The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Archtops

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-14-2018, 06:50 PM
mglik mglik is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wilsonville. OR
Posts: 132
Default 1934 Martin C1 archtop

Its been refinished-but looks good. I was going to convert to a flattop 000.
Any ideas on to convert or not?
Thanks
Mike

Last edited by Kerbie; 01-14-2018 at 06:53 PM. Reason: Removed details
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-14-2018, 07:13 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

Convert a perfectly fine arch top to a flattop? Criminal.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-15-2018, 07:53 AM
MC5C MC5C is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Tatamagouche Nova Scotia
Posts: 1,136
Default

Those Martin archtops are quite unloved, and it seems to be a thing to put a flat top on them. Personally I don't get it. It goes from being a neat old guitar with history, interest, probably great playability and interesting tone (think Dave Rawlings and his equivalent Epiphone) to being a guitar someone put a different top on. Neither a Martin or not, after that conversion. I would vote to keep it as is. Lots of old guitars got refinished along the way, we might not do it now but a decent refinish done properly is a far cry from changing the top.
__________________
Brian Evans
Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-15-2018, 09:50 AM
Cameleye Cameleye is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,276
Default

I agree. Leave it alone and either sell it if you don't want it or keep it and enjoy its uniqueness. And/or buy a 000 that meets your criteria.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-15-2018, 01:48 PM
MC5C MC5C is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Tatamagouche Nova Scotia
Posts: 1,136
Default

The crazy thing is these get sold (and bought) specifically to do the conversion...

Brian
__________________
Brian Evans
Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-15-2018, 02:49 PM
Mandobart Mandobart is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Washington State
Posts: 5,422
Default

I'm also against flattop conversion therapy. If you want a flattop there are certainly many new and vintage options out there.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-15-2018, 03:32 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,983
Default 1934 Martin C1 archtop

Quote:
Originally Posted by mglik View Post
I was going to convert to a flattop 000...
No.
No way.
Uh-uh.
Negatory.
Out of the question.
Not on this planet.
Not nohow, not no way, not never.
End of story.
Period.
Elvis has left the building.
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-16-2018, 04:56 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mglik View Post
Its been refinished-but looks good. I was going to convert to a flattop 000.
Any ideas on to convert or not?
Thanks
Mike
Mike,
If it's already refinished, and it's yours, go ahead.

It will be a much more keep-able, or sale-able, instrument IF it's done well.

I saw the pictures. It can only get better, but it will not be inexpensive.

I've played a bunch of Martin conversions, including David Bromberg's F-7, and the when they're done correctly they're amazing.

HE
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-16-2018, 11:20 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is online now
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,067
Default

Wasn't it Dave Bromberg who took a Martin Archtop to .....can't remember who - who did the fislrt arch to flat-top conversin.

It is probably about the fact that Martins had flat (BRW) backs and didn't hack it compared to Gibson L-5s and similarly priced Epiphones etc.

So it was the BRW backs and sides and a perceived gap in guitar size that started this conversion business going.

Now Martins have introduced the "M" model (?) making this conversion unnecessary unless the BRW and possibly the neck - is significant to you.

I recently saw a Martin archtop for sale for a considerable price although we all know it would never by as good as a percussive rhythm guitar as a Gibson L-5 or some such.

I'd say it would be best NOT to convert.
__________________
Silly Moustache,
Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer.
I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-16-2018, 11:59 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silly Moustache View Post
Wasn't it Dave Bromberg who took a Martin Archtop to .....can't remember who - who did the fislrt arch to flat-top conversin.

It is probably about the fact that Martins had flat (BRW) backs and didn't hack it compared to Gibson L-5s and similarly priced Epiphones etc.

So it was the BRW backs and sides and a perceived gap in guitar size that started this conversion business going.

Now Martins have introduced the "M" model (?) making this conversion unnecessary unless the BRW and possibly the neck - is significant to you.

I recently saw a Martin archtop for sale for a considerable price although we all know it would never by as good as a percussive rhythm guitar as a Gibson L-5 or some such.

I'd say it would be best NOT to convert.
Matt Umanov did the conversion on David’s F7.

Over a decade later Martin finally decided to make the M-38, the first 3 of which went to the Chapin brothers.

There is also a trend toward converting Martin classical guitars.

I’m not against either being done.

HE
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-16-2018, 07:29 PM
sayheyjeff sayheyjeff is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 3,376
Default

I think you can an idea of some of what these guitars are capable of listening to Tom Espinola of Lulu's Fate play one in this concert. Saw them play much the same concert and and more last weekend. Some fine old time, Appalachian and traditional here.

Jeff

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2XcZTEO6ggU
__________________
Flammang RS35, Flammang el35, SC 000 12 Fret ss, SC H13, SC PJ, Rockbridge 00, Eastman 810ce, Recording King RPH 03, Martin LX (on loan), Martin 0018vs (given to Godson), Lowden F388c (traded), SC OM (traded), Martin OM28v (traded), Martin 00017s (sold), Bourgeois Martin Simpson Slope D 12 fret (sold), Larrivee Parlor (traded), Larrivee L05MT (sold), Gibson LG1 (sold), Seagull Folk (traded)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-17-2018, 05:44 AM
Frankieabbott Frankieabbott is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 202
Default

Once an archtop, always an archtop. It would upset me to see an archtop converted to a flat top. Please leave it as it is.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-17-2018, 10:27 AM
guitarmac62 guitarmac62 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: KC Area
Posts: 168
Default

If most of these are being converted, could it be possible that one day finding one of these in original archtop configuration will be rare and the value drastically increase?
__________________
Gibson J15
Martin Custom D Classic
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-17-2018, 11:08 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by guitarmac62 View Post
If most of these are being converted, could it be possible that one day finding one of these in original archtop configuration will be rare and the value drastically increase?
While that is possible, it still won’t make the guitar sound any better.

The video with Tom Espinola is a perfect example of using it to really good effect, but it’s clearly not a good sounding guitar. It works in a very narrow sound-style.

Clearly Martin didn’t finish the thought when they decided to put arch/carved tops on flat-top bodies, and they did not crack the market.

HE
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-22-2018, 06:37 PM
1Charlie 1Charlie is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 1,484
Default

Just one man's opinion, but a mahogany-backed C-1 is not nearly as attractive a conversion candidate as a C-2, with Brazilian rosewood back and sides.

Why not just find a nice 000-18 and leave this one be?
__________________
Neal

A few nice ones, a few beaters, and a few I should probably sell...
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Archtops

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=