Comins 16" Acoustic Oval Hole Hybrid Archtop

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-22-2016, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Functional art for sure.

Query: Why did you choose EVO frets over Stainless? Also, what strings will be used on this beauty?

I have had excellent results with the Jasco EVO wire on other guitars. It is far more wear resistant than normal fretwire but somewhat less than stainless. I see very little if any wear on my guitars when I change strings. It is also much more workable down the road vs. stainless (although it could be argued it won't need fret work). I have stainless steel frets on one of my guitars. Some people say that they don't sound the same, but I really can't say either way. I just think luthiers prefer the EVO wire because it is easier to work and is very durable. It also happens to have a beautiful gold color to match the brass in the tuners and tailpiece.

Regarding strings, Bill currently has it strung up with D'Addario PB EJ16s (.053"-.012"). Until I play it, I wont know what it will really end up with. I will try a variety including other PB, 80/20s and Nickel/Bronze strings to see what feels best. In PB if I want to go darker I'll try John Pearse and if brighter GHS Lawrence Juber's.

**Klatu** · 05-22-2016, 01:11 PM

What size frets did you go with?

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-22-2016, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

What size frets did you go with?

Bill used the 0.047" H x 0.104" W wire. I usually use 0.043"H x 0.080"W wire on my acoustic flat tops, but Bill likes to use taller wire on his archtops.

**Klatu** · 05-22-2016, 01:41 PM

Let us know what you think of the frets. I just had those exact same sized EVO frets put on an old Epiphone Triumph of mine.

**Flat** · 05-22-2016, 02:19 PM

We were looking to marry the clarity, balance and crispness of an archtop with some of the enhanced bass response and increased overtones of a flat top.

As a long time flat-top player, I've wondered about this idea myself. I hope you'll indulge us all with a follow-up or two!

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-22-2016, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Flat

As a long time flat-top player, I've wondered about this idea myself. I hope you'll indulge us all with a follow-up or two!

Will do...I will audition it on Wednesday, but Bill will hang on to it for a few more weeks to take photos and make a video. I should have it by mid-June at the latest at home.

**kid335** · 05-22-2016, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Actually, while certainly not cheap, it was not an astronomically crazy expensive build, particularly when you consider the quality of what it is (unique design, premium woods, master luthier, Rodgers tuners, EVO frets etc.). It cost in the range of the list price a famous historic factory archtops that people like to discuss for pages and pages around here (:-)).

Wait, Bill has instituted Heritage pricing schedules? I'm so getting one!

**339 in june** · 05-23-2016, 08:38 AM

Unique design makes a unique guitar. This is a beauty.
I'd like to see your face when you first put your hands on that guitar !
Congrats, and play her in good health for many years !

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-23-2016, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by kid335

Wait, Bill has instituted Heritage pricing schedules? I'm so getting one!

I know that you're joking (

), but I was referring to "Nashville" MAP prices for premium archtops....

. The upgrades that I asked for that increased the price were: Woods (Carpathian Spruce Billet, Fiddleback Honduran Mahogany Body and Neck Blank), Two wood fingerboard and headplate veneer (Cocobolo/Ebony), Premium Tuners (Custom Engraved Rodgers) and Premium Case (Hoffee) which all added cost to this particular guitar, but the base price is in line with the rest of Bill's offerings.

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-26-2016, 07:50 PM

I was visited Bill yesterday afternoon for to audition my 16" Hybrid Archtop (or should I say "conjugal visit"...

?). The guitar is a tonal triumph, capturing timbral characteristics of both an archtop and a flat top guitars. It also is a stunner in person and a pleasure to hold. I would characterize this hybrid guitar as more of an archtop than a flat top in its tonal response with immediacy of attack, string-to-string balance, strong mids and chewy trebles. The flat top characteristics that were there are enhanced sensitivity/responsiveness to touch, additional bass response, sustain and overtone content. I think Bill hit it out of park with this one. Definitely an archtop that would be appeal to both archtop and flat top players!

