#1
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1 7/8" nut width archtop?
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
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#2
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My Larrivee sd-50
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#3
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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. |
#4
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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"...
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#5
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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 |
#6
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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.
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Pre-War Guitar Co. Model D and OM-2018 1928 Gibson L-5 |
#7
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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
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Collings DS2HMapA Collings CL Dlx Etc. Bill Collings '78 Brazilian |
#9
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Let me know how this order goes. I have thought I might order one from them but I'm nervous about it.
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#10
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My Yolanda Team guitar has landed stateside
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. |
#11
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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? |
#12
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Very cool! Audio soon?
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#13
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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. Quote:
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?
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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. Quote:
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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! Last edited by Digits_Only; 07-12-2015 at 09:42 AM. |
#14
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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! |
#15
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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. |