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  #1  
Old 01-17-2023, 01:04 PM
tjmicsak tjmicsak is offline
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Default Archtop for building a Barney Kessel ES-350 copy

I'm looking for suggestions for a good choice of guitar to install an original style CC in, hoping for having a cutaway, 17" lower bout, deep body, and such. Would likely need to have X bracing from what I understand.

Looking for suggestions on either a new model or a used but plenty available archtop for this project. My ultimate aim is to build a nice clone of Barney Kessel's guitar.

I have the PU, the tailpiece, and the chicken head knobs already, just need a good archtop now

Last edited by tjmicsak; 01-17-2023 at 01:11 PM.
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Old 01-17-2023, 01:53 PM
Al Mojo Al Mojo is offline
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Maybe this late '40's ES-150? Kinda of a 'poor man's' post-war ES-350, sort of as no cutaway.

Good luck!

https://reverb.com/p/gibson-es-150
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Old 01-17-2023, 05:23 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjmicsak View Post
I'm looking for suggestions for a good choice of guitar to install an original style CC in, hoping for having a cutaway, 17" lower bout, deep body, and such...My ultimate aim is to build a nice clone of Barney Kessel's guitar...
Good luck finding a suitable all-acoustic or single-PU laminated 17-incher made in the last 50 years, especially at a reasonable price - something with a heavier build than the current generation of lam-body jazzboxes, for that "thuddy" Bop-era tone as well as support for the heavy CC pickup. If you're not in a position to have something made to order (and it's tone you're after first and foremost) a postwar Epiphone Zephyr Regent that's already been modified might be a good starting point: they're solidly built, any collector value has been negated, and they have the right period vibe - something like this:



https://reverb.com/item/57085816-epi...yr-regent-1954
https://reverb.com/item/60026484-195...itar-beautiful
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Old 01-17-2023, 05:46 PM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjmicsak View Post
I'm looking for suggestions for a good choice of guitar to install an original style CC in, hoping for having a cutaway, 17" lower bout, deep body, and such. Would likely need to have X bracing from what I understand.

Looking for suggestions on either a new model or a used but plenty available archtop for this project. My ultimate aim is to build a nice clone of Barney Kessel's guitar.

I have the PU, the tailpiece, and the chicken head knobs already, just need a good archtop now
So you have a PU-150 straight bar (Oscar Moore) pickup with the 2 bar magnets?

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Howard Emerson
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Old 01-17-2023, 08:46 PM
tjmicsak tjmicsak is offline
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Yep, One of these-

https://ccpickups.co.uk/pickups.html
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Old 01-18-2023, 03:40 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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The original pickups are even way easier to find than the guitar body you're looking to put it in, unfortunately.

It was never called a Charlie Christian pickup until 1979 when Gibson made the ES-175CC.

The Master Parts Catalog always had is listed as an Oscar Moore pickup:




It's long been associated with Charlie Christian for obvious reasons, but Oscar Moore played with one of the most famous singer/pianist/composer/entertainers of all time: Nat King Cole. THAT has a lot to do with everything.

I have 2 by Pete Biltoft in a Tele build.

Best of luck finding your grail!

HE
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Last edited by Howard Emerson; 01-18-2023 at 03:53 AM.
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