Flat top acoustic guitar suited for jazz (tonewoods)

**213Cobra** · 10-18-2025, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jx30510

T...Other than vintage guitars, I don't see any modern acoustic archtops.
The Loar seem to be on a big pause, or out of business ?

Well, of course many independent luthiers offer acoustic archtops -- European, US and Chinese. And there's Eastman. There are acoustic with floater versions of the 805, 810, 905 and 910 archtops. And on the affordable, entry level, the Guild A-150 Savoy has a solid (pressed) spruce top with a reissue DeArmond 1000 floater pickup. It works well unplugged and is under $1000 new in the US, at least for now. Also, the used market is pretty rich with "modern," i.e. relatively recent production acoustic archies.

Phil

**deacon Mark** · 10-18-2025, 03:51 PM

I personally have never found a flattop guitar that quite cut it as a jazz guitar. Certainly, there are great recordings, and one can make a fine jazz guitar sound with a flattop. Sound is in the hands remember Joe Pass did an album using a 12-string guitar and it is great. That said nothing of a flattop to my ears touches fine archtop guitar be it acoustic or electric. The difference to my ears is pretty substantial. The recordings of those who have used flattops in jazz, yes I am aware of them ( Szabo) and others are not my favorite to listen too.

**-Milos-** · 10-18-2025, 04:20 PM

I know you didn't wanna hear about manouche / gipsy guitars but you should consider buying a "grande bouche" model which is really versatile. At least give it a try, steel or nylon strings, both are great

**213Cobra** · 10-18-2025, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by -Milos-

I know you didn't wanna hear about manouche / gipsy guitars but you should consider buying a "grande bouche" model which is really versatile. At least give it a try, steel or nylon strings, both are great

I agree with this, except to me a petite bouche gypsy jazz guitar sounds closer to an archtop than a grande bouche, in flattop alternatives. -Phil

**Jx30510** · 10-18-2025, 11:16 PM

Thanks for the replies.
Eastman is on my radar. The 8 & 9 séries are more than I can afford.
I wouldn't mind a top mounted pickup if the acoustic sound is decent enough.
What I "m realising is l don't necesseraly want a guitar with huge volume, but it's the voicing that attracts me the most.
The Eastman AR503 gets the most of my attention. The AR403 Pisano, while laminate, l find beautiful.. I'm sure it does have a fine acoustic tone, but maybe lacks the voicing.
I've been lurking on the Guild Savoy for years (no kidding). I'm a bit concerned about the size.. 17 is a big boy, and I'm not..

Deacon Mark. Yes, you put the finger right on the button. Even if any good guitarist can play jazz even on a ukulélé, nothing sounds like an archtop. And nothing feels like an archtop.
That bouncy return when you pick.. and I often find that archtops play more like electrics, which is more my stuff..

Milos, as much as l appreciate manouche players, I've become fed up with that style. I live in France, and Manouche was the big thing for 20 years here. Everyone plays manouche, still today it's the live music you see the most. But it's become of a contest music, more than anything else.. like in the 80's with shred..
Don't misunderstand what I 'm saying, huge respect for the gypsy greats, but that style has been overdone, I just can't listen to it anymore.. other than Django, Bireli, or the old guys.
And for the Manouche guitars, the scale length, huge nut and necks, Argentine strings.. I've tried many times, but it's just not my thing
And you can't deny the sound brings you towards one style..

**Cunamara** · 10-19-2025, 02:21 AM

Other than Eastman, there don't really seem to be any factories building solid wood acoustic archtop guitars. The Loar 700 seems to be a very nice guitar, I have heard a number of videos demonstrating them and sounding very good. I think the purely acoustic archtop is just a small, unprofitable market niche. Used and older guitars might be the best option, especially older Epiphones.

Luthiers, OTOH, are building acoustic archtop guitars all over the place. But they do start at probably $6000 and the sky is the limit. I have a Benedetto-style 17" archtop with a floating pickup that I play acoustically far more often than amplified.

I do find myself tempted by Martin OOO and OM guitars at times. I played one of the David Bromberg signature model Martins and it was a fantastic instrument but priced well out of my range of interest.

**kwijibo** · 10-19-2025, 02:25 AM

I've noticed Sigma has introduced a new line of archtops in the loar style and price range. Anyone tried one?

**Mick-7** · 10-19-2025, 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by kwijibo

I've noticed Sigma has introduced a new line of archtops in the loar style and price range. Anyone tried one?

Here's a recent thread on them: Sigma Guitars - Cheap Archtop

**alpop** · 10-19-2025, 06:54 AM

Here's an iPhone recording I made a few years ago on my Martin 000 18. It's a very versatile all-round instrument.

**Jx30510** · 10-19-2025, 07:08 AM

Well a 000 or 00 would be a very nice purchase. There's a Julian Lage Signature by Collings, the dream guitar
And, when you watch this, well..

**Jx30510** · 10-19-2025, 07:16 AM

I wasn't aware Sigma made archtops

Very interesting !
I watched the linked thread, so now The Loar do direct on line business ? Good news in a way because I thought they were out of business at some point. That would've been sad.
I'm going to search if I can find the Sigma Archtops line. Never heard of them until now.
I'm not sure about vintage. They're super pricy, and often in a questionable shape..
So vintage Epiphone's are good value ?

