Advice on New Archtop

**Hub** · 07-24-2020, 03:07 PM

Hi There,
I 'm a lefty gypsy jazz player who own an Heritage sweet 16 (and love it ) and sold an Eastman 810 LCE.
I'm looking for an Gibson L5 (I love the sound of one of my best friend who play on L5) but looking for available model too.
For lefty player, archtop are very rare.
I found a :
- L5 at a higher price and with a modification which scare me (pickup cavity was increase)
- Colling eastside LC
- Gibson Herb Ellis

My reference sound are L5, Wes sound (and recent Gypsy French Jazz player ie Moignard/Gresset/My friend Gael Rouilhac).
Any advice ?
Thank's

**Hammertone** · 07-24-2020, 08:20 PM

Buy a left-handed L-5 when one comes up for sale that appeals to you.
Or have a similar instrument built for you by one of the several makers who build Gibson-like archtops.
AJL and Slaman come to mind immediately in Europe, as do Campellone and Triggs in the USA, as well-known builders who work very closely to the Gibson archtop concept. I'm sure there are many more.

**jads57** · 07-24-2020, 08:26 PM

Agreed! There are several breat luthiers at reasonable prices such as Stephan Holst, Frans Elferink, Mark Campellone who build in that vein.

**skiboyny** · 07-24-2020, 08:36 PM

Get an l5 when it comes up no substitutes. You have already made up your mind.

**SoftwareGuy** · 07-24-2020, 08:45 PM

I have an EastSide. They are built well and sound great, but don't really sound like an L5 or Wes.

It does sound like you already know what you want.

**floatingpickup** · 07-25-2020, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by Hub

Hi There,
I 'm a lefty gypsy jazz player who own an Heritage sweet 16 (and love it ) and sold an Eastman 810 LCE.
I'm looking for an Gibson L5 (I love the sound of one of my best friend who play on L5) but looking for available model too.
For lefty player, archtop are very rare.
I found a :
- L5 at a higher price and with a modification which scare me (pickup cavity was increase)
- Colling eastside LC
- Gibson Herb Ellis

My reference sound are L5, Wes sound (and recent Gypsy French Jazz player ie Moignard/Gresset/My friend Gael Rouilhac).
Any advice ?
Thank's

I read the ad for the L5CES that had the modification. I understand that the pickup was moved slightly to line up with the strings, and the original screw holes are hidden by the pickup ring. As a right handed player, I would probably pass on that one and find unmodified example. A left handed player, on the other hand, doesn’t have nearly as many guitars to choose from. With that in mind, I’m not sure the modification needs to be a deal breaker, but it should be reflected in the price. It might be worthwhile to make an offer on that guitar. L5’s are great guitars and nothing else will be exactly like an L5. Having said that, you also mentioned the Gibson Herb Ellis. I had one of those for a few years and it was a great guitar. If you can find one in a lefty, you probably wouldn’t be disappointed with one of those.
Keith

**lammie200** · 07-25-2020, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Hub

...

- Gibson Herb Ellis...

Which model Herb Ellis? Is it the one with the floating pickup or set humbucker. I have both models. The floater is a little lighter in weight, but they are both very fine guitars.

**Jabberwocky** · 07-27-2020, 07:21 AM

Maurice Dupont can make you one at a lower price than importing a Collings Eastside LC or Gibson L5 into Europe. Dupont's L5 really looks the part and plays well, too. Daniel Slaman is another one you should consider amongst the other Europe-based makers mentioned above.

**Jabberwocky** · 07-27-2020, 07:25 AM

Jazz Archtop guitars Maurice DUPONT

**gitman** · 07-27-2020, 08:11 AM

Stefan Sonntag and Hans Elferink would be my first choices.

**Hub** · 07-27-2020, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by skiboyny

Get an l5 when it comes up no substitutes. You have already made up your mind.

it's my first idea but hard to find

**Hub** · 07-27-2020, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

I read the ad for the L5CES that had the modification. I understand that the pickup was moved slightly to line up with the strings, and the original screw holes are hidden by the pickup ring. As a right handed player, I would probably pass on that one and find unmodified example. A left handed player, on the other hand, doesn’t have nearly as many guitars to choose from. With that in mind, I’m not sure the modification needs to be a deal breaker, but it should be reflected in the price. It might be worthwhile to make an offer on that guitar. L5’s are great guitars and nothing else will be exactly like an L5. Having said that, you also mentioned the Gibson Herb Ellis. I had one of those for a few years and it was a great guitar. If you can find one in a lefty, you probably wouldn’t be disappointed with one of those.
Keith

With tax, price is 80% of a new model. So I can't accept with such modification.
My best Friends buy the same model on the same shop without modification 2000€ lower.

**Hub** · 07-27-2020, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by lammie200

Which model Herb Ellis? Is it the one with the floating pickup or set humbucker. I have both models. The floater is a little lighter in weight, but they are both very fine guitars.

the set humbucker.
I owned in the past a gibson 135 and Eastman AR372. Two fine guitars but not my cup of tea