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  #16  
Old 06-10-2013, 03:39 PM
blue blue is offline
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Originally Posted by DesertTwang View Post
I play bluegrasd with a small, vintage archtop. many say that's against the dogma, which is part of why I enjoy it so much. more importantly, I love the peculiar sound. Google Dave Rawlings on YouTube and you'll understand.
Nuff said http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qEhj-rQSAU
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  #17  
Old 06-10-2013, 06:34 PM
robkreole robkreole is offline
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Archtops, archtops, how I love 'em. My passion for archtop guitars is similar to my interests in other guitars...tone and playability. Besides the ultra-cool factor of the way they look (love those f-holes), archtops have their places in a wide spectrum of musical styles. Western swing, jazz, blues, traditional country (Maybelle Carter played a Gibson L5 on a lot of those Carter Family recordings), cowboy tunes (Ranger Doug is a heckuva player...and plays archtops), and many more. I have seen photos of Cajun bands from the 1930's & 40's and the guitarists are playing archtops. I have an old Harmony archtop that is my camping guitar and it chunks out rhythm very nicely. I admore what Godin has been doing with the 5th Avenue guitars...they have made owning an archtop very affordable.

In the end though, you have to be happy with the tone and how it plays.

RobK
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  #18  
Old 06-10-2013, 07:06 PM
WordMan WordMan is offline
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I just started a thread a few days ago on my impressions of playing an archtop: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=298583
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  #19  
Old 06-10-2013, 07:53 PM
PFDarkside PFDarkside is offline
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What is the "D-28 of Archtops" or the "J45 of Archtops"? Basically is there a brand and model that is seen as one of the standards of the style? Or are they all made by small luthiers?
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  #20  
Old 06-10-2013, 08:27 PM
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iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
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Originally Posted by PFDarkside View Post
What is the "D-28 of Archtops" or the "J45 of Archtops"? Basically is there a brand and model that is seen as one of the standards of the style? Or are they all made by small luthiers?
A Gibson L5...and yes there are many small luthiers
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  #21  
Old 06-10-2013, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by DesertTwang View Post
I play bluegrass with a small, vintage archtop. Many say that's against the dogma, which is part of why I enjoy it so much. more importantly, I love the peculiar sound. Google Dave Rawlings on YouTube and you'll understand.
I get it, thanks.
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  #22  
Old 06-10-2013, 09:31 PM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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Default I know why

It's sort of a "you get it or you don't" discussion, right?

I get it. And I'm looking for one.
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  #23  
Old 06-11-2013, 08:29 AM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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Steve DeRosa mentioned as couple inexpensive archtops, the Loar and the Godin 5th. I tried the Loar and we did not bond, though others enjoy them.
I tried the Godin and took the 5th. So much so I got one for my grandson.

True, not a Gibson or D'Angelico but, with some decent strings, they come with cheap 11's, I went with 12's but 13's sound great. FIT THE BRIDGE.
They donlt fit. The forst ones had rosewood and sounded great. Then they went to the cast black Tusq material which Godin said was the Chat's Meow.
It might be but since it is cast and no attempt was made to individually fit them, not good. A few minutes with some sand paper and blue tape and you're in biz.

This points out the necessity to really have th e instrument set up. Even the inexpensive Godin can sound great with set up and "technique". It took me a while to get the right touch and approach. Just like any other instrument, you need to learn to coax it.

Don't try to get a flat top sound out of one, don't use a flat top technique.
Go at it as if you were learnign to play a different instrument altogether.

Classical guitars and archtops have something in common though aslien in many other ways. The commonality has been mentioned, the ability to get virtually and tonal color, to modulate and to get what you want at nearly any volume.

One of my favorite combinations is the nylon archtop. Examples of this have been made by Benedetto and now Slaman. What a sound. Perhaps some day
I can fund one.

There is a natural beauty in an archtop whose basic design elements date back to De Salo, Amati, Guarneri and Stradivarius. And thoough similar, different. Just as classical guitars are not all the same , neither are archtops.
Look at a classic Gibson L-5 then a Stromberg, then a Benedetto.
Aside from external variations, the bracing can be dramatically different.

Another excellent option is the Eastman line. Closest to the Benedetto stylig and construction.. they are an excellent value.

