#1
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Action
What’s the standard action most use on their arch tops. The measurement between neck and strings?
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#2
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Totally depends on intent...
Big band rhythm? HIGH! Otherwise...whatever is comfortable. I think somewhere around 2 to 2.5mm is a good "happy medium" that allows the guitar to be easy to play, but also have decent acoustic presence... |
#3
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I set mine up for the industry standard (if there is one) 1/16" high E and 3/32" low E at the 12th fret, between the fret top and the bottom of the string. I play gently, use fairly light strings, mostly single note and three/four note chords played with pick and three fingers, never play aggressive rhythm "big band" style. The thing to remember is it's just a guitar. The arch and the F-holes have nothing to do with setup, with action height, with string choice. All of those things flow from the player - how you play, what you play, soft or hard approach with your picking hand, if you play amplified or acoustic. A guy who plays hard aggressive rhythm and lead guitar in a big acoustic bluegrass band is going to go for a high and hard setup, just the same as the guy who plays hard in an acoustic big band setting. Bottom line, set it up so you like it!
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Brian Evans Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia. |
#4
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Hi, as I'm not comping out with a bi band like Freddie Green, I have my archtops set up like my flat tops - 110 bass and .080 treble, with mediums.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#5
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One of the key, differentiating characteristics of an archtop is its ability to take a heavy hand. Depending on the archtop, you are expected to be driving the top hard. I don’t play Freddie Green jazz; I use it as my everyday strummer, but I find I love the tone when I drive it.
Furthermore, to me, strumming an archtop is different because you don’t strum the way you do with an flattop, with an even smack through the strings. With an archtop it is better if you push through the strings a bit. That’s another dimension pointing to why playing an archtop is suited to a heavy hand. For those factors and others, I favor a high/comfortable action on my Kalamazoo. Also helps because I play a ton of slide on it
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An old Gibson and a couple of old Martins; a couple of homebrew Tele's |