17” Archtop Recommendations?

[SkyyJ]

Hey, looking for a 17” archtop with preferably a single humbucker pickup in the $1000-2500 range. I know it could be a tough price range to find one in but wondering if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks!

[Cunamara]

Epiphone, Eastman, Ibanez and several others have options in that range (the Ibanez instruments might be 16" rather than 17", however).

[nyc chaz]

Hey, looking for a 17” archtop with preferably a single humbucker pickup in the $1000-2500 range. I know it could be a tough price range to find one in but wondering if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks!

You can find a fine archtop for that money.There are a ton of Eastmans on Reverb in your price range and they are beautifully made and sound terrific.You might want to check out the new D'angelico's that just came out.They are under 2k.I have not had a chance to try these in person yet but the demo's on Youtube sound promising.

[Stringswinger]

Epiphone Triumph.

[SkyyJ]

Hello. If you don’t mind going the non-traditional route, there are many nice vintage examples(1950’s-1960’s) from Germany. Makers such as Rodebald Hoyer, Arnold Hoyer, Nuebauer, Hofner, Huttl, Levin(Switzerland). You can pick up one of their high end models with all solid woods or solid top and laminated sides and back. (The solid top, laminate back models get those “authentic” gypsy jazz/ European tones.

A couple of years ago this is what I did. I bought a 1959 Rodebald Hoyer “Samba” 17” acoustic archtop with solid maple sides, solid German spruce top, laminate back(I am not 100% positive it isn’t solid maple) from a reputable dealer located in Germany off Reverb. The instrument was/is in great shape and arrived shipped and insured at my door for less than $650.00usd.

After a couple of months of ownership and acclimation I had a custom bone/ebony nut and custom ebony bridge made, the fingerboard plained,re-fret with medium jumbo EVO fretwire, and set up done by a very reputable luthier/guitar repairman. The neck doesn’t have a truss rod, but does have 2 small metal bars in it for reinforcement (maybe). The neck is straight as an arrow and plays great.

Even after the custom work and re-fret I still have less than $1200.00usd. My upcoming plan is to install a floating DeArmond Rhythm Chief p/u mounted at neck with the volume control and 1/4” jack mounted behind the bridge. This will put it in the $1450.00usd range.

It’s a lot of guitar for the money. A great acoustic archtop and electric acoustic archtop. It’s vintage and better than the Gibson L-48’s, L-50’s, L-4’s, etc and other American made instruments in the same price range. Bonus many of them have that cool, European kitsch look.

Anyway, just an idea off the beaten path to consider.Here are a few pics of mine and the work done on it:

Thanks for the detailed response! I’ll definitely look into those companies.


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