I'm 80, first gibson ES 125 tobacco burst, wanted the 175 but to expensive. I think one day they will come back. I personally love them , they are my life love of guitars. Your right, they fit in your lap so you know you have an instrument .. not some block of wood. Thumbs up. The true sound of an archtop can not be duplicated. To me , gibson is tops. But they all are good.
I bought my Gibson ES 125 Sunburst in 1966. I have bought and played others over the years, but recently - due to severe hearing loss - I have gone back to playing my old Gibson archtop on a daily basis because it is the only guitar that can hear!
The "death of the arch top" came to me in 1965. I have been playing a 1939 Martin 00-17 since '61. It got stolen. I wanted another guitar but with little cash and an early 50's Gibson electric mandolin I went shopping. I ended up in Salinas Calif at the California House of Music. ( I lived in Monterey) On the wall was a mint 40s era Gibson sunburst L-50 . I asked the price. $150 with the original tweed case, also in mint condition replete with a brass riveted tag reading a guitar shop in Arizona. I explained I have a Gibson mandolin to trade.. we did a straight swap. What a beautiful guitar and the tone , and the burst and GIBSON.. wow. The following day I got together with my bluegrass playing buds and the reaction was overwhelming.. all negative. Mocked, berated, laughed at and essentially ostracized from the group. A few weeks later I felt pressured so sold it. I got a 1946 J 45 and I was back in the group. Ironically, the 45 was stolen a year later The J-45 was fantastic but not an arch top. Here I am 55 plus years later looking for another Archtop, preferably a Gibson, full bodied, no pick up, 16 " with a 1 3/4 nut. Good luck. That bit of stupidity in giving up that L-50 has haunted me my entire life. The event did teach me a valuable lesson, don't be pressured. Don't follow convention. Be who you are. Be bold enough and secure enough to fingerpick an archtop.
@@na3na3shyt I owned one of the early 5th Aves.. the Acoustic one. Very good guitar, gifted it to my grand son. No Godin dealer locally..play before you pay. The one to get would be the "JAZZ" version.
I took my Gibson L48 to a gypsy jazz fest and had much the same experience. But I’d had that guitar for 20 years by that time and was secure in myself. I did give that guitar to my brother in law, which is a bit of a regret since he’s never really done much with it. But, whatever. I’ve missed having an archtop now and then, I must admit.
There is light at the end of the tunnel! I was at GC the other day trading guitars and found a kid who might be per my estimation between 14-16 years old and he was purchasing a used Ibanez FM type archtop guitar. Never heard him play as he was already paying when I got there and he was with his Mom and overheard him talking about Wes and Joe Pass to the staff attending to him. I couldn't help but smnile at the thought that there are young ones, at least this one who wanted to play archtop and was dropping some serious names of some Jazz greats! I am just hoping he did not go home, plug it in crank the gain and play some Linkin Park! LOL!
To begin with, archtops are just so beautiful. To me, they are works of art and aestheticly pleasing to the eye. I was taught by my cousin who was a professional jazz player and he would take out his archtop and the look of it just always blew me away. Unfortunately, Gibsons and some other expensive brands are financially out of reach for casual players like myself. I have an Ibanez AF95FM and an Ibanez AF75, both inexpensive but they satisfy my archtop desire. I really like your channel great video content. Thanks for sharing with us.
i completely agree with what you said about the price of guitars because i've played jazz for 15 years but never had an archtop due to never having enough $$$ to buy one
These days gigging doesn’t require or even benefit from an archtop. Transportation, feedback, expense all count against. I now gig with a tele with a neck humbucker and it’s a great sound and comfortable.
Yesterday I purchased a Stanford Fatboy 75. Super Guitar for a reasonable price. There will always be archtop lovers out there. Of course they are not the majority of guitar players.
Hello. I have been playing for 39yrs now. I have always loved the acoustic archtop guitar. The only guitar I love more is a great Tricone. I consider both the greatest tone machines ever. They are beautiful looking and sounding instruments. I think both the archtop and Tricone will continue into the future. Both are acoustic cannons, are used in many different genres of music from the past to present, and you don’t need electricity to plug them into for a sound. I think when it comes to guitar and string music, acoustic instruments are more popular today. There is a lot of different genres of acoustic music springing up, bluegrass music can mean a hundred different things now, gypsy jazz is more popular now, everything from traditional to free jazz, and the archtop and Tricone are being played in them all. One way that I was finally able to get a great acoustic archtop was to buy a vintage 1959 Rodebald Hoyer acoustic archtop from Germany. If you look hard enough and do your homework on them, great vintage guitars can be found this way for half of what a low end American archtop goes for.
D'Angelico is making lovely, entry-level archtops. I bought one, fell in love with the style, and bought one of their higher-end ones. Accessible models are out there.
i ordered the EXL 1 premier a few months back. they said it may arrive in august. i hope theyre not discontinuing the model but actually still producing ☹️ they have some beautiful cheap models and the request for arch tops is slightly rising again. i hope we can see a comeback in a bunch of years
A thousand dollars new isn't cheap, no. But, it's a fraction of the cost of a Benedetto or other brands mentioned here. If you're new to the style, I think it's your cheapest entry point.
