Bluegrass on an Archtop

[L50EF15]

Here’s Jake Wildwood, playing one as might be done for folk or country:

https://youtu.be/bbDe8q1GJ2A?si=eVFowmHiidyef-44

[PineMarten]

I don't really play bluegrass, but I do dabble in some old-timey folk-bluesy stuff, and that comes out quite nicely on my Kalamazoo KG-21. I don't know if it would cut it in the more orthodox Monroe-esque bluegrass groups and jams,but it would be an interesting and vibey voice in a solo or duo song based setting.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Awww - Can't I have an L5 for $500 to $750?
.

If you have a time machine the list price in 1923 was about $300.

[RJVB]

Not entirely certain if this qualifies as bluegrass but here's an interesting comparison:


vs.



Sadly not in the same key but I hear one of the two above with a typical-for-me "nasally congested & chimey" quality while they other sounds warm, precise and just resonant enough (immediate is another term that comes to mind).

[jaymen]

Maybelle Carter used an L-5 archtop, and that is associated with the early Bluegrass styles that were emerging from Appalachia at the time.

I myself like to flat pick blue grass and country on my 1954 Gibson L-50.
I use 80/20 phosphor bronze 12s, Martin Marquis. For the first two days it is spectacular until the strings start to die off. I tried coated strings, and though they last longer, they are never as bright and warm as new uncoated Martins.

One thing to keep in mind is an archtop can handle faster single note runs and busy chord arpeggios without being too boomy and everything getting muddled together. Flattops are restricted in this sense and can loose definition of the notes when pushed hard. The trade off is archtops do not have the sustain like a dreadnought.

The other thing is you, the player, can't really hear an archtop very well, it projects straight out and the sound does not radiate upwards very well to the players ears. Have someone play your archtop and stand in front of them, about 10 feet away and listen...it is much better than what you hear when you are playing!

A simple and easy trick with acoustic archtops, especially laminated Kays, Harmonies, and Silvertones, it to remove the pickguard. This opens up the lower bout's F-hole and you get more mids and treble response, and the overall volume goes up by about 1/3rd. Some import archtops on the market today ( from Canada) use this trick to make their guitars sound better.