If You Downsize to One Archtop

[Max405]

A mint D’Angelico or a Flamey, mint Gibson Johnny Smith would be nice. But I am afraid of old guitars. Truss rods breaking, bindings rotting. Old wood drying out and cracking. Checking.. oh my God. I just got a stomach ache.

So For me, an L5 Wes.
I’ve tried a lot of different guitars and the L5 just makes me play better, sound better and want for nothing else. Well, except for a couple of other L5’s..
Vinny is right though. The Tal would be a perfect, ONLY guitar.
I just hope it never comes to that..
Others to consider, a LeGrand or a Citation. I’ve never played either but, I have a feeling.. I’d adapt..
JD

[tbeltrans]

If I was going to have 1 guitar, I'd have an ES-175 and be done with it. More classic jazz tones created with those than pretty much anything else.

Agreed this is probably the safest bet. However, I would want an older one that is built lighter than the later models.

Tony

[tbeltrans]

A mint D’Angelico or a Flamey, mint Gibson Johnny Smith would be nice. But I am afraid of old guitars. Truss rods breaking, bindings rotting. Old wood drying out and cracking. Checking.. oh my God. I just got a stomach ache.

So For me, an L5 Wes.
I’ve tried a lot of different guitars and the L5 just makes me play better, sound better and want for nothing else. Well, except for a couple of other L5’s..
Vinny is right though. The Tal would be a perfect, ONLY guitar.
I just hope it never comes to that..
Others to consider, a LeGrand or a Citation. I’ve never played either but, I have a feeling.. I’d adapt..
JD

Now you have done it. Yes, the Citation could easily be (and probably will be at some point) my only guitar. Though I do agree with Mr. Beaumont that an ES-175 is a great choice and certainly less expensive.

Tony

[Gitterbug]

I've got too many archtops considering my modest gigging needs and - especially - my skills level. I just happen to love them. Top three: ES-175 1959 VOS (2014), Epiphone Emperor Regent (1999) and Ibanez Afj-91 (2012 I think). The Ibby is a modestly-priced single Super 58 model, which I use on most gigs. A nice blend of acoustic and electric qualities, best neck ever. But, for sentimental reasons, the Epi will be the last to leave the house. Fortunately, I don't have to thin the herd yet.

[Mark M.]

For me, I have learned that my ideal archtop is a carved 16" with a built in pickup (for gig feedback resistance) that is under 3" in depth. I have two currently that fit that description and would be hard pressed to pick one if I had to

Same for me, and this would be the one.

[mickmac]

I have one guitar that would be the last to go, It has done everything needed on hundreds of gigs. Any sound ,any volume. Benedetto Bambino, The one perfect guitar. No I am not an endorsee. mickmac

[lawson-stone]

It would either be my Gibson ES175 1959 re-issue, or my 90's ES165 Herb Ellis. I also have an L5ces, but the ES175 has the vibe I love.

[jads57]

Carved Top if I played at lower volumes like a Gibson Johnny Smith or similar. Benedetto Bambino if I played with bands as well as smaller ensemble situation.

The Bambino is way more versatile!

[entresz]

It's a hard choice but if I could only have one guitar (that I already own) it would be my 83 Epi Emperor F with dynasonics. The long scale neck, thin laminate soundboard, and comfy neck make it my go-to guitar. The fact it's not as valuable as an L5 for example is a good thing considering I play in pubs/clubs where people can get a bit drunk and wobbly... in certain venues it would be too risky to bring something too special.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

…in certain venues it would be too risky to bring something too special.

This is more important than many realize, and it’s not just the venues or the cost of the guitar. Everything from cold air conditioning and hot, dry forced air heat to hot car interiors and cold trunks to careless people threaten our instruments. But those threats are far more real and serious for thin carved solid woods than they are for production laminates. Every guitar needs proper humidification, but at worst most laminated instruments develop a little fret sprout. Cracks, binding separation etc from temperature and humidity problems are much less common in them.

A prized case queen is a wonderful thing to have. But as your only guitar, it’s close to useless if you gig unless you’re OK with physical scars and a deep patina of use. And when the inevitable happens, you have to repair and maintain it meticulously. So a good laminated archtop would be my choice if I could only have one and am actively gigging.

[CarlD]

Gibson Custom ES 335 1959 reissue. And I’m not even a Gibson guy…

LOL .. Safari displays that as a clickable phone number.

