Starter Acoustic Archtop

Newfoundlandman · #1 10-23-2011, 07:04 AM

Thinking of picking up an acoustic Archtop... not sure where to turn. Initially I thought The Loar... but now I'm not sure.

Thinking cheap and playable. Brand means nothing to me. Any suggestions.

Akkorn · #2 10-23-2011, 07:45 AM

Check out the Godin 5th Avenue.

devellis · #3 10-23-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkorn

Check out the Godin 5th Avenue.

+1

Hard to find a decent archtop for less money, especially if you buy used. They're not as quintessentially "archtop" as the carved-top guitars but they're also a lot more affordable and serve as an intro to archtops in general. Like all Godin products, they're pretty decent guitars and represent an excellent value at their price point.

mr. beaumont · #4 10-23-2011, 08:28 AM

People either love or hate their Loar it seems. Try before you buy if you can. I've only played one and it was garbage (poorly fitted bridge, sharp fret ends, crooked tailpiece), but I don't think that speaks for the whole line.

I have a Godin Kingpin (5th avenue with a P90 pickup) It's not an acoustic tone machine--I do string it with flatwounds as I consider it an electric guitar, but even with bronze strings I dout it would put out too much sound--it's a small laminate box.

That said, it does have a pleasing tone for what it is, it's very well made, and I've seen the all acoustic version used for 300-400 bucks. Wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Dr. Jazz · #5 10-23-2011, 09:13 AM

I don't think there is much point in buying a laminate arch top for it's acoustic sound. If you're going to plug in, the Godin is good choice - They're well built guitars. I've been disappointed with all the Asian offerings' quality with the notable exception of the Eastman.
The Eastman is a proper hand-carved arch top and the QC is actually quite good. It's cheap for what you get. Unfortunately, a well-carved Archtop is the most difficult guitar to make and the most expensive to buy.

Good luck in the hunt. I hope this has been helpful, but probably not. :-)

JoeCharter · #6 10-23-2011, 09:20 AM

I've played several Godin 5th Avenue as they are widely available around here, and for less than what people pay in the US.

At first, I was very excited as it was the first acoustic archtop I had played and I thought the 5th Avenue sounded really good and was easy to play on.

As I look back at them now, I can't help but think how these things feel like plywood toys. The finish, the feel, the headstock -- everything looks good from a far but hold it in your hands and you'll understand why it's priced below anything else built in North America.

I think it's a fun little guitar but it's too much money to be fun AND cheap in my opinion. Personally, I'd save up a few bills and go to the next level.

mr. beaumont · #7 10-23-2011, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeNewbie

I've played several Godin 5th Avenue as they are widely available around here, and for less than what people pay in the US.

At first, I was very excited as it was the first acoustic archtop I had played and I thought the 5th Avenue sounded really good and was easy to play on.

As I look back at them now, I can't help but think how these things feel like plywood toys. The finish, the feel, the headstock -- everything looks good from a far but hold it in your hands and you'll understand why it's priced below anything else built in North America.

I think it's a fun little guitar but it's too much money to be fun AND cheap in my opinion. Personally, I'd save up a few bills and go to the next level.

Well, they're styled after old Harmonys and the Gibson 125 and such, which were also laminate.

I have to disagree, there's nothing cheap feeling about them if you actually play them. They stay in tine, have excellent fretwork, and intonate well. They're just not encased in a 1/4" of poly like some companies do. Gloss does not equal quality.

Laminate isn't a dirty word in the archtop community.

rpguitar · #8 10-23-2011, 09:44 AM

If you want to try a real acoustic archtop - that's ACOUSTIC archtop, it's hard to beat the Eastman 600 series. The AR-604 oval hole mirrors the original L-4 of old. The AR-605 is a bit like an original 16" Gibson like the L-50, or even a pre-1935 L-5/7/10/12. Real Gibson L-50s are not too hard on the budget either, for what it's worth. I'm referring to non-cutaway designs with all of these references.

Buying a Godin laminated cherry top is a cheap way to get into a guitar constructed with an arched top (note my literal description), but it's really not the full experience. Yes, I own some valuable vintage Gibsons, but I did buy a Godin 5th Ave not long ago just for fun. So I speak from experience rather than any snob factor.

Dulope · #9 10-23-2011, 09:58 AM

I'd also recommend the Eastman line of guitars - You'll pay a tad more then the introductory lines but you'll have a guitar that plays well and sounds good - They are a lot on the used market from folks who gave them a shot but were really looking for a conventional acoustic sound - I had a few and liked them all

Good Luck

JoeCharter · #10 10-23-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well, they're styled after old Harmonys and the Gibson 125 and such, which were also laminate.

I have to disagree, there's nothing cheap feeling about them if you actually play them. They stay in tine, have excellent fretwork, and intonate well. They're just not encased in a 1/4" of poly like some companies do. Gloss does not equal quality.

Laminate isn't a dirty word in the archtop community.

I did not mean to insult anyone as I'd be proud to own a 5th Avenue myself. I just think that it's not the great value that everyone seems to believe.

Your arguments about quality are valid, they are "quality" instruments in practical terms. But they're like electric guitars built without a pickup (unlike the Gibson ES125). The sound is cool -- until you play with other people.

The Eastman acoustic archtops, which are a little more expensive, feel like "grown up" guitars.

mr. beaumont · #11 10-23-2011, 10:53 AM

I completely agree they don't offer a lot of acoustic tone.

But the Eastman's are a LOT more expensive.

JoeCharter · #12 10-23-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I completely agree they don't offer a lot of acoustic tone.

But the Eastman's are a LOT more expensive.

Yeah you're right. They're more than double the price of an acoustic 5th Avenue.

That's probably why I stayed away from archtops for so long. I just couldn't afford to buy one.

jpbat · #13 10-23-2011, 11:28 AM

I tried yesterday a new Godin archtop model, based obviously on the 5th avenue, but with a deeper body. All laminate, which, as previously said, is not necessarily a bad thing on an archtop.
Not a bad instrument.
But they want 1800 CAD for it. Too high for the quality.

I recently bought an Eastman archtop for 2000 CAD, and frankly, I got a lot of guitar for that money. With the case.

Newfoundlandman · #14 10-23-2011, 11:34 AM

Yeah,

They seem to be quite costly. Perhaps I can get one used. My issue with that is that I can't spot bad guitars used as easy as I can a regular acoustic.

I've had a couple of offers of hollow body electrics... which as was explained to me can get some amplification without going electric... but cannot be the same thing.

I'll prowl around the interweb and see what I can see. Just bought a new Larrivee yesterday (italian spruce - really interesting), so I'm in no rush.

All of this is very useful. You guys are awesome.

mr. beaumont · #15 10-23-2011, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newfoundlandman

I've had a couple of offers of hollow body electrics... which as was explained to me can get some amplification without going electric... but cannot be the same thing.

.

Hmmm...

Just watch that. Some folks call anything with "F holes" a hollowbody...but many of them are only semi hollow and have little or no acoustic properties.

Then there's the "jazz box" archtops...many of them, even high end, are laminated...they're still really intended to be electric guitars, even though they have acoustic volume (up to you to decide whether or not it's a pleasing tone--check out Joe Pass' forst "Virtuoso" album to hear an unamplified ES-175. Yuck. IMHO, of course)

Then you have acoustic archtops. Some are still laminate, others are solid topped. The the solid top ones have a more complex tone, and are often louder, but they still don't sound like a flat top--not supposed to.

But I'm not sure what folks mean by "can get some amplification without going electric." Sounds like a sell to me.