Archtop Shops in USA
 

Please respond with recommendations on good places to shop for archtops in the $500 to $2K range. Setup, good service a must. Will need to buy via internet and have shipped. Not interested in ordering direct from an Asian factory agent.

Thank you! :)

Have you thought of Eastman archtops? Tone, Quality & Price should meet your requirements.
Tom

Eastman offers several nice archtops under $2,000. Soundpure, in Durham, North Carolina, is a well-known Eastman dealer that does online sales.

Elderly instruments

Archtop.com

Are both well known online sellers of quality instruments

I have, but I want one from a shop that does setup work. Eastmans or any other production guitar "out of the box" are very hit-or-miss.

LA Guitar sales is an Eastman dealer. I'd start with him.

Guitars n Jazz in New Jersey sells Eastman and Peerless, both of which would be in your price range. They also sell higher end brands that are way above your range.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

jim

http://guitarsnjazz.com/
Have never heard anything but praise for Lou at guitarsnjazz.

Larry Wexer, Fine Fretted Instuments..NYC

I live within walking distance to LA Guitar Sales and can vouch for the professionalism of the place. It's amazing.

Corner Music in Nashville sells Eastman archtops, and does set ups.

How do you expect to have a guitar 'set up' if you won't be there to try it out before & after?

I've never understood anyone getting a set-up without being present while it's being done. I do all set ups for my students, etc, while they're present so that they can feel & hear what's being changed, while it's being done.

They already own the guitar I'm setting up, but if they'd never held the guitar to start with, they'd really have no starting point of reference.

Just giving a bunch of numbers for relief, 12th fret action, etc does not mean you're going to like it when it arrives. Couple that with the fact that almost nobody ships a guitar tuned to pitch.

Arch tops, carved solid or laminate, compress a certain amount when strung to pitch, so that is also a consideration.

Take the advice about considering some LA dealers, and take a day trip. It will be money well spent.

Regards,
Howard Emerson