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Originally Posted by wzpgsr
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11-24-2019 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by RomanS
Roman5, I think you are the one who said the Guild X-175 you tried out, had a tiny neck on the TDPRI. I don't want to go there again, having played through college in the 1980s, an original Les Paul Signature (basically a 335, with a Les Paul Shaped lower cutaway), that had the infamous "Speed Neck" that so many Gibson hollow and semi-hollowbodies had in 70s. That neck was cramped to say the least! But at the time, I had been playing guitar for less than a decade, so I didn't know any better - I figured you just had to put up with it. Oh and like you, while a 25.5" scale length for a 7-string is OK, I prefer the 26.5" scale length (which the PRS SE Seven I briefly had [and got rid of due to its wide-thin neck [sorry, the neck width didn't compensate enough for its being thin], and my old Schecter Omen Ectreme 7 had). There is one exception to the rule though - if I could get my hands on another Schecter Jazz 7, I could be perfectly happy with its 25.5" scale length. That guitar (like many Schecter 7-strings made up until about 2010 or 2010) had a pretty chunky neck! I wish I hadn't had to sell it 5 years ago, due to being broke! I'd love to have another one, but they're pretty rare. Schecter only made them in 2000.
My Old Schecter Jazz 7 The Day It Was Delivered at My Workplace (I've had bad experiences with home delivery, so I prefer things to be delivered at work)
I didn't even know about the Reissue John Lee Hooker Zephyr. That is very intriguing. I could possibly get into that one, especially considering that my grandpa (Guitar Generation #1 in the family - along with playing guitar, he was also a luthier [he made me my first guitar]) use to play a 1940s Epiphone Emperor in dance bands. As for The Loar - I briefly tried one out, a couple of years ago. It seemed OK, but are there still quality issues with The Loar guitars?
EllenLast edited by EllenGtrGrl; 11-24-2019 at 09:39 PM.
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Can't comment on Loar quality issues - mine is the only one I ever tried. No problems with the finish (which is sometimes mentioned), but the frets could have needed a dressing right when it came new (and there's not much to work with, as those are small vintage-size frets).
But it does sound great, and I love the neck.
That model is currently not in production, anyway, AFAIK...
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Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
Ellen
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Originally Posted by RomanS
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Consider a Warmoth partscaster.
All sorts of neck size/shape and fret options.
All sorts of body options - hollow mooncaster, chambered strat or tele, and so forth
Lots of hardware and finishing options from which to choose and you'll get a guitar that does what you want, with a neck that you want, for under $1,200.
I'd be happy to walk you through this anytime, as would some of the other members here - I've put together a pile of them because Fender simply doesn't make any necks in the sizes I prefer.
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For a high quality, thick neck semi-hollow, you might consider the Ibanez EKM100 (Eric Krasno) model.
EKM100 | EKM | HOLLOW BODIES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
Ibanez EKM100 | Vintage Guitar(R) magazine
Also, their Scofield model has a fairly chunky neck, but less so than the Krasno.
JSM100 | JSM | HOLLOW BODIES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
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Originally Posted by RomanS
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Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
Oh Well,
Ellen
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Originally Posted by Lobomov
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I tell you!!! It's dangerous to be on vacation (for the first time in my working career, I have 4 weeks of vacation for the year, so I took off the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgving). It's given me time to reflect even more on the issue. OK, time to shoot myself in the foot:
Due to playing Gretsch Country Clubs for several years (2008 to 2017), I've gotten spoiled. I've come to a definite realization today that I not only want an archtop with at least a Medium C neck in thickness, I definitely want it to be a hollowbody, and have 17" lower bout (like my Country Clubs were). I'm also pretty sure that I want a body depth of 2.5" (again, like my Country Clubs) or deeper. I've just made things harder for myself, but I guess I don't want to settle for substitutes anymore. By the same token though, there is NO WAY that I can afford to get a custom made guitar.
EllenLast edited by EllenGtrGrl; 11-26-2019 at 06:52 PM.
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I think you need a Gretsch Country Club....
