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I mean, c'mon, we're plugged in, they're more comfy. Pretty much the same tone. It's not like we're trying to project acoustically through the Stan Kenton band anymore.
Last edited by Woody Sound; 07-07-2020 at 12:56 PM.
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07-07-2020 11:37 AM
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Same work, less money?
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Originally Posted by Gitterbug
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Originally Posted by Gitterbug
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Sadowsky, Benedetto Bambino 14", Stephan Holst, Frans Elferink, Ribbeke, Zimniki, Sonntag, Victor Baker, Eastman, Westville Japan, Gibson Lee Ritenour L-5C and Gibson Modern Archtop there are 2 of those for under $3k at Davesguitars.com at the moment.
That should be a good start to get you going. Good luck!
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It's interesting to see that while the majority of white western males is getting taller with every half generation the idea of smaller guitars is spreading- not only re archtops but also a rather sudden increase in parlor-sized acoustics has taken place, even from the major manufacturers.
For my part I'm a big guy and feel absolutely at home with my Super-400 + Super Eagle, both perched on a stool or sitting in a chair. My 16" Trenier is more comfy when I'm standing but with a 15" I would have bend over some while sitting plus my right arm would be a somewhat awkward
position - I'd have to have it suspended on a strap the whole time.
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The majority of the guitar is not a player's market, it's a collectors market. In the collector's world, the L-5 and Super 400 are the supreme objects of drool. To a fantasy player (collector) the guitar is a way to get closer to the myth and mystique of the jazz fantasy.
Back in the day, the big bands set the standards for builders. They build big for a big sound. Those instruments, designed big for big air movement were also the available instruments for any solo player, small group player or contemporary player who wanted a quality instrument. Those players defined utility and collectibility. Over time, they became the standard because that size occupied the top echelons of quality builders.
Until George Benson specifically requested a smaller instrument, they were unheard of and unbuilt.
For a player, the function determines the sale.
For the fantasy player, the tradition and mystique determines the object you save up for and acquire.
A whole lot more armchair fantasy consumers driving the trends than players invested enough to commission a small body guitar. It's not popular and they're not easy to find. Too, for a student who doesn't know enough to know what they need to play better, the word of others is the way many will go. Magazines and articles are full of stories of players who have big guitars and big reputations. Big guitar is the stuff of legend.
Plus most guys want a bigger one. If your life choice means having it is more of a reality than using it, then start with big and that's your best shot at sharing a legacy.
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It's a niche market, but Stephen Marchione has had a unique 15" archtop design in production for well over a decade
PK
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I'm more or less average size, and guitars less than 16" cause me to hunch more than I like. OTOH, those that are 3" or more in depth are uncomfortable. My comfort zone is 16" or 17" and 2.75" or less in depth. 18" is too big. I realize this limits my choices, but there are still more than enough available. I think guitar size is a very subjective subject, and that's fine, because there is something available for everyone. Guitars with 15" bouts are far from rare, if you look around.
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The smaller the body, the less acoustic projection. The less of this, the less difference between cheap and expensive materials, as long as the build and electronics are decent. Ibanez has made budget-priced small-body archtops for a long time. AG 75, for example, has a 14.5" body width. This is a zone where partly hollowed solidbodies (LP ES, PRS) and 339 clones also figure. No shortage of choices, unless you insist on paying several thousands for a handmade guitar of uncertain resale/collector value.
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As noted above, Ibanez makes several hollowbody models at or under 15". While none of them are carved archtops, they still function quite well amplified with minimal feedback issues.
The most common are the GB10 (14 3/4"), LGB30 (15 3/4"), PM2 (15 3/4"), plus all of the non-signature variants of these models.
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In my experience there is a world between a 15" Marchione/Victor Baker/Westville and a GB10.
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I'm doing my part!!!
As a short small guy who's gotten a lot older in the last 20 years, I love these guitars. They allow me to keep gigging and they look, sound, and feel like the guitars I played during the first part of my life.
Danny W.
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Originally Posted by Danny W.
They're proportioned like a 17", do they all have shorter scales too?
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Originally Posted by stevus
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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Originally Posted by stevus
diminish rapidly and come down to personal preference.
Re the electric TONE I dare say that Benson's tone on stage is at least as nice and often BETTER than what I've heard from Mark Whitfield playing his Marchione.... YMMV
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
All were part of Gibson's "L-5 Signature" line from the early 2000's.
Danny W.
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Originally Posted by Danny W.
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I have the 15" x 1 11/16" deep (yup, that's not a typo! some guitar nuts are wider than this guitar is deep!) Collings Eastside Jazz LC. It doesn't sound as "full bodied" as larger 16 x 3" instruments, but the difference is not very much. Acoustically it's quite shocking how loud this little Collings is...in fact it's louder acoustically than most 16 x 3 laminate guitars you'll find. You can find some videos of "bear" (Jostein) comparing his 15" Eastside Jazz to his 16" regular Eastside - not much difference in sound, and I don't think the 16" sounds any "bigger" in those videos.
I think if the 15" Collings Eastside Jazz had been around 50 or 60 years ago, a LOT of players would have been playing it instead of the venerable ES-175.
While I like the 15" size especially while standing, overall I still prefer a 16". However like Danny W. I am a smaller fella and, in time, will notice the effects of ageing...hence the Collings is sticking around even after my 16" laminate Trenier arrives soon.
I think Collings has really nailed the 15" laminate formula and in time I expect we'll see more and more players take up this size.
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I love the looks of the Marchione, but I find his asking price a bit much for his guitars. But that's life, and you have to pay the entrance fee for certain things.
I find that the Benedetto Bambino the best bang for the dollar, especially used.
And Frans Elferink, Stephan Holst, and Mark Campellone the best for your money in carved top guitars.
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Originally Posted by Danny W.
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Originally Posted by jads57
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I've had a 1981 GB10 for 34 years now, still a wonderful and versatile guitar. With a little knob and switch work, it covers a lot of tonal ground.
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Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
16" 1920s/30s L5
Yesterday, 08:44 PM in For Sale