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...for electric, warm / rich classic jazz tone, what is your suggestion? Definitely not aiming for acoustic tones here. Thank you for any perspective.
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11-04-2022 09:46 AM
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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.
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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
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Good to hear. I was thinking the same, but have never played one, besides an L-4.
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Do you mean downsizing to only one electric guitar (an archtop), or downsizing to one archtop among more than one electric guitar?
If the former, I wouldn't do that because I play other stuff that an archtop doesn't work well with. I'd downsize to my semi-hollow. If the latter, I've never had or wanted more than one archtop, so I'm already there. I'd most likely stick with what I have (Seventy-Seven Hawk Jazz Deep), though the eye inevitably wanders.
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Downsizing to one Archtop, in addition to others electric guitars. Originally Posted by John A.
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Well aside from the Loar I only have an ES175 lol. So that?
If I wanted something else I’d have to trade it in.
one guitar? Have to be the 335
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I'm not trying to give a stupid answer here, but I'd get off the abstract world of online forums and try a bunch of things out. Your hands, your string choice, your hand movement, your ears, your music, your phrasing, your TASTE is YOURS, and the purpose of a guitar is to match some combination of wood, steel and electricity to release that "warm / rich classic jazz tone" from your body. Originally Posted by tomvwash
Taste is an evolution, not a de facto process and hey, those are great starting points, but look at all those players that use the guitars mentioned here on the discussions, they all went through a LOT of guitars and changed their own playing to settle on what they determined was their voice.
Who would ever recommend downsizing to a telecaster? But one guy did and he got what nobody else could ever imagine. He had his own instincts.
I've loved the 175 too but there are a LOT of incarnations of even that specific guitar that run the gamut of clunk to WOW!. I just tried a 275 and my reaction was "Where have YOU been all my life?". But 5 years ago, I know I wouldn't have felt that way.
I really respect other opinions, but just a headslap reminder to keep your own hands and ears at the top of any search. Get something that really resonates with you (literally) and grow with it even if it's totally weird to others. You'll grow and converge with perfect and you might find that you're in an evolving ballpark and you'll wind up closer to perfect because your own first instincts brought you to something true to you.
Have fun.
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It’s all vanity.
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I have ahard time choosing between my 7 archtops. Gibson ,Heritage Guild Eastman and Ibanez .I can set them to get yhe sound I like with any good amp , Mostly Quilter. I previously owned 3 es-175 ,s Each sounded different. I wonder why so many people swear by them , Iwas under whelmed.Great players of the past I heard live playing 175s sounded compleatly different than their recordings... Go figure.mickmac
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...they are so nice, hanging on the wall...
Besides of joke my dream an es-175, I never had it. I can not decide between my Eastman 371 and Godin Kingpin. Both are lovable.
Epi Joe Pass, D'Angelico EXL, Eastman 810, could go...
...but they are so nice, hanging on the wall...
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Probably a toss-up between my Fender D'Aquisto Elite or the custom Heritage H-575 / Sweet 16 chimera I picked up recently. Both kind of in the ES-175-ish vein, both have spruce tops so really sweet to the ear, decent upper fret access, no single-coil noise. Most importantly, both are inspirational to play.
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Exactly right. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Excellent choice! Excellent guitar! Originally Posted by John A.
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@tomv, is this just a fun, hypothetical poll, or are you trying to downsize? If the latter, I'd ask: what do you have now to keep/get rid of??
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I'm actually trying to downsize. I didn't want to come around to the fact that the Super is too Super-sized for my 5' 9" frame, but it's taking its toll on my back after a nearly one year now. Originally Posted by marcwhy
Agreed on the earlier 335 comments--I have one--but hoping to stay with at least some of the rich Super 400 tone when I change things up. Thanks for the note,
Tom
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Probably a lot of wisdom in the post on what plays out in a guitar. I am 6' 1 although at one time I might have been 6'2 but with age we shrink, I think. My Super 400 feels great in the lap. A 175 is fine but I find I am hunched over a bit on it compared to the Super400. So lately I have found my 17-inch guitars to be quite nice. Going for a down size if I was in your situation, it would be a L5 in a Carved top. If I was going for a laminate then it would be a Tal. Vinny is completely correct in the Tal is maybe the best 17 inch laminate top guitar made. Originally Posted by tomvwash
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Thus sayeth Qoholeth. Don't know who he or she was, but not wrong in the understanding that much of life is little more than vanity. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
In terms of the OP's question, I have two archtops: a 17" Matt Cushman and an Ibanez GB10. While the former is a wonderful guitar with an outstanding acoustic sound, if I was going to keep only one archtop it would be the GB10. It's more versatile in terms of amplified sound although the acoustic sound is negligible. It is also very comfortable and, as I get older, I'm finding the size of the larger guitar limits my playing some. On the other hand, if I decided I was never going to gig again and was just going to sit on my front porch to play guitar for my own amusement, I'd probably keep the Cushman.
Regarding other electric guitars, if I was only going to keep one of those it would be my Stratishcaster. Or I could cheat the question and keep the Cushman and the Ibanez!
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Gibson Custom ES 335 1959 reissue. And I’m not even a Gibson guy…
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Best tones I ever heard were from Wes' L5, a Fender D'Aquisto, Jim Hall's 175 (was that one modified?) and a Guild Artist Award played by Reg.
But, if I could have only one, it would be a 1939 Gibson, blond, cutaway L5.
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Funny you asked that question ... I was thinking just yesterday that no matter how much I look, I can't seem to find a guitar that would motivate me to sell any of the four I have in my studio. There is no question that the Eastman Romeo (with dual Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday humbuckers) is my favorite and most versatile archtop guitar. But the thought of selling my VOS '59 ES-175 is unthinkable. I love playing it, it's a piece of history. It sounds great. And yes - there are a number of challenges with it, which aren't worth going into. Bottom line is, it cannot easily be replaced. So that would be the one I keep ... until I could buy another Eastman Romeo.
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I have a mint 2009 edition, blonde, up for for sale at Archtop.com if you're interested ... Originally Posted by Oscar67
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I think it depends how you need to use it. Loud gigs, big band, small intimate ensembles, home studio use, etc.
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Either a 175 or an L5 for me.
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Borys B-120
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