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Or perhaps a Gretsch G5422T, it’s much more affordable but has a 2.75” body depth, double cutaway and the Gretschy features you are looking for (don’t know about neck thickness though):
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So the specifications are:
-Archtop hollowbody with cutaway
-17” lower bout
-2.5” rim depth or greater
-medium C neck or bigger
-1.75" wide nut preferred. Gretsch Country Club nut width is 1.6875 | 1&11/16"
-25.5" scale, which is the Gretsch Country Club scale length
-$1,200 or lessLast edited by Hammertone; 11-27-2019 at 02:56 PM.
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Originally Posted by Little Jay
I would also consider a Synchromatic G6040. There's one for sale on Reverb at the present time that I could afford, but it has repairs to cracks in its top. Oooh, not so sure. Some repairs (like the headstock repair that the Howard Roberts Fusion I played through most of the 90s had - it was my main gigging guitar) are very good, others are not. Also, I've never played a 6040, so I'm not sure what the neck is like.
Gretsch G6040 Synchromatic
EllenLast edited by EllenGtrGrl; 11-27-2019 at 02:40 PM.
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Originally Posted by Little Jay
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
Ellen
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I can think of two instruments off the bat that meet your specifications, one vintage and one new.
1. Vintage Hofner
Hofner made an all-laminated, 17" archtop called the 4550 during the 1950s and 1960s. This came with various rim depths but was typically deep-bodied. It came with or without a cutaway and with or without one or two pickups. There is no shortage of these guitars of the cutaway, two-pickup variety. The 1960s versions have adjustable trussrods and nice big necks. See attached for one example of a 4550/S/E2 (S means cutaway and E2 means two pickups). The scale length is @25.25" These guitars can be found for $1,200 or less, and can easily be modified with different pickups/hardware. As well, there are a few other, very nice, vintage, Hofner 17" archtops, but they tend to cost more than $1,200.
2. Modern Hofner
Hofner introduced a lower-cost, all-laminated, 17", full-depth, cutaway, archtop guitar called the J5 during the 2000s. It was first made in Korea, then China. These were available either with one floating or one set-in pickup. This model evolved into the more recent Chinese-made "Bluetone" series, which included a an all-laminated, 17", full-depth, cutaway, archtop guitar with two pickups, available in blonde or sunburst. 25.5" scale. See attached pix. All of the ones I have tried have had big necks. They are quite inexpensive due to Hofner's inattention to marketing them properly. They sell new for well under $1,000 and can easily be modified with different pickups/hardware. I have been surprised by the quality of these guitars.Last edited by Hammertone; 11-27-2019 at 03:43 PM.
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Originally Posted by Hammertone
Ooh! I never considered a Hoffner. I've liked the ones I've played (thought it has been a few years), and I do kind of regret blowing off the Hofner hollowbody (I think it was a Contemporary Series mdel) about 11 years ago (it was a nice guitar at a good price, but at the time, I didn't want a guitar with "only a neck position pickup"). I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the info.
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I've been doing some additional thinking and online searching. I have a line on some promising prospects so far:
1. Hofner HI-5JF on eBay selling cheeep! It's an MIK model, so the chances are, that it has a nice, and chunky neck. My only misgiving is, that I prefer 2-pickup guitars, but this issue is not a deal breaker.
Hofner HI-J5F-CN HOLLOWBODY GUITAR Electric Guitar in Cherry Red NEW | eBay
2. 1982 Ibanez FG-100. It has a price reduction due to a finish chipout down to the wood, next to the binding on the back. I like Ibanez hollow and semi-hollow guitars, but oftentimes have misgivings about their neck thickness (they're right at the lower limit of what I like, and occasionally, due to manufacturing variances [yes even with CNC machining, some variation occurs], can be thinner than I like). I messaged the seller, and he informed me that the neck thickness is .875" (22mm) at the first fret, which is comparable to my old fender 60s Baja Tele (which had a neck that I liked). It's little over my price range with shipping, but...... maybe I can talk it down???
Ibanez FG-100 1982 Sunburst | My Last Guitar | Reverb
3. DeArmond X-155. This just came up on my radar this morning. They're Korean made, and have 17" wide lower bouts. The prices sure look good. My question is: does anybody know what the necks are like on these guitars? Once again there is a lack of information online, about the neck dimensions.
DeArmond "X-155 Hollow Body" in Electric Guitars | Reverb
4. Carlo Robelli Manhattan. This is basically a re-branded Peerless Monarch, made for Sam Ash music stores. The price is right, and I will not lie, I am kind of drawn to Peerless Monarchs. But once again, there is that lack of neck dimension specifications (ugh!!). Does anybody know (or can measure) what the neck thickness is on a Peerless Monarch at the first fret?
