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I've gone through a few full size archtops this year and have come to accept that they're just too big for me. I'm wondering if there are any smaller body, shorter scale guitars that are decent and reasonably affordable, i.e. under $3K. I've seen a few that are 24-3/4" scale, but would prefer 25" if they exist.
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08-06-2018 07:51 PM
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Modern Benedetto's are all 25" scale, and the Bravo model is 16" x 2.5". It will be over $3K but if you hold out for a used one you can probably find one that's not too much more than $3K especially if you accept that you won't buy one that's dead mint.
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A bang-for-the-buck option would be an Eastman ar403, its discontinued but there are still some NOS examples out there well under $1K. Some people find this model compares favorably to much more expensive instruments, others will disagree.
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The Eastman T146 is a nice guitar, 1.75" in depth, 16" wide, with a carved spruce top. I have a T145 which is 15", and I like it a lot. I've been playing it more than my Benedettos lately. The cheapest Benedetto available is the Bambino, a laminate 14.5", 2.5" with two pickups, no f holes. It's very nice guitar, and available used for ~$2k. The Eastman can be had in the $1k range, used. I'm not sure if it's still in production.
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The Sadowsky SS-15 comes to mind. Might be of 24.75" Scale Length.
The Benedetto Bambino is another one that you could consider. 25" SL in a Les Paul sized body. You can find used with some marks of careful stewardship $2500 and under. With some luck you can find a Bambino Deluxe under $2850, especially in a funky colour like Aquamarine.
There is Victor Baker in NYC whose 14" jazzboxes almost define his oeuvre. If you can find them used, they will be under $3000.
If you are patient, you can order a Roger Borys Jazz Solid. Roger's fave SL is 25". The Borys has a core that is riddled with holes.
The Comins GCS-1 is $1495 new. Get the version with a spruce top!
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Yes, SS=Short Scale=24.75.
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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Don't take it the wrong way but I could get a Heritage Sweet 16 for that – solid spruce, flamed maple, ebony board. Only snag is 25-1/2" scale. Originally Posted by coolvinny
Yes, I've seen a few. I've heard they're reasonably well made, especially for the price. Originally Posted by ugarte
I've seen a T146 for around $1k. Maybe a little too thin? Originally Posted by sgosnell
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Eastman El Rey 4:
25" scale
16" bout
2.25" at the rims
Full hollow
Set-in humbucker
Fun guitar!
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How about a Heritage H-575? They're 24.75 scale, however, and only 1/4" off your specs.
Guitar Type Archtop Hollow Body Lower Bout Width 16 Body Depth 2.75 Nut Width 1.6875 Fingerboard Scale 24.75 Pickup Type 2 Set Humbucker Wood Composition Solid Tonewoods Maple Fretboard Rosewood Bridge Floating
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Too thin is entirely subjective. Only you can decide that. But my T145 is very loud acoustically for a thinline, truly as loud as my flat-tops. Not the same tone, being an archtop, and a thinline, but for me it's just about the right thickness. YMMV.
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I recommend a Hofner Jazzica - it has wedge-shaped rims that make it quite comfortable under the arm. 25 1/4" scale, 24 frets, 15 7/8" wide, carved spruce top, laminated anigre rims and back, maple neck, ebony board w/mother-of pearl blocks. There are some for sale on this board, all under your budget. Like this one
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Hofner Jazzica, New, Custom Shop
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I read your extensive post about the ER-4. I just can't get past the appearance. Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
I have a 24-3/4" Gibson solid body. It's a little tight for playing jazz. I know there's not a lot of difference between 24-3/4" and 25" but remember that all of us can detect .001" difference on a string. So I'd like that little extra spacing. Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
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Are you focusing on scale length or body size? These are really different things. If you think a 24.75" scale is too tight, it's hard to imagine that a 25.5" scale length is literally at the other extreme for you, i.e. too long. Perhaps you should be focusing more on the physical attributes of rim depth and bout width as factors in your quest. What sort of guitars did you own before and what was the problem with them?
