Please help me with the choice of a budget acoustic archtop.

[gerardo1000]

Nobody mentioned the wide range of Epiphone offers Century, Zodiac, olympic etc...) which would in my budget. Is it because the aren't good?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by gerardo1000

Nobody mentioned the wide range Epiphone offers (Century, Zodiac, Olympic, etc...) which would be in my budget. Is it because they aren't good?

If you're talking the recent Masterbilt models - which FYI have undergone a $200-300 price reduction recently - you're right, they aren't; FWIW a stocking dealer told me a while back that they've been such a flop in the marketplace that Epiphone is considering a total overhaul, along the lines of the successful Loar/Eastman archtops - carved tops/backs, more historically-accurate appointments - and the aforementioned major price drop only serves to lend further credence to the story. Frankly, I've been holding off on buying an Eastman in anticipation of a new New York-style Epi acoustic; if you're inclined to buy right now, a used Loar LH-600 (which meets your soecs) can be had around the top of your range - just make sure the neck angle allows for sufficient bridge adjustment range, and that the tailpiece crossbar doesn't contact the top...

[mikehartigan]

I bought an Epiphone Century Zenith Classic with F-Holes a few months ago. I had it Plek'd, which seems to have been a good move. It had defective electronics, but the dealer replaced it, no questions asked. The replacement has a few ugly cosmetic issues, and the electronics are nothing to get excited about, but otherwise, I really like it. Feels good, sounds great, a chunky baseball bat neck which I've fallen in love with, and dang, is it pretty! (it turns quite a few heads)

It's been listed at $599 at most online sellers for the past couple of months, down from $799, so it may, indeed, be on its last legs as a new offering. But they're still able to restock when they sell out, so there doesn't appear to be a shortage just yet.

I'd definitely recommend taking a look.

[mawmow]

Why not an acoustic Godin 5th Avenue ? I changed the original nut for a Taylor type one (1,75 in.) to enlarge string spacing : it works ! No string slipping out of fret. I even norified Godin so that they could offer this.
On the other hand, this archtop do not project sound as much as a dreadnough.
It is my beloved practice guitar as it almost allows getting to 15th to practice my pentatonic scales.

[kayakman]

IMO there are not many "budget archtops" out there that worth their salt, you have to get up there in L7 Gibson range 3500 and up......

[gerardo1000]

I followed the suggestion of several forum members and just purchased a 2016 Loar LH-600 in "excellent condition" on Reverb, for less than $600.00 including shipping.The guitar should arrive at the end of the week and I will report my impressions! Thanks everybody for the comments 😊

[WordMan]

Originally Posted by gerardo1000

I followed the suggestion of several forum members and just purchased a 2016 Loar LH-600 in "excellent condition" on Reverb, for less than $600.00 including shipping.The guitar should arrive at the end of the week and I will report my impressions! Thanks everybody for the comments 😊

Good luck!!

Live with it a bit. Archtops are different.

[tdq]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

If you choose to go the Loar route - just check that the neck set enables a fair bridge height and keeps the tailpiece off the top.

My 700 has this problem - I had to take quite a bit off the top part of the bridge to get it to where I wanted it to be. For me its fine, it's not my main guitar but an archtop perfectionist might have issue with it.

[mawmow]

I kind of bump this thread since I got a close attention to Loar LH-600/650...

I saw at least two with an at least two parts neck (not talking about the fretboard) : I could see a clear and neat line with wood grain difference at the neck joint !

In addition, the nut seems always at the lowest position on the bridge : neck angle construction mistake ? I mean, you could not lower string action more.

Anyone could comment ?

[mr. beaumont]

So that's been a criticism on the Loars for a while...many do not have a sufficient neck angle. But it's not all, and I do think they've gotten better...

As for the neck, I remember the one I had (it was a 600) was one piece mahogany. Sounds like they might have switched to using a scarf joint.

I do think the Loars are a "play before you buy" kind of guitar, or at least order from somewhere with a good return policy.

[Prof_Stack]

My first impressions of the Master Build Epi guitars were not good at all. Acoustically, they just float my boat.

I did play a very nice Loar 700 two weeks ago that was impressive. The Eastman archtops I've played have sounded very good, but not in the same way as a classic acoustic archtop.