I feel ya brother! My first guitar was a 60's Lyle archtop.....I miss it terribly, I wish I hadn't sold it. I have a couple 335's, but it just isn't the same. I love them and my les paul's/sg and my strat, but I'd trade em all for a good archtop....a l-5 or l-48.
I’ve decided a Guitar that inspires you to play is very important. I feel it’s an underrated factor in tone. I like how a Gibson makes me play vs a “super stat”. I bought an Ibanez to experiment with Jazz. It’s fine, but the amp for me was more important to push me in Jazz. Now I play a Gibson explorer into my DV Mark for my favorite Jazz sound, 😂 I really need an arch top.
I've always loved the look of an archtop and totally relate to what you are saying about the emotional connection and the feel of the instrument. I don't play jazz, but still want one.
I'm lucky to have my late Grandpa Armstrong's Gibson L50. It can be strung acoustic or electric. Doesn't have the cutaway but still sounds really nice.
I too have noticed over the paat 10 years walk into any music store and you might see only a couple if any at all. To me the ES-175 is the ultimate jazz guitar. I have a tea burst 70s Ibanez copy and it's wonderful. Doesn't have to be a Gibson there are a lot of nice knock offs out there. The ergonomic's of holding one feels so right, sounds silly but it's like you hold one and it hugs you back :)
I’m pretty much a solid body player, but I once owned an Ibanez archtop that I really loved. That was a $600 instrument, but was actually incredibly good. I still miss it, but I had creative drives in a different direction. One day I’ll get an archtop again, when money is less of an issue, kids have gone to uni, maybe it’ll fit me better when my hair’s gone gray too 😂
Archtops are Versatile with a capital V. Classic and prog rock, and electric blues tones can be found when plugged in. Unplugged, folk, bluegrass, and classical can fill the air. Godin produces some good ES175 type guitars. Mark Campellone is a master who produces reasonably priced archtops. Bill Comins likewise, is a master who produces a larger catalog/variety of instruments. Ibanez offers an extensive line semi and hollow guitars at all price points. Great content.
" *Versatile with a capital V* " What are you talking about, man? Good warm amplified clean tone, and that's where it starts and ends. No sparkly country tone even. They are great, if you are willing to pay extra for worse ergonomics and inherent feedback issues. " *Unplugged, folk, bluegrass* " But flattops are simply better for that. As they should be, since the bridge is under real tension. BTW - the f-holes, copied from violins and cellos, *make no sense* on a guitar. Bowed instruments vibrate the strings right-and-left, plucked instruments vibrate forward-and-backward. The f-holes are probably a short for feedback-holes...
Playing some fusion with a l5 ces into a hermida zen drive and then into an original version dr z rx. Unreal tone. That combo rocked more than anything ive ever played through
@@baktersthat’s because manufacturers know they’re selling to the jazz crowd, who want warm amplified clean tone and reduced risk of feedback. If we’re only considering the sort of archtops you’re likely to find new in a typical music shop these days, then what you say is true, but that’s a bit like playing a tiny, parlour sized flattop and going “flattop guitars don’t have much bass” - in no way is it representative of the true potential. Flattops aren’t “simply better” unplugged. True acoustic archtops are a totally different breed to the overbuilt electric variety, and good examples will absolutely hold their own against a flattop. Different strengths and weaknesses, mind you, but even that is partly down to the intent of the builders. Don’t forget, the archtop succeeded first as an acoustic instrument before the electric version showed up.
@@ollimoore " *acoustic archtops [...] will absolutely hold their own against a flattop* " The tone they tend to produce seems more selective and less complex. Even those super expensive and super light ones built by Ken Parker, if UA-cam sound gives them any justice. They seem like a decent choice for the amplified acoustic crowd, yet all of those guys play flattops. Maybe a case of growing up with something, but they did not grow up with all those pickup systems and they still install them. BTW - It's much easier to install those pickups through a big central soundhole.
@@bakters As I said, different strengths and weaknesses. Traditionally archtops aren't really designed to be a solo fingerstyle instrument, for example. But if you're playing with a pick and someone else shows up with a bass instrument of some kind, suddenly the frequency response they have starts to make a lot of sense. It's like how an electric guitar tone that works well in the mix can sound somewhat thin in isolation. Context is important. If we're going to play the 'lets just assume other players made the right choice' game, then I may as well point out that big band rhythm players could've chosen to play flattops. Needless to say, big bands are essentially dead now, but playing in groups isn't, and some of the same principles apply. Anytime another instrument is taking up the low end, an archtop is potentially a good choice. Hell, even a pairing of a Dreadnaught (or similar) guitar + archtop makes a lot of sense. I guess that's what Dave Rawlings realised - although personally I think he could do a LOT better than that little Epiphone. .....but since the archtop acoustic as we know it (L5 onwards) was developed from the outset as an instrument to be played in bands and orchestras, what's essentially being said here is "this instrument happens to be good at the specific role it was designed for" - neither surprising, nor necessarily indicative that no other possibilities exist for this construction style.
i'm a younger guy. 25 years old. there's no question you can get a good jazz tone on a telecaster. but an archtop is somewhat similar to an acoustic guitar in that the notes don't tend to ring out quite as long and you can get a punchier tone that really lends itself well to solo guitar type stuff ala Joe Pass. which i really enjoy coming from originally a nylon string background.
