#16
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Most of the "hollow body" archtops on the market equipped with magnetic pickups are not acoustic guitars, and they therefore can't achieve that magical sound that happens when you get the magnetic pickup and acoustic sound balanced just right. This is the classic archtop sound heard on countless recordings of various genres, and I think Epiphone missed an opportunity to introduce it to a new generation of guitarists. To my ears, an under-saddle piezo pickup just doesn't compare. Just my (not so) humble opinion. |
#17
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Well thought out?
My uneducated take on this line-up concerns the "longitudinal" bracing. In pure acoustic mode I don't see(or hear) how this top bracing will allow for a vibrating top...I see this as an amplified accessory. Am I off base on this assumption?
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#18
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Parallel bracing was the standard in the original F hole archtop era. |
#19
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Some manufacturers used X-bracing on some models, but I've always preferred the sound of the parallel braced archtops. |
#20
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Yes you are. Orchestral string instruments use a bass bar (of course they are bowed, vs picked most of the time). F5 mandolins have parallel tone bars and they vibrate just fine.
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#21
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I do agree the soundboard mounted piezo transducers seem superior to saddle mounted pickups when incorporated with a good preamp and mixed with a mic. The piezo in these guitars is said to have characteristics that allow it to better sense the movement in the soundboard along with the vibrations of the strings. In the very superficial demo they did at SXSW, the pickup sounded pretty decent.
As for the magnetic pickup not interacting with the strings, I am not following you. The steel string vibrating and interacting (interrupting the magnetic lines of flux) with the pickup's magnetic field is what creates voltage required to produce the input to an amplifier's circuitry to produce sound. Without string vibrations in the pickup's field no sound is produced, unless it would be of a microphonic nature which is not highly desirable (noise). |
#22
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...I thought you were implying that the magnetic pickup somehow interferes with the acoustical properties of the guitar. I see now that you didn't mean it like that. As far as the sound of the on-board piezo, we'll have to hear for ourselves what it sounds like. I was not very impressed with the sound of it, judging from the sound of video that was shot at the Epiphone NAMM booth. But I'll try to be objective when hearing it in real life. If it sounds like a typical under-saddle piezo, I'll not be a fan. I apologize for being over-opinionated on the matter, but that sound is very un-musical to my ears. |
#23
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Thanks to....L50EF15, Hot Vibrato, Mandobart, and gmr, for discussing this and educating myself and each other in a respectful way. Enjoyed learning from you all.
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#24
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No apology required, Sir. Yes, that footage from NAMM was pathetic. Reverb has a decent overview and the footage posted by epiphone that was done at SXSW down in Austin showed promise.
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#25
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This from the Epi website:
"Inside the upper f-hole is a 1930s-era replica Epiphone label." They seem to be really conficted as to what they want to produce. It's a guitar that really wants to be a re-issue, but management is not listening. What's with putting a replica label in and then putting a huge plastic panel on the lower bout? This company is really confused,or they are throwing all the cheap and easy stuff into the mix to appeal to those that don't know any better. |
#26
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I kinda think they did not intend for this to be a reissue but more of a modern adaptation of the archtop genre that will have some appeal to a larger base of market than just the Jazz box crowd. The marketing they have done so far seems directed toward the Americana sort of music scene. For me, I am good with that. My archtop leanings are more Mother Maybelle and Dave Rawlings gs than Freddie King. I think with the right mix of a nice flat mic and some good eq on that pickup, it could do some respectable jazz rhythm work. I keep hoping to see one at my local Gibson dealer. Sweetwater seems to be selling the ones they have gotten in so far. I almost bought one of the natural colored f hole Zenith models but they went out the door quickly.
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#27
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I mentioned before that the same has been happening in photography for many many years. The retro camera is still attracting buyers (Fuji, Leica) and it does not seem to be abating. So the same is happening with guitars. In an ideal world I would like an original Epiphone Olympic (so I can copy Rawlings) but they are so hard to find and so expensive. Add to that the problem that even if you find one it might not be that good. I actually would not pay that kind of money for what was touted as a student guitar. As and aside, Ryan Adams' guitar is the same. If you can find one now they are so expensive. I am going to try one when they arrive but half of me is not expecting to be blown away. That said, I recently picked up a Gretsch resonator for peanuts and it is a superb guitar. This begs the question: are guitars simply getting better overall because of production methods? With regards to the pickup and plastic cover. I don't mind that to be honest. If is sounds good I can live with it. |
#28
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I do like the idea of the Olympic's much smaller size. As such it should have a very focused tone that would be more desirable for certain styles of play. I'm not sure how that would translate across the wider spectrum of players, but the size is appealing to me since I'm playing smaller guitars now after a severe collarbone injury a few years ago. I had to move my Lowden on as the larger bodies are just painful to play now. I've bought a couple of instruments from Sweetwater and was totally happy with the purchases. The personal service is nice and I like the fact that they will work with pricing if you are reasonable with them. My opinion is that these are over-priced for what they are if you compare them to similar import instruments. My suspicions are you'll see them on a Musician's Friend Stupid Deal Of The Day within the foreseeable future in the $350-$400 range which would make them a bit more bang for the buck. We're not talking "beautiful finish over gorgeous woods" here. |
#29
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My archtop leanings are all over the place. I love Mother Maybelle's sound, but I also dig Eddie Lang, who also played a Loar-signed L-5. The same instrument beautifully accommodated two completely different styles from roughly the same era. I'm also a fan of western swing, honkytonk country, and swing jazz. I guess I tend to gravitate towards music that features archtop guitars. Quote:
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#30
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With regards to the David Rawlings guitar. I wonder just how many of these Olympics he has tried in order to assert that his is one of a kind. I suspect that some of this is simply that, unlike me and many other players, he has got to know that instrument intimately.
I have two friends who are both violinists in top orchestras and they simply don't get the so called guitarists GAS. In a recent conversation they said that they have one instrument and they cherish it and know it inside out - much like Rawlings. However, we all know that different styles of guitar need different kinds of instruments - hence my interest in archtops. I will go and try one of these guitars (Zenith and Olympic) and regardless of price it will have to sound good to me before I pay money. Over the years I have in fact come to learn that price does not always equate to greatness. I now just buy guitars if they sound and feel right to me and the price is not really a factor unless it is out of my league. |