. The 175 was too small and always felt clumsy; I couldn’t grab it comfortably with my arm. The Super 400 feels perfect for me."

Kenny Burrell |

[Patrick2]

Kenny Burrell weighs in on the topic below, courtesy of "Vintage Guitar Magazine", and Wolf Marshall:

"Earlier, you had a Gibson ES-175 and then a custom L-5 CES with a Florentine cutaway. That was years before the Florentine cutaway on the L-5 and Super 400. How did it come about?
Gibson made me an L-5 with a deep cutaway in the late ’50s. They did it reluctantly. I played that guitar for a while, but it was too heavy. It had a much bigger block; they thought the body wouldn’t hold the neck with the deep cutaway otherwise. The 175 was too small and always felt clumsy; I couldn’t grab it comfortably with my arm. The Super 400 feels perfect for me."

Kenny Burrell |

Well, KB played and owned Super 400s with both type cutaways. Also, as an example of my comments on not all manufactures make similar cutaways . . . just tak a look at the HUGH cutaway in the Heritage Super Kenney Burrell he's shown with in the photo in the article you linked to. That's quite different than Gibson's Florentine cutaway on their Super 400 models.

[Drifter]

I wonder about the history of the designation 'Venetian' and 'Florentine'. Wikipedia says

"The terms probably originate with the Gibson Guitar Corporation and probably do not reflect historic instrument-making practices of Florence and Venice"

Does anybody know more about where the terms come from?

[Stringswinger]

The Venetian Cutaway on my Guild Benedetto Artist Award is deeper then the Venetian Cutaway on my Gibson L-5, Gibson Super 400 or my 1971 Guild Artist Award.

Here is a picture of the two AA's with the Super 400. You can see the differences.:



As Patrick says, they vary.

I prefer the look of the Venetian, but a 175 needs a Florentine. Putting a Venetian on a 175 would be...blasphemy!

[medblues]

I wonder about the history of the designation 'Venetian' and 'Florentine'. Wikipedia says

"The terms probably originate with the Gibson Guitar Corporation and probably do not reflect historic instrument-making practices of Florence and Venice"

Does anybody know more about where the terms come from?

Two luthiers in Gibson of those times named Vincent and Florian, just kidding of course !

I like Florence much better than Venice. But I prefer Venetian cutaways fret access notwithstanding. Or like this

[Danny W.]

The names are just Gibson marketing speak.

I like mine either way:



Danny W.

[Woody Sound]

And then there are the hybrids. Flornetian? Venentine?

[wintermoon]

it's not florentine unless it comes to a point.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Is there a name for cutaways like this? I've only seem them on acoustic guitars.