The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    .......So I'm still debating - adding a floater to my L-7 vs finding something else electric, and what I'm finding is this: My '53 L-7 Acoustic / cutaway, is really light.
    * 5.35 pounds *. And mine isn't rare - -it matches up with similar age L-7's.
    And I haven't yet found anything electric w/ a similar spec that's under seven plus pounds- - - new, vintage, re-issue, nothing....
    I was surprised to find that an equally spec'ed Gibson, from any era, weighed the same, if not was lighter than others - - usually even with Epi's but actually lighter than most Guilds......

    I also looked at combinations of carved tops vs laminates across all 3 brands, thinking that might help but it didn't....
    So, I'm still looking for a 17 x 3 Single P/U, Cutaway, w/ 1+11/16 -3/4 fb or close.....I already have one that weighs 7.5 lbs, but I'd like to get lighter....

    Anything I may have missed ? This may get down to another build.....It may be interesting to see what could be built and what it'd weigh....

    Thanks

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  3. #2

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    Not exactly what you are looking for, but I have or have had 3 electrics at least that were under 7 lbs:

    Gibson ES175D VOS 1959 6 lbs 7 oz
    Epiphone ES175 Premium 6 lbs 7 oz
    Epiphone Zephyr Regent Re-issue 6 lbs

    I also have a Loar LH650 and a Peerless Monarch, both with floaters and both feel very light but I haven't weighed them.

    But for the weight-which I haven't checked-the Peerless Monarch with floater checks your other boxes.
    Last edited by lawson-stone; 10-31-2020 at 01:53 PM. Reason: Correct Epiphone Zephyr Regent to RE-ISSUE

  4. #3

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    I've an injury and need/like light guitars.

    From experience, guitars i own/owned:

    '52 ES-125... 5 lb., 1 oz.

    Eastman AR371... 5 lb., 8oz

    Guild Savoy A-150 (Modern, Korean & excellent)... 6 lb., 0 oz.

    Godin 5th Avenue (no cutaway, no pickup no longer made)... 4 lb., 8 oz.

    Epi Sorrento ( 90's Korean, very narrow neck )... 6 lb., 7 oz.

    Good luck!

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    Not exactly what you are looking for, but I have or have had 3 electrics at least that were under 7 lbs:

    Gibson ES175D VOS 1959 6 lbs 7 oz
    Epiphone ES175 Premium 6 lbs 7 oz
    Epiphone Zephyr Regent 6 lbs

    I also have a Loar LH650 and a Peerless Monarch, both with floaters and both feel very light but I haven't weighed them.

    But for the weight-which I haven't checked-the Peerless Monarch with floater checks your other boxes.
    Thx L-S !

    I thought I was on the right track with a Zephyr Regent - - 'til I found two that both came in at seven...
    I found this one -- no affiliation etc - -which I'd have bought in a heartbeat of it were six #.

    Epiphone Zephyr Regent 1953 Natural | Real Parts | Reverb

    Thx again.

  6. #5

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    My Heritage Johnny Smith weighs in at 5.8oz. It offers you a full sized guitar without being a tank. Johnny was always a bit on the light side.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis D
    Thx L-S !

    I thought I was on the right track with a Zephyr Regent - - 'til I found two that both came in at seven...
    I found this one -- no affiliation etc - -which I'd have bought in a heartbeat of it were six #.

    Epiphone Zephyr Regent 1953 Natural | Real Parts | Reverb

    Thx again.
    Mine is the Zephyr Regent Reissue from the 90's. Basically like an ES165.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis D
    ...Anything I may have missed ? This may get down to another build.....It may be interesting to see what could be built and what it'd weigh....
    Hardware has a lot to do with weight as well. Vintage-style open-back tuners from Waverly/Gotoh/Schaller/Schertler/Sperzel weigh much less than Grover Rotomatics or similar closed tuners. Gibson-style tailpieces with crossbars mounted to wire arms (like on a Gibson L-50/ES-125/ES-335) are much lighter than Gibson-style tailpieces as found on early '50s L-7/ES-350/ES-175 guitars.

