What guitar should I buy?

Bob Holo · January 2007

Mark,

Perhaps it was harsh of me to say they're not "acoustic archtops" they definitely are great acoustic guitars... what I miss from the new X Braced acoustic archtops is the dry chunky thwak and that vintage tone.

Here's a guy named Jerry Krahn, he plays two Epis I think both are from the '40s. I believe one is a Broadway and the other is a Deluxe - so either way I think in that vintage it's the midsize Epi with the Frequensator tailpiece. (he may have an Emperor... in which case it's the 18+" body)

As a person who plays an X-braced - when you listen to this sound - does it immediately say: "Ladder Braced vintage" to you? It does to me, and maybe that's just because I've only played a few of the Benedetto style acoustic archtops - all of which were punchy / powerful / good - but smoother and with more harmonic content.

http://67.139.134.253/cf488091/k/krahn-05.mp3

badjazz · January 2007

Ok, not to totally hijack this thread, but one more thing about archtops-- though it is related to how some modern builders make changes to historic designs that totally miss the point, at least for the person who wants to purchase a guitar that sounds like the originals. A few years ago I ordered a Gibson Historic reissue of a 1934 L-5. I didn't specifically ask about the bracing, but seeing as I had never so much as heard of a 16" L-5 that had anything other than parrallel braces, imagine my surprise when I received (after almost a year wait) my 'reissue' that was X-braced and sounded totally different from the originals. It looked the part, and sounded great, but not anything like an original, which was very frustrating to me, as I already have a nice 1936 L-5 that is X-braced and the whole point of my purchase was to get a less 'sweet' sounding guitar. At least don't claim that it is a historic design of a guitar if you change how the thing fundamentally sounds!

Stringswinger · January 2007

Well guys, all acoustic guitars (including archtops) sound different. Even the same model made by the same maker. Why? because every piece of wood is different. I have played a Gibson resissue L-5 that sounded better than any original 16" x braced l-5 that I have ever played.

It doesn't matter if an archtop is old or new, x braced or parallel braced, sunburst or blond. All that matters is that it sounds good and inspires you to play it.

Swing on.

Cheers,

Marc

www.hotclubpacific.com

Josh Hegg · January 2007

Cheers to that Marc!

Josh

badjazz · January 2007

well, if I'm paying for it, it matters to me. Like many other guitar players, I've got several guitars for different purposes, and just getting a great guitar that already duplicates something I already have may not be as valuable to me as something built differently. Obviously the same model, etc guitars can sound different, but I refuse to believe that there isn't a predictable difference in sound inherent in different designs, all else being equal. For instance, Benedetto's construction grade pine archtop was made from basically junk wood, but it still sounds like a Benedetto--maybe not the best Benedetto out there, but definitely a Benedetto. So if you are looking for the Benedetto sound, my guess would be that you definitely want a guitar that follows that design and methdodology in building. In my experience, this has been true in all types of guitars that I've ever played, and if you are looking for a certain tone/volume it is important to get a guitar built in the way that will produce that. That's why most people like to play gypsy jazz on a selmac style guitar, right? And my guess would be that the people who want a very traditional gypsy tone would be more likely to that tone playing a guitar built closer to the original, traditional way of building them, right?

Stringswinger · January 2007

Badjazz, I think a lot of guitar players play certain guitars because some guitar hero of theirs played it ( I know I'm guilty as charged). That said, the reason guitar heros play certain guitars is because they are damn good.

I agree that if you are going to own multiple guitars, own guitars that sound different.

I think a lot of guys play selmacs because they look right. I have heard Angelo play an archtop and he still sounds like a Gypsy. Howard Alden playes his Dupont and sounds like an American (wish I could sound as good as either of those guys).

It's the mechanic, not the tool in the final cut.

BTW I played that Bennedetto made out of pine. It was part of the Chinery collection and was for sale at E guitars in San Rafael CA (they ultimatly sold it on E-Bay). It was a nice guitar, but not as nice as other Benedettos that I have played for sure. The best sounding archtop I have ever played was a Buscarino. It is made in the Benedetto tradition but sounded better than any Benedetto, D'Angelico , Epiphone or Gibson that I have ever played. Each guitar is different. Good luck with your Dupont! (I love mine).