Help choosing a (moderately) high-end archtop

**deacon Mark** · 03-22-2018, 05:38 AM

My Elferink is for sale see it in that section you won’t be disappointed.

**helios** · 03-23-2018, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by El Fundo

If you’re referring to my post I’d like to clarify the point I was trying to make. The Sadowsky Jim Hall model is a copy of a copy of Jim Hall’s 175. Also, I bought my Bravo from Tom Van Hoose who told me that it was a “175 killer”. I soon realized that, tonally, it’s nothing like a 175, which is able to do bright (think of Pat Metheny’s early recordings with that jangly tone) and dark (like Jim Hall). The Bravo is aimed at players who favor the bright sound and I found it very difficult to dial in a darker, fatter sound. I’m not saying the bright sound is “bad”, just that that’s what Benedettos are known for. All this is to inform the author of the OP.

Here's some info on the "Jim Hall" Laminate made by D'Aquisto taken from the Mandolin Bros. website:

"Students of his work know that D’Aquisto’s hollow electric #115 (dated 3/12/85) was made for Jim Hall and some people call examples of this type a “Jim Hall” model. This particular serial number (#124) was not entered in D’Aquisto’s log book – in fact, Jim Hall’s laminated hollow body was the last Electric Jimmy entered in that book. We count a total of 43 of this type of guitar entered in his log, plus this one makes 44. The names of artists who purchased D’Aquisto guitars is a Who’s Who of American music: Jay Berliner, Carl Thompson, Tony Mattola, Gene Bertoncini, Jim Hall, Mel Bay, Paul Simon, Mundel Lowe, Gary Larson, Robert Gordon, Akira Tsumura, Woody Mann, Paul Schmidt (who wrote the book on D’Angelico and D’Aquisto), Steve Martin, Barry Kornfeld, Janis Ian, and our own John Zagami and Peter Rogine. In owning this guitar, you will be adding your own name to this cross-section of jazz history – those who were lucky enough to own a D’Aquisto.
As one would expect from James D’Aquisto – this guitar, even laminated, is a paean to the consummate artistry of a world-class professional – a musical instrument made by a visionary builder who, because he died so young, was never was able to properly bask in the aubade* – the limitless luminosity and international intensity of his success. His work and his reputation are a supernova in a universe of bright giants. "

D'Aquisto laminate similar to one made for Jim Hall:

Borys B-120 from Roger's website