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Hi again everyone ^_^ I just wanna take the time to thank everyone for a the advice regarding the Gretsch it's doing everything I ever wanted and more for my plugged in electric tone smitten doesn't even cover it.
A new situations kind of come up where once every two weeks I'm spending 3 nights away at a hotel looking at houses an it's got me thinking (g.a.s. is a cruel mistress) about picking a 2nd archtop up something to play acousticly while I'm away n leave in the pretty secure hotel room while I'm out house hunting without spending a load just incase the worst happened.
Anyway that leads me onto the next conundrum I followed everyone's advice and played a few guitars upside down.
On the vintage front I got to play one very beat up epi triumph from the 40s was quite interesting and quite strident and wasn't responsive to me playing with my thumb volume wise although it felt amazing to feel a carved instrument actually move n vibrate as you play.
Next I tried a 1935 with the neck on the body L50 with the flat back, that had such an addictive sweet tone an weirdly I got on well with the V neck. I honestly didn't want to hand it back lol! How does the flat back compared to Arched back alter the tone?
I'm hoping to try a 1940s one in a week or so along with an L5c itching to try that.
I'd love to try a Benedetto with being a thumb player) am I right in saying the eastmans are loosely based on that concept)
Next I managed to get my hands on a Epi masterbilt Deluxe I struggled getting volume out of that (the room was massive) and it seemed to pickup all the string squeal although I'm assuming that might have been the strings on it. That had a superb neck though I loved the body size to bits an the but I was just unsure about the tone. One thing that did cross my mind was fitting a frequensator tail peice an ebony bridge and a floating CC pickup (for when at home) an seeing if the tail peice and bridge changed matters has anyone done that?
I also played a Zenith at one point very early on in the search that was quite punchy but I do prefer the bigger body size in feel.
Next play was a Broadway in a small room it actually quite filled the tiny room with nice sound n overtones acousticly although that was a very tiny booth so might have been tricking the ear. With that I'd have to drill n move the controls though as now I'm sitting different with the guitar they were stabbing me in the arm.
Final play was the Gretsch new yorker as very brash and very very strident with a pic it was a surprising guitar with my thumb playing ended up quite Mellow but warm good fundemental note but not any overtones the which I think added to the strident bit the strings were goosed though again I really liked the V neck which suprised me.
I'd love to jump out an buy the l50 but it's 1500 more than the budget but while I'm talking carved top archtops on say an l50 or a loar under those circumstances going into a Car driving 4 hours then into a hotel room that's hot n quite dry with no control over the temp would that be a situation to cause a top to crack how does everyone get on at gigs with the carve tops? Usually it can go from a very wet 10 degrees in the uk to 25 degrees.
I thought a few might enjoy my musings after playing a few guitars while I'm trying to decide what to spend a measly (for an acoustic archtop) 600 budget on
One other guitar that crossed my mind was a Cromwell (not sure of the brand names of the other 30s gibson made ones)
All the above apart from the Loar 700s n L50s are in an around the budget I'm thinking of spending once I've sold my xbox.
Thanks in advance,
Lucy
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09-01-2022 06:58 PM
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You seem to want two guitars. A cheap one to leave in a hotel room and another archtop.
For the hotel room I’d say get a telecaster, play it unplugged. Even a small acoustic can get complaints from the neighbors. You’ll be able to hear the notes.
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For traveling I’d recommend a Godin Kingpin. Can play plugged or unplugged. Since it’s a laminate little effect from changes in humidity, etc.
Or…if you want a real acoustic guitar that travels easily, get a Voyage Air folding guitar. Mine has a solid spruce top and plays and sounds great. I also have a sound hole pickup in case I ever want to amplify it. I love mine.
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Does your desired hotel beater guitar need to be an Archtop or just something to keep your Chops up in these 4-day trips?
I had to travel for quite a bit and found a Yamaha Silent Guitar (steel string) the ticket. It let me use with headphones, or a tiny travel amp, and had an Aux to plug in backing tracks.
Its not a Jazz box though- neck width, scale length etc may be different to your Gretch, and the modeled sound is a Concert sized Acoustic- but for practice does that matter enough?
It also packs down small. I took it on planes all the time, tossed in the boot of Hire cars- never a problem. Amplified it also gives you another performance option longer term.
A noiser but pretty cheap option could be a Gretch JimDandy parlour. Nothing to cry over if it busts up but Cheep Cheep like a Canary.
