The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by DanielleOM
    I am not aware of an Eastman model similar to the Sadowsky Jim Hall. Maybe someone else does. Have a specific Eastman model in mind? Think this will be an apple and oranges type of comparison.
    Maybe the AR403CED? Laminate construction, but that may be where the similarities end.

    All of the Eastman guitars I've owned have been fantastic, but I've never tried a laminate model one.

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  3. #52

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    Quote Originally Posted by DanielleOM
    Think this will be an apple and oranges type of comparison.
    Durian Fruit?
    I think you hit the apple on the head.

  4. #53

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    Quote Originally Posted by JSanta
    Maybe the AR403CED? Laminate construction, but that may be where the similarities end.

    All of the Eastman guitars I've owned have been fantastic, but I've never tried a laminate model one.
    Just a note from experience, don't judge an Eastman set-in pickup guitar until you've changed the pickup. Throw a nice PAF in there, just to try, and THEN compare. Just sayin'

  5. #54

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    Thanks for that. BTW-don't forget that some Eastmans are laminated, some are carved top.




    Quote Originally Posted by Zhahn
    I have a Jim Hall and an old 805.

    Both guitars’ stock pup are replaced with 57 Classics.
    My luthier cut the top of the Eastman just enough to not mess with the top brace and dropped the pup beautifully.

    These are two very different guitars: one is a thin carved spruce top/solid maple body and sides, the other maple laminated.

    The Eastman is more resonant acoustically, and has the typical thin carved-top sound with bright overtones. The general sound changed after chopping up the top, of course: not as resonant acoustically, but the electric sound now is darker, more even, less prone to feedback, and definitely more practical for me.

    The Sadowsky is more modern sounding; very even across the entire range. Less upper-mid hump, less sparkly treble, and less deep bass than the Eastman, due to several factors including the height of the arch, material, body depth, and etc.
    Can handle high volume better than the Eastman.

    Can’t really comment on workmanship/build quality of the current models, since the Eastman is 20 yrs old. All the cheap hardware on the Eastman have been replaced over the years, as they sucked. But I felt the basic build and the tone potential were better than (some) modern Gibsons, I sold my early 90’s L5 WesMo soon after getting the Eastman.
    Got the 2012 Sadowsky used. I consider it to be a good workhorse, in terms of quality: there’s no real weakness in any area.

    All my instruments are tools for my work, as a full-time pro.
    Both instruments serve their own purposes adequately.

    Hope this helps.

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by DanielleOM
    I am not aware of an Eastman model similar to the Sadowsky Jim Hall. Maybe someone else does. Have a specific Eastman model in mind? Think this will be an apple and oranges type of comparison.
    No, I was meaning more generally. Some denounce Sadowsky for merely importing his guitars, yet others don't mind a higher quality Chinese guitar like various Eastman guitars. That's all.

  7. #56

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    and (for me) please the option of no or less flamed tops, and natural color again

  8. #57
    Stradavarius first commercial violin came out in 1666 I wonder if there is a hidden meaning? At least in the bio I read.

  9. #58

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    Interesting. I’ve been thinking of selling my J Hall (A-1##).

  10. #59

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    For guitars amplified with magnetic pickups, it's debatable whether all the nuances of artisanship and material selection etc make a difference in tone. Many of the engineering and metallurgical solutions for acoustic amplification simply become irrelevant or maybe even undesirable for electric guitars.

    There is a Japanese scissor maker, master blacksmith Yasuhiro Hirakawa . He handcrafts gardening scissors from iron. The scissors can cost 10's of thousands of dollars each.They are (apparently) surgically price and infinitely controllable. Great tools for serious horticulturists.

    I sometimes wonder if artizan electric guitars are like hiring a master blacksmith to make your lawnmower blades.

  11. #60

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175

    I sometimes wonder if artizan electric guitars are like hiring a master blacksmith to make your lawnmower blades.
    If lawnmowers had the artificial prestige and fabricated caché that guitars had developed over decades, there'd be a forum with discussions of that very thing. If people put the money into their lawns, had juried contests on the merits of the cleanest blade cut, the finest hybrid grass breeds and the $80,000 lawnmower based on the hybrid vintage mower that the English made during the late 30's, you bet.
    They'd sit around in virtual circles and chuckle "You know what those guitar collectors SPEND on the "best" guitar?"

