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From my searching it seems like most quality acoustic archtops are either good and very affordable (Loar, Eastman) or exceptional and highly collectible (vintage L5s, luthier builds). I would love a high quality acoustic archtop (or floating pickup) that’s better than the Eastman variety but still within the sub-$5k range. Either new or not. Willing to search and wait around for it but not really sure what makes, models, and years to be on the lookout for. Thanks for any recommendations!
Ps - Maybe goes without saying, but looking for something for jazz and swing. So 14” or round hole archtops are not really what I’m looking for even though they can fall in that price range!
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02-13-2024 06:27 PM
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A Campellone standard would just fit into your price range. They may be mid-tier pricing, but they're top quality performance. You'll find a lot of love for Campellone on this forum. The more expensive models just add more bling, but all the guitars have the same bones.
No affiliation but here's a used one on Reverb for about $4,800.
Campellone Standard | Reverb
Another direction would be to look for some of the Gibson, Epiphone, or Gretsch archtops from the 40s-50s that weren't exactly the top of the line models (Gibson L-50 for example). There are lots of those in the $3000 range. Even an L-7 could come in under $5,000.Last edited by andrew; 02-14-2024 at 02:59 PM.
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Check out Holst guitars. These are wonderful luthier built guitars and reasonably priced. He makes laminated and carved. I have a laminated and really like it.
Last edited by Prossi@cozen.com; 02-14-2024 at 02:19 PM. Reason: Left info out
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Get a vintage Gibson L7 or Epiphone Broadway.
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Thanks! Any particular years or eras to look out for - either as good ones or duds?
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
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Check out Brad Goodman at goodmanguitars.com High quality very reasonably priced archtops. He’s been flying under the radar for years.
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Anything up to the 50s is fair game. There are good ones and bad ones in every period. I have a 1950 L7 and have owned lots of Epiphones from different periods. I love these guitars with a floating pickup for swing. Here’s my late 40s deluxe. Originally Posted by noober
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...and Epiphone Triumph. Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
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I think you need to define “better” if you want useful input. If you mean better build quality, I don’t think you’ll find it short of top level instruments. Eastman guitars are very well made - I’ve been very impressed with my two and every one of the many I’ve played since the first time I saw one at Ed Roman’s Las Vegas store when he first opened. The workmanship is excellent. There’s no slop anywhere - the inside is as clean and well assembled as the outside. The woods are beautiful and the finishes on both are gorgeous and without blemish (one an early example of their new thin poly and one French polished). Even the tailpieces (which have been problematic on earlier Eastman archtops) are solid and attractive enough to control (barely) my desire for a “better” one Originally Posted by noober
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If you mean better sound, that’s more a matter of difference than hierarchy. Carved Eastman acoustic archtops sound more like Benedettos than they sound like the big classic Gibsons etc of the ‘60s and later. Either you love the sound or you don’t - but I don’t think you can generalize that the sound of carved Eastman guitars is better or worse than that of any other line of similar guitars even well above $5k. I had an L50 for years that had one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard from a guitar. I liked the sound as much as or more than most other carved archtops I’ve had, which includes a ‘34 L5 and an L5CN I bought new in 1970. None sounded objectively better than the rest, but I liked some more than others and the battered L50 was one of my all time favorites.
Don’t mistake fancy for better. I agree that there’s an elegance to the L5s, Campellones, D’As, Grimes etc of the world that makes them more exciting to look at, hold, and admire. But that doesn’t make them objectively better as guitars. I love the plain and simple look of the basic American Archtops and would gladly play one with no binding or embellishment at all. They sound and feel great - but so do my Eastmans for half the cost.
I suspect there are more than a few luthiers out there with small shops turning out wonderful basic archtops at reasonable prices. But you have to find them. I’ve stumbled across a few over the years, like Ed Foley in NJ. He was at a Philly guitar show years ago and made wonderful flattops that were alive and exciting to hear, see, and play. They were also well inlaid and beautiful. But it’ll take some leg work and elbow grease to search and find makers like this and to determine that what they make is what you want.
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Is Ed Foley the "E.A. Foley" you can find on Reverb?
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I don't know. As I recall, he only made flattops. His logo (inlaid on the peghead) was a pair of longhorns like Texans put on their car hoods. All of the inlays were intricate but tasteful and very well done (by his teenaged son, as I recall). His guitars were fantastic - gorgeous builds and finishes with big, rich sound and very nice to play. I'd already switched to 7 strings, so I didn't need another 6. But they sounded as fine as anything I've ever heard and I'd have grabbed one if I wanted a 6 string flattie. Originally Posted by jim777
I just checked his website. The telephone number is a Newark NJ area code. I also searched E A Foley on Reverb and it appears to be the same Ed Foley from the text in the ads. If it's the same guy and guitars, anyone who wants a dread, OM etc should check these out. I think they're among the best guitars I've ever played for sound, feel, and build quality. I'm not into ornate decoration, but he'll make you whatever you want.
