[1Charlie]

I owned two ‘30’s Kalamazoo archtops that I could never bond with. Pressed tops made them sound a little thin to my ears, anyway.

A ‘30’s L-50 has a carved top and is a much better sounding guitar, IMO. If you are willing to settle for one with cosmetic issues (repaired cracks, stripped, refinished, overspray, non-original parts, etc.), you can end up with a good-sounding and playing archtop for under $1000.

Insist on a no-hassle return policy if buying sight-unseen. And appreciate that most vintage archtops out there have something wrong with them that could benefit from the services of a good luthier.

Setting an extra $200 aside for repairs is a wise move. Then you can be prepared to address anything that is wrong with the right guitar, or be pleasantly surprised if it is not needed!