Archtops

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:17 pm

I've wanted an archtop for years. I hate regular acoustics. They're for pansybutts and they look shit. They're a shaped wooden box with a hole in the middle. F-holes, meanwhile, are a bit fancy and mean if I want to I can carve the bastard up to stick humbuckers in it.

Thomann have their own Harley Benton type for Â£160 which looks terribly respectable and comes with a neck-mounted ceramic minibucker: http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_ ... andard.htm

Then the next one up is The Loar at Â£250 which is obviously better because it's black and the headstock looks nicer. It's also shorter scale: http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_loar_lh300_bk.htm

What does shortscale think? What are the main differences between boring western acoustics with the big daft hole in the middle and archtops? Any reasons those design decisions were taken all those years ago by those wise old luthiers? Better/worse sound projection? I'm not looking for a proper acoustic really, just something to noodle on at home and take to campfire parties.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:11 pm

Gabriel is who you'll want to speak to I think. I wouldn't buy a cheap archtop.

I have an epiphone emperor regent which is lovely and I badly want a Godin fifth avenue. They're amazing '

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:36 pm

Aye, but I'm terribly conservative in an odd sense. I know solidbody guitars and that's it. I've very rarely strayed from that path, the closest being my Danelectro, the Alden (which was so heavy it made almost no real difference) and the Epiphone. So it's hard for me to ever really imagine spending something like Â£800-1000 on a guitar so far removed from what I'm familiar with, like a Godin, as much as I absolutely cocking love them.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:15 pm

Then spend the Â£400-Â£500 they actually go for one one. Sorted. ///

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:23 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:Gabriel is who you'll want to speak to I think. I wouldn't buy a cheap archtop.

I have an epiphone emperor regent which is lovely and I badly want a Godin fifth avenue. They're amazing '

Ditto on the Fifth Avenue; I pick one up every time I'm in a shop. Great sounding and playing guitars with a reasonable price point; they're not a bass strong as many acoustics, but have an even, articulate response across all strings.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:43 pm

I love the Godins too. This one at Â£325 bin is pretty good: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Godin-5th-Ave ... 1132848315?

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:48 pm

i would like to speak the praise of godin as well, i played on in new york when i went for broefest. it was pretty nice, and sounded rather nice. if i remember the body was slightly smaller than your normal size(18 i think is the standard) anywho, it was probly 15-16 inches.
anywho. i would stay far away from a cheaply made laminated top archtop. the sound is. meh.... and sort of lacks on all fronts.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:52 pm

I've spotted a shop locally selling peerless at around 500. Like Paul said, they aren't something to scrimp on.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:35 pm

Doing a huge price reduction at work on Ibanez and have a Pat Metheny going cheap, like well below cost. Â£450

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:12 pm

the ibanez artcore series is ok imo. i think acoustically they lack ALOT! i forgot to mentoin, i had a jay tursor(CHEAP) archtop, white with gold hardware and a burns vibrato peice(i bought it for 100 bucks only for the vibrato) anywho, it was actually somewhat "ok" acoustically, not that great, but not bad, and plugged in it sounded rather nice, for the price, it was right.

George · Post by **George** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:14 pm

they all look huge and boring

time to break out your slippers and pipe

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:05 pm

I spent easily an hour at a GC last march trying out one of the Godin 5th Avenue archtops. It took everything in me to not buy it.

If I can get a client to pay me between now and when I leave for the states next week, I will be bringing one home.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:08 pm

If you want a purely acoustic archtop then the Loar is definitely the way to go, although they have very iffy quality control so do not buy one without seeing it first.

The Godin kingpin is cool, it's a really great electric archtop but acoustically hasn't got a whole lot going for it.

The problem with archtops is that in order for the sound to really transfer well, the bridge needs to be fitted properly so a setup is definitely something I'd recommend when purchasing one.

Old Framus and Hofners could be worth checking out too if you're on a budget. Again though they would probably require a setup.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 4:21 pm

gabe brought up a good point about the bridge fitting properly, there was an older epi archtop in town years ago and the guy had brought a replacement bridge for it, but he said it lots all of the sound. i took a red wax pencil and colored where the bridge was suppose to seat and was able to see where it was touching and not touching by the wax rub off, then i had to chizzle it out, and repeat until the entire bridge sat on the top just right. once that was done it sounded about 100 million times better.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:41 pm

The last time I was in forsyths in Manchester (admitidely quite a while back) they had a couple old of 2nd hand archtops in. Hofners I think? Maybe worth checking in there. Something like this would be cool:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-1960s ... 0984273599?

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:39 am

Fuck this shit. Buy this shit instead:link

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 10:56 am

Archtops are pretty amazing.

I lucked into this beauty but like an idiot I sold it.

http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtop ... sc&start=0

I gots the regrets.

That Thomann looks like a heluvadeal.