EM
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Thanks everyone really great advice as always
an yep probably hit the nail on the head was thinking of something that'd cross over a bit be cheap enough not to worry if the worst happened n it got pinched but at the same time have some flexibility for when I'm back home which was initially what got me thinking about a masterbilt range and going for a charlie christian pickup wise. The Godin could be a good shout though I've played one of those with a p90 an the acoustic tone was nice, the neck was quite a bit different to what I'm used to though mainly the radius on the fretboard the all acoustic one from a few years back could be a good shout though as the lefties never come up s/h.
I'll check the ones you all mentioned out
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It,s easyto restring for lefty .. aaaaaaaaaA little nut work and new bridge saddle.. I,m no luthier but hve done this multiple times with success... mickmac
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Thanks mickmac that's the plan which is why I'm thinking a none cutaway
Took me all afternoon but I've done it
Here's some clips of me playing the following guitars
Acousticly an upside down apart from the godin
All played with my thumb bar some clips of the new yorker which are mentioned on the caption
1946 epiphone triumph which was in bad condition
Modern Epiphone Masterbilt Deluxe had bronze strings on it
Gretsch new yorker
Godin with the p90.
Made in China Epi broadway
N then the 2nd half of the clip is the ones with pickups plugged in.
Wish my phone had recorded the Gibson l50 but that's an excuse for a guitar shop visit
Last edited by Lucy; 09-02-2022 at 02:22 PM.
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You can't beat the Godin for a travelling archtop. That's why I got mine. And it plugs in and gigs just fine too. I agree the neck is a bit different. But it's a small thing in my book. It won't hurt your playing.
Cheapest of the lot isn't it? Maybe some money left over to start saving for one of those more respectable jazz boxes at home :-)
I tried a parlour for travelling, but that was waaayy too different from my home guitars. I couldn't get comfortable with it. Made a nice gift for a niece that was showing some interest in guitar though.
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That's what I travel with to hotels, a Squire Classic Vibe 50s tele. I plug into a computer with amp sims (which can also be done with a smartphone) and play with headphones.
Originally Posted by AllanAllen
If I were to travel by plane I'd look into getting steel screw inserts and remove the neck to carry on the guitar as Julian Lage does.
Julian Lage shares pro tip for traveling with a Telecaster – remove the neck completely | Guitar World
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If you really want a cheap non-cutaway archtop maybe you'd like the harley benton Manhattan. I bought mine new for just about 200€, and actually really enjoy it. As most cheap guitars it will need a setup though. I wrote about it when i got it here.
There are also several Videos on Youtube of people playing them lefthanded.
Paul
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Thanks everyone really appreciate the time you are all taking to reply
I'll check the suggestions out now.
Whats everyone's take away on the clip personally I felt the Epiphone Triumph sounded the best but I'm unsure what the next choice along would be the Epis well out of my budget at 4k but was very interesting to have experienced. I played a 1930s l50 to and I really didn't wanna leave that guitar was so Mellow! N had quite a bit of output with my fingers to.
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He mentions Danny Gatton, but I imagine Bill Kirchner was the first player of note to come up with that idea. Originally Posted by fep
I don’t know why you would have to take the strings off. Some kind of pad between the pieces would protect them, maybe a backpack type of thing.
Locking tuners and a locking nut (as with the Voyage Air) would be really helpful in making the reassembly easy.
Voyage Air DOES make a Tele-style guitar with a hinged neck. So there’s that option as well.
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Well a new guitar day wouldn't be a new guitar day without pics here's here's new Epiphone Masterbilt Deluxe
New lefty bone nut is on the way and I've gotta try decide on strings she's running 12's at the moment but I'm not sure what to get was thinking rotosound monels or elixir phosphor bronze? Anyone got any other recommendations?
Thanks in advance,
Lucy
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That is sure a purty guitar.
So you’re gonna string it up lefty? I would be inclined to have a pickguard made to install on the left side. Oh no pickguard. Just my OCD—would drive me crazy with a righty pickguard.
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Hi Jeff thanks!! yep thats the plan
got a new lefty bone nut coming tomorrow gotta decide on some strings in a 12-53 an I'm thinking of a lefty pickguard looking into where I can get one made an im actually thinking of a Charlie Christian pickup as a floating pickup for it. I've been listening to Round Midnight from the Wes Montgomery Trio album loads love the tone on that particular recording of it an I belive that was Kennys L7 with a CC pickup
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