  12. #61

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    ...
    Roger Sadowsky's archtop guitars are made by craftsman in Japan who are second to none at what they do. And Japan has very high labor costs, not to mention that it's across the Pacific Ocean so there are also shipping costs involved.
    Just red Roger shut down Japanese operation and moved production to Germany (Warwick/Framus) with his MetroExpress line to be manufactured in China. His disciple Yoshi Kikuchi started his own brand. Unfortunately couldn't get from it whether and how his archtops production is affected. Maybe price hike is related to that? Does anybody know?

  13. #62
    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    For guitars amplified with magnetic pickups, it's debatable whether all the nuances of artisanship and material selection etc make a difference in tone. Many of the engineering and metallurgical solutions for acoustic amplification simply become irrelevant or maybe even undesirable for electric guitars.
    Disagree. I have a Sadowsky laminate and an Eastman carved, both the same size, both with a single routed in humbucker. The Eastman definitely sounds more brilliant and "acoustic-y" when plugged in. The Sadowsky is thunkier. I've been tearing my hair out trying to decide if I should keep both. My main dilemma is, the carved Eastman is more prone to feedback in loud settings.
    Last edited by Woody Sound; 08-12-2021 at 01:37 PM.

  14. #63

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    Disagree. I have a Sadowsky laminate and an Eastman carved, both the same size, both with a single routed in humbucker. The Eastman definitely sounds more brilliant and "acoustic-y" when plugged in. The Sadowsky is thunkier. I've been tearing my hair out trying to decide if I should keep both. my main dilemma is, the carved Eastman is more prone to feedback in loud settings.
    I agree they don't all sound the same. Basic design decisions affect the sound significantly. I was referring to the more crafty and subtle aspects of artisanship. Things that distinguish a master luthier from an average one and only in terms of tone of electric guitars.

    A lot of acoustic instrument building mastery is about the amplification mechanism and how the different building techniques affect it. When you delegate the amplification to pickups and amps, a significant portion of the complexity and historically accumulated wisdom of instrument making becomes mostly irrelevant.

    A maple laminate top instrument made in a factory can end up sounding better than an instrument that has a tap tuned finest spruce top handcarved delicately by a master builder. In fact, it used to be in Sadowsky's website that Jim Hall said laminate top sounds better than carved spruce to him.

    I also think different species of wood sound different. I observe that even when playing solid body guitars. But I don't think traditional tonewood selection criteria that's used to compare individual cuts of the same species apply to electric guitars. Not the same way anyway.
    Last edited by Tal_175; 08-13-2021 at 08:05 AM.

  15. #64
    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    A maple laminate top instrument made in a factory can end up sounding better than an instrument that has a tap tuned finest spruce top handcarved delicately by a master builder. In fact, it used to be in Sadowsky's webpage that Jim Hall said laminate top sounds better than carved spruce to him.
    Ah, but what some people consider "better" might be "worse" to others. I like Madras curry with some salt in my hot cereal. Nothing more. My wife insists on the sweeter side with some fruit and cinnamon. Both of us will tell you "Mine tastes better."

    (ps - Try salt and curry in your hot cereal, you might be surprised at how good it is.)

  16. #65

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    Ah, but what some people consider "better" might be "worse" to others. I like Madras curry with some salt in my hot cereal. Nothing more. My wife insists on the sweeter side with some fruit and cinnamon. Both of us will tell you "Mine tastes better."

    (ps - Try salt and curry in your hot cereal, you might be surprised at how good it is.)
    That is my point. What might be an absolute no, no in the traditional acoustic tradition like thick, laminate maple top becomes "some like vanilla, some like chocolate" in the electric world. Because of the use of pickups and amps, the differences in construction become just colors and shades.

    Also the details of the construction become less important. I doubt Sadowsky shaves the laminate tops or the braces to match their resonance even though every plate varies a bit in their stiffness. A high end acoustic guitar builder would have to worry about these details a lot more.
    Last edited by Tal_175; 08-13-2021 at 07:54 AM.

  17. #66

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    I doubt Sadowsky shaves the laminate tops or the braces to match their resonance even though every plate varies a bit in their stiffness. A high end acoustic guitar builder would have to worry about these details a lot more.
    Are Sadowsky archtop bodies assembled in the US or Japan?

