Ibanez AF71F
 

Is it a 'proper' archtop? Is anyone playing one who could maybe offer their thoughts or review.
I'm looking at a second hand one in a local store and hope to get a play on it soon.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...56fccfca13.jpg
My Ibenez archtop... I liked it enough to put Fishman Fluence pickups on her. Very archtop.

Ibanez AF71F
 

"Proper?" It is an archtop electric guitar. Not really an acoustic guitar, even though it is a true hollow body. I have an AF70 and like it quite a bit. I play blues on it mostly.

An archtop hollow electric guitar body has some resonance but is typically built of pressed plywood to resist feedback.

If you want to play lower volume blues or jazz, or even some non-heavy rock this is a nice guitar. I like mine.

If you want to use it as an acoustic style guitar, it's not the one. It has a narrow, radiused electric style neck and while it has some some resonance, it's not enough to stand alone.

Mine: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7385bddf11.jpg

Anyway.....have just bought one. Just need to learn to play it now.

My experienced eye tells me you're using a modern electric string set on yours - not the best way to go if you want acoustic resonance; contrary to most current belief, a well-made plywood electric archtop with built-in pickups can be set up to do double-duty as both a comping and solo box. Back in the days when every neighborhood club/social event featured live music, many a savvy in-the-trenches weekend warrior would use a post-war Gibson 17" ES-150 or Epiphone Zephyr as his one-and-only; I've played examples of each, and while the Epis are no match for their (justly renowned) acoustic counterparts, the best 150's were the equal of many a contemporary non-cut L-7 - as the former owner of an early white-label A-series '47, not something I say lightly...

My thoughts:
Find yourself a good archtop tech - someone who really understands what these puppies are about and knows what he/she is doing - and get yourself a '50s-style jazz/rockabilly setup: heavier strings (wound G, 12's minimum, 13's if you can handle them); an all-wood bridge (available from StewMac for about $20, and have the base fitted to the contour of the top - you want as solid and direct a path as possible from the strings to the top, and you'd be surprised what a tone-sucker that Tune-o-Matic is); a fret leveling; and the lowest possible action for your touch/style, that'll let you lay into it without rattling/buzzing/choking out. I'm currently down to two full-depth archtops - one acoustic, one electric, both Godins (5th Avenue and CW II) - and while the pure acoustic version has the clear edge in tone and projection (I'm using PB 14's), the electric (13-56 flats/half-rounds, depending on the next gig) has comparable tone and sufficient volume for basement jams and unplugged comping behind a solo singer. BTW, even with a heavier setup there's absolutely no reason you still can't do da blooz - the first generation of electric players used a similar setup, and plugged into a nice low-/mid-powered tube combo you'll get a sweet woodiness in your tone that'll evoke images of the heady mix of barbecue, moonshine, and tobacco smoke at some Alabama juke joint... :cool:

Awesome info. Thanks!!!