Favorite flat tops of jazz guys around here?

[lukmanohnz]

I really enjoy my 2014 Breedlove Stage Concert. The Stage series guitars were made in Korea using traditional woods: spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides. I am not aware of any Breedloves currently made in Korea as they shifted import model production to China and Indonesia. It has the Breedlove bridge truss which when set properly adds to the volume and diction of the guitar. The pinless bridge makes string changing as fast as an electric.

The narrow neck makes switching back and force from my Tele a breeze as they feel similar. It is a good fingerpicker and flatpicker.

Some folks in my old time fiddle jam (I miss my twice a month jams courtesy of COVID-19) are convinced it is a far more expensive guitar than it cost me. Abalone binding and rosette probably have a big part to do with the misconception.

Breedloves are wonderful guitars too. An old college buddy and music partner of mine discovered Breedloves a couple decades ago and now has two or three really nice ones. I keep an eye out for them and try to play anything they make when opportunity comes. At bluegrass camp several years ago a friend brought a Breedlove dread that he had picked up new for around a kilobuck. I was floored by its tone and workmanship.

[rictroll]

Collings 02H for me. Beautiful response when fingerpicking; sweet sustain when played with a pick.

The smaller body is very comfortable to play, but I also think the body style contributes to its voice.

[lukmanohnz]

Actually if I was an archtop or electric player looking for my first flattop, I would be checking these out. As a Martin lover, I’m really proud of them for finally doing something bolder than silkscreening a new cowboy picture on a mother-of-countertop 3/4 scale wall-hanger.

[wengr]

My favorite flat tops actually don't have flat tops (or backs) at all. They are made in Northumberland England by Stefan Sobell, and feature plates that are bent over arched braces.
Stefan Sobell Guitars

[Jim Soloway]

My favorite flat tops actually don't have flat tops (or backs) at all. They are made in Northumberland England by Stefan Sobell, and feature plates that are bent over arched braces.
Stefan Sobell Guitars

Didn't he build the guitar that Martin Simpson played for many years?

[iim7V7IM7]

Didn't he build the guitar that Martin Simpson played for many years?

yes Jim...

[GNAPPI]

My 1975 Martin D-35 was selected by me from hundreds of other Martin models while working at a 17 store music chain in 75. Hard times fell on me and it went.

It was the equal of Steve Still's D 45 and it's the one I judge all others by. Boo hoo...

Nowdays I have a Takamine, Fender and Ibanez. Meh in every respect.

[Chazmo]

Martin 00-15M. The all mahogany construction is warmer than the typical spruce top/rosewood or mahogany back combination and the smaller size lends a very balanced tone.

[DRS]

I have a 12 fret Larrivee SD 50. Sounds great but the lack of a cutaway makes anything above the 12 fret nigh impossible. But I need the 12 fret build. I play classical position and my shoulders don't like everything shifted to the left even if it's just 2 frets.
Once this virus thing is over, I going to get a local builder to make me a 12 fret OM style with a cutaway.

[Jim Soloway]

yes Jim...

Glad I still have some memory left. I saw him play that in Portland. Best sounding acoustic I've ever heard.

[jameslovestal]

Martin 000C-16RGTE. I found this one used. It has a K&K pickup that was installed by the dealer or previous owner. It plays and sounds great and is one of the most comfortable guitars to play that I have ever owned.

Attachment 70490

I also have one of these with a built-in Fishman pickup (with controls). But I rarely play it through an amp (unless I'm backing-up a rock \ folk situation). As others have noted, I don't find an acoustic guitar very good for jazz when compared to my Gibson L-7 or ES-125, or ES-175, and thus if I'm playing through an amp, I play one of those.

But I do play a lot of jazz on this when I play with one other guitar player. The main reason is ease. I live in So Cal and it is easy for the two of us to take the acoustic guitars outside and play jazz standards without any need for 'set up' (also the wife prefers this when we play in the den).

[christianm77]

I like my little Loar LH200. Cheap as chips but plays and sounds great!

[Cunamara]

My first guitar that I ever purchased is the only flat top I've ever owned. It is a 1978 Takemine F340 S. basically it is a blatant copy of low and Martin dreadnought, probably a D 18. Solid top but I believe the back and sides are laminate. It was my only guitar for the first seven years that I played, before I bought my Ibanez GB 10.

it sits in its case for months, sometimes years on end but whenever I pull it out it is still the most familiar and comfortable instrument I have. I have so many thousands of hours playing that guitar.

it doesn't really sound like a Martin, not having that dry and somewhat scooped/bright tone. The top and is really quite round, actually, and I find it works very well for jazz.

A few years ago I played a Martin David Bromberg model which I believe is based on the OM series. That was an amazing guitar with big rich bass and a nice sparkle on top, sort of like a really good California cab (had a Groth cab a couple of months ago that was analogous- lotsa bucks a bottle but wow!).

[citizenk74]

My Martin "1934" Golden Era D-18 does it for me. Big "vee" neck, scalloped braces, sweet, ringing tone for days. Bought it used in essentially untouched condition for enormous saving$. The only thing I've had anywhere hear this great sounding were the 2 Yamaha CJ 818s I had. I sold the first one to help finance my 345. I missed the 818 so much I bought the next one I could find. Of course I eventually gave it to a friend of a friend who could play rings around me but due to the slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune found himself guitar-less. I had just gotten my first PRSCU24 and figured the odds of my playing anything else for a good long while were slim-to-nonexistent. Seer, I'm not.

