Strings advice - Acoustic Archtops??

[Driver8]

I recently swapped over to Argentine strings on an old Clifford Essex guitar from the early thirties, lovely tone.
I am I alone in wishing Savarez would make a set 12-50/52 for standard long scale guitars?

[57gold]

Just swapped out some D'As for Scalar's mid-priced TONEQ Acoustic Bronze Phosphor 13-53 on my new baby pictured below. Nice bump in clarity of the fundamental with increased warmth and sustain...feel nice and seem to ring forever. Another option!

[kkfan]

Originally Posted by 57gold

Just swapped out some D'As for Scalar's mid-priced TONEQ Acoustic Bronze Phosphor 13-53 on my new baby pictured below. Nice bump in clarity of the fundamental with increased warmth and sustain...feel nice and seem to ring forever. Another option!

Their 13s go to 56, not 53. Did you mix and match?


http://scalardesigns.com/products/apb13s

[57gold]

Originally Posted by kkfan

Their 13s go to 56, not 53. Did you mix and match?


http://scalardesigns.com/products/apb13s

Yup, miss remembered...no wonder I get a work out playing this baby.

Not like the 10-46/8s on my electrics!

[Richard Mott]

57Gold--That is a BEAUTIFUL looking archtop. Is it a 17"? Have you written about the sound at all?--if so I missed the post. Would love to read a review or hear clips!

[57gold]

From another post:

It's a 2004 example.

Learned from Collings that the last AT-17 was delivered in 2013, two in 2010 and none currently on the production books. Actually, they were almost never on the production books as a regular model. Periodically they were special ordered.

In past, Bill would work on them himself as his own projects and this is one of those. He made it for the former owner who Bill knows and has ordered several guitars over the years.

Not taking orders and the fellow that has worked on more recent examples for Bill is tasked with AT-16 production.

Have wanted one since I first met bill @1988 in his first Austin workshop, just Bill and Bruce and piles of wood. On my first visit, Bill was working on a binding repair on a guitar he made but labeled Gruhn (belonged to Jim Messina), had one Clarence White D-28 type with ebony board and large sound hole for me to try (it was already spoken for) and an AT-17 in progress, had temporary tailpiece and no pick guard, huge sounding...asked if I could buy it when it was done and Bill said, "nope, I making it for a guy named Lyle Lovette". When he told me I could order one, it would take at least a year to be made and it would cost $12K...I ordered a D-42 cutaway Adi/Brazilian for $4,400, instead. Photos in Collings forum acoustic thread.

Do not know how to do clips. Can comment on it: classic Collings clarity, attack, and balance string to string. Workmanship is stellar, woods outstanding, neck is big and round, intonation is perfect (used a strobe), playability with 13s is easy and I am an 80% electric player used to 10s on most of my guitars.

My wife's comments, "wow that is loud". Lady in the airport, "Want to tell my guitar playing boyfriend what kind of guitar that is. Is it electric, it sounds almost like one when you play the notes? (single string lines)"

Rings like a bell, completely lacks the wooly thump kind of tonality that some dark archtops have.

Only guitar I have played that sounds similar is a big, blonde 1940s D'Angelico that Rudy in SoHo let me play when he opened his new store...except, this plays better.

Very cool, indeed.

[jricc]

I'm not much of a jazzer, but I do like the Retro/monels on my Godin 5th Ave. I think they warm up the guitar.

[slewis]

I should have been clearer, maybe, in my earlier requests for string suggestions for my Godin Fifth Avenue (although maybe it doesn't make a difference) but I'm particularly interested in recommendations for the amplified sound/tone -- that may be an entirely different question/answer for some of you as compared to the unplugged tone. I guess I'm primarily looking for a fairly typical steel-string acoustic sound but with the "archtop touch" to it.... I think! Anyone gone down this path? It's my first archtop, folks, so I'm still finding my way, obviously!

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by slewis

I should have been clearer, maybe, in my earlier requests for string suggestions for my Godin Fifth Avenue (although maybe it doesn't make a difference) but I'm particularly interested in recommendations for the amplified sound/tone -- that may be an entirely different question/answer for some of you as compared to the unplugged tone. I guess I'm primarily looking for a fairly typical steel-string acoustic sound but with the "archtop touch" to it.... I think! Anyone gone down this path? It's my first archtop, folks, so I'm still finding my way, obviously!

I'm guessing that if there is a magnetic pup on your acoustic archtop, and you want it to work acoustically and electric , then a ferrous wrapping (i.e. nickel) is a necessity.
I may be wrong but in my ignorance of electric guitar playing I've been buying nickels for my Eastman AR805e. For the Gibson - completely acoustic - either nickels or bronze or PBs to taste.

If I'm wrong - someone who knows - Please advise !

[Silly Moustache]

Afterthought - would these work with a magnetic p/up ?