    AKA

  18. #67

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    Quote Originally Posted by AKA
    Are Sadowsky archtop bodies assembled in the US or Japan?

    AKA
    Hi AKA,
    The guitars are assembled in Japan and go to the US for final set-up and inspection.
    I recall a detailed video conversation with Roger Sadowky on Jimmy Bruno's original teaching site.
    Roger's original intention was to have a US made archtop but he was unable to source laminates either domestically or in Germany that he was satisfied with.
    He found a good Japanese workshop but they would only do a deal that included building the guitars too. He was satisfied that they could build the guitars to his satisfaction.

    Sadowsky was happy to build in Japan because he has had his own Japanese shop for decades, staffed by someone who had worked in NYC with him. His man in Japan has discretion to build or spec certain models for the Japanese market (I've seen some Sadowsky semi-hollows in solid colours, six string basses etc in Japan).

    I saw some photos somewhere years ago of the Japanese workshop that builds the Sadowsky archtops. Certainly not a factory but a modest sized workshop.
    Last edited by David B; 08-16-2021 at 10:09 AM.

  19. #68

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    Thanks David.

    Quote Originally Posted by David B
    Hi AKA,
    The guitars are assembled in Japan and go to the US for final set-up and inspection.
    I recall a detailed video conversation with Roger Sadowky on Jimmy Bruno's original teaching site.
    Roger's original intention was to have a US made archtop but he was unable to source laminates either domestically or in Germany that he was satisfied with.
    He found a good Japanese workshop but they would only do a deal that included building the guitars too. He was satisfied that they could build the guitars to his satisfaction.

    Sadowsky was happy to build in Japan because he has had his own Japanese shop for decades, staffed by someone who had worked in NYC with him. His man in Japan has discretion to build or spec certain models for the Japanese market (I've seen some Sadowsky semi-hollows in solid colours, six string basses etc in Japan).

    I saw some photos somewhere years ago of the Japanese workshop that builds the Sadowsky archtops. Certainly not a factory but a modest sized workshop.

  20. #69

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    Roger Sadowsky and Yoshi Kikuchi.

    Sadowsky laminate archtop prices:  YIKES-roger_sadowsky_and_yoshi-jpg

  21. #70

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    As far as I understand their collaboration didn’t survive COVID: Roger said he wound down Japanese operations and Yoshi said he started his own brand focusing on fender and 335 style instruments
    Roger is scaling down his operations but says he is committed to archtops. Not clear though whether he implements any changes to archtop production

    BRAND NEW: Three Dots Guitars

  22. #71
    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    The Gibson ES175 before it’s demise in 2017 had a $5K+ MAP but you could wiggle down that price.
    If it ever returns I hate to think what the price might be seeing some LP models selling for over $7K now.
    I should have stuck with the clarinet.
    Access to this page has been denied.

  23. #72

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    Frank Vignola Model
    Very desirable
    $6,200 usd which is $8,400 cdn so a substantial outlay.
    I have a custom Tele and a Epi Johnny A which scratch the "jazz" itch but if I had a windfall of cash . . .

    Frank Vignola Model – Sadowsky Guitars

  24. #73

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    Quote Originally Posted by DRS
    Frank Vignola Model
    Very desirable
    $6,200 usd which is $8,400 cdn so a substantial outlay.
    I have a custom Tele and a Epi Johnny A which scratch the "jazz" itch but if I had a windfall of cash . . .

    Frank Vignola Model – Sadowsky Guitars

    Don’t forget the sales tax (12%)!

  25. #74

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bach5G
    Don’t forget the sales tax (12%)!
    Not to mention shipping. I'm in Western Canada too. Last year it cost just about $9K Canadian to get a B-120 in my hands. Selling price at that time was $5,500 US. (I saved a bit with no fretboard inlays and no pick guard. Not because I was trying to get cheap. I actually prefer the look. Ex cellist and all.)

    Just thought I'd mention Westville Aruba as another laminate in this vein. I seriously thought about getting one but disliked some of the aesthetics.

  26. #75

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    I'm in Western Canada too.”

    Might you be interested in a 2006 Sadowsky J Hall?