Gibson Solid Formed Archtops

**Doctor Jeff** · 04-21-2016, 03:25 PM

I have a solid pressed Harmony. In addition to having a very nice-looking top, the guitar is extremely light and quite loud. I wouldn't say the tone competes with a carved top; I would describe it more as "light and airy". My favorite acoustic guitar though.

**Matt Cushman** · 04-21-2016, 03:53 PM

One of my favorite neck designs is the three piece laminated neck. A very strong neck that uses very little wood. It is easy to find wood with the proper grain orientation.

**DRS** · 04-21-2016, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Marty Grass

The image was small. I'll try again.

"...features a very special neck that’s designed to use less wood yet be stronger while enhancing the guitar’s tone. The headstock is grafted to the neck shaft, which also runs in a continuous grain, insuring strength where a guitar is typically vulnerable and further enhancing the guitar’s overall sound performance. Where the neck meets the body, the heel block is precision glued to the neck shaft, and features a precision dovetail joint. The neck shaft is then glued into a matching dovetail joint in the body. Finally, to make the most of the Solid-Formed neck, a dual action truss rod insures complete flexibility in adjustment."

Attachment 30613

Good old scarf joint. It's been around for well over a century. Lots of manufacturers have been doing this for a long time. My Korean Gretsch 5120 and my Chinese Epi ES 339 have this scarf joint. It's standard practice for classical guitars of all price points.

**neatomic** · 04-21-2016, 04:13 PM

yes gibby has been using scarf joints on their mia epi's for years..the samick factory was using it on epi's in the early 90's

cheers

ps- we were just mentioning 5 piece laminate necks on the hofner thread..good sturdy design..a bit of a dressed up version of the 3 ply mentioned by matt c

**Top of the Arch!** · 04-21-2016, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Nobody spins cost cutting into "special features" quite like Gibson.

How true!!! Couldnt have said it better myself! I hear theyre coming up with a poly finish that although a half inch thick , lets the wood breath better than lacquer.

Bob

**2bornot2bop** · 04-21-2016, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

It's pretty close to what Peerless does and it's been the number one complaint that critics have had with Peerless for as long as I can remember.

No complaints any more. If I'm selling a Peerless the ad copy shall read: scarf joint - just like the $6k Gibson solid tops. It's good enough for Gibson, and Peerless!

**lammie200** · 04-21-2016, 07:32 PM

One thing that I don't like about this type of scarf joint is the look under a clear finish. It wouldn't have been a make or break item, but it was one reason why I didn't go for a Peerless and bought a Hagstrom instead. It has a one piece (supposedly NE American) maple neck. Godin does theirs differently and it is less noticeable. It is at the actual head stock, not at the upper part of the neck barrel. That looks better IMHO.

**MaxTwang** · 04-22-2016, 02:01 AM

Gibson appears to be spraying the 'burst color over the scarf joint and the neck heel to hide the joints.

**kid335** · 04-22-2016, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco

Hi Guys,
Its a shame. Gibson kinda screwed themselves with this one.
The idea and the final results are great. The original asking price? Not low enough to warrant the purchase.

I guess if you subtract out the cost of the UNwasted wood, that's how they substantiate the price. I don't agree and I never would have bought one at the inflated original asking price..

What is not a shame.. It is an amazing guitar. The fit, finish, feel, SOUND and playability is absolutely incredible.

2 bad things happened with this guitar. The original price. And Greg Koch playing the crap out if it, but making it sound like poopies.

I cant do anything about the pricing mistake that Gibson made. But I am working on a little something that will allow you to see just how amazing this guitar sounds. Stay tuned.

Joe D.

Joe,
Did I miss something? Did you buy one of these recently? Looking forward to hearing what you are cooking up.There is no doubt you will not make it sound like poopies.

**silverfoxx** · 04-22-2016, 03:09 AM

JD,
I know Vinny was complimentary on his review of the "Solid Formed Gibson" but the You Tube posts
especially Greg Koch's , do nothing to enhance it's reputation. Others and I look forward to hearing
your review of it, Despite which the MRRP I have seen in the UK of £4599 is plainly ludicrous.