Why does everyone seem to forget that Gretsch exists? lol My Gretsch guitars are my favorite guitars to play. They are easy on the hands and sound amazing. Both clean and overdriven. Over the last few years, I have pretty much stopped playing any other guitar. Great playing as well. Jazz is a bit out of my reach, but I have so much respect for the players.
My homemade electric guitar is completely hollow on the inside that's the guitar in my profile picture me and my grandpa built that when I was 11 I'm 21 now My style music I play is country rockabilly bluegrass blues and jazz what teams would you recommend for a great clean tone like in the tube amps in the 50s had
I bought a used Epiphone ES-339 a week ago. I’m legit not certain it’s an arch top but immediately started channeling Chuck Berry and BB King LOL. I guess I’m an old headbanger that’s…evolving. I’m 61, so maybe it’s time?
I still love archtop Hollow body guitars … my favorite I just love the natural rez’ & ring of archtopz guitars … and the natural body acoustics ….. just IRREPLACEABLE vibe, feel & even sound One can’t mic 🎤 a solid body and get the wondrous sounds that naturally emulate from the body of an archtop guitar The way a guitar feels does affect the way one plays guitar … even his one plays just one more &/or grace note & slide .. It just affects the phrasing’s to some degree … It’s like what it said if a violin 🎻 …. A violin 🎻 has a soul ofnit’s own … and in a way it plays itself even … If one just ‘touches’ a note a certain way on a certain instrument .. it just rings out a certain way … How a guitar plays , feels & sounds in-amplified does have an internal effect (or affect ?) that just causes certain reactions for a player .. 🙏🏽
I am lefty so they are even harder to come by. I had always wanted one and my fear of them going away was one of many reasons why i wanted to get one immediately. I ended up ordering an Eastman Archtop from a local dealer who sells them. It was during Covid so it ended up taking about 16 months for me to finally get it but I love it. classic sunburst finish
Also Lefty, can be a drag finding certain guitars. But they do pop up on reverb from time to time. Last year I got a Heritage 575 custom (solid woods), and it is great to play!
That idea has been put into action already. Check this luthiers headless archtop out: Victor Baker’s headless archtop guitars. Koll also make one, the RE7 model. Sankey also makes a headless archtop.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have never been an avid archtop player, in as much as my way of playing doesn't lend itself too much to its punchy sound (though I love the sound). But I certainly appreciate the sounds of George Benson, Pat Metheny, and Frank Gambale (when in archtop mode). For me, the most inspiring solid body guitars (and/or semi-hollow) are the ones that resonate and are musical when unplugged. There is something about the acoustic underpinning that makes the difference. I am sure the archtop is even more so. I expect they will be in vogue again, as musical interests are very fluid.
Impressive technique! Do you consciously think about what notes and chords you are playing? Or is it muscle memory from practice and stream of consciousness?
Archtops are great! Some are sadly expensive, like e.g. Gibson. Alex Lifeson used archtops his whole career. They are so versatile. You can control feedback with them, when distorted.
archtops are the best of both worlds. On one hand you an amplified tones that you can adjust to your preferred touch. And, on the other you have the warm dynamic acoustic sounds of the instrument
There are more archtops nowadays than there have been in 30 years. Tons of affordable guitars, too. People in all kinds of genres are playing them, not just jazz. The trend is jazz is solids and semi-hollow right now. But, it's just a trend, and a good one. You can play jazz on any guitar. Archtops are more popular than ever, but probably outside of jazz. lol.
Arch tops are slick , works of art . I’m mostly a bassist but I love my Ibanez art core which is a cheap way to try to sound like George Benson. I love the ibanaez because it sounds like jazz , sounds like Wes a bit like Green a bit . And who needs Rock music ? But yeah I love a fender jazz bass and Jaco is the man …. Then on another day Hendrix is my main thing . But an Ibanez is a slick thing
It certainly seems that companies such as Gibson are not making arch tops these days. I certainly don’t see them for sale in the Uk. I also think that more people will collect them as vintage guitars simply because they are a bit more affordable than equivalent era solid bodies and this will also take guitars from the “players market”. I love mine, and I do play differently on mine compared to a 335 etc. I love that classic sound.
maybe when sound modeling lets a stratocaster sound like that......but it´s like saying that the Spanish classical guitar will disappear because of the electric guitar
Fewer jazz musicians are playing straight-ahead outside of school. The music is much louder, both in terms of musical style and actual volume. Bass players are cranking their amps, drummers are louder, electric pianos and even horn players are using amps and effects now. Traditional archtops can't handle those volume levels; they struggle to cut through the mix and feedback control is an impossible battle. If you're going to stuff the guitar and plug the F holes to control feedback, you might as well play a semi-hollow or solid body. As mentioned before, players are trying to cut through the mix to sustain their notes longer. A semi-hollow/solid body will allow you to do that while playing melodies in the higher octave. Trad archtops don't have the sustain or the ergonomics to play sustained melodies in the upper register. Archtops are better suited for hard bop/bebop type lines in the mid and lower registers; you can really engage rhythmically with the time and properly accent notes because the emphasis is on clear articulation with a fast decay.
