Quote:
Originally Posted by RichardP
I put Martin Retro Monel 13's on and it sounds better acoustically. More sustain. Still sounds a little like an acoustic strummed close to the bridge...maybe not that harsh, but I know I can't expect it sound like the Taylor. I will try it for a couple of days and see if it grows on me now...
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Found these videos posted on another thread by fellow forumite and archtop aficionado supreme Jeff Matz (
aka Mr. Beaumont); the man's got some formidable chops and clearly understands what I mentioned about "coaxing the velvet out" (I could listen to ya for hours, Jeff...
) - should help you get a handle on what good archtop tone sounds like in general and, in the second clip, give you an idea what to expect from your Godin:
1950's Kay: the textbook acoustic archtop tone I described above - although it's difficult to see his right hand, you can hear how he's focused in the "sweet spot" and uses the "stroke/glide" technique to make the characteristic short sustain work to his advantage, bringing out the individual notes in the complex voicings he uses
Godin Kingpin: the non-cutaway version of your (and my) guitar, also set up with Martin Monels after the first generation of electric jazz guitarists to lend a not-quite-electric/not-quite-acoustic amplified tone with the P-90 pickup (you should be able to achieve this tone through the neck pickup with no problem) - his right-hand technique is more visible here, and you can clearly see the economy of motion compared to flattop acoustic guitar
Heritage 575: a two-pickup cutaway jazzbox like the CW II, set up with flatwound strings for that classic '50s-style tone associated with the likes of Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel,
et al. (but also extremely effective for rockabilly, early blues/R&B, Western swing, Americana - and don't even
think of using anything else for Beatle-era Brit-Invasion) - although your P-90's will have more presence and clarity (the humbucking pickups roll off some of the highs) you can hear that rich, "woody" tone that IME is the whole
raison d'etre for these instruments in the first place, and that requires a heavier string (such as your Monels) to achieve
This one's from Darryl Noda (
aka Livingston), another AGF'er - threw it in just for the heluvit to give you an idea of how to make it work in a group setting (in addition to the fact that I always liked this tune anyway
):
Hope this clarifies things a bit; just spent some quality couch time with my CW II before posting, and I hope with time and practice you come to enjoy yours as much as I do mine...