**deacon Mark** · 10-19-2025, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Jx30510

Well a 000 or 00 would be a very nice purchase. There's a Julian Lage Signature by Collings, the dream guitar
And, when you watch this, well..

Interesting when i listen to this recording. The sound of the guitar even gets on my nerves that I do not care at all for it. Granted it is not traditional jazz guitar as such but the overtones and ringing just make me want to cringe a bit. Obviously, he is a great player but sound matters.

**Stringswinger** · 10-19-2025, 11:16 AM

I have tried to like a flattop for jazz and after going through a bunch of Martin and Guild flattops, I have given up on that type of guitar. I am not a singer who needs a guitar to strum while I sing. That said, I preferred the 000 size to the Dread or Jumbo size and even found the OM with its longer scale to not work as well as the 000.

Archtops and Solid body electrics work best for me as a primarily jazz guitarist. I do have a couple of oval hole Gypsy guitars made of solid wood (one is maple and the other is rosewood) that get a great jazz tone, even outside of the whole Django tribute band stuff. I have tried a few D hole Gypsy guitars and like the traditional flattops, they did not work well for me. And the long scale of my oval hole Gypsy guitars makes them a bit harder to play than my archtops and solid body guitars, so I usually leave them home unless it is a Gypsy jazz gig where they are called for.

I do have a classical guitar that gets a great jazz sound, but the playability for anything other than classical pieces is off putting to me.

**Jx30510** · 10-19-2025, 11:37 AM

Gypsy guitars have always been weird to me. I have a friend who collects them, so I tried a bunch, and very good ones, vintage and from modern luthiers.
A few where very playable, and sounded very nice, but I always feel something there's wrong with them. Super long scale length, or huge nut width, high action, boxy sound.. etc...
I see Hofner Presidents from the 50's at less than 1000€. Solid tops, and big bodies.. they look a bit quircky ?

**yebdox** · 10-19-2025, 04:24 PM

Not sure what Sco was playing here, but I LOVE this cut.... (first solo)

**bluejaybill** · 10-19-2025, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

I have tried to like a flattop for jazz and after going through a bunch of Martin and Guild flattops, I have given up on that type of guitar. I am not a singer who needs a guitar to strum while I sing. That said, I preferred the 000 size to the Dread or Jumbo size and even found the OM with its longer scale to not work as well as the 000.

Archtops and Solid body electrics work best for me as a primarily jazz guitarist. I do have a couple of oval hole Gypsy guitars made of solid wood (one is maple and the other is rosewood) that get a great jazz tone, even outside of the whole Django tribute band stuff. I have tried a few D hole Gypsy guitars and like the traditional flattops, they did not work well for me. And the long scale of my oval hole Gypsy guitars makes them a bit harder to play than my archtops and solid body guitars, so I usually leave them home unless it is a Gypsy jazz gig where they are called for.

I do have a classical guitar that gets a great jazz sound, but the playability for anything other than classical pieces is off putting to me.

I too prefer my arch tops for jazz playing, but I also like to play my 00028 Martin a lot. It’s a Gibson scale and quite warm sounding. I will often use it for chord melody, and it turns my playing away from strictly traditional jazz in a good way when I want to do that. It makes me play a bit different.

But it’s still a Martin, and doesn’t play as fast as my arch tops, which have great jazz necks. One reason why I prefer them.

**Stringswinger** · 10-19-2025, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by bluejaybill

I too prefer my arch tops for jazz playing, but I also like to play my 00028 Martin a lot. It’s a Gibson scale and quite warm sounding. I will often use it for chord melody, and it turns my playing away from strictly traditional jazz in a good way when I want to do that. It makes me play a bit different.

But it’s still a Martin, and doesn’t play as fast as my arch tops, which have great jazz necks. One reason why I prefer them.

The Martin neck/radius did not work well for me and that is why I no longer own one, but I did find the 000 Martins that I owned to be the best for jazz of the many flattops that I owned. If I wanted another flattop, a Martin 00028 would probably be my choice.

My Gypsy guitars scratch any flattop itch I might have these days and the neck on my Shelly Park Encore is superb. The 26.25 scale, OTOH, is not my favorite.

If I want to play chord melody on an acoustic guitar, I have three vintage D'Angelicos (all of which are a 24.75 scale with a 1 11/16 nut) that do the job better than any other guitar that I have ever played.

**JazzPadd** · 10-19-2025, 07:13 PM

What a wealth of options!

I use my Taylor for jazz. Cedar top and rosewood body, in the Grand Concert series, which is similar in size to a parlor guitar. I asked for the cutaway body but without the electronics, and then later I installed a K&K Pure Mini.

Wishing you all the best!

**Jx30510** · 10-20-2025, 01:28 AM

Happy to see this thread has still some interest !
Anyone tried the Sigma SATA line ? There's litteraly nothing about them on the web.
On paper they look very interesting
The SATA 200E looks very nice. Solid hand carved Sitka spruce top

Minus the mahogany neck though..
And ebony fretboard and bridge..
These specs bring it closer to sort of a mix of a L4 and ES125.
I'm really curious about this one