I love my "Archtops". Never could bond with the ES335. It's a GREAT guitar, but not for me. I love my Strats & Teles, but I'm ALWAYS picking up an "arch top" first. Didn't start playing "arch tops" until my '40's.
I would encourage every guitarist to play at least one acoustically capable guitar, and ideally, to have at least one arch top and one flattop. They breathe with you, vibrate with you, and they “expect” more and require more from you as a guitarist so you must grow to meet their requirements. Then you can have all the semi-hollow and solid bodies you want or can afford.
I find myself playing my archtop less and less at home if at all anymore because at low volume (my wife works from home) I prefer to hear the electric sound over the acoustic sound
If one wants to play jazz with a traditional sound, AND not wanting to use technology/electronics to artificially ‘produce’ the sound an archtop and a basic tube amp will do the trick. It’s as simple as that. All the rest is just marketing bla bla.
God I hope the archtop dies so I can get my hands on an L5 CES! FWIW I have an Eastman 175-style and a Tele both with flats and I really do love playing the Tele.
Unfortunately the L5 is dead and used prices have increased. What you want is for the production to come back and actually increase. I’m lucky enough to already have one.
Basically guys who play jazz fusion will always play solid body electric guitars and guys who play pure jazz will play hollow body electric guitars. There is a huge difference in the sound of a jazz fusion band and pure jazz. Just compare how Weather Report sounds, the amount of volume that the keyboards and percussion puts out. You need a solid body to cut through that sound. Thats the exact opposite of a pure jazz band that uses a piano and upright bass, you need a solid body to fit in to that level of volume.
The archtop is sort of the American equivalent to a Spanish classical or flamenco guitar, in the sense that they will always be wanted by purists and disciples of the traditional styles. Even an old Harmony archtop is a real musical instrument instead of a plank of wood.
People still play middle age instruments and use gut strings on their violins. It might become a niche market of course, but I don't think it will ever go away. Not like 1700s wigs or anything.
cheap arch tops under $1000 definitely dead.....unless technology finds a way to makes a hollow bodies with no feedback issues, then affordable semi-hollows will take over.
I love my es175, there's nothing that will give you that exact sound. I bought mine used, but gibson were asking about £5k new for them, which is crazy money for a plywood guitar, so it's not surprising if they weren't selling, especially being pretty niche. It's great that companies like Ibanez and Eastman are still offering good archtops at a good price though. I must admit I am contemplating selling the es175 and my Ibanez and using a solid body - a £500 tele style will get you close enough, and nobody else will even notice the difference.
I'm 80, first gibson ES 125 tobacco burst, wanted the 175 but to expensive. I think one day they will come back. I personally love them , they are my life love of guitars. Your right, they fit in your lap so you know you have an instrument .. not some block of wood. Thumbs up. The true sound of an archtop can not be duplicated. To me , gibson is tops. But they all are good.
I bought my Gibson ES 125 Sunburst in 1966. I have bought and played others over the years, but recently - due to severe hearing loss - I have gone back to playing my old Gibson archtop on a daily basis because it is the only guitar that can hear!
That is so awesome. My second guitar, that I still have, is my 1950 Gibson ES 125 Tobacco Burst archtop. Love it.
LedHed Pb 207.20 🎶 🎸 🎹
The "death of the arch top" came to me in 1965.
I have been playing a 1939 Martin 00-17 since '61. It got stolen.
I wanted another guitar but with little cash and an early 50's Gibson
electric mandolin I went shopping. I ended up in Salinas Calif
at the California House of Music. ( I lived in Monterey)
On the wall was a mint 40s era Gibson sunburst L-50 . I asked the price.
$150 with the original tweed case, also in mint condition replete
with a brass riveted tag reading a guitar shop in Arizona.
I explained I have a Gibson mandolin to trade.. we did a straight swap.
What a beautiful guitar and the tone , and the burst and GIBSON.. wow.
The following day I got together with my bluegrass playing buds and the
reaction was overwhelming.. all negative. Mocked, berated, laughed at
and essentially ostracized from the group. A few weeks later I felt
pressured so sold it.
I got a 1946 J 45 and I was back in the group. Ironically, the 45 was stolen
a year later
The J-45 was fantastic but not an arch top. Here I am 55 plus years later
looking for another Archtop, preferably a Gibson, full bodied, no pick up,
16 " with a 1 3/4 nut. Good luck.
That bit of stupidity in giving up that L-50 has haunted me my entire life.
The event did teach me a valuable lesson, don't be pressured. Don't follow
convention. Be who you are. Be bold enough and secure enough to fingerpick an archtop.
Godin 5th Avenue?
@@na3na3shyt I owned one of the early 5th Aves.. the Acoustic one.
Very good guitar, gifted it to my grand son.
