Need help with flat top knowledge

[jkilkell]

Hey all, I recently went in for a job interview at a pretty big guitar store in my city. I was told when interviewed that they were looking for someone to work the floors who knew a lot about flat tops. I could really use the work, but I'm mainly an archtop player, and my knowledge of flat tops is embarrassingly low. I was told that I wasn't a fit for the moment because I didn't quite know enough, but to reach out later if I really wanted to after learning more. I thought that this might be a really good opportunity to learn more about a field i've previously neglected, even if I don't get the job. Can anyone point me to good readings on flat tops? Stuff that will help me learn about the woods, different makers and how they differ, and just generally things that will get me more knowledgeable on flat tops? Or just any general advice, instruments/makers to play, stuff to do to get me more well versed on the ins and outs of flat tops?

[Matt G]

I would start right here on this forum. Make a list of the questions you think customers might ask, and then search the forum for those issues. After 20 hours of focused reading, you would learn a lot.

Some forum members seem to post more from experience/fact-based knowledge than just from gut feelings/opinions, and their comments will start to stick out as more authoritative.

For example, Alan Carruth and Charles Tauber. You could even do a search of all the posts those guys have made. Also Charles has a PDF on his website-I think the PDF is about guitar setup principles (It's a great read whatever its topic).

Good luck learning and with the job. Best wishes.

[Ten]

Good point above. Spend a few hours reading posts, then go back and wow them for hours on the possible tonal affect of bridge pins, what is the best capo, what strings work best with different wood/body combinations, and why everyone should own a D-18. You may be running the whole store by the end of the interview. If not, perhaps you’d be qualified to take over Gibson’s acoustic division.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by jkilkell

Hey all, I recently went in for a job interview at a pretty big guitar store in my city. I was told when interviewed that they were looking for someone to work the floors who knew a lot about flat tops.

I've soaked up a LOT of information from AGF over the years, but don't know what your timeline is.

Here's a fun question for you to pose to the forum. List every brand of flattop acoustic carried by that "pretty big guitar store" and we'll start off telling you whether it's a decent shop.

Then the collective wisdom here will rank the brands, and provide pros and cons of each. This will be done with considerable personal bias, which in turn will prepare you for the range of customers you're likely to encounter.