Hardbopjazz Posted April 13, 2004 Author Report Posted April 13, 2004 Any of the other guitar players here play any guitars with floating bridges? This use to be a problem for me. Whenever I would change strings, the bridge would slip and I would need to calibrate the bastard. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 13, 2004 Author Report Posted April 13, 2004 There's a guitar store in George or Tennessee I believe that just sells left handed guitars. Does anyone know the name of that place? Is this the place you're thinking of? http://www.southpaw.net/ Thanks AfricaBrass. That's the place. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Any of the other guitar players here play any guitars with floating bridges? This use to be a problem for me. Whenever I would change strings, the bridge would slip and I would need to calibrate the bastard. I have in the past. I just learned to change strings one at a time. and...you're welcome! Quote
Uncle Skid Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Doesn’t former Gibson employee’s make Heritage guitars? Heritage has some nice sounding arch top guitars. And for myself, being a lefty, they make more then just one left-handed model. Yes, Heritage guitars are made in the former Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan: How It All Began... I've been extremely happy with my H-575. Quote
7/4 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Yes, Heritage are very nice. Maybe some day I'll take the plunge and get an archtop. I'm having a problem justifying $X,XXX.xx + when I already own too many guitars. Quote
Uncle Skid Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 I'm having a problem justifying $X,XXX.xx + when I already own too many guitars. Remember - "You can never have too many guitars" -- J. Hale J. Hale Music Supply* * I'm not associated with this company, just a very happy customer. I bought an Ultrasound amp from him last year, and he has some really nice Heritage guitars in stock. That new Kenny Burrell Groove Master looks pretty sweet! Incidentally, J. Hale is also a jazz guitarist, and here's some pictures of him from a visit to the Heritage Factory B) Quote
7/4 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Oh yes, tempt me. I think this will take a few years, I'm still paying off eq that I bought a few years ago! Quote
scottb Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) Anyone played any of those Ibanez Artcore archtops? Ibanez makes some mean archtops including the aforementioned big MF Joe Pass used to play. The artcore series looks great and are priced well, I'm just not sure how many corners they've cut to get the price down. A new one from Musicians Friend costs only about $325. Edited April 13, 2004 by scottb Quote
7/4 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Anyone played any of those Ibanez Artcore archtops. Ibanez makes some mean archtops including the aforementioned big MF Joe Pass used to play. The artcore series looks great and are priced well, I'm just not sure how many corners they've cut to get the price down. A new one from Musicians Friend costs only about $325. $325? Hmmm.... Quote
scottb Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 If they play well and sound good, I'm going to kick myself. these came out just after I bought my used Broadway on EBay. I only paid about $250. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Here's another cheap archtop: Agile AS-901 People have been raving about Agile guitars over at the harmony-central.com forums and the Fender Discussion Page. I picked up a cheap Les Paul copy and it was built well. The Agile's are made in Korea, while the Ibanez Artcores are made in China (if that matters to you). Quote
Jim R Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) Give me an old guitar. A guitar that's already been played, has some tone and some character. And if you're serious about playing and mean to devote some time to it for years to come, don't skimp. Cheap guitars are cheap for a reason. I've known guys that were always looking for bargains, and had 10 (or even 20) guitars (not to mention amps) at any given time, all of which were cheap, and all of which were (sorry)... garbage. There was always a hunger for another instrument, a better instrument, but rather than saving up for one or two good guitars, they would always go for more cheap stuff. And they would lament the fact that they couldn't afford a nice Gibson or something. Well, if you didn't spend $2,000 a year on all kinds of crap, you WOULD be able to afford something good! I've never understood these guys... That's not to say that you can't get a nice instrument for a great price (used guitars on eBay, for example), but as a general rule, you get what you pay for. Africa Brass posted: I have in the past. I just learned to change strings one at a time. Yeah, those "floating bridges" aren't really supposed to float! Edited April 13, 2004 by Jim R Quote
AfricaBrass Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 I agree with Jim. I'd rather have one fine guitar than a roomful of subpar guitars. Having said that, there is room for cheap guitars IMO, but if I had a choice between a nice Gibson or 10 Ibanez guitars. I'd take the Gibson. Quote
scottb Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) I don't think Ibanez can be grouped in with the "cheap" guitars. Many top players use them (Joe Pass, George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Joe Gloss) I'm sure they could play Gibson's if they wanted to and I'm sure they do, as well as other makes. That was really my question, I don't know how much quality was dropped to get the price down under $350. My guess is too much, but I don't know because I've never heard form anyone who played one. As for Epiphones, I've got a great Epiphone Les Paul that after a pickup change competes with any Les Paul I've played. I played an Epiphone Joe Pass once in a guitar shop that was "buttah" My archtop on the other hand, not really up to snuff, but for a guy who plays in his bedroom for a maximum crowd of 4 (wife and 3 kids) on occasion, even I can't justify a quality archtop purchase (much less my wife.) Edited April 14, 2004 by scottb Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 14, 2004 Author Report Posted April 14, 2004 It's the wood. Brazilian rosewood is the best. But there isn't enough of these adult trees around to make guitars with. I was told this recently. I had gone to a guitar show in NY. Brazilian rosewood makes for the best tone. Quote