No Godin dealer locally..play before you pay.
The one to get would be the "JAZZ" version.
I took my Gibson L48 to a gypsy jazz fest and had much the same experience. But I’d had that guitar for 20 years by that time and was secure in myself. I did give that guitar to my brother in law, which is a bit of a regret since he’s never really done much with it. But, whatever. I’ve missed having an archtop now and then, I must admit.
This story makes me sick. It’s why I despise people.
archtop is never die ! greetings from Brasil !
Agree and greetings from Mexico
There is light at the end of the tunnel! I was at GC the other day trading guitars and found a kid who might be per my estimation between 14-16 years old and he was purchasing a used Ibanez FM type archtop guitar. Never heard him play as he was already paying when I got there and he was with his Mom and overheard him talking about Wes and Joe Pass to the staff attending to him. I couldn't help but smnile at the thought that there are young ones, at least this one who wanted to play archtop and was dropping some serious names of some Jazz greats! I am just hoping he did not go home, plug it in crank the gain and play some Linkin Park! LOL!
That guitar has such a warm sound - just a beautiful instrument.
I'm an old timer. I own strats, Teles and 335 but my true love are my archtops. My two L4 and one L5. were "cheap" when I got Them.
As long as Benedetto's are around I think someone will always want one...
To begin with, archtops are just so beautiful. To me, they are works of art and aestheticly pleasing to the eye. I was taught by my cousin who was a professional jazz player and he would take out his archtop and the look of it just always blew me away. Unfortunately, Gibsons and some other expensive brands are financially out of reach for casual players like myself. I have an Ibanez AF95FM and an Ibanez AF75, both inexpensive but they satisfy my archtop desire. I really like your channel great video content. Thanks for sharing with us.
i completely agree with what you said about the price of guitars because i've played jazz for 15 years but never had an archtop due to never having enough $$$ to buy one
Not once did your fingers leave your hand. Your playing deserves an archtop 🎉
My fingers left my hand not too long ago, and I haven’t been able to find them since!
Fully with you; and great sounding archtop you're holding there .. and nice , very nice playing.🎉
I feel the same. In love with a GRECO S50, 1973...
These days gigging doesn’t require or even benefit from an archtop. Transportation, feedback, expense all count against. I now gig with a tele with a neck humbucker and it’s a great sound and comfortable.
Yesterday I purchased a Stanford Fatboy 75. Super Guitar for a reasonable price. There will always be archtop lovers out there. Of course they are not the majority of guitar players.
Hello. I have been playing for 39yrs now. I have always loved the acoustic archtop guitar. The only guitar I love more is a great Tricone. I consider both the greatest tone machines ever. They are beautiful looking and sounding instruments. I think both the archtop and Tricone will continue into the future. Both are acoustic cannons, are used in many different genres of music from the past to present, and you don’t need electricity to plug them into for a sound.
I think when it comes to guitar and string music, acoustic instruments are more popular today. There is a lot of different genres of acoustic music springing up, bluegrass music can mean a hundred different things now, gypsy jazz is more popular now, everything from traditional to free jazz, and the archtop and Tricone are being played in them all.
One way that I was finally able to get a great acoustic archtop was to buy a vintage 1959 Rodebald Hoyer acoustic archtop from Germany. If you look hard enough and do your homework on them, great vintage guitars can be found this way for half of what a low end American archtop goes for.
D'Angelico is making lovely, entry-level archtops. I bought one, fell in love with the style, and bought one of their higher-end ones. Accessible models are out there.
i ordered the EXL 1 premier a few months back. they said it may arrive in august. i hope theyre not discontinuing the model but actually still producing ☹️ they have some beautiful cheap models and the request for arch tops is slightly rising again. i hope we can see a comeback in a bunch of years
wouldnt cal it entry level at all
A thousand dollars new isn't cheap, no. But, it's a fraction of the cost of a Benedetto or other brands mentioned here. If you're new to the style, I think it's your cheapest entry point.
I agree with you...there's nothing quite like a nice box.
I feel ya brother! My first guitar was a 60's Lyle archtop.....I miss it terribly, I wish I hadn't sold it. I have a couple 335's, but it just isn't the same. I love them and my les paul's/sg and my strat, but I'd trade em all for a good archtop....a l-5 or l-48.
Dude! crazy playing man. Brilliant!
I’ve decided a Guitar that inspires you to play is very important. I feel it’s an underrated factor in tone. I like how a Gibson makes me play vs a “super stat”. I bought an Ibanez to experiment with Jazz. It’s fine, but the amp for me was more important to push me in Jazz. Now I play a Gibson explorer into my DV Mark for my favorite Jazz sound, 😂 I really need an arch top.
thanks for those sweet jazzy sounds. 1:17 is my favorite riff, that little slide up.
I've always loved the look of an archtop and totally relate to what you are saying about the emotional connection and the feel of the instrument. I don't play jazz, but still want one.
I Believe in Authenticity, that’s the sound and that’s the Instrument.. Great playing by the way 👍🏻❤️🌞🎸
This was a most enjoyable watch , it made me question why on Earth I sold my ES 150 Christian 😢
I love your playing man.
