What's with all the weird Jazz guitars people buy?

[RJVB]

Isn't OP the same guy who's trying to sell a 1917 Style O?

A mandolin with 6 strings (and bridge pins) definitely looks weird, but I'm sure it sounds just fine

[lawson-stone]

It's important to observe that Gibson currently is not building archtop guitars, so if you want a Gibson you have to go used. Since they are not being built any more, the street price of used Gibsons is going way up, making them inaccessible to most. But if you want a Gibson L5 WesMo but can't meet the price, there is always Elferink or Campellone, who can build you a WesMo, to your specifications, for dramatically less money than a Gibson and many think quite reasonably that they are the equal or better to anything coming from Gibson. Both also do acoustic only archtops in the Gibson tradition. Gibson has abandoned the archtop playing market, all 6 of us, so these other brands end up being the only option other than used Gibsons. Epiphones are nice, I own about 4 Epiphone archtops and love them all. But if you want high-end, Epiphone is not that. I love my $800 Epiphone Broadway, but many want something more in the L5ces class. If you can find an Elitist Broadway, you score a great guitar, but they are hard to find.

So these other makers fill a gap. Some people want a new guitar. Gibson won't sell you a new archtop. Heritage will, but they are not priced out of reach for many. A Campellone or Elferink end up being the best buy for a hand-made L5 or other type of archtop.

[customxke]

What’s with people eating weird ice cream like rocky road, or mint chocolate chip, or strawberry? Why doesn’t everyone just eat chocolate or vanilla?

[One_Note]

Isn't OP the same guy who's trying to sell a 1917 Style O?

Definitely out of the ordinary, but beautiful! I've always loved the look of the scroll design on F-style mandolins.

[Stringswinger]

I'm sure there are good reasons but, it's not obvious to me. Can someone shed some light on this for me?

I drop in on the For Sale section sometimes and the FS and WTB adds list guitars I've NEVER even heard of much less would ever consider buying.

Why do people buy these? What's wrong with traditional Gibson or Epiphone archtops????? Why would anyone buy anything else?

I know this sounds like trolling but, trust me, this is a sincere question.

Looking to educate myself, not insult anyone.

jrp

Just as there are many different ways to play jazz guitar (Some cats who dig Wes Montgomery cannot stand Blood Olmer for an example),there are many different tools one can use to play jazz guitar. For some it might be a Gibson L-5 or Epiphone Deluxe. For some it might be a fanned fret Novax or a Headless Steinberger. Different strokes and all that.

[CliffR]

If that LHT and I were in the same country, it would be mine by now. (If I hadn't just lost my job and been landed with a $20,000 bill to fix the sewer line in our Seattle house.) It has fanned frets, a compound radius fretboard, and a body shape designed to make it comfortable to play despite its large size. And it looks fucking beautiful. What's not to like?

[garybaldy]

all 6 of us

That should cut down the waiting time!

[sm80808]

I mean you don't really need a mercedes to drive to work. we should all have hondas.

[Doctor Jeff]

I mean you don't really need a mercedes to drive to work. we should all have hondas.

Nobody needs a Mercedes.

Now BMW, on the other hand...

[garybaldy]

I wish Mercs were cheaper than Fords like Elferinks are cheaper than Gibsons!

[pawlowski6132]

More importantly, if you are into sans pickup playing are you joining us for the summer of Rhythm guitar?

Can you share some more information on this please??

[pawlowski6132]

<< Why do people buy these? What's wrong with traditional Gibson or Epiphone archtops????? Why would anyone buy anything else? >>


There's nothing wrong with Gibson or Epiphone archtops.

Regarding the first and third questions, I would primarily think about:
- Behavioral economics - Wikipedia
- Identity economics - Wikipedia
- Ethnocentrism - Wikipedia

There are certainly much more considerations in this regard, like Value judgment - Wikipedia , Bias - Wikipedia , Normativity - Wikipedia .

Love it. Right up my alley.

[pawlowski6132]

Isn't OP the same guy who's trying to sell a 1917 Style O?

He is! (it's a 1907 btw)

[pawlowski6132]

Definitely out of the ordinary, but beautiful! I've always loved the look of the scroll design on F-style mandolins.

FWIW, mine is the 18" guitar with pin bridge and no scrolls. It's pretty unique.

[Archie]

I don’t think the human race would get very far if we all settled on one thing.