Carlo Robelli Manhattan 1960's Sunburst | Tonepros Music | Reverb
5. Westerly (pre-Fender) Guild X-150D Savoy - just at the limit price-wise for me (but I wouldn't have to pay shipping - the seller lives close-by). Not sure about the neck, and due to my ignorance, I don't know if it's a 17" hollowbody. There's a lack of spec. information about these guitars online. But it sure looks good.
Guild X-150 D Savoy 1997-1999 Blonde Pre Fender Built in | Reverb
6. Ibanez AFJ-957 - I always end up getting another 7-string sooner or later, but I am beyond bored with the typical super-strat 7-string, and I'd really like to have a hollow or semi-hollow 7-string (I had a semi-hollow Danelectro MOD7 for several years, but I got sick of its bizarre pickup switching). Yes, I'd prefer a longer scale length, yes the body is 16", and yes the neck will not be chunky, but I doubt that Ibanez was foolish enough to use a Wizard profile neck (which feels like a 2x4 in my hands) like they use on their other 7-strings, and probably used a C-shape neck, so it's probably acceptable to me, considering the neck width. Yes, I'd prefer the Ibanez AF207, but those are pretty rare. Hollow and semi-hollow 7-strings are kind of thin on the ground. I don't know..............
https://reverb.com/item/29647885-iba...wbody-sunburst
Feel free to chime in at any time.
Ellen
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Get drunk. Buy them all
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dearmond x-155 is solid guitar..has usa made dearmond pickups...neck is substantial, but not huge...here's spec
cheers
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Thanks for the DeArmond specs neatomic. b
P.S. - are you getting the snow today? We're just getting flurries every now and then. Green Bay, and farther north, they're getting hit. Even up in my hometown (Manitowoc), they might get 6 inches of the white stuff.
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here's good thread about dearmond x-155 (& beyond) from here-
DeArmond x155
very difficult to go by published spec regarding neck feel...i noticed all the dearmonds are given the same published neck specs..but have never found that to be true!! and i've played all the models..and multiple actual guitars of each...they are all different..in fact the jetstar...which is an offset solid...had a massive neck (you'd like)..almost bass like...& variations occur guitar by guitar despite cnc machine tech
biggest necked guitars i've recently played have been early eastwood airlines...the tuxedo and the classic h-44 stratotone...massive necks...but not big body archs!
the hofner j5's were nice looking asian made guitars...but they had some kind of design issue...with bracing or purfing..or lack of it...some oddity...hammertone may know the specifics...hofners are lovely guitars tho...slightly delicate! hah
carlo robelli was sam ash line yes...they were always vaguely similar to the epiphone line..which i never considered having big necks!!!...epi necks tend to be very shallow
check out that savoy!!...older guilds are the best value on the arch market...just have to find one with the style of neck you prefer
lastly..norcal bay area doesn't get snow...for better or worse...(tho i don't mind not shovelling!! haha)..instead we get holmesian fog and the occasional monsoon like winter storm...which we are curently treading
keep at it
cheers
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Sorry about the weather question Neatone - I had you confused with another GDPer, who lives in the Madison area (Blowtorch?).
Thanks for the DeArmond X-155, and Guild info. I just wish there was more dimension information (neck and otherwise) for the Guild and DeArmond models. Speaking about the Jetstar - for a while in 2007, I had a Sevenstar (the 7-string version of the Jetstar). That thing weighed a ton!
I don't know, maybe I should just go with my old fallback hollowbody - a Gretsch Country Club. Their necks are on the low end of what I like, but I get by OK on them. It's just that I can't afford one at the present time, and it would have to be like my old sound post 2013 Country Club (which is OK with me - the current '59 Reissues with the trestle bracing are like boat anchors in my opinion). I would ditch the Bigsby (I seldom ever use a vibrato, and it's a pain to change strings with a Bigsby), and maybe put in a set of TV Classic Pluses, since I find the Basic FilterTrons and TV Classics, to be too twangy sounding, and a but underwhelming.
My Old 2013 Country Club
Last edited by EllenGtrGrl; 12-05-2019 at 11:30 PM.
Has anyone played or had a Supro Amulet ?
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