Another one cycles through in a hurry ... time for a moment of surrender

[Jim Soloway]

Once again I had been pondering an archtop. The reasons really don't matter but I ultimately decided that I would do it on the cheap and with a guitar I already knew: The Godin Kingpin ii P90 version. I had a good time with the one that I had a few years ago so what could go wrong? I put a WTB ad on a local gear buy/sell forum and was offered one for an incredible price that was based on the unusual amount of wear and tear the the original owner had put on it.

I got it home, strung it up and did a quick setup to the way I like ... And I hated it. Apparently playing only solids and semi-solids in the intervening years had taken me even further from the archtop experience. It had none of the sustain or note definition that I have come to think of as the the way a guitar out to respond. Like my previous Kingpin ii, it had lots of acoustic presence, and I had no positive response to that at all. I had it listed for sale within 18 hours of getting it home and basically passed along the bargain basement price. It was gone one day later.

Time for me to just accept that solid and semi-solid body guitars are my musical home and just be ok with that. Even my MIM Mustang brings me way more pleasure than I was able to get from that Kingpin. No more experiments with archtops for me. I'm just going to accept that I am who I am and move on from there. (There will more on this topic very soon but I think I'll wait until it's official).

[Scott Beckwith]

You're not alone. I'm in love with the idea of being in love with an archtop. There are a few I deeply love some aspects of, and can tweak the rest OK; but the right solid body set up for what I want to hear gives me exactly that as a player, with no quirks, evenly, consistently.

[citizenk74]

You're not alone. I'm in love with the idea of being in love with an archtop. There are a few I deeply love some aspects of, and can tweak the rest OK; but the right solid body set up for what I want to hear gives me exactly that as a player, with no quirks, evenly, consistently.

[citizenk74]

Once again I had been pondering an archtop. The reasons really don't matter but I ultimately decided that I would do it on the cheap and with a guitar I already knew: The Godin Kingpin ii P90 version. I had a good time with the one that I had a few years ago so what could go wrong? I put a WTB ad on a local gear buy/sell forum and was offered one for an incredible price that was based on the unusual amount of wear and tear the the original owner had put on it.

I got it home, strung it up and did a quick setup to the way I like ... And I hated it. Apparently playing only solids and semi-solids in the intervening years had taken me even further from the archtop experience. It had none of the sustain or note definition that I have come to think of as the the way a guitar out to respond. Like my previous Kingpin ii, it had lots of acoustic presence, and I had no positive response to that at all. I had it listed for sale within 18 hours of getting it home and basically passed along the bargain basement price. It was gone one day later.

Time for me to just accept that solid and semi-solid body guitars are my musical home and just be ok with that. Even my MIM Mustang brings me way more pleasure than I was able to get from that Kingpin. No more experiments with archtops for me. I'm just going to accept that I am who I am and move on from there. (There will more on this topic very soon but I think I'll wait until it's official).

An occasional moment of clarity is useful for re-focusing one's efforts. Well done, Sir!

[Stringswinger]

I switch back and forth between my archtops, solidbodies and Gypsy guitars (I have a classical as well, but that is a different instrument to me and gets it's own music and technique). I always find when switching that a change in technique is necessary. After a small adjustment, I am at home with all three types of guitars in my stable. But if I had to choose just one type of guitar, it would be the archtops. But I would be sad to lose the solidbodys for sure. The Gypsy guitars have never fully floated my boat, but they do unamplified gigs pretty well, so I keep a couple in the stable.

As luck would have it, I don't have to choose. And I can see where a player might not like the technique adjustment that is necessary to switch and would simply stay with one type (For me. semi-hollows are more solidbody than archtop and given a choice between a Les Paul and a 335, I'll take the Les Paul).

[bluejaybill]

I have gone the opposite way, preferring arch tops now and leaving my lovely solid bodies to pine away.

I could probably get a solid body to work for jazz, but I would have to have it setup for that exclusively, which would render them useless for the other styles I like to use them for.

Also, for jazz I prefer the shorter envelope of the sustain. It feels more like an acoustic guitar sustain to me.