  9. #8

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    ....Found this currently f/s @archtop.com...........no affiliation......

    c.2005 Cardona Elegante

    ....interesting it came in that light !

    .......wonder whether anyone's ever played one ??

    Thx

  10. #9

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    D'angelico and Strombergs were not particularly light guitars due to tailpiece and end block construction. I think I will go weigh me for fun I have in the 35 plus years I have had a D'a. Super400 not light either.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    D'angelico and Strombergs were not particularly light guitars due to tailpiece and end block construction. I think I will go weigh me for fun I have in the 35 plus years I have had a D'a. Super400 not light either.
    So I just weighed mine with hanging scale accurate but not like a postal scale. It weight just less than 7 lbs. For an acoustic it bit more than the some of the modern lightweights, but this is 18 1/4 inches wide and 3 3/8th depths on the sides. Of course the very large brass tailpiece I am sure is one of the reason, but to me it is also the reason it sounds so good. The strings need to be anchor and to drive the top correctly it can be a case where the tailpiece is not sable enough or have enough mass to deliver the sound. That is why in my estimation the acoustic Super 400's and L5's also from the Gibson especially late 30's through 1960 have goods in sound. Just to say an archtop is super light means nothing to me as far as sound.

    I would be curious of the weights of some acoustic Super 400s anyone has?

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    So I just weighed mine with hanging scale accurate but not like a postal scale. It weight just less than 7 lbs. For an acoustic it bit more than the some of the modern lightweights, but this is 18 1/4 inches wide and 3 3/8th depths on the sides. Of course the very large brass tailpiece I am sure is one of the reason, but to me it is also the reason it sounds so good. The strings need to be anchor and to drive the top correctly it can be a case where the tailpiece is not sable enough or have enough mass to deliver the sound. That is why in my estimation the acoustic Super 400's and L5's also from the Gibson especially late 30's through 1960 have goods in sound. Just to say an archtop is super light means nothing to me as far as sound.

    I would be curious of the weights of some acoustic Super 400s anyone has?
    I don't think under 7# is bad at all for an 18 x 3+ guitar !..... But when you've got a plain vanilla L-7 cutaway that weights 5.5, and comparable Epi's and Guiilds are 2 # more, it just makes you wonder.....or at least it makes me wonder......

  13. #12

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    5 lb. 6 oz. - 16” x 3” to 4-1/8” Comins Zelig
    5 lb. 12 oz. 16” x 3” to 3-1/2” Buscarino Monarch
    6 lb. - 16” x 3” Comins Classic
    6 lb. - 17” x 3-1/8” Trenier Artifex

  14. #13

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    So 2 more weigh-ins for the title right?

    1937 D'a 18 inch 3.25 side. Standard heavy brass stairstep tailpiece, but no Dearmond on guitar weighs 6.5 lbs. Subjectively for a large non cutaway this guitar feels pretty light by any standard.
    1971 17 inch Barker with Dearmond weighs 5.8 pounds.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    So 2 more weigh-ins for the title right?

    1937 D'a 18 inch 3.25 side. Standard heavy brass stairstep tailpiece, but no Dearmond on guitar weighs 6.5 lbs. Subjectively for a large non cutaway this guitar feels pretty light by any standard.
    1971 17 inch Barker with Dearmond weighs 5.8 pounds.
    Yup - -that D'A is light by any standard !

    Good for you !

  16. #15

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    You made me weigh the '75 Greco ES-175 I bought this month, 'cos it seems heavy. It came in at 7lb 9oz
    I suspect a 50's Gibson ES-175 would be somewhat lighter.

  17. #16

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    Forgot my 1935, L-50: 4 lb., 6 oz.

    Gotta love this.

  18. #17

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    the boutique guitars will be much lighter than the Gibsons, guilds etc.

  19. #18

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    Just add a floater from Kent Armstrong, Peter Biltoft Vintage Vibe Pickups, etc! You can even get a replacement pick guard for it.