Why listen to Jazz when you've got classical music?

Why bother making a 7th arpeggio when you've got a triad.

Etc..Etc..

Besides, if not for other makers, the barrier to entry for Archtops would be so expensive, as are both Gibson and original Epiphones; we’d have a rash of players buying things like tele’s!

And who would want that? I mean come on.. a tele… for Jazz.. Urghhh!

[jads57]

Guitarists in general are a rather conservative bunch. They prefer 1950’s designs and tube amps to newer solid state,digital,etc.
And While I get it being 67 and having owned way too many guitars,amps etc. There probably has never been so many great offerings of instruments,amps, effects at such affordable prices!

Now actual paying gigs on the other hand.Lol!

[icr]

I don't stray far from the traditional brands. Gibson, Fender and Ibanez constitue my entire 30 guitar collection with a few solid-body outliers.

[ThatRhythmMan]

It's important to observe that Gibson currently is not building archtop guitars, so if you want a Gibson you have to go used. Since they are not being built any more, the street price of used Gibsons is going way up, making them inaccessible to most. But if you want a Gibson L5 WesMo but can't meet the price, there is always Elferink or Campellone, who can build you a WesMo, to your specifications, for dramatically less money than a Gibson and many think quite reasonably that they are the equal or better to anything coming from Gibson. Both also do acoustic only archtops in the Gibson tradition. Gibson has abandoned the archtop playing market, all 6 of us, so these other brands end up being the only option other than used Gibsons. Epiphones are nice, I own about 4 Epiphone archtops and love them all. But if you want high-end, Epiphone is not that. I love my $800 Epiphone Broadway, but many want something more in the L5ces class. If you can find an Elitist Broadway, you score a great guitar, but they are hard to find.

So these other makers fill a gap. Some people want a new guitar. Gibson won't sell you a new archtop. Heritage will, but they are not priced out of reach for many. A Campellone or Elferink end up being the best buy for a hand-made L5 or other type of archtop.

Just to be clear, Gibson IS currently making archtops. They are very few in number and really only special order though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lawson-stone]

Just to be clear, Gibson IS currently making archtops. They are very few in number and really only special order though.


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What I meant was that they are not doing a regular line of archtops. You can just sail into a nice music store and pick out a new ES175 in your favorite finish.

[garybaldy]

I don't stray far from the traditional brands. Gibson, Fender and Ibanez constitue my entire 30 guitar collection with a few solid-body outliers.

I also have a few Gibsons and Fenders and some great value for money Korean copies made by Fenix and Vester. I also have 3 'handbuilt' guitars - two oval hole GJ guitars and a Gibson DC junior style guitar. I have others by Tokai and Aria. The only Ibanez I have is the AF55 but I quite fancy their Andy Timmons strat - a - like.
The wife doesn't know but my main focus currently is getting a 125, possibly an oldish LP jnr in sunburst and, if not an old non cutaway acoustic L5, I would definitely consider a cheaper luthier built L5 type - as long as the wait wasn't excessive.

[ewall]

Since the thread is getting far afield and into the weeds, the luthier who builds spot-on acoustic L5 replicas is Jackson Cunningham from SW Virginia (Cunningham Handmade Instruments). You would be hard pressed to find closer copies of vintage L5's from the 30's that are being built today.

[garybaldy]

Since the thread is getting far afield and into the weeds, the luthier who builds spot-on acoustic L5 replicas is Jackson Cunningham from SW Virginia (Cunningham Handmade Instruments). You would be hard pressed to find closer copies of vintage L5's from the 30's that are being built today.

Could you (or anyone) recommend someone in the UK?

[Pierrot]

Imagine drivers buying only Fords. Thousands of workers, from Bugatti to Lada, would die of hunger and this would be a shame.

[RJVB]

I wish Mercs were cheaper than Fords like Elferinks are cheaper than Gibsons!

Why listen to Jazz when you've got classical music?

Let your freak flag fly!

Exactly. Besides, (so much) jazz is just weird (coming from classical music)...

Could you (or anyone) recommend someone in the UK?

Check with Isaac from Cranmer guitars. His KP5s are probably not the straightest L5 clones but they look and sound good:

[jim777]

I mean you don't really need a mercedes to drive to work. we should all have hondas.

I drive a Honda Accord, because it is the sensible thing to do. When I was younger though, I had a choice of ride to work