Here's shot of Bill with his creation (left) and a shot a the luthier with what looks like happy client (right) below.

For fun, I brought along the guitar that Bruce Sexauer made for me last year (JZ-15C, flat top with a carved back). Bruce's guitar was also a great success. It has all the characteristics of a great flat top (e.g. responsiveness, balance, sustain and overtones) combined with tremendous power, immediacy and projection which I attribute to its carved back. Both guitars were "experiments" for each builder and the inverse of each other (e.g. a flat top with a carved back and an archtop with a flat back). Sound is always difficult to describe and I suspect Bill will have video made soon that I can share, but I would describe Bill's guitar as 2/3rds archtop and 1/3rd flat top in its tonality and Bruce's guitar as 2/3rds flat top and 1/3rd archtop in its sound. It had D'Addario PB EJ16s when I arrived and we swapped out those with some Martin Retros. I left a number of string sets with Bill to try out to see what he liked best with it. Bill is still detailing the guitar and will take some studio photos and a video over the next few weeks.

Here are the two guitars side-by-side. The hybrid archtop (Honduran Mahogany/Carpathian Spruce) is a 16" body and the JZ-15 (Bigleaf Maple/German Spruce) is a 000 sized body.

I should bring it home in a few weeks...

**kid335** · 05-27-2016, 12:14 AM

Now that the commission is coming to an end, Bill is finally going to be able to buy that new pair of jeans.

I'm so stoked for you. Lifetime achievement guitar, x2. Can't wait to hear the clip.

**Jabberwocky** · 05-27-2016, 01:24 AM

Looks great, all of ya! Bill looks like a rock n roller, torn jeans and all. And you got the look of the cat who got cream.

How does the 25.25" scale length feel and sound?

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-27-2016, 04:41 AM

Well it was 92 F that day, perhaps he needed some added ventilation?

Originally Posted by kid335

Now that the commission is coming to an end, Bill is finally going to be able to buy that new pair of jeans.

I'm so stoked for you. Lifetime achievement guitar, x2. Can't wait to hear the clip.

**iim7V7IM7** · 05-27-2016, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Looks great, all of ya! Bill looks like a rock n roller, torn jeans and all. And you got the look of the cat who got cream.

How does the 25.25" scale length feel and sound?

It's actually an interesting question.

The tailpiece is adjustable up and down and side to side. Bill changed the takeaway angle while I was there which altered both the acoustic tone and string tension dramatically. The guitar sounded best (fatter, richer) to me with the steeper tailpiece angle (higher tension). With the shallower takeaway angle, it felt slinky and had a more percussive sound. Being that this was the first time making a guitar like this, he didn't know how exactly to top would respond. Ideally, 25" is my scale length of choice, but he wanted to have some extra tension to power the top in case he needed it. The next one he makes wont likely have the tailpiece adjustment now that he knows how the top responds as well.

The EJ16s had a higher tension than the Martin Retros as well. In terms of fret spacing feel, it was fine. My guitars are are between 24.9" and 25.6" in scale length so a 25.25" really didn't feel out of place fret spacing wise. I find even 1/4" or 1/2" multi-scale offsets are not noticable when playing. The look bizarre to your eyes, but when you play they simply disappear.

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-10-2016, 05:57 PM

Bill was fortunate enough to place the Zelig in the capable hands of Pennsylvania fingerstyle guitarist Tim Farrell (Tim Farrell - Musician, Composer, Educator). Tim was kind enough to record four tunes with the guitar. The guitar was set up with GHS Laurence Juber Signature Bronze strings (.012"-.054") when played (we are still experimenting with a variety of different sets).

For all you recording geeks, Tim recorded this with two microphones (an AKG 214 where neck meets body - panned hard left and a Audio Technica 4033 at lower bout - panned hard right). It was recorded through a Aphex Tubessence Preamp to Audio Desk software on MacBook Pro. He added little bit of bright medium room stereo reverb on each channel. There was no EQ or compression or delay used.