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IMHO, accepting scale lenght is a matter of getting used to it. As for being "too tight for jazz playing", a Gibson has 24.75" scale length and is THE archetypical jazz guitar. Wes Montgomery, who had big hands, is best known for his L5 guitars, but he used guitars with 24.75" scale length a lot in the earlier days. I have guitars with both 24.75", 25"and 25.5" scale length and can switch between them without noticing any significant difference. Originally Posted by buduranus2
The perfect guitar doesn't exist. A search for that can go on and on for the rest of your life - unsuccesfully. What we can do is attempt to bend the instrument at hand to our will. Find a guitar in good shape with body dimensions being comfortable to you and then get used to whatever scale length it may have in the 24.75" - 25.5" ballpark.
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The perfect guitar doesn't exist, but the perfect scale length is 25 1/4", of course. All the cool kids know that. Coincidentally, I have a guitar for sale on this forum with that very scale length.... Originally Posted by oldane
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First I had a D'Angelico EXL-1 just to get my feet wet. The neck was chunky, which I somehow didn't mind, but I couldn't quite make the stretches at the lower end of the neck. Then I had a Triggs San Salvador that was great, but the neck felt narrow to me somehow, even though the width at the nut was 1-11/16". Lastly I had a D'Angelico NYL-2 that had a great neck, but, again, couldn't cleanly play diminished arpeggios at the low end of the neck. So now I'm back to the EXL-1 until I find something more suitable. I have a Gibson Firebird solid body that's 24-3/4" but somehow my pudgy fingers get squished playing chords, lots of clams (prefer in a white sauce with linguini.) Originally Posted by rpguitar
I'm sure Wes could make a broomstick and baling wire sound like diamonds. For that matter, Jimi's hands were ungodly huge. Well, size isn't everything, so they say. I'm just dealing with my own limitations trying to find something comfortable for me. I think you're correct that focusing only on one aspect, i.e. scale length, may not be the best approach. Maybe it's a combination of a 17" body with 3" depth as well as the scale length, or maybe a smaller body would be more comfortable for me. (Probably so.) As for "the perfect guitar" I'm not one to hold good enough hostage to perfection. That said, we've all gone through a boatload of guitars in our lifetimes, so we must be looking for something. Or maybe what we're looking for evolves over time. Originally Posted by oldane
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These 2 Eastman's seem to tick all your boxes:
AR580CE - Eastman Guitars
AR503CE - Eastman Guitars
I recently picked up a T146SM and really like it. A high quality guitar.
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They look nice. Are they poly or nitro? Originally Posted by D.G.
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PRS JA-15 Paul Jackson Jr. is another consideration...
Body size at lower bout: 15" Scale length: 25 " Nut Width: 1 11/16" Body depth at rim: 2 5/8"
2008 PRS SC-J Thinline Limited Edition
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Sure, you could, but don't assume that the Heritage would be "better". Laminate vs. solid is a debate that will rage on forever. Originally Posted by buduranus2
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According to the info in the links, nitro Originally Posted by buduranus2
As far as I know, Eastman's are always nitro. A caveat, they scratch if you look at 'em funny!
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Eastman uses a thin nitro finish that lets the acoustic sound come through. It does scratch somewhat easily, but there ain't no free lunch.
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A little pricey from what I can tell. Also, not looking for a stop tailpiece. Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
Hmmm. Seems as if a solid top would be better acoustically, maybe a little hard to control amplified. Am I missing something? I see Tal Farlows all over the place for $3k. It's a custom shop instrument too. Perplexing. Originally Posted by coolvinny
The voice of experience. Will definitely keep that in mind. Originally Posted by D.G.
According to the info in the links, nitro
As far as I know, Eastman's are always nitro. A caveat, they scratch if you look at 'em funny!
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25” scale “roughly” 3” deep, their description not mine
PRS Guitars Private Stock Singlecut Archtop
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Gee, if I had that kind of money I could have Jim Triggs build me a 16" D'Angelico New Yorker. Originally Posted by TedBPhx
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Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
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