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#16
03-26-2016, 09:04 AM
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Quote:
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) 
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#17
03-26-2016, 09:59 AM
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I will try...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater This was right after staining, hand rubbed sunburst, couple of coats of lacquer for protection while I strung it up "in white" to see what needed adjusting. It's now apart again getting final coats of lacquer, then I will string it up again and let it season for a month or two before polishing. It sounded great, bright, shimmery, good balance, very loud. It wanted an odd set of strings, after trying several it woke right up with a set of .010" - .052" bronze with a plain G. Not what I was expecting, to be sure! Brian Evans
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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.
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#19
03-29-2016, 10:05 AM
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There are very interesting challenges in adapting 3 on a plate tuners to a slothead with curved sides. Or even getting the geometry workable I n single tuners. Rogers "LaCote" tuners have something in common, perhaps, with the tuners on the guitsr above, and I would like to know more about what I am looking at, please.
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#21
03-29-2016, 05:56 PM
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When St. Peter shakes my right hand I want him to hand me one of those with his left...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
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#23
03-29-2016, 07:16 PM
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I have spent a couple of visits to Elderly Music in Lansing trying every archtop I could. Very enlightening experience. I've also sampled as many archtops as possible at The 12th Fret in Toronto and Folkway in Guelph/Waterloo. Sometimes I'm gobsmacked, sometimes I'm not, but I've still not bought one besides a Gretsch Electromatic. I would love to commission a fully carved (maybe a flat back) solid wood archtop from somewhere because I've enjoyed the experience when it came to flattops.
There is no best. Past a certain threshold of material quality, build quality, cosmetic appearance, and characteristics which contribute to various tonal qualities, it's the cliche apples versus oranges versus peaches. There may be something that's best for you as an individual, but it might not be the next guy's best. There may be something that's considered hot because it appears in a popular recording, but that doesn't in and of itself qualify it as best...cool maybe.
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#24
03-29-2016, 08:11 PM
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I know it isn't a handmade instrument but I've been very happy with my Vestax NYL-2 and it was $2Kish. What's more, I played many nice archtops at Mandolin Brothers in NY (the day I bought it) and got to A/B it against much more expensive instruments and it was still the one that spoke to me. Not counting a '53 L-7 I would have traded my car for lol
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#25
03-29-2016, 09:16 PM
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I put up a YouTube video today demo'ing the two JZ-16s I made this year. With luck. here it is:
https://youtu.be/E_ytdCn3LAY
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#26
03-29-2016, 11:36 PM
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Quote:
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Spook Southern Oregon
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#27
04-11-2016, 12:05 PM
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I've played a couple Andersens that were fantastic, but my vote for best handmade guitar HAS to be Bryant Trenier. His latest 16.5" Broadway model (influenced by the 16" Gibson L-5 and the 16.5" "Snakehead" D'Angelico) sounds just astoundingly good. And his prices are not still on the reasonable side.
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Jonathan Stout www.campusfive.com/swingguitarblog NEW ALBUM "Spreadin' Rhythm Around" - PRE-ORDER NOW: bit.ly/c5-rhythm 1932 Gibson L-5 1939 Gibson L-5 1937 Gibson ES-150 2012 National Style 1 (German Silver) 2004 Eastman 805 non-cut 2002 John LeVoi 12-fret Petite Bouche 2016 Waterloo WL-14 LTR 1939 Gibson EH-185 Vintage '47 VA-185G
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#28
04-13-2016, 05:41 PM
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Best Handmade Archtop
I have 3 Treniers - and have owned Monteleone's and real D'Aquisto's and the Treniers are incredible!!. If you want the sound and style of a John D or Jim D - Bryant is the guy. Bryant just made me a D'Angelico snakehead style guitar and its a canon !
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#29
04-13-2016, 06:43 PM
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Quote:
I make a point of not participating in threads like this because there's really no answer to the question of best archtop, and on top of that many folk's votes aren't based on a lot of experience, or even on a love of archtops. Having said that, I gotta say I trust the two opinions here before me (Steve and Jonathon). But no surprise in some ways, I know that our repertoires overlap quite a bit too. Now if only I was as good of a player!
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#30
04-24-2016, 03:28 PM
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Among the best guitars I have ever played is the recently arrived Gichrist archtop which Rich Mott ordered. He waited 10 y or so for the opening after putting name on the list and it was so worthwhile. I am a flattop/classical guitar player. This archtop has such a responsive top that I can play fingerstyle instrumentals or even Sor studies and they sound marvelous. The guitar is totally clear without being austere, no unevenness across the entire fretboard and has a lovely voice. Sustain is just a bit more than most acoustic archtops I've played (not many). It is a gem and just a few months old. Go to his thread in custom board or in this archtop board to learn more. This guitar has it all. I have never believed in Holy Grail guitars but this guitar could make the case.
hans
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1971 Papazian (swiss spruce/braz RW) 1987 Lowden L32p (sitka/ind RW) 1992 Froggy Bottom F (19th cent. german spruce/koa) 2000 Froggy Bottom H12c (adir/ind RW) 2016 Froggy Bottom K mod (adir/madrose; my son's) 2010 Voyage-Air VAOM-2C http://www.soundclick.com/hanstunes (recorded on Froggy H12c)
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