It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
@stanleyAccrington - if you're in Accrington you're not very far from me if you want to pop round and have a gander at it.
It feels very "vintage", with a big v-profile neck and tiny frets, and a very lively response from its proper carved top.
In contrast, I find most other budget archtops (ie anything with a laminated top) feel like an electric guitar neck grafted onto a dead-feeling, heavy body, Godin included.
The Washburn is a grey area, it's not a carved top and they claim it's solid spruce, but it's actually a couple of layers pressed into shape. I've never tried one and it might project as well as a carved top, though I doubt it.
The Loar is basically a budget version of a 1920s Gibson L5 and it feels like it - whether that's what you're looking for is another matter. It's certainly exactly what I wanted, but the co-guitarist in my band for example hates it.
So to persuading the lady...well you need a dreadnought and a 000/00, just as you need a tele/strat, a les Paul/sg and a semi of some description. This is kind of the absolute minimum territory (you could even call it the law) for all guitarists and in an ideal world you also have a resonator and a classical, at which point you also NEED an archtop so you have the tonal basics covered from all angles. Once she understands this is a missing link, it'll be fine.
https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_century_zenith_classic_na.htm
I'll let you know what I think of it when it arrives. Less than 600 euro for solid spruce top, maple back/sides, ebony board.
I play it the same way I would my flattop but it really comes into it's own when played against a flattop. All the cut you need for lead work and sits in a different space tonally so it wont really clash with a second guitar. Same principal as a two guitar band playing a Fender and Gibson I suppose?
One thing I did learn pretty early on is how the way you're holding it can alter the bass content.
When it's up against your body (i.e. on a strap or just tucked in close) it will kill a lot of the bass, whereas in a seated position with the back of the body further away it's a much fuller sound.
I should be getting hold of an arched-back Guild so soon I'll be able to say if it's inherently part of the archtop design or down solely to the arched back!
...also worth mentioning, I've played the Epiphones and really wish they had been around when I bought my Gretsch, the necks are just fantastic in the hand. Awful pickup (well not to my tastes at least), but it could be easily remedied with something like a K&K Definity I'm sure.
Now I have a pickup on it I'm tempted to try some flats, not that I can even begin to play jazz!