I'm lucky to have my late Grandpa Armstrong's Gibson L50. It can be strung acoustic or electric. Doesn't have the cutaway but still sounds really nice.
I too have noticed over the paat 10 years walk into any music store and you might see only a couple if any at all. To me the ES-175 is the ultimate jazz guitar. I have a tea burst 70s Ibanez copy and it's wonderful. Doesn't have to be a Gibson there are a lot of nice knock offs out there. The ergonomic's of holding one feels so right, sounds silly but it's like you hold one and it hugs you back :)
I’m pretty much a solid body player, but I once owned an Ibanez archtop that I really loved. That was a $600 instrument, but was actually incredibly good. I still miss it, but I had creative drives in a different direction. One day I’ll get an archtop again, when money is less of an issue, kids have gone to uni, maybe it’ll fit me better when my hair’s gone gray too 😂
Archtops are Versatile with a capital V. Classic and prog rock, and electric blues tones can be found when plugged in. Unplugged, folk, bluegrass, and classical can fill the air. Godin produces some good ES175 type guitars. Mark Campellone is a master who produces reasonably priced archtops. Bill Comins likewise, is a master who produces a larger catalog/variety of instruments. Ibanez offers an extensive line semi and hollow guitars at all price points. Great content.
" *Versatile with a capital V* "
What are you talking about, man? Good warm amplified clean tone, and that's where it starts and ends. No sparkly country tone even.
They are great, if you are willing to pay extra for worse ergonomics and inherent feedback issues.
" *Unplugged, folk, bluegrass* "
But flattops are simply better for that. As they should be, since the bridge is under real tension.
BTW - the f-holes, copied from violins and cellos, *make no sense* on a guitar. Bowed instruments vibrate the strings right-and-left, plucked instruments vibrate forward-and-backward. The f-holes are probably a short for feedback-holes...
Playing some fusion with a l5 ces into a hermida zen drive and then into an original version dr z rx. Unreal tone. That combo rocked more than anything ive ever played through
@@baktersthat’s because manufacturers know they’re selling to the jazz crowd, who want warm amplified clean tone and reduced risk of feedback. If we’re only considering the sort of archtops you’re likely to find new in a typical music shop these days, then what you say is true, but that’s a bit like playing a tiny, parlour sized flattop and going “flattop guitars don’t have much bass” - in no way is it representative of the true potential.
Flattops aren’t “simply better” unplugged. True acoustic archtops are a totally different breed to the overbuilt electric variety, and good examples will absolutely hold their own against a flattop. Different strengths and weaknesses, mind you, but even that is partly down to the intent of the builders. Don’t forget, the archtop succeeded first as an acoustic instrument before the electric version showed up.
@@ollimoore " *acoustic archtops [...] will absolutely hold their own against a flattop* "
The tone they tend to produce seems more selective and less complex. Even those super expensive and super light ones built by Ken Parker, if UA-cam sound gives them any justice.
They seem like a decent choice for the amplified acoustic crowd, yet all of those guys play flattops. Maybe a case of growing up with something, but they did not grow up with all those pickup systems and they still install them.
BTW - It's much easier to install those pickups through a big central soundhole.
@@bakters As I said, different strengths and weaknesses. Traditionally archtops aren't really designed to be a solo fingerstyle instrument, for example. But if you're playing with a pick and someone else shows up with a bass instrument of some kind, suddenly the frequency response they have starts to make a lot of sense. It's like how an electric guitar tone that works well in the mix can sound somewhat thin in isolation. Context is important.
If we're going to play the 'lets just assume other players made the right choice' game, then I may as well point out that big band rhythm players could've chosen to play flattops. Needless to say, big bands are essentially dead now, but playing in groups isn't, and some of the same principles apply. Anytime another instrument is taking up the low end, an archtop is potentially a good choice. Hell, even a pairing of a Dreadnaught (or similar) guitar + archtop makes a lot of sense. I guess that's what Dave Rawlings realised - although personally I think he could do a LOT better than that little Epiphone.
.....but since the archtop acoustic as we know it (L5 onwards) was developed from the outset as an instrument to be played in bands and orchestras, what's essentially being said here is "this instrument happens to be good at the specific role it was designed for" - neither surprising, nor necessarily indicative that no other possibilities exist for this construction style.
Damn fine playing.
i'm a younger guy. 25 years old. there's no question you can get a good jazz tone on a telecaster. but an archtop is somewhat similar to an acoustic guitar in that the notes don't tend to ring out quite as long and you can get a punchier tone that really lends itself well to solo guitar type stuff ala Joe Pass. which i really enjoy coming from originally a nylon string background.
Awesome dude!
Why does everyone seem to forget that Gretsch exists? lol My Gretsch guitars are my favorite guitars to play. They are easy on the hands and sound amazing. Both clean and overdriven. Over the last few years, I have pretty much stopped playing any other guitar. Great playing as well. Jazz is a bit out of my reach, but I have so much respect for the players.
