1 7/8" nut width archtop?

[waldrgd]

Does anyone make a archtop with a 1 7/8" nut width? I heard an Epiphone Emperor Regent with a floating pickup being played in the Country Music Hall of Fame a few weeks ago and it was magical. I really like the 1 7/8 nut. I really like the sound. But I need help finding a good one. I'd like to stay in the $1000 to $1500 range. New, Old, it doesn't matter. Maybe even a project. I know a good luthier. Let me know the brands.....and what you have. Thanks and Merry Christmas

[Silly Moustache]

My Larrivee sd-50

[Silly Moustache]

whoops - sorry - you said archtop!

In my experienced - as archtops were designed for closed chord rhythm most are quite thin.

The earlier flat-tops were designed for finger-style and so had wider fretboards.

[FloridaGull]

Eastman archtops - http://www.eastmanguitars.com/16-and-17-archtops/ - have a 1 3/4" nut width...not quite 1 7/8", but better than 1 11'16"...

[sausgirl]

Hey all,
I was hoping for a little more reply as well.1 3/4" would be fine also. I can see why they are mostly 1 11/16" due to chord playing as accompaniment. Love to hear more comments.
Thanks,
Jan

[rpguitar]

I think there are few replies because 1.875" is not a standard nut width for a production steel string guitar of any kind, much less an archtop. You will typically need to place a custom order for such a guitar, and the OP stated a budget of less than $1500, which excludes bespoke guitars.

The Chinese Yunzhi company might entertain such a build within that price range, come to think of it. Otherwise I'd also recommend the large selection of Eastman models with a 1.75" width. Typically that is very adequate for finger style with steel strings.

[Sturob]

Fooooouuuuuuund one!

Looky here. Gibson L5-C, 1956, custom-ordered, 1 7/8" nut.

And, only $18,000. Not ¥, but US$. I don't mind saying, "yikes!"

Stuart

[Digits_Only]

I've ordered one of these with a 1.875" nut. We'll see how it goes...

[waldrgd]

Let me know how this order goes. I have thought I might order one from them but I'm nervous about it.

[Digits_Only]

Guitar arrived here in California last week. Plays and sounds surprisingly great. I'm very satisfied with the service they provided—lots of email interaction and photos of the guitar as it was being built, they asked for verification at every step (is the inlay OK? do you approve of the tailpiece? etc.). I wouldn't hesitate ordering another one from them.

My guitar is all acoustic, no electronics. I didn't want a pickguard as the guitar was spec'ed with the extra wide neck (1.875" nut) exclusively for fingerstyle. They sent me a free ebony pickguard anyway, packed in the case. It has an 18" lower bout, arm bevel, beveled cutaway, soundport, and, of course, the crazy inlay. The workmanship is excellent. The body has absolutely minimum bracing inside. The neck is dead nuts straight and the action is super low with no buzzing frets. Tuners are not marked as to brand but seem fairly high quality with smooth action. I'm still experimenting with strings but right now D'Addario EFT16 Flat Top Lights (12-16-24-32-42-53) are on it and sounding pretty darn good for my jazz-oriented repertoire. I use Fred Kelly Poly Freedom Finger Picks and Fred Kelly Delrin Speed Thumb picks.

Regarding the inlay, the mountains are wood, clouds are abalone and the moon and stars are mother-of-pearl.

Pictures are ones taken at the factory just prior to shipping.

[RobertD0]

That's a beauty, Digits. Best of luck with it.

Was there an extra charge for the custom build? Were there import charges?

Chinese made guitars are often criticized but I've owned Eastmans and I've always been satisfied with the build and component quality - and the price.

They've been making stringed instruments over there since B.C. so I guess they have some idea of how it's done by now.

That inlay is gorgeous. Was it your design or theirs?

[Archtop Guy]

Very cool! Audio soon?

[Digits_Only]

Originally Posted by RobertD0

That's a beauty, Digits. Best of luck with it.

Thanks! It's really fun to play, has an old timey, 20s kind of sound (which is what I was looking for) and is pretty visually stunning as well. Fingerstyle ragtime sounds really funky on it too, especially if you pick aggressively (it also gets LOUD).

The neck is basically the same profile as a Taylor 12 string.

Was there an extra charge for the custom build? Were there import charges?

The only upcharge was for the extra inlay work which was $75 IIRC. Because I subtracted out the standard pickup/electronics & pickguard, the two bevels and soundport were a wash price-wise.

No import charges. I found this on the Emerald site, I don't know if this is A.) correct, B.) is some special thing between the US and the EU or if it's universal:
"Will I have to pay import duties?

• If you are located within the European Union you will not have to pay import duty as VAT is already included in the price.
• If you are located in USA you will not have to pay import duty as Guitars are zero rated.
• If you are located in the rest of the world you should check locally about potential import duties."

Chinese made guitars are often criticized but I've owned Eastmans and I've always been satisfied with the build and component quality - and the price.

I have a blonde Eastman AR371 (Gibson ES-175 clone) that I removed the electronics from, rewired it, and installed a Benedetto B6 pickup in. I bought it at a scratch and dent sale for $600 NOS, the pots, jack and pickup cost me $130, and now it sounds like a for-real grown up jazz guitar. If you close your eyes and listen, you'd think that guitar was waaaaaay north of $1K.

And the AR371 is the absolute bottom of Eastman's archtop line. The sound samples of the 800s and 900s I've heard are outrageously nice.

One of the reasons I went this route was that Eastman had stopped making their round soundhole acoustic archtop and I got impatient waiting for one to pop up on the used market. This also gave me an opportunity to customize the neck width, etc. too. Someday I might spring for an Erich Solomon guitar of the same ilk but for now this will do.

They've been making stringed instruments over there since B.C. so I guess they have some idea of how it's done by now.

True dat. The workmanship is excellent, dare I say perfect. I can find no flaws or shortcuts in the build at all. The wood quality is far superior to any western-made guitars at that price point. There's no doubt they know what they're doing, and only getting better at it.

That inlay is gorgeous. Was it your design or theirs?

Thanks. Actually I found that design using Google. Mixing up the materials for the mountains, clouds, and moon was my idea after they presented me with a buffet of materials from which to make the inlay.

I tell ya, working with Lora and the Yolanda Team could get addicting. They are super responsive, very nice folks, that clearly got excited with the prospect of building this guitar. At the end they asked me if they could keep the pictures of it that they took!

[Digits_Only]

Originally Posted by Archtop Guy

Very cool! Audio soon?

Thanks! This summer I'm going to pop for a K&K Definity so I can record it directly. My current microphone setup is...well...lame.

But I definitely will. Stay tuned!

[RobertD0]

Originally Posted by Digits_Only

Thanks! This summer I'm going to pop for a K&K Definity so I can record it directly. My current microphone setup is...well...lame.

But I definitely will. Stay tuned!

Get yourself a vintage DeArmond FHC-C or Rhythm Chief instead.

No alterations to your instrument, you can go back and forth between pure acoustic and electric in seconds, plus incomparable vintage DeArmond tone.

PS Find one with the detachable cord.