**kid335** · 06-11-2016, 06:43 PM

I really enjoyed that. I know you described it as 2/3 archtop and 1/3 flat top, but I heard it the other way around in that clip. I'm pretty sure it is because of the type of music he was playing with open strings. whatever it is, it is 100% awesome!

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-11-2016, 06:52 PM

I agree with you based on the recording....

Tim added some reverb to the recording and the microphone placement was a bit far so you hear a whole bunch of "room" in the recording. The guitar has more string-to-string separation when played in person and a bit more bass response in my opinion. Bill had Tim make those recordings to appeal to flat top players who had never considered an archtop. He is also making some more recordings next week with a well known jazz guitarist and I suspect your perception of the guitar's timbre will shift back towards the archtop camp.

Originally Posted by kid335

I really enjoyed that. I know you described it as 2/3 archtop and 1/3 flat top, but I heard it the other way around in that clip. I'm pretty sure it is because of the type of music he was playing with open strings. whatever it is, it is 100% awesome!

**neatomic** · 06-11-2016, 07:21 PM

late to the party...but super beautiful guitar

great song choice for demo..walk away renee

love the adjustable tailpiece...the amount of play a tailpiece has is crucial to tone..with time most tailpieces will start to lift from body due to string tension..when this occurs the break angle over the bridge diminishes and your tone is changed...being able to adjust and compensate is great!!!...& especially enhanced by the fact that he made it look like a jimmy d tp...great

lastly, the bronze strings are going to contribute to the more acoustic flat top tone...perfect scenario for either the new d'addario nickel plated bronze strings or the martin monels...check 'em out

lovely stuff...congrats

cheers

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-11-2016, 10:56 PM

We already tried Martin Retros which are nickel bronze which did indeed sound great. I think Bill has TI Bebops on it currently. The next recordings will likely be with TIs. The adjustable tailpiece is way cool. Bill adjusted for me when I was auditioning it. You can change the tone and feel hugely by adjusting the down pressure on the saddle/bridge.

Originally Posted by neatomic

late to the party...but super beautiful guitar

great song choice for demo..walk away renee

love the adjustable tailpiece...the amount of play a tailpiece has is crucial to tone..with time most tailpieces will start to lift from body due to string tension..when this occurs the break angle over the bridge diminishes and your tone is changed...being able to adjust and compensate is great!!!...& especially enhanced by the fact that he made it look like a jimmy d tp...great

lastly, the bronze strings are going to contribute to the more acoustic flat top tone...perfect scenario for either the new d'addario nickel plated bronze strings or the martin monels...check 'em out

lovely stuff...congrats

cheers

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-16-2016, 05:32 PM

I am going to pick up the guitar from Bill on June 25th. In the meantime he was able to drop it off at one of his "neighbors" who wanted to audition it. I should have a video to share soon...

**neatomic** · 06-16-2016, 06:32 PM

that fretboard/pickguard transition is a work of art..you can make a great sounding guitar and be a great craftsman, but it's those little aesthetic extras that make you an artist besides...

jimmy D'aquisto had it.. form and function with pizzazz

if this guitar sounds as good as it looks (and it did in that vid!) then bill c's in there as well

good stuff

cheers

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-16-2016, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

that fretboard/pickguard transition is a work of art..you can make a great sounding guitar and be a great craftsman, but it's those little aesthetic extras that make you an artist besides...

jimmy D'aquisto had it.. form and function with pizzazz

if this guitar sounds as good as it looks (and it did in that vid!) than bill c's in there as well

good stuff

cheers

Thanks...

Bill besides being a master luthier and musician is indeed an artist. The two guitars that he has made for me are aside from being fanstistic sounding and easy to play are both exquisite in their form, detail and proportion.

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-25-2016, 03:22 PM

Here is my 2016 - 16" Comins Zelig Carved Top Flat Back next to my 2013 - 16" Comins Custom Archtop. You can see the differences in their plantillas and scale lengths. I am going to play the heck out of it this weekend!

more soon...