[Woody Sound]

Since you call it "downsizing," I assume you mean one you already have. Would be my Sadowsky for versatility. If I stopped gigging and was only playing at home, I'd switch to a carved top with floater.

[Woody Sound]

Same for me, and this would be the one.

What a beautiful burst there. I'd be afraid to play that thing.

[coolvinny]

My solid top/laminate back 16" archtop with floating KA 12-pole HB. But if I was playing lots of gigs then I'd get something smaller that can cut through better in loud situations.

[Greywolf]

For Jazz it would be my Heritage H575 C

[jim777]

Definitely my beautiful, red VDA NYL-2 if it had to be one I already own. If not, a 50's L7c But I wouldn't play them out, they'd stay home and let a semi or Tele do the dirty work. My opinion may change when I get to the top of Mark C's list though

[Max405]

Jim that made my night.
Thanks buddy.
JD

[jim777]

Jim that made my night.
Thanks buddy.
JD

It's absolutely sublime; I smile every time I pick it up and my teacher is jealous as well! Thanks again!

[wintermoon]

Same for me, and this would be the one.

Are those reissue Kluson Sealfasts?

[Little Jay]

I love all my guitars, but my ES-125 is the One Guitar To Rule Them All. It always delivers.

I have been playing less jazz lately and have a lot fun at a local blues jamsession. A nice playground for my Tele’s, Strats and thinline ES-guitars. Decided to take the 125 the other night and BAM! All the heads in the room turned

(My 125 has a soundpost and hardly feedbacks)

[Mark M.]

Are those reissue Kluson Sealfasts?

I believe they are, WM, but I can’t say for sure. They were on the guitar when I received it from Archtop.com, though the original tuners were pictured in the listing. I know Joe had consigned this guitar twice and the pictures were likely from the first listing. The guitar also had (I presume) the original owner’s initials inlayed in the diamond on the back of the headstock. Somewhere along the line a professional removal of those initials was performed. While I’m glad the work was done and I think I got an upgrade on the tuners, neither of these changes were mentioned by the seller. Here are the pictures from the listing:



Here’s what it currently looks like:



Again, while I have no objections about the improvements themselves, the fact that they were undisclosed gives me some pause.

[SierraTango]

This is more important than many realize, and it’s not just the venues or the cost of the guitar. Everything from cold air conditioning and hot, dry forced air heat to hot car interiors and cold trunks to careless people threaten our instruments. But those threats are far more real and serious for thin carved solid woods than they are for production laminates. Every guitar needs proper humidification, but at worst most laminated instruments develop a little fret sprout. Cracks, binding separation etc from temperature and humidity problems are much less common in them.

A prized case queen is a wonderful thing to have. But as your only guitar, it’s close to useless if you gig unless you’re OK with physical scars and a deep patina of use. And when the inevitable happens, you have to repair and maintain it meticulously. So a good laminated archtop would be my choice if I could only have one and am actively gigging.

Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky, but if there is a gig offered that I can't cover with my 1990 Benedetto Cremona, I'm not that interested in playing it.

Granted, I'm in California, we don't have the weather you guys have back East. I lived in the Outer Banks of NC from 1989-2000 and know about the weather back there. With some common sense precautions, I have no hesitation playing my BC out in the wild. That, and my firm belief that what makes a guitar precious and have value to it's owner/caretaker is performing with it.

To each his own.

[wintermoon]

I believe they are, WM, but I can’t say for sure. They were on the guitar when I received it from Archtop.com, though the original tuners were pictured in the listing. I know Joe had consigned this guitar twice and the pictures were likely from the first listing. The guitar also had (I presume) the original owner’s initials inlayed in the diamond on the back of the headstock. Somewhere along the line a professional removal of those initials was performed. While I’m glad the work was done and I think I got an upgrade on the tuners, neither of these changes were mentioned by the seller. Here are the pictures from the listing:



Here’s what it currently looks like:



Again, while I have no objections about the improvements themselves, the fact that they were undisclosed gives me some pause.

those are waffleback tuners, but the buttons are the same as Sealfasts.
Nice looking axe btw!

[Bluedawg]

It’s all vanity.

Says the teacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

LOL

Mine would be my 1985 175. I've collected a nice array of Gibson archtops and a Heritage and a Campellone ... all of them great, but in hindsight I could have stopped with the 175 and been quite happy.