[Gitterbug]

Godin 5th Ave Kingpin is not representative of today's archtop offering, even the budget end of the scale. Leaving high-priced carved creations aside, it's lighter and more feedback-prone than other laminate guitars. The P90s on it are stingy. A contemporary take on an ES-125 but with a boxy sound and without the help from aged woods. The role I see for this guitar is half-acoustic swing comping. Yet, a lot depends on the player. I once listened to the great guitar scores of a musical theatre performance only to discover they came from a 5th Avenue. Mine has been off-duty for years.

[Woody Sound]

Godin 5th Ave Kingpin is not representative of today's archtop offering, even the budget end of the scale. Leaving high-priced carved creations aside, it's lighter and more feedback-prone than other laminate guitars. The P90s on it are stingy. A contemporary take on an ES-125 but with a boxy sound and without the help from aged woods. The role I see for this guitar is half-acoustic swing comping. Yet, a lot depends on the player. I once listened to the great guitar scores of a musical theatre performance only to discover they came from a 5th Avenue. Mine has been off-duty for years.

Gray Sargent was often seen/heard with a Godin P90 with TB.

Gray Sargent - Google Search

[ronjazz]

I found that I need a little air around there notes, so hollow-bodies are my choice now. My Samick Royale 3 is a well-made, high-level guitar for a small price, but it is a semi, and I couldn't ever get it to do my jazz bidding, even though it was a good rock and blues guitar, and I added a Midi RMC system to it, so it was useful for several purposes. I discovered that the Gretsch Electromatic Series of the past few years is a nice way to get back into hollow-body guitars that actually have real tonal variety.

[Jim Soloway]

Godin 5th Ave Kingpin is not representative of today's archtop offering, even the budget end of the scale. Leaving high-priced carved creations aside, it's lighter and more feedback-prone than other laminate guitars. The P90s on it are stingy. A contemporary take on an ES-125 but with a boxy sound and without the help from aged woods. The role I see for this guitar is half-acoustic swing comping. Yet, a lot depends on the player. I once listened to the great guitar scores of a musical theatre performance only to discover they came from a 5th Avenue. Mine has been off-duty for years.

I had one a few years ago that I played a lot and really enjoyed. What has changed really is me more than the Kingpin. A steady diet of solids and semi-solids has further defined my sonic image in terms of what those guitar bring to the table but listening today to a demo that I did with that old Kingpin, I still think it sounds pretty good, just not like I want to hear myself today.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

What has changed really is me more than the Kingpin…I still think it sounds pretty good, just not like I want to hear myself today.

I’m starting to realize that this is just a symptom of our disease, Jim. I’ve been playing the same guitars through the same amps in the same room twice a week for years. I bought my Ibanez AF207 when they came out (‘97?), so I think I know how it sounds and what it can do. But one week I’m thrilled with my sound and playing, and the next I’m unhappy with one or both. I love my Eastman 810, but some days it sounds better to me than others.

And I’ve run the gamut with my Forshage-designed Tele 7, which was a jack of all tones but master of none when I bought it. After adding a Hipshot bridge / TP, Lace Alumibuckers, a Tusq nut, TI JS112s, and at least half a dozen tweaks of truss, nut, bridge etc, I finally got it to the point of feeling and sounding great to me……..on most days.

This video sounds great! As the great sage Pogo once said -

[Doctor Jeff]

I had one a few years ago that I played a lot and really enjoyed. What has changed really is me more than the Kingpin. A steady diet of solids and semi-solids has further defined my sonic image in terms of what those guitar bring to the table but listening today to a demo that I did with that old Kingpin, I still think it sounds pretty good, just not like I want to hear myself today.

Great playing and great sound.

You make me want to go get one of those now (I have a 5th Avenue with a floater installed, but kind of miss the P90).

You do you, of course, but your video makes a good case for the Kingpin.

[DRS]

After a year with a Eastman 810CE
which included replacing the pickup and tone & volume control, I realized I missed the power and sustain of a solid or semi with a humbucker
My go to is an Epi Johnny A

[GodinFan]

I’ve arrived at a point where I’ve settled on a solid body for most of my playing. Part of the reason was just hating dealing with feedback. I do keep an acoustic archtop for playing Freddie Green style rhythm. To me, there’s no substitute for that sound.