zizala Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 I don't know about the Brazillian roesewood thing hardbopjazz..... if we're talking archtops. Most solid wood archtops through the years have been made with spruce tops and maple backs and sides but of course there are some examples with mahogany or rosewood, walnut (and others) backs and sides. But spruce and maple have been prevalent....these combine to accentuate the fundamental tone, punch and quicker decay that folks that like acoustic archtops appreciate. Braz Rosewood seems to be more sought after by flat top guitar enthusiasts as a choice material for back and sides....but it still seems to me that its the top that makes most of the tone. But rosewood backed guitars do sound different than mahogany or maple so certainly choice and combinations of woods add something to the tone. The fretboards on my thirties Gibsons are likely Brazillian rosewod but it wasn't in short supply back then. Nowadays most rosewood is of the Indian variety and certain tropical mahogany is getting scarcer. OK....enough....I read too many guitar geek bulletin boards! Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 14, 2004 Author Report Posted April 14, 2004 I don't know about the Brazillian roesewood thing hardbopjazz..... if we're talking archtops. Most solid wood archtops through the years have been made with spruce tops and maple backs and sides but of course there are some examples with mahogany or rosewood, walnut (and others) backs and sides. But spruce and maple have been prevalent....these combine to accentuate the fundamental tone, punch and quicker decay that folks that like acoustic archtops appreciate. Braz Rosewood seems to be more sought after by flat top guitar enthusiasts as a choice material for back and sides....but it still seems to me that its the top that makes most of the tone. But rosewood backed guitars do sound different than mahogany or maple so certainly choice and combinations of woods add something to the tone. The fretboards on my thirties Gibsons are likely Brazillian rosewod but it wasn't in short supply back then. Nowadays most rosewood is of the Indian variety and certain tropical mahogany is getting scarcer. OK....enough....I read too many guitar geek bulletin boards! Thanks for the info. I was just repeating what a guitar maker at the guitar show said. He made one of a kind arch top guitars starting at 4500 and up. Couldn't play any, all right handed. Quote
scottb Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 That's one reason I went with the Epiphone Broadway, it's the most affordable model I found with spruce top and maple sides. Most lower priced models have maple tops. Quote
Joe G Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 I don't think Ibanez can be grouped in with the "cheap" guitars. Many top players use them (Joe Pass, George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Joe Glass) I'm sure they could play Gibson's if they wanted to and I'm sure they do, as well as other makes. I've heard of this Joe Glass guy somewhere before... I do like my Ibanez. Quote
scottb Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 Joe, I thought you might like seeing your name in that list. Quote
Joe G Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 I appreciate the thought ... the joke is that my name is Gloss, not Glass. Quote
Jim R Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 I was just repeating what a guitar maker at the guitar show said. He made one of a kind arch top guitars starting at 4500 and up. I wonder if you misunderstood him. I've never heard of any of the modern archtop luthiers using rosewood for any body parts (of course it's long been used for fingerboards and bridges). Maybe he was talking about flattops (as Zizala suggested). If he was actually talking about archtops, that would be pretty unusual. The great Jimmy D'Aquisto (legendary apprentice of John D'Angelico) once stated that rosewood "does not belong anywhere on a guitar"... Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 14, 2004 Author Report Posted April 14, 2004 I was just repeating what a guitar maker at the guitar show said. He made one of a kind arch top guitars starting at 4500 and up. I wonder if you misunderstood him. I've never heard of any of the modern archtop luthiers using rosewood for any body parts (of course it's long been used for fingerboards and bridges). Maybe he was talking about flattops (as Zizala suggested). If he was actually talking about archtops, that would be pretty unusual. The great Jimmy D'Aquisto (legendary apprentice of John D'Angelico) once stated that rosewood "does not belong anywhere on a guitar"... No, he's not using rosewood today, but was using it years ago. Maybe he made a mistake and ment something else. Quote
scottb Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 Sorry Joe , of course I meant you. I knew your name was Gloss but it's one of those things when your typing and your fingers don't type what you're thinking. I guess its some sort of Freudian slip. (So I guess subconsciously I think of your playing as fragile and transparent. ) Does anyone remember Glass Joe from Punchout! fame? I used to beat the hell out of that guy! Trivia: opponents from Punchout! Glass Joe Piston Hurricane Bald Bull Kid Quick Pizza Pasta Mr Sandman (champion) Quote
AfricaBrass Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 I don't think Ibanez can be grouped in with the "cheap" guitars. Many top players use them (Joe Pass, George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Joe Gloss) I'm sure they could play Gibson's if they wanted to and I'm sure they do, as well as other makes. Scott, I was talking about the Ibanez Artcores. Ibanez makes some great high end guitars. I used to have a very nice Ibanez Artist. Sorry if I came across too strong. Quote
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