Any archtop owners/players

StanleyAccrington · February 2017

Like as in the ones without electrics or pickups. Please enlighten me.

p90fool · February 2017

In what way? I have a Loar LH300 carved top acoustic.

StanleyAccrington · February 2017

In the way that I've been looking at some and need as many reasons as I can get to sway the other half ("you don't play the guitar you have very much, so why do you need another one" is her usual quip). So I've been looking at Loars . ...a Godin 5th Avenue, a Washburn J600 and a second hand 1958 Hofner President.

Strangefan · February 2017

I have an amazing L50 from The 40s I traded with @Nitefly miss that guitar on a daily basis, but it's clearly gone to a good home.

Nitefly · February 2017

Strangefan said:

I have an amazing L50 from The 40s I traded with @Nitefly miss that guitar on a daily basis, but it's clearly gone to a good home.

@Strangefan I still have it, love it to bits. It's the only thing around here that's older than me, and not by much at that! I don't suppose you still have the Guild Starfire?

@stanleyAccrington - if you're in Accrington you're not very far from me if you want to pop round and have a gander at it.

p90fool · February 2017

Well I can't help you with justifying your purchase, but the guitar itself is interesting.
It feels very "vintage", with a big v-profile neck and tiny frets, and a very lively response from its proper carved top.

In contrast, I find most other budget archtops (ie anything with a laminated top) feel like an electric guitar neck grafted onto a dead-feeling, heavy body, Godin included.

The Washburn is a grey area, it's not a carved top and they claim it's solid spruce, but it's actually a couple of layers pressed into shape. I've never tried one and it might project as well as a carved top, though I doubt it.

The Loar is basically a budget version of a 1920s Gibson L5 and it feels like it - whether that's what you're looking for is another matter. It's certainly exactly what I wanted, but the co-guitarist in my band for example hates it.

StanleyAccrington · February 2017

p90fool said:

Well I can't help you with justifying your purchase, but the guitar itself is interesting.
It feels very "vintage", with a big v-profile neck and tiny frets, and a very lively response from its proper carved top.

In contrast, I find most other budget archtops (ie anything with a laminated top) feel like an electric guitar neck grafted onto a dead-feeling, heavy body, Godin included.

The Washburn is a grey area, it's not a carved top and they claim it's solid spruce, but it's actually a couple of layers pressed into shape. I've never tried one and it might project as well as a carved top, though I doubt it.

The Loar is basically a budget version of a 1920s Gibson L5 and it feels like it - whether that's what you're looking for is another matter. It's certainly exactly what I wanted, but the co-guitarist in my band for example hates it.

Hell yes.....it'll deffo be a budget range guitar......not gonna shell out more than a grand for one. (And not as much as that if possible).

Teyeplayer · February 2017

Got a Loar LH600 that is the all solid version of these guitars, I believe the lh300 is a solid top with laminate back and sides. Both are a great buy and there are some secondhand bargains to be had with these. As @p90fool has said already, you can't really compare these to any of the other more standard types of guitar as it is a totally different beast. It's like comparing a dobro and a lester, they are miles apart. These have a warmth and air combined with a top end clarity to the sound that I find records fantastically. In fact I realised after I started using this one, that the acoustic sound I had been looking for for years when recording quieter more intimate tracks was finally being achieved. I've tried a Godin and it's just a semi masquerading as an archtop.

So to persuading the lady...well you need a dreadnought and a 000/00, just as you need a tele/strat, a les Paul/sg and a semi of some description. This is kind of the absolute minimum territory (you could even call it the law) for all guitarists and in an ideal world you also have a resonator and a classical, at which point you also NEED an archtop so you have the tonal basics covered from all angles. Once she understands this is a missing link, it'll be fine.

Strangefan · February 2017

@Nitefly I wish I did! Me and the missus split a year ago so literally everything had to be sold apart from my 50s guild f20.... One day tho I'll get another starfire it was the best hollow body I ever owned. In fact if it came between the L50 and starfire I would choose the starfire

Nitefly · February 2017

@Strangefan sorry to hear that, Matt, on both counts. It was a lovely guitar, though...

Nitefly · February 2017

@StanleyAccrington - I've just ordered one of the new Epiphone Masterbilt Century f-hole models, it's on its way.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_century_zenith_classic_na.htm

I'll let you know what I think of it when it arrives. Less than 600 euro for solid spruce top, maple back/sides, ebony board.

StanleyAccrington · February 2017

Nitefly said:

@StanleyAccrington - I've just ordered one of the new Epiphone Masterbilt Century f-hole models, it's on its way.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_century_zenith_classic_na.htm

I'll let you know what I think of it when it arrives. Less than 600 euro for solid spruce top, maple back/sides, ebony board.

Yes please. It looks great.....has my preferred c shape neck profile....only downer for me is its 25.5 inch scale length.

Jaded · February 2017

I've got a Gretsch New Yorker (the older one without the pickup) and it's very different to a flattop. Solid spruce top with laminated maple back and sides... a whole lot of mid-range and punch without too much low-end.

I play it the same way I would my flattop but it really comes into it's own when played against a flattop. All the cut you need for lead work and sits in a different space tonally so it wont really clash with a second guitar. Same principal as a two guitar band playing a Fender and Gibson I suppose?

One thing I did learn pretty early on is how the way you're holding it can alter the bass content.

When it's up against your body (i.e. on a strap or just tucked in close) it will kill a lot of the bass, whereas in a seated position with the back of the body further away it's a much fuller sound.

I should be getting hold of an arched-back Guild so soon I'll be able to say if it's inherently part of the archtop design or down solely to the arched back!

...also worth mentioning, I've played the Epiphones and really wish they had been around when I bought my Gretsch, the necks are just fantastic in the hand. Awful pickup (well not to my tastes at least), but it could be easily remedied with something like a K&K Definity I'm sure.

Nitefly · February 2017

@Jaded - do you mind if I ask what strings you use on it? I'm thinking flat-wound for the Epiphone I've ordered, rather than round-wound.

Jaded · February 2017

I've got a set of elixir phosphor bronze .011 (but preferred the .012) on at the moment to get as much acoustic volume out of it as I can.

Now I have a pickup on it I'm tempted to try some flats, not that I can even begin to play jazz!

ArchtopDave · February 2017

Probably not under a grand, but secondhand Heritage guitars are good value. Of course you could do what I did, and made my own, but it wasn't cheap.

Teyeplayer · February 2017

Flats every time on an archtop if there's a pickup there... ended up liking them so much they keep turning up on my electrics!

ToneControl · February 2017

is an archtop with a floating pickup not the best of both worlds?

knuckleberryfinn · February 2017

I've got a Loar LH300 and agree with everything @p90fool says. I've stripped the top (huge improvement to the tone) and added a floating pickup. It's a really good fun guitar to play, and beats the hell out of the 1989 L4CES I had for tone - though not for playability of course. There are a few high frets which I need to sort out, but for £253 new it's an utter bargain. It's perfect for trying to be Charlie Christian, though I'm not sure how successful I've been so far.

streethawk · February 2017

knuckleberryfinn said:

I've got a Loar LH300 and agree with everything @p90fool says. I've stripped the top (huge improvement to the tone) and added a floating pickup. It's a really good fun guitar to play, and beats the hell out of the 1989 L4CES I had for tone - though not for playability of course. There are a few high frets which I need to sort out, but for £253 new it's an utter bargain. It's perfect for trying to be Charlie Christian, though I'm not sure how successful I've been so far.

GAS enabler. Stop this!

Teyeplayer · February 2017

Keep an eye on evilbay, got my lh600 for 250 used.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Any archtop owners/players

Comments