My forst archtop was a mint L-50, for which I traded a Gibson electric manadolin. This was around 1964-5. I was mocked by me fellow guitar players and they shunned me, this is a fact. Because I felt "different" and out of place I sold it and have regretted that since.

Only recently have I come back around to archttops. A player moved here (In the boonies) from LA. About my age, and had been playing and collecting guitars since he was 14. Though he has vintage Gold Top Les Pauls and 50's Telecasters, the bulk of his collection is Gibson archtops from the 20's through the 60's. We have become friends.. and he will allow me to borrow anything in his collection for as long as I wish. What a treat. And that resulted in my buying a Godin then a Byrdland and now hunting for the "right" unit. Acoustic, no electrics, no cutaway, hand made, solid wood.. preferably American, and I am partial to the early 16" Gibsons and later Epiphones.

I also agree (BAT) that the Gypsy Jazz style guitars have a bit of the archtop vibe and must be learned to be played well, though I have not.

I read somehting the other day that I will repeat not knowing the author.

Paraphrased : The way to fit in, is to stand out.

Try an archtop.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SuX9O_eZlE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOaXOXE9ITg

Last edited by bohemian; 06-11-2013 at 08:38 AM.
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  #24  
Old 06-11-2013, 09:03 AM
JCave JCave is offline
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Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
FIT THE BRIDGE.
Better yet, replace that plastic bridge. My 5th Ave is much happier wearing rosewood.

On Edit: There is a Kingpin in AGF Classified

Last edited by JCave; 06-11-2013 at 09:12 AM.
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  #25  
Old 06-11-2013, 10:36 AM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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Default Go-dan

Had a couple of 5th Ave's, one with the P90, another acoustic onto which I installed a floating humbucker. Let them both go, then remembered how much I played them when I had 'em.

If I get another Godin, it'll be the acoustic. This time I'll put a piezo pickup under the bridge so I can use bronze strings. I mean, I'd rather have an L48, but for the price, the Godin's alright.
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  #26  
Old 06-11-2013, 10:52 AM
robkreole robkreole is offline
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Agree that the gold standard of archtops is a Gibson L 5 but there are many other wonderful archtops out there. The older Epiphone archtops are excellent. A Gibson L50 is a nice guitar as well, depending on condition of course. I have a Gibson ES 125 that has a single P 90 pickup and that guitar has excellent tone for electric gigs. I totally agree about the importance of a good set up and bridge. Stew Mac and other places sell good quality bridges for arch tops.

RobK
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  #27  
Old 06-11-2013, 12:34 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PFDarkside View Post
What is the "D-28 of Archtops" or the "J45 of Archtops"? Basically is there a brand and model that is seen as one of the standards of the style? Or are they all made by small luthiers?
There is no such a thing. You can buy archtops made by contemporary luthiers for tens of thousands of dollars on one end of the spectrum, and you can buy a vintage archtop that was made as a mail-order catalog, student instrument costing 35 bucks at the time on the other, as I did last month. To me, the sound of that little Epiphone Olympic blows all the D-28s and J-45 away.

It's all subjective and dependent on what sound you're looking for.
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  #28  
Old 06-11-2013, 03:50 PM
joelhunn joelhunn is offline
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I bought a Loar lh 350 last year because it was to inexpensive to pass up and it has become my favorite. I am attempting to learn Merle Travis style fingerpicking and the alternating bass is the most delightful thump. Not a boomy bass at all but just a great part of the music. On a side not, I find the nut width on the Loar to be just perfect for this style of play
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  #29  
Old 06-11-2013, 04:14 PM
kmcmichael kmcmichael is offline
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I like the ones made from solid wood with a floating pickup.

I have an Eastman that I use with an older blackface princetom. The amp is on pretty low and I can control it with the guitar.

It beats playing a Dreadnaught while playing with two or three other guys playing a dreadnaught.
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  #30  
Old 06-11-2013, 04:22 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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"Better yet, replace that plastic bridge. My 5th Ave is much happier wearing rosewood"

One of ours sports an ebony bridge, the other rosewood, both from Stew Mac. Can't tell the dirfference from one another, but better than the original plastic bridge.

However, for little $ , fitting the original bridge and putting on 12's or 13's makes a difference.
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