Quote:
Originally Posted by mellowman
Lately I've been seriously considering getting a vintage archtop and seem to be gravitating toward one of these three based on things I've read:
Gibson L-7
Epiphone Broadway
Epiphone Triumph
Unfortunately, it's a bit tricky to find examples of these in one place to compare the unplugged tone. I'm looking for a good crisp, dry bark for swing tunes in a trio context with fiddle and mandolin (no bass player). I'm leaning toward something in the 17" range for the lower bout and am probably looking at something made between the mid thirties and the mid fifties.
I'd be really interested in your oppinions on how these compare from an unplugged tone perspective.
Many thanks!
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Hi Mellowman,
I have examples of a few of these and have played others, though I don't own an L-7. I do have a 40s Broadway, a 30s Broadway, a 40s Triumph and a 50s carved-top L-50, which of course is a 16" archie.
I suspect that any of your choices will give you a great example of the sound you're seeking (and I'd add evenness of volume over the strings and up and down the neck to your list, too!).
One thing to bear in mind is that the L-7s will have "X" bracing rather than parallel bracing from about 1935 through 1939, with a somewhat warmer tone as a consequence. Epi Broadways from the same period will probably have black walnut backs and sides, with a tone that's a bit different than maple as a consequence.
The necks are a bit different, too. I happen to like the Epi neck, but others like the Gibson neck equally well.
Whatever you buy, check the condition carefully. It's easy to find a relatively inexpensive old archtop for sale, but many have shrunken binding, top or back or side cracks, plates separating from rims, loose braces, need a neck reset, have a sunken arch, worn frets, divots in the fingerboard...you get the idea. None of these things would necessarily deter me from purchasing a particular instrument if I liked its tone, but your budget and the price need to reflect reality. I'd certainly insist on at least a 48-hour inspection period, and I'd plan to have a good luthier look the instrument over during that period. Any of these models will be well worth your investment for repair, but expect to spend some money. Pay careful attention to the fit of the bridge to the top, too.
Another thing is that, just like flat-tops, different examples of the same model sound different. Also, these Epi and Gibson models from this period will probably have Adirondack spruce tops, and may take a little playing to "wake up" if they've not been played regularly.
If vintage seems like too much trouble or expense, you might give the Eastman 810s a look. They are full-depth acoustic archtops, have good acoustic sound and decent build quality at a pretty reasonable price, and will probably also deliver the sound you seek.
http://www.archtop.com is a great place to do research, and Joe Vinikow a knowledgeable person to consult, in my opinion.
I think you'd have a wonderful time with any of those choices. There's so much great music out there for them, and it's so much fun to play!
Cheers,
Mark McPherson