My homemade electric guitar is completely hollow on the inside that's the guitar in my profile picture me and my grandpa built that when I was 11 I'm 21 now My style music I play is country rockabilly bluegrass blues and jazz what teams would you recommend for a great clean tone like in the tube amps in the 50s had
No matter what I pick up, I always want it to sound like an archtop
Love my 175 DN! Wish I had your fingers.
I love archtops. Of course mine are all Harmony and Oahu from the 50s and 60s but they serve my purpose just fine 😊❤
I bought a used Epiphone ES-339 a week ago. I’m legit not certain it’s an arch top but immediately started channeling Chuck Berry and BB King LOL. I guess I’m an old headbanger that’s…evolving. I’m 61, so maybe it’s time?
I still love archtop
Hollow body guitars … my favorite
I just love the natural rez’ & ring of archtopz guitars … and the natural body acoustics ….. just IRREPLACEABLE vibe, feel & even sound
One can’t mic 🎤 a solid body and get the wondrous sounds that naturally emulate from the body of an archtop guitar
The way a guitar feels does affect the way one plays guitar … even his one plays just one more &/or grace note & slide ..
It just affects the phrasing’s to some degree …
It’s like what it said if a violin 🎻 …. A violin 🎻 has a soul ofnit’s own … and in a way it plays itself even …
If one just ‘touches’ a note a certain way on a certain instrument .. it just rings out a certain way …
How a guitar plays , feels & sounds in-amplified does have an internal effect (or affect ?) that just causes certain reactions for a player ..
🙏🏽
Being from PR and used to power outages, I like something that actually produces a sound. Unlike solidbodies.
I am lefty so they are even harder to come by. I had always wanted one and my fear of them going away was one of many reasons why i wanted to get one immediately. I ended up ordering an Eastman Archtop from a local dealer who sells them. It was during Covid so it ended up taking about 16 months for me to finally get it but I love it. classic sunburst finish
Also Lefty, can be a drag finding certain guitars. But they do pop up on reverb from time to time. Last year I got a Heritage 575 custom (solid woods), and it is great to play!
That gave me the idea of a headless archtop 😂 Would love for someone to try that!
That idea has been put into action already. Check this luthiers headless archtop out: Victor Baker’s headless archtop guitars. Koll also make one, the RE7 model. Sankey also makes a headless archtop.
Your playing is amazing! I’d love to see you play with Guthrie Trapp
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have never been an avid archtop player, in as much as my way of playing doesn't lend itself too much to its punchy sound (though I love the sound). But I certainly appreciate the sounds of George Benson, Pat Metheny, and Frank Gambale (when in archtop mode). For me, the most inspiring solid body guitars (and/or semi-hollow) are the ones that resonate and are musical when unplugged. There is something about the acoustic underpinning that makes the difference. I am sure the archtop is even more so. I expect they will be in vogue again, as musical interests are very fluid.
Impressive technique!
Do you consciously think about what notes and chords you are playing? Or is it muscle memory from practice and stream of consciousness?
young Jazz guys seem to be playing Teles.
I think it's a question of price quite often. Very nice performance!
Archtops are great! Some are sadly expensive, like e.g. Gibson.
Alex Lifeson used archtops his whole career.
They are so versatile. You can control feedback with them, when distorted.
archtops are the best of both worlds. On one hand you an amplified tones that you can adjust to your preferred touch. And, on the other you have the warm dynamic acoustic sounds of the instrument
Only a archtop is a archtop, that sounds and feels like a archtop!
Dude that’s ill, right on ✌🏽
I’m a little broken hearted actually. I wish Gibson would open a small custom shop just for arch top guitars. like it’s own department .
Archtops are closely related to a Violin in in its structure, tension and Bridge. I was fortunate to spend a few days with Bob Benedetto 14 years ago.
Archtops will always be what most lifetime players want to play for personal satisfaction. They are becoming too expensive for most though....
I saw someone playing a country gentleman live about a month ago.
There are more archtops nowadays than there have been in 30 years. Tons of affordable guitars, too. People in all kinds of genres are playing them, not just jazz. The trend is jazz is solids and semi-hollow right now. But, it's just a trend, and a good one. You can play jazz on any guitar. Archtops are more popular than ever, but probably outside of jazz. lol.
What brand is your Strandberg copy?
indeed...and you can play bro!
A shiny Monteleone arch-top guitar if only I could afford one.
Indeed. I saw the documentary on Monteleone last year, "The Chisels Are Calling." Very much worth the viewing \m/
Arch tops are slick , works of art . I’m mostly a bassist but I love my Ibanez art core which is a cheap way to try to sound like George Benson. I love the ibanaez because it sounds like jazz , sounds like Wes a bit like Green a bit . And who needs Rock music ? But yeah I love a fender jazz bass and Jaco is the man …. Then on another day Hendrix is my main thing . But an Ibanez is a slick thing
It certainly seems that companies such as Gibson are not making arch tops these days. I certainly don’t see them for sale in the Uk. I also think that more people will collect them as vintage guitars simply because they are a bit more affordable than equivalent era solid bodies and this will also take guitars from the “players market”. I love mine, and I do play differently on mine compared to a 335 etc. I love that classic sound.
