[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Secutor

I tried out the 5´th avenue today, and though I really didn´t know much about what to expect, I found it sounded uncomfortable sharpish, and I coulden´t get any of that smooth jazzy sound, -unplugged or plugged). It had normal metal strings on it, so i guess that has a quite a lot to do with it, but how much difference are we talking..? I aim to use the guitar mostly for strumming as I really can´t do much fingerpicking (yet). I have this idea to plug it into my DAW and use amp and effects software, and get a smooth sounding guitar for various «mellow» styles of music.

Secutor, you're hardly the first guitarist to fall in love with the overall visual aesthetic of archtops, only to be flabbergasted by the way most of them actually SOUND....in case there's any doubt in your mind, I definitely include myself in this group.

Yes, there are some terrific-sounding archtops out there, but they typically cost megabucks. Every once in a blue moon someone will luck into a great-sounding, musically versatile example of an archtop that they get for very little money, but that's very rare, indeed.

You can get the 5th Avenue and experiment with strings and bridge materials. Jazz guitarists often use flatwound strings, which are way too dark and murky-sounding for my taste, but might give you exactly what you're looking for.

Originally Posted by Secutor

@Wade Hampton: today I checked, and around here you only get three and a half Godin 5´th Avenue for the price of one Gretsch cats' eye Synchromatic... ;-) You used to get around five, but there was an offer on the Gretsch

Well, save your pennies, then. The Synchromatics must have come down in price some, because the last time I checked their prices were up in the stratosphere.

Probably the smartest thing you can do, if at all possible, is track down and play a Synchromatic for yourself. Again, it might suit you exactly.

However, I do want to mention that my own rather unenthused reaction to the sound of the half dozen or so Gretsch Synchromatics I've played is not at all uncommon. Every time the topic of Synchromatics has come up among the serious guitar enthusiasts and collectors I know, the general reaction has been: "Looks great, sounds like a cigar box."

But, again, you might have just the right touch to make it work for you. I know I don't, but you might.

So good luck in your quest.


Wade Hampton Miller