Eastman AR610 with a Barbera Soloist P/U.

[bayoubengal]

I thought I would start a separate thread on this topic to get some opinions on this. Soundpure has taken an Eastman mahogany b/s model AR610 and then later installed a Barbera Soloist transducer pick up in their shop. The good news is that it could be a good guitar to use both in front of the microphone or plugged in since in theory the transducer pick up shouldn't compromise the acoustic sound.

On the downside the street price is $1720 (it is all solid tone woods), so obviously a different animal build wise and price wise than the Godin 5th Ave. Kingpin I've been considering. I could justify spending the extra money after selling something.

As I mentioned in my earlier thread I'm not a Jazz Player, but a Roots/Blues/Americana player. However, I write some songs and perform some covers that I believe would benefit from the archtop voicing. I do play up the neck with barre chords, but often capo up and play open position chords "folk style". My fingerpicking is mostly Travis picking. I would be gigging with this guitar as a second guitar on some songs as either a solo or in a duo with another vocalist/acoustic guitarist.

I know there is the new Epiphone Masterbuilt archtop series out there (and it seems they are really marketing to players like me from the looks of the promo videos), but the videos I have heard have not made a great impression on me.

I have to say the sound on this video of the AR610 equipped with the Barbera P/U has me favorably impressed (taking into account the limits placed on listening to music on a computer)! Of course he is playing more jazz on this demo. Any thoughts or impressions?

[Archtop Guy]

No need to apologize for not being a jazz player, archtops are not jazz guitars, they will play whatever kind of music you ask of them!

I like that demo from Sound Pure too. And $1720 seems pretty reasonable to me. I wish there were guitars like that 20 years ago.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by bayoubengal

...Soundpure has taken an Eastman mahogany b/s model AR610 and then later installed a Barbera Soloist transducer pick up in their shop...the street price is $1720 (it is all solid tone woods), so obviously a different animal build wise and price wise than the Godin 5th Ave. Kingpin I've been considering. I could justify spending the extra money after selling something...Any thoughts or impressions?

Thought you were looking exclusively for something cheaper - if you can find a way to swing the sale I say do it...

[bayoubengal]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Thought you were looking exclusively for something cheaper - if you can find a way to swing the sale I say do it...

You are correct. I would need to sell another guitar to make it happen (one I don't play much any more). If I don't sell anything I could swing the Godin 5th Ave Kingpin. We'll see how it all plays out.