Gibson Custom Shop will still build them for you but they’re pricey.
Archtops FTW. I can’t play anything else.
maybe when sound modeling lets a stratocaster sound like that......but it´s like saying that the Spanish classical guitar will disappear because of the electric guitar
Fifteen seconds in: "Damn, this guy's smooth."
Title and channel name got my attention, you’ve definitely earned my sub
What you can sell an instrument for is what the seller will buy from you will pay. And right now, it's a flooded market.
Fewer jazz musicians are playing straight-ahead outside of school. The music is much louder, both in terms of musical style and actual volume. Bass players are cranking their amps, drummers are louder, electric pianos and even horn players are using amps and effects now. Traditional archtops can't handle those volume levels; they struggle to cut through the mix and feedback control is an impossible battle. If you're going to stuff the guitar and plug the F holes to control feedback, you might as well play a semi-hollow or solid body.
As mentioned before, players are trying to cut through the mix to sustain their notes longer. A semi-hollow/solid body will allow you to do that while playing melodies in the higher octave. Trad archtops don't have the sustain or the ergonomics to play sustained melodies in the upper register. Archtops are better suited for hard bop/bebop type lines in the mid and lower registers; you can really engage rhythmically with the time and properly accent notes because the emphasis is on clear articulation with a fast decay.
Le archtop non sono solo gibson ... ci sono ottimi compromessi ad un prezzo accettabile
Too bad Gibson stopped making them. Nothing beats the archtop tone.
I love my "Archtops". Never could bond with the ES335. It's a GREAT guitar, but not for me. I love my Strats & Teles, but I'm ALWAYS picking up an "arch top" first. Didn't start playing "arch tops" until my '40's.
Guys who don’t play arch tops always have an admiration for those who do, I’ve found. It’s some kind of cred. You have to back it up, of course 😂
Totally - no trinkets!
I would encourage every guitarist to play at least one acoustically capable guitar, and ideally, to have at least one arch top and one flattop. They breathe with you, vibrate with you, and they “expect” more and require more from you as a guitarist so you must grow to meet their requirements. Then you can have all the semi-hollow and solid bodies you want or can afford.
70 % of my guitars have F holes I love arch tops
Regardless of the question, you're an awesome player
I would like to try a Gibson Es 175..to me, that guitar says Jazz
I find myself playing my archtop less and less at home if at all anymore because at low volume (my wife works from home) I prefer to hear the electric sound over the acoustic sound
I make a lot of AI images and whenever I type in “guitar” it likes to always revert to generating an arch top or a classical acoustic.
I mean, what are you playing?
'Emotional vibe'...amen brother...gotta feel it up against you. You can do anything you want on a Gretsch or Gibson archtop...
If one wants to play jazz with a traditional sound, AND not wanting to use technology/electronics to artificially ‘produce’ the sound an archtop and a basic tube amp will do the trick. It’s as simple as that. All the rest is just marketing bla bla.
Why death? To me it’s timeless.
Clickbait BS = clicks
Reality unfortunately is less interesting to many people.
its easy to bring an electric in a gig bag on a plane. but... like you say... leather jackets don't go out of style!
God I hope the archtop dies so I can get my hands on an L5 CES!
FWIW I have an Eastman 175-style and a Tele both with flats and I really do love playing the Tele.
Unfortunately the L5 is dead and used prices have increased. What you want is for the production to come back and actually increase. I’m lucky enough to already have one.
Epiphone Casino
Funny cause I’m looking to trade in my 335 in for a arch top
Basically guys who play jazz fusion will always play solid body electric guitars and guys who play pure jazz will play hollow body electric guitars. There is a huge difference in the sound of a jazz fusion band and pure jazz. Just compare how Weather Report sounds, the amount of volume that the keyboards and percussion puts out. You need a solid body to cut through that sound. Thats the exact opposite of a pure jazz band that uses a piano and upright bass, you need a solid body to fit in to that level of volume.
WHY has Gibson stopped making archtops ?????
The archtop is sort of the American equivalent to a Spanish classical or flamenco guitar, in the sense that they will always be wanted by purists and disciples of the traditional styles.
Even an old Harmony archtop is a real musical instrument instead of a plank of wood.
People still play middle age instruments and use gut strings on their violins. It might become a niche market of course, but I don't think it will ever go away. Not like 1700s wigs or anything.
Is Gibson even making archtops right now?
Currently only special order, and as far as I know only the carved top/back models.
They could go back to it but for now, since the change in ownership, they stopped production. Sad.
cheap arch tops under $1000 definitely dead.....unless technology finds a way to makes a hollow bodies with no feedback issues, then affordable semi-hollows will take over.
Your a gentleman and I agree on your comments
I love my es175, there's nothing that will give you that exact sound. I bought mine used, but gibson were asking about £5k new for them, which is crazy money for a plywood guitar, so it's not surprising if they weren't selling, especially being pretty niche. It's great that companies like Ibanez and Eastman are still offering good archtops at a good price though. I must admit I am contemplating selling the es175 and my Ibanez and using a solid body - a £500 tele style will get you close enough, and nobody else will even notice the difference.