Lightly built steel string fingerstyle guitar

[Cunamara]

I go into Hoffman Guitar often. It's always fun and interesting, like walking into a friend's home. Charlie and Gabriel are great people and easy to work with. I love going in there and chatting with Charlie to see what he's working on and test driving a couple guitars. His guitars are phenomenal.
Thanks John

Tim Sparks playing a Hoffman:

[rabbit]

Awright, I can't hold my water any longer.

Almost certainly my last 'real' guitar purchase, I got one of these locally, new and at a great price.
I expect to succeed at owing a lot of money on guitars when I die; doin' purty good so far.

I mean to be specific here: Mine is the True Vintage Limited Edition, there are many "Vintages"
to be confused by.

Mine fits your requirements: very light at 3 lb. & 6oz. and extremely responsive.
Mine is NOT pretty except for the Adirondack 'Red' Spruce grain peeking thru the too-dark sunburst.
I don't care a whit.

You'll probably only find a used one now. Best of luck to you!

[Jabberwocky]

Tal-175, have you taken a look to see what's for sale at AGF Classifieds - Guitars - The Acoustic Guitar Forum ? I would encourage you to buy used.

[Jabberwocky]

For example, 2001 Sergei De Jonge Adirondack/BRW For Sale: Sergei de Jonge SSS Standard Steel String 2001 Adirondack & Brazilian - The Acoustic Guitar Forum ASKING $4650. Can you do better than that? No harm in asking. How you're going to get it across the border is another issue...Seller has only 12 postings so caveat emptor applies.

[Tal_175]

Awright, I can't hold my water any longer.

Almost certainly my last 'real' guitar purchase, I got one of these locally, new and at a great price.
I expect to succeed at owing a lot of money on guitars when I die; doin' purty good so far.

I mean to be specific here: Mine is the True Vintage Limited Edition, there are many "Vintages"
to be confused by.

Mine fits your requirements: very light at 3 lb. & 6oz. and extremely responsive.
Mine is NOT pretty except for the Adirondack 'Red' Spruce grain peeking thru the too-dark sunburst.
I don't care a whit.

You'll probably only find a used one now. Best of luck to you!

That's the one I got. Gibson L-00 TV Custom Shop. They had a used 2012 model in the store for a very good price.
I tried many Martin's, Colling's, Larivee's, even Wellington. Rosewood and Mahogany. Many of them were great and could've fit the bill. I had tried a L-00 TV a couple of years ago and fell in love, but couldn't justify the purchase at the time. I didn't see the Gibson for the first hour of my trying out different guitars. When I noticed it, I instantly liked it very much. A/B'ed it with every other contender. My very SUBJECTIVE clear preference was always the same. Interestingly L-00 TV didn't sound like other Gibson's either. Less barky and punchy and more sweet sound. Almost like a cross between Rosewood and Mahogany. It' was less dry than 000-18's. That happened to be what I liked the most. I loved Martin's, as well as the more barky, punchy Gibson's and elegant/refined Colling's But L-00 TV got all the check points including the price (it was the only used one and therefore cheaper than other options). Though I have to say it would have been my choice regardless of the price. It's very resonant and light. Like I said not a typical Gibson L-00 sound despite being a reissue but still has a good bark and immediacy.
Interesting note. There was an original 1936 L-00 as well in the store. More than double the price. It was definitely more resonant and louder. I couldn't consider it due to price. But I like the more rounded sound of the one I got anyway.
Thanks for all suggestions.

[iim7V7IM7]

Congratulations... I have a 13-fret L00esque (made up a new word) cutaway guitar that I love as well.

[Longways to Go]

Congrats on the new guitar!
I'm a big fan of Gibson acoustics.
My American Eagle LG-2 has a great voice that feels like home base.

[rabbit]

Tal_175,

Congratulations!

Thank you, this makes me very happy.

May you play her (and all the rest) through a long & healthy life.




My respects to all small-bodied acoustic guitar lovers, archtops too!

[Greentone]

Fwiw, not all archtops are inappropriate. I've seen a few singer/songwriter /fingerstylists use 30s-40s small-body Epiphone guitars with good effect.

[Flat]

That L-00 TV sounds great! Congrats! Long may she run!

[Tal_175]

Fwiw, not all archtops are inappropriate. I've seen a few singer/songwriter /fingerstylists use 30s-40s small-body Epiphone guitars with good effect.

That's true. I have a 1934 L-75 (14.75 inch body arch top, has flat mahogony back). It's great for fingerstyle blues. But I think it still wants to be strummed or flat picked. It has a whole new voice when you dig in that's not accessible with finger style. Where as L-00 is more linear. It has more to offer to a light touch. I got the L-00 because I wanted to try a more conventional fingerstyle guitar and eventually may be sell one of them.

[Greentone]

The small 30s Gibson archtops are great for fingerstyle blues. I still think that the 14" Epiphones are even more open and "zingy" when played fingerstyle than the Gibsons. (I say this reluctantly, as a life long 30s Gibson archtop player.)

I definitely agree that my Gibson L-50 wants to be used with a pick for optimal performance, even though I play it around the house fingerstyle.

[rabbit]

I'm privileged to own a couple of old small-bodied arch tops and my L-00 True Vintage.

It is wonderful to have a variety of tools and this happy condition also enables me to agree simultaneously with Greentone & Tal.