Alan

**GNAPPI** · 04-22-2016, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by MaxTwang

Gibson appears to be spraying the 'burst color over the scarf joint and the neck heel to hide the joints.

Lots of makers are doing that. If you buy a natural finish git they cannot hide anything.

I have a late Epi 2005 Joe Pass from Unsung with a 3 piece neck top to bottom, and a Samick from 95 with 3 piece neck to the heel where the heel has a joint. On a sub $600 git I have no problem with saving the freaking RENEWABLE forest, but at anything over 2k I do.

All of this is about saving money and boosting profit, not saving trees.

**Max405** · 04-22-2016, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by kid335

Joe,
Did I miss something? Did you buy one of these recently? Looking forward to hearing what you are cooking up.There is no doubt you will not make it sound like poopies.

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

JD,
I know Vinny was complimentary on his review of the "Solid Formed Gibson" but the You Tube posts
especially Greg Koch's , do nothing to enhance it's reputation. Others and I look forward to hearing
your review of it, Despite which the MRRP I have seen in the UK of £4599 is plainly ludicrous.
Alan

Hey Guys,
I have one. I've had it for 3 days. Hopefully, I'll be cooking up something fresh and new so my buddies can hear/see it. I want to do a good job and be truthful and fair, so it might take me just a little bit.
I need to say.. My playing couldn't carry Greg's jock strap. He is one of the most natural, soulful, free and easy players out there, who can play Anything and play it great. However, I think some of the clips you hear from his store are very compressed and poorly processed, For a Jazz Guitar anyway.
This guitar is very different. It has a unique sound that I've only heard previously in the 18" Unity. Sounds "swirl" inside the body. None of my other guitars do this, I cant figure out why and I like it - so it has a welcome place in my quiver.
When Vinny 1st played this guitar he commented that it sounded very much like a Great Gibson Johnny Smith that he once owned. And keep in mind, this is straight out of the box. Vinny has been playing and owning some of the finest guitars ever made for many years and I respect his opinion, 1000%. In a couple of years who knows what will happen. It could open up even more.. Or it could stay tight. In any case, if it stays just the way it is now, I'd be happy. Its a Lively guitar, very much like my beloved L7c.
I want to live with it for a little while before I jump into a glowing review of it. I don't want to glorify it just for the sake of "saying what I got is good".. But I have a feeling that I will be doing a nice review of it.

Thanks Vinny for your golden heart, our much cherished friendship and a Wonderful Guitar.

Joe D.

**Woody Sound** · 04-22-2016, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

JD,
I know Vinny was complimentary on his review of the "Solid Formed Gibson" but the You Tube posts
especially Greg Koch's , do nothing to enhance it's reputation. Others and I look forward to hearing
your review of it, Despite which the MRRP I have seen in the UK of £4599 is plainly ludicrous.

Alan

Here's another yt vid:

**Archie** · 04-22-2016, 10:27 AM

I'm not fussy about scarf joints only because I have an Ibanez AF-120 with one and the action is insanely low and it plays like butter. Neck hasn't moved in over 8 years!

If it works, it works! Just lose the damn thing in spraying

**lawson-stone** · 04-22-2016, 10:40 AM

So think of the total, absolute KILLING Gibson would make by pricing this thing in the $2799 type of range?

**Woody Sound** · 04-22-2016, 10:50 AM

Maybe they're trying to quickly recoup the cost of tooling up for this model? I wonder if they are making their own plates?

**GNAPPI** · 04-22-2016, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

I'm not fussy about scarf joints only because I have an Ibanez AF-120 with one and the action is insanely low and it plays like butter. Neck hasn't moved in over 8 years!

If it works, it works! Just lose the damn thing in spraying

Huh? I wonder when Ibanez started doing that? Neither my natural af-100, or honey/almond type burst have jointed necks. Both are 3/5 piece laminated from the head to the heel.

**Archie** · 04-22-2016, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Huh? I wonder when Ibanez started doing that? Neither my natural af-100, or honey/almond type burst have jointed necks. Both are 3/5 piece laminated from the head to the heel.

The Af-120 precedes the Artcore days if that is the confusion?

