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Old 05-14-2003, 01:33 PM
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Livingston Livingston is offline
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Default Do you own an archtop guitar?

Taylor Poor asked me this question in another (unrelated) thread. I thought I'd answer TP's question while throwing the question out to the rest of you, by starting a whole new thread. My apologies if a similar thread has been started before.

So, the question is, "Which archtop(s) do you own?" Probably a brief description of what kind(s) you have and what kind of music you play with your archtop(s) will be appropriate. Hope I'm not the only one who answers TP's question.

For me, well I have an Ibanez GB-100 which is a George Benson model. It's a small bodied archtop with laminated woods. It has a 14.5 inch lower bout and is a 1/2 inch deeper than the standard GB-10 model. In addition to the laminated maple back and sides, it has a laminated maple top. Mine has a nice cherry sunburst finish and two floating mini humbuckers. It's not my dream guitar, but I do like it a lot.

By the way, many of the modern electric archtops are laminated. I believe laminated woods are popular because they help to reject feedback. Also, the material is obviously more affordable. There are a fair amount of nice quality solid wood electrics too. And of course the nicest acoustic archtops are usually all solid wood with 5 digit price tags.

I'm least accomplished as a jazz guitarist, but I do play in a 12 piece big band. We play swing music and other jazz type genres. In that setting, I'm mostly playing four-to-the-bar rhthym. I have also played in small combos with piano, bass and drums.

Looking forward to hearing who else has and plays archtops. G Snyde, I know you're out there...
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Old 05-14-2003, 01:53 PM
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Only one...a '57 Gibson ES 125. No cutaway. Great sunburst finish.

I keep flatwounds on it. I use it for noodling around, strictly at home.

For a while I played it every day. I've owned it since the 70s. Nowadays I tend to pick up one of my Taylors...but I'll never sell it...it saw me through some rough times.
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Old 05-14-2003, 02:24 PM
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Hey Livingston
I have only one:
Epiphone Masterbilt Royal 1931
I use it to play Ragtime/Jug Band/Blues tunes. It has that funky sound of an old archtop. Looks cool and old, also.
Russ
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Old 05-14-2003, 02:32 PM
Taylor Poor Taylor Poor is offline
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I like the GB's. My instructor had one in a natural finish. I was looking at a GB10 or a used Fender D'Aquisto, but I got real lucky one day and snagged a handcrafted archtop by Victor Baker. It was not custom made, it happened to be an extra one he made. It was a real slow time for him so I got it a huge discount.

Its 16" in the bout and has a 3" body depth. He modeled the color and inlays off the archtop that pictured on the MelBay book with the exception of the ebony fretboard, ebony tailpiece, ebony guard, and ebony knobs. It uses a Kent Armstrong floating pup and standard chrome grover tuners. Its a really nice guitar thats way too nice for me Unplugged, the guitar projects like my Taylor. Its doesn't have the resonance like my Taylor, but the guitar sounds very full and sustains quite well. I really couldn't beleive my ears on how well Victor's guitars project.

Its a definte keeper and its inspiration to practice harder.
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Old 05-14-2003, 03:20 PM
GSnyde GSnyde is offline
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Liv and TP, I own a 1947 Epiphone Triumph with a dark sunburst finish and a HUUUUGE voice. I recently got it serviced by Frank Ford at Gryphon (new bridge, fiddled with nut, fixed pickguard), and the Gryphon guys were quite impressed with it.

I play Blues and a few Swing tunes (Dan Hicks) on it, but it's kinda nifty for rhythm guitar on Pop tunes, too,

One of my friends plays a Ibanez GB....nice axe.
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Old 05-14-2003, 03:23 PM
Pinsk94 Pinsk94 is offline
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I have an early 70's Gibson Super 400. Big solid wood guitar. The top is carved german spruce, and back and sides are curly maple. Action is insane. So easy to play. Has that classic mellow jazz sound. Has flatwounds on it. I like the Hertitage Eagle classic. Might get one someday.
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Old 05-14-2003, 06:41 PM
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Just picked up a '00 or '01 (Haven't checked the serial number yet) Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis Signature model. Basically a single pickup version of an ES-175. Full size jazz boz, florentine cutaway, 24.75" scale 1-3/4" nut, gorgeous sunburst finish. Gibson just recently replaced the single 57 Classic h'bucker with a floating Johnny Smith pickup in the latest version.

I preferred the old version so I was on a quest. Got a beautiful guitar at a respectable price via eBay...

Music? Use primarily as a soft lead monster, but am absolutely anihilating Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery and other fingertyle jazz standards. I'll eventually figure out how to play them correctly...
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Old 05-14-2003, 06:49 PM
Deuter412 Deuter412 is offline
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picked up a used prs hollow bodyI,I can't afford the archtop that I want
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Old 05-14-2003, 07:28 PM
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I have an ES-335, does that count?
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Old 05-14-2003, 07:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by meridian
I have an ES-335, does that count?
It's all good, Joe.

Man, you all have some great axes.

Herb Ellis ES165, Super 400, PRS archtop, Victor Baker, ES 335, Epi Triumph, ES 125, Epi Masterbilt...it's all good.

My dream guitar will be something built around the same size as my GB (14.5" or 15" lower bout) with a 3-1/4" body depth. It will have one super 58, solid maple top and an ebony tail piece. It will be the ultimate sour cherry sunburst. I'm hoping it will have Taylor on the headstock.

Until then you all have me beat - you all have some great guitars.
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Old 05-14-2003, 11:38 PM
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I've kinda gotten interested in an inexpensive archtop electric lately, though my Taylor will remain my first grab. What do you guys think is the best value in a sub-$700 archtop? Is an Epiphone Sheraton worthy of consideration? Some decent looking used ones have gone on eBay recently for around $350....

cotten
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Old 05-14-2003, 11:52 PM
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Epiphone seems to have some very playable and decent sounding guitars in the sub $1K range. I think they make an Emperor and a Joe Pass model that seem like pretty decent guitars. I saw Ibanez has one that is the size and shape of the GB for around for less that $400. (Am I going to get busted for discussing price??? Or does that only pertain to Taylors?) I played one the other day but it felt pretty cheap. Didn't have a chance to plug it in. I think Yamaha has an inexpensive archtop but I've never played it. I used to have an old Ibanez that was a copy of an ES 175. It actually sounded pretty good and I once loaned it to Mundell Lowe when he was in San Jose to play a gig. Wow brush with fame.
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Old 05-15-2003, 01:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by cotten
I've kinda gotten interested in an inexpensive archtop electric lately, though my Taylor will remain my first grab. What do you guys think is the best value in a sub-$700 archtop? Is an Epiphone Sheraton worthy of consideration? Some decent looking used ones have gone on eBay recently for around $350....

cotten
Jay Turser is supposed to be pretty cheap in price and a good chomp for your clams. I say you get a book out and make one. Wouldn't that be so much fun. LoL, on second thought...
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Old 05-15-2003, 06:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by virtuoso


a good chomp for your clams.
Today's phrase that pays.
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Old 05-15-2003, 06:47 AM
Taylor Poor Taylor Poor is offline
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Quote:
What do you guys think is the best value in a sub-$700 archtop?
The Ibanez full hollow body archtop in the sub 400.00 range is from the Artcore series. Its not too bad and hen you look at the price, its a steal. Sam Ash store brand Carlo Robelli has a nice looking archtop in that price range too.

Livingston, when you are ready, drop Vic a line with your specs, I'm sure you can negotiate a good price. If you catch him during a lull you may be surprised
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