Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
Very nice guitars, some very good pros play them.
they're x braced and modern voiced, a la Benedetto. If you're looking to play big band/swing rhythm they're not the best choice. Plugged in they can sound great.
I'd be more helpful if I knew what you intended to play on this archtop you're looking for.
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I am not quite sure how to define what it is I play. In a lot of ways, it is sort of like David Grisman's work with the Grisman Quartet/Quintet and his work with Jerry Garcia. I play in small acoustic groups (guitars, mandolins, violins, bass guitar or occasionally an upright, no horns, no drums). A typical setlist is all over the map but includes a little bluegrass, rock, blues and swing.
I currently play a Martin 000-28VS and it works, but isn't quite ideal. The complexity of the tone and the sustain is manageable, but a drier tone with quicker decay would, I think, help both with solos and especially with rhythm. There are often two guitars and we kind of fight each other rhythmically. I was hoping that if I moved to an archtop, we might be able to stay out of each others' way a bit better. I go back and forth between buying a vintage 000-18 which is sort of a compromise guitar or a good archtop. Whatever I choose, I will probably add some form of amplification (mic, pickup, or a combination).