The Af-120 is an Artstar, not an artcore, or artcore-artstar. I'm getting confuse with their models these days! This guitar was made in korea in the late 90's.

**silverfoxx** · 04-22-2016, 03:17 PM

Joe,
Greg Koch is a very good guitar player,there is no doubt, and I express no criticism of
his guitaristic skills, But I do wish that when playing a nice Archtop he would refrain
from showing how good he is ,but instead display the nuances and qualities of the
instrument he is demonstrating. The frequent use of C&W and Led Zeppelin licks etc.,
do not sit well with with an Archtop ( apologies to Ted Nugent) IMHO
If he wants to perform Body & Soul or some BeBop licks on a Banjo, it might be more
of a novelty.

**Bluedawg** · 04-22-2016, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Here's another yt vid:

He sure makes that sound glorious ....

I played one and did not like the acoustic tones .... although it was quite loud and will probably make some players very happy ....

I've been spoiled by a very nice Le Grand ... as well as a sweet Heritage Sweet 16 and more recently an 18 inch Campellone acoustic

If Gibson had marketed these for $4K and the dealers could make a profit at $3K I think these would be more for a hit and they would be taking a nibble if not a bite out of the Eastman market

**Max405** · 04-22-2016, 04:21 PM

Brian does the guitar a lot of justice. He is a wonderful player and a really nice guy too. Electrically, that is the only way this guitar should sound. It is warm, articulate, has great sustain and it is a boutique guitar and a Gibson mashed together.
JD

**vinnyv1k** · 04-22-2016, 04:24 PM

I have found as with laminates also that anything that is pressed has quite a bit of moisture in the wood when new from the pressing process. I have had many laminates that sounded dead when new and simply come alive after a few years.
i suspect that these formed tops have a lot of moisture in them also and will open up very nicely as they age and even sound quite a bit better then they do out of the gate. I would love to do a A/B test comparison with a new L7C also equipped with the same BJB setup as the Formed Top has.
Anyway you look at it I don't see these guitars being around much longer if Gibson doesn't do some serious price readjustment on them. $1k for the Gibson logo and $3k for the guitar and bind the pickguard and you have a jazz guitar winner.

**2bornot2bop** · 04-22-2016, 06:14 PM

Fat sounding tone via my system. The question is, where now are all those esteemed forum members critical of the Peerless guitars due to their scarf joint. Not a peep. Very interesting

**Doctor Jeff** · 04-22-2016, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

I have found as with laminates also that anything that is pressed has quite a bit of moisture in the wood when new from the pressing process. I have had many laminates that sounded dead when new and simply come alive after a few years.

i suspect that these formed tops have a lot of moisture in them also and will open up very nicely as they age and even sound quite a bit better then they do out of the gate. I would love to do a A/B test comparison with a new L7C also equipped with the same BJB setup as the Formed Top has.

Probably true to a minor extent, but the thinner the less moisture. I would expect the wood pieces used for lamination to be about as dry as possible, i.e., at or below ambient humidity. IMO the issue with any wood top isn't how dry it was when manufactured, it's how much moisture can accumulate and affect the tonal qualities after manufacture. It's the year-after-year swelling/shrinkage, etc. that allows a guitar or a fine violin for instance to "open up".

The other important point is that laminated wood has grain running perpendicularly with the different layers, so it is particularly stable with changes in humidity. That is not true of pressed or carved tops.

**jaymen** · 04-01-2025, 09:49 PM

Any updates on the Venetian?

The pressed top Harmony I had was collapsed due to age, which they say is not uncommon with pressed tops. Even some the thin 1940-50s ES-175 laminated tops were known to collapse. Martin dropped their pressed arch tops due to issues with the tops not holding shape.

So it begs the question: How are the pressed top Gibson Venitians holding up now, almost a decade later.

The only reason pressed sides don't distort is because they have both edges glued to the top and back, which traps them so they cannot move.

BTW, my 2004 Epi Emperor Regent has a solid top but it is pressed, and is very thick. It also has very low arching, presumably to reduce the tendency of the thick spruce to crack/split if bent to much.