Vintage archtop recommentation?

[slide496]

I'm starting to look for a vintage archtop for slide along the lines of a Harmony 1215.

Any help as to the decade 50's 60's etc, places that sell vintage or advice as to what to look out for would be appreciated.

Any other brands than harmony?

[Steve DeRosa]

Unless you absolutely must have an old Harmony you're lucky enough to be living on the cusp of a minor archtop revival, and there are far better brand-new and warranteed instruments to be had for not much more than what you'd pay for an older piece in any kind of playable condition. Even in their day they weren't considered "lifetime" instruments - when I started taking lessons in the early-60's the H1213/1214/1215 was the $27.50 mainstay of the neighborhood music-school beginner market (I was fortunate enough to have the relatively upscale Broadway) - and they were built accordingly; the old black-box Black Diamond strings that every studio kept around for "spares" back then killed many a neck (either by way of warpage or stress on the dovetail joint) and it's a rare occasion, 50-60 years after their prime, that you'll find one that doesn't need major repair work to get it into even passable playing condition. If it's the general vibe of a low-rent box you're after there's a number of suitable instruments in the $450-550 range - Godin 5th Avenue (I own one, BTW), Loar LH-300, Gretsch New Yorker, Washburn HB15 come quickly to mind - any of which will provide a more toneful, better-built alternative...

[slide496]

I am looking for that tone for slide, sorry I forgot to mention. You liked the harmony Broadway - do you also think the Patrician is any good or the Cremona? Any experience with the kay?

Warpage is one thing I am concerned about and a clean inside.

Are there any other modern ones that you think would have anything along the lines the harmony tone I tried and did not like the Godin, Loar or Gretche.

[Electar]

I got a Kay possibly from the 40s with its windchime logo. It looks like the neck has been reset already. I got a couple hundred bucks in it including purchase and a little setup and fret work. It has decent action and plays pretty good. It's no gibson though. More of a student guitar feel to it. I have a great time playing it . It's the first guitar I reach for. I used it on a gig last Saturday with my acoustic duo. Try going to guitar shows and make offers to sellers as they are packing up. With all the L50s and such around the show the lowly kay can be a bargain.

[slide496]

Thank you. Do you know the model number on the kay?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by slide496

...You liked the Harmony Broadway - do you also think the Patrician is any good or the Cremona?...Warpage is one thing I am concerned about and a clean inside...Are there any other modern ones that you think would have anything along the lines of the Harmony tone...

The Patrician and Cremona were Harmony's flagship models and as such are going to be better-made; be advised, however, that TMK one or both of them have carved spruce tops - and that's going to negate much of the low-buck tone you're after. Good news is that a Broadway reissue came on the market a few years ago - bad news is that you're going to have to scout around for one since they've been discontinued for a while now; as far as your concerns about warpage and a clean interior my own Broadway was laden with glue drips along the entire length of the kerfing, and it managed to last through about 1970 (I got it in '63) before it too succumbed to neck problems. Going back to my first post, as the owner of a 5th Avenue I'll be the first to tell you that setup is everything - a change of strings (FWIW I didn't like the factory-fitted 12-52 PB's either), action, and bridge material (StewMac has a variety of archtop bridges for ~$20 each - a cheap and easy way to customize your tone to taste) makes all the difference in the world - and they're not the hit-or-miss proposition a vintage cheapie would be...

[slide496]

Thanks Steve, Fred Mcdowell played a Cremona among his guitars, if you are familiar at all with him. He may have played a 1215. He also played Gibsons and the Trini Lopez model is one he's known for.

I probably will go to Rivington Street Guitars and see what they have. They usually have some vintage sold-as-is and upgrade what I need to from ebay or stewmac as you suggested.

With slide IMHO-throughout you don't need as precisely intonated a machine down the frets - they are usually ok for fretting first 5 frets if necessary.

[Electar]

Originally Posted by slide496

Thank you. Do you know the model number on the kay?

It just says Silvertone on the headstock and the full windchime headstock logo. I cant see any numbers anywhere. It has no trussrod and the biggest clubbiest neck ive seen on ANY guitar except a 30s v neck resonator guitar. Mine is very similar to the "cowboy Jake" at the bottom of the page linked. I think mine has a fatter neck though.

http://blog.solitaryrefinement.com/h...rtone-archtop/

[slide496]

Thanks Electar