[Mark M.]

I should also mention my other flat top - an Eastman E6OME-LTD. Mine is number 61 of only 100 that Eastman made. It has an ebony fretboard and bridge, herringbone binding, scalloped bracing and some really nice figured mahogany For the back and sides. It also has a built-in Fishman pickup. It’s a really beautiful sounding guitar. It actually sounds better than my Martin. And, it’s great for fingerstyle playing.

[Ray175]

As a footnote to my previous post, my first "quality" flat-top (after Kasugas, Ekos and Yamahas) was a 1973 (bought new) Ibanez Concorde 754 - beautiful copy of the Gibson Everley Brothers. Great for strumming and picking. Stolen from my shared student house in 1976, and I've never seen another for sale since. I would be delighted to find another one......
Google Image Result for http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/11/13914.jpg

For my acoustics I've always loved jumbos with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This is the case of both my Martins.

The 6 string is a 2001 JM Mahogany from the Road Series which has one of the most balanced sounds I've ever played - no bling and a simple satin finish - and the projection is remarkable. You can occasionally find them for about a grand on the second hand market.

My twelve string is the J12-16GT and has similar tonal characteristics. These can be had for about 1300 notes second hand. The only downside to the 12-string is that as I'm fast approaching 65 my fretting hand is not as strong as it used to be, and barre chords on the first 4 frets have become something of a challenge - I have consulted with my luthier and we will take the risk of reprofiling the neck from 16" to 12". Obviously this will also require a new nut and bridge and probably a new set of frets, but if it allows me to recover proper control over those first frets then I'll be a happy bunny.

[Ray175]

As a footnote to my previous post, my first "quality" flat-top (after Kasugas, Ekos and Yamahas) was a 1973 (bought new) Ibanez Concorde 754 - beautiful copy of the Gibson Everley Brothers. Great for strumming&nbsp;<u>and</u> picking. Stolen from my shared student house in 1976, and I've never seen another for sale since. I would be delighted to find another one......

For my acoustics I've always loved jumbos with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This is the case of both my Martins. <br>
<br>
The 6 string is a 2001 JM Mahogany from the Road Series which has one of the most balanced sounds I've ever played - no bling and a simple satin finish - and the projection is remarkable. You can occasionally find them for about a grand on the second hand market.<br>
<br>
My twelve string is the J12-16GT and has similar tonal characteristics. These can be had for about 1300 notes second hand. The only downside to the 12-string is that as I'm fast approaching 65 my fretting hand is not as strong as it used to be, and barre chords on the first 4 frets have become something of a challenge - I have consulted with my luthier and we will take the risk of reprofiling the neck from 16" to 12". Obviously this will also require a new nut and bridge and probably a new set of frets, but if it allows me to recover proper control over those first frets then I'll be a happy bunny.

<br>

[lukmanohnz]

Here’s a nice Eastman for sale. (NFI)

[Chazmo]

I'm surprised we're not seeing anything on this thread about Waterloos.They seem pretty nice, although pricey, and there have been a couple of other threads where posters espoused them as great alternatives to archtops for acoustic jazz. Has the gloss worn off?

[msr13]

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying a Webber 00. It’s been so much fun. Pardon the poor playing and I haven’t figured out how to record non-amplified very well... but fun nonetheless.

[AlohaJoe]

Martin 00-15M. The all mahogany construction is warmer than the typical spruce top/rosewood or mahogany back combination and the smaller size lends a very balanced tone.

I just bought a 1953 00-15M from a friend. I first heard him play it in the early eighties and i loved the size and thought it sounded really good. I was happy with the Brazilian Guild D-50 I bought new in 1965, but I always had my eye out for a small Mahogany Martin like that one.

A few months ago, hand issues and a new guitar with a skinnier neck convinced my friend he no longer needed his old Martin. We reached the kind of deal you only get from a really good friend, and I have the very guitar I lusted after 35 years ago... it sounds even better than it did then.

[jdazey]

My Breedlove C25 masterclass custom Australian Blackwood/Cedar does the job. If I needed/wanted another, the Santa Cruz 00 Eric Skye would be at the top of the list.

[EllenGtrGrl]

My Emerald X7

and my Emerald X10

Lately I've been kind of intrigued by carbon fiber acoustics, but the ones I really like (Emerald, Rainsong, and McPherson [which happen to be made here in Wisconsin]), just about give me a heart attack, when I see the prices they go for.

I have 3 acoustics at the present time: a Breedlove Pursuit Concertina Exotic (it's made from Myrtlewood, which is native to the Pacific Northwest) parlor guitar, a Martin DSS-17 (sitka spruce and mahogany) slope shoulder 'dread, and a 12-string Taylor 150e (made from sitka spruce and walnut - it's my church band guitar).

My Breedlove
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My Martin DSS-17 - one of the most aggressive sounding dreadnoughts I've had in my 41 years of guitar playing


My Taylor 150e - it's served me well in the church band I play in (the Blueridge next to it, I no longer have)

[wengr]

Didn't he build the guitar that Martin Simpson played for many years?

Yes Martin is well known for playing Sobell guitars. Stefan has built a number of them for Martin over the years, one of which is currently in my possession.

[bohemian46]

Vinny Raniolo with his Collings.