Quote:
Originally Posted by THart
Wow, that's pretty dismissive of a well respected builder. You've played both the L-5 & a Mowry? I don't see anything wrong with a good builder borrowing from the classics, that's how instruments progress. I imagine Andrew Mowry adds his own ideas & on building but like the OP, it would be nice to hear from someone who's played one. It seems like there's no one on this forum who has though. Probably not many of them around.
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I agree. Nothing shameful or untoward about having an exterior shape modeled after a classic. In flattops, Collings became an established "A" brand by doing just that with guitars that look like Martins, although they have their own sound. Guitars, even electric solid bodies, tend to gravitate toward classic design paradigms.
While I do admire more the builders who introduce originality in their designs - exemplified in the extreme by Ken Parker - it's perfectly understandable why many, perhaps most, small builders choose to mimic the L-5 shape, since the classic look is what most archtop players are looking for when they purchase.