I'm just worried that my lack of expertise may have missed something critical, and I don't have an archtop expert I can take with me to inspect it.
It has wound strings which I would like to swap out for flats. I'd also like to swap out the pick guard for one with a floating pickup. At the same time, I wouldn't want to do anything to upset the guitar so much that it becomes damaged. Maybe that is the risk with all old guitars?
These are nice guitars. I have a couple of them knocking around the bunker somewhere.
They maintain their value so long as one does not drill too many extra holes in them or chop them up for pickups.
I recommend keeping any old parts with the instrument (in the case pocket), since originality does affect value.
There are lots of replacement parts that can be retrofitted to improve performance without the need to modify the guitar. Modifications affect value.
Unlike old Hofners built for the domestic European market, Hofners like this, built for Selmer for export to the UK, have labels and serial numbers, which makes them very easy to identify and date. Like most better Hofner archtops, they also have dates written or stamped onto the undersides of their tops, easily found using small mirrors and lights.
Please don't change it, that guitar is very original, and looks a particularly nice example as the wood has very strong figuring, it even has the original tuners which often get changed out.
If you decide to add a pickup, just get a floating unit that attaches to a pickguard assembly and put the original guard in the case. That way the guitar can always be returned to stock condition.
Gypsy jazz does have some cool pick shapes. The brass shield picks are very interesting. Seems like the common denominator is that they are all heavy/extra heavy.
quad cortex and tonex are not so great for effects. Fractal blows them away. I wish fractal would create a dumbed down version. HX Stomp has better effects than QC or tonex but not in the same league...
I play fingerstyle and could never find a guitar pick I felt comfortable with. Back in the day when I first started playing guitar I used a pick, and it was the rounded corners I used.
I'm in that micro generation too.
I think I would go for a Boss ME90 if I needed something practical and versatile. If I had some gig or jam context where I'd want to be able to quickly access tones...
I think it was designed to work well with all amplified guitars, regardless of type. Here’s the explanation from the manual of the input gain control:
The input levels on both channels are...
Since buying my Bud 6 last year my LJ has not gotten a lot of use. I recently tried the LJ again with my Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider T style guitar using the neck pickup. Much to my surprise...
Never knew that, but there must be some exceptions. Joscho Stephan and Olli Soikkeli definitely do not in Troy Grady's extensive filming of their technique.
As long as we are ranting on reverb, how about how every guitar made in japan in the 70s is now a lawsuit guitar, as if that makes them more desirable. Or super rare. Yes, they only made as many as...
2 new & excellent Jazz Comping Truefire...
Yesterday, 10:22 PM in Comping, Chords & Chord Progressions