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Fair enough and thanks for all the input. I am a longtime flatpicker and more recently getting into early jazz and swing. I have an Eastman hollow body electric right now that’s great, but I think I eventually want a full acoustic archtop. In the flattop world, Eastmans are great for the price (under $2k) but the $3-6k bracket gives much better options with substantially better tone, volume, materials. Go higher than that and you get more into that subjective “better” world you’re talking about. I get that archtops are very different in terms of the labor it takes to build/maintain and the pricing that goes along with it. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
I’ve played a number of Gibson and Epi archtops in the 3-5k range, and was sadly unimpressed with the ones I found (I think several were L48s) - I felt like a less expensive Eastman sound and play way better. I live in the south and don’t have access to that many good ones to try out, short of traveling or ordering blindly. Eastmans are great but I was hoping there was a next step up before getting to the really high end stuff.
As far as “better” for me - acoustic volume and projection is important, and so is playability and setup. I care less about bling and usually prefer looks of less elaborate guitars.
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Or Epiphone Blackstone, Spartan, or Zenith: any of these can sound excellent, when properly setup. Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
Last edited by daverepair; 02-16-2024 at 10:23 AM.
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Ideally Johnny Smith. I’ve been listening to him basically all the time since I found his music in December. Amazing! Love how he keeps the melody front and center. His tone too - bright and crisp, can hear the pick articulation. Not a fan of the muffled mid-rangey thing. Originally Posted by daverepair
I’ve played a 1930s 14 or 15” Zenith, really fun guitar but seemed too quiet. Did they make those guitars you listed in bigger sizes? Am I wrong to assume a 16 or 17” would be a louder and better move for acoustic?
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If Johnny Smith is what you're after, a Guild Artist Award might fit the bill. Johnny Smith had signature guitars with three different brands (first Guild briefly, then Gibson for a long time, and finally Heritage). The Artist Award model was essentially the Johnny Smith signature model without his name on it. There's one on archtop.com right now for $4995.
I'm also surprised to see that no one has mentioned Heritage yet. Definitely some very nice guitars on par with modern Gibson offerings. Look for one of the variations of an Eagle with a floating pickup. I don't mean to start any fights, but in general the advice is to go 90s or early 2000s, as that seems to have been their "best" era. You'll definitely be able to pick one up under $5k.
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One Epiphone model that hasn't been mentioned is the Devon. They can be very, very good. I'd be looking at this for $1800.
Epiphone Devon Sunburst 1955 | Reverb
I absolutely adore my 53 Triumph Regent, have done many engagements with it. No pickup just place a mic in front of it and go!
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WOW yes this is what I am after! I had seen the models with Johnny Smith in the name but those were $10k plus so I swiftly moved on. These Guild models seem perfect. Originally Posted by andrew
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I agree with you. But the OP did specifically ask for a pure acoustic archtop, which to me meant no pickup. Originally Posted by andrew
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Personally, I would advise my close friends to stick with Gibson/Epiphone from 30's or 40's. In your price range:
Gibson: L10 or L7 (stay away from L48, L50, etc. they're garbage)
Epiphone: Anything 16" or above. Deluxe, Broadway, Triumph
I never considered a Gretch from that time period but, I played one from late 30's right next to Epi Deluxe from same period and preferred the Gretch. Who knew. More work needs to be done here.
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How does Guild Artist Award stack up with these? I’m really liking the look and vibe of them. Floating pickup is definitely ok (or maybe even preferred) as long as it’s still powerful acoustically. Originally Posted by pawlowski6132
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I owned and gigged with a 92 Guild AA extensively. It was a beautiful instrument in every way. I had it setup for gigging-TI JS 13's. Stock floater, it worked fine for me but some folks don't care for them. Ai one point I decided to set it up with 80/20 Bronze strings and discover it's acoustic voice. Originally Posted by noober
While it did sound very good acoustically, it was no match for my 53 Triumph Regent.
I'm not a very technical guy, however there is something about old wood that just makes seasoned Archtops sing. IMHO of course. To the OP, you simply cannot go wrong with a AA, however I would not expect it to compete acoustically with a well kept 70 or so year old instrument.
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That guitar is a real beauty.Is the neck Brazillian Rosewood ? Originally Posted by SierraTango
One Epiphone model that hasn't been mentioned is the Devon. They can be very, very good. I'd be looking at this for $1800.
Epiphone Devon Sunburst 1955 | Reverb
I absolutely adore my 53 Triumph Regent, have done many engagements with it. No pickup just place a mic in front of it and go!
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apples vs oranges Originally Posted by noober
can't compare them
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Guild AA guitars have always been less than I expected. I owned 2 at various times and while good guitars, acoustically they were less many, through an amp fine. Having owned 2 GJS and now I have a Heritage JS, they are far more oustanding guitars in all respects. The AA does win points for general overall looks and playability but acoustically no match for other carved tops guitars. My Barkers smoke then in the dust.
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