Steve Andersen Guitars

[Chaos Lloyd]

Thanks for rekindling my un financeable lust

One question: If you sit the guitar on your knee (the Archie) and don't support it with your hands, will it balance, or is it "neck heavy"? Will it fall toward the head stock. It "looks" like it would be neck heavy from the photos but photos are deceiving.

It is ever so slightly imbalanced towards the neck if you place it there, but nowhere near as imbalanced as solidbodies like the Les Paul, which balance the other way. However, my Little Archie neck is deeper than Steve's standard neck profile, which makes that whole end of the guitar heavier, so I can't really speak for the guitar in its standard dimensions. I've always felt that the tonal characteristics of a deeper neck outweigh (no pun intended) any balance issues that it might create, plus I prefer the feel.

With regards to how this effects performance, I always play with a strap--regardless of the guitar--to elevate the instrument so that the upper bout on the bass side is somewhere in the neighborhood of my sternum, and I angle the neck to fall in the vicinity of my left hand when my elbow is bent at a slightly acute angle. (Your "standard" classical position.) This angle, combined with the weight of my right arm resting on the bass-side lower bout, balances the instrument perfectly.

[Philco]

It is ever so slightly imbalanced towards the neck if you place it there, but nowhere near as imbalanced as solidbodies like the Les Paul, which balance the other way. However, my Little Archie neck is deeper than Steve's standard neck profile, which makes that whole end of the guitar heavier, so I can't really speak for the guitar in its standard dimensions. I've always felt that the tonal characteristics of a deeper neck outweigh (no pun intended) any balance issues that it might create, plus I prefer the feel.

With regards to how this effects performance, I always play with a strap--regardless of the guitar--to elevate the instrument so that the upper bout on the bass side is somewhere in the neighborhood of my sternum, and I angle the neck to fall in the vicinity of my left hand when my elbow is bent at a slightly acute angle. (Your "standard" classical position.) This angle, combined with the weight of my right arm resting on the bass-side lower bout, balances the instrument perfectly.

Thanks for the explanation.
I ask because I had a Gretsch once (actually I had a collection of them) and I spent the whole gig holding the neck up. That guitar would literally dive for the floor as soon as you took your left hand off.
The Archie has quite a small body so it looks like it might be a candidate for doing the same.
Glad it isn't!

[uburoibob]

Philco, I will do some tests on my Electric Archie Hybrid. It seems very well balanced to me. I will also post some photos soon with me playing it so you can get a feel for the size. I have a few photos of me playing my regular Little Archie on my website: BobMartin in the photos section...

Bob

[marcwhy]

Fun pics, Bob!

Marc

[M-ster]

Beautiful pics, thanks for posting them!

[uburoibob]

Philco,

The neck on both my Archies is a tad weighted toward the headstock. It doesn't dive, by any means, but it's also not a Klein. I would say that it is not cumbersome to play at all. Generally, I use a strap that provides a little extra friction on my shoulder to keep the guitar exactly where I want it anyway.

All that said, I am still thinking about thinning the herd a bit and may have that Electric Archie Hybrid up for sale. It has never been gigged, and has MAYBE five hours worth of play since 2006 (I have been playing solid body guitars for the last several years). Anyway, if you are interested, let me know.

Bob

[82Benedetto]

Andersen is a master

[uburoibob]

This fine Andersen Little Archie Hybrid is now owned by a Jazz Guitar Forum member. Happy it made it into good hands!

Bob

[ewall]

It would seem that the Emerald City is more like loud, swing guitar type sound. But I can't find sound samples for the models which I think might sell them better. Any thoughts or comments? I keep hearing there is a different acoustic sound but can't really figure what that is. Maybe I should just visit Steve!

[FourOnSix]

Don't let the deco styling fool you. All of Steve Andersen's models are voiced on the modern end of the spectrum - more for sweetness of tone than sheer cutting power.

But yes, you should visit Steve. You're in Seattle, for chrissakes!

[uburoibob]

It would seem that the Emerald City is more like loud, swing guitar type sound. But I can't find sound samples for the models which I think might sell them better. Any thoughts or comments? I keep hearing there is a different acoustic sound but can't really figure what that is. Maybe I should just visit Steve!

The problem with sound samples is that they generally are more about what, when, where and how with respect to a LOT of variables including mics, room, other instruments, the player, the player's style, etc.

I have an Emerald City and it has a more modern voice, but not as modern as my Oval Hole did, or my Little Archie, for that matter. Or the Electric Archie I sold, or Metro Special I had.

That said, it has more volume than many archtops I've played, including playing them in a shootout at an ASIA show in Nashville a number of years ago. Of course, if you are interested in one, Steve can do a LOT to voice the guitar to your requirements as he builds it.

I've played it in settings with guitars from Benedetto, Grimes, Ribbecke, Montaleone, Campelone and others, and it certainly holds it's own if not exceeds those guitars in volume. Perhaps it's the way Steve builds, without the recurve.

Anyway - YES. Talk to Steve. See if he will have anything there to play when you might be considering a visit. Being a builder, he doesn't always have a stash of guitars on hand. But seeing you are local, whatcha got to lose? I've been to his shop a number of times and it's always a treat.

Hope any of this info helps.

Bob