Looking For Archtop Builders.

[wierdOne]

I became a member here last year sometime when I was building my first telecaster. (I completed it... I'll post a picture at the end of this post for anyone that want's to see)..

Well... I play Dinner Jazz in local restaurants. I need a guitar equipped with 2 humbuckers (preferrably coil tapped) to be able to coax a good Jazz tone, a good bluesy tone, and a good country chickin pickin tone from the instrument. I realize that I can do that with a telecaster, but everytime I bring the telecaster to my gigs... my tips drop dramatically... The sad fact is, people aren't really listining.. they're seeing me... and when I'm holding an archtop guitar, they're seeing (in their minds eye) what a jazz player should look like.

So.. the question.... Is there anybody here that makes (affordable) archtop guitars that are equipped (or equippable) with 2 humbuckers? If so, what are your prices? I can't afford a 10,000.00 Bennadetto or a 5,000.00 Gibson or Epiphone... Eastman Guitars don't have 2 humbuckers....

Here's my Q-tuner, Graphite neck, Graphtech Ghost equipped custom telecaster. The sound of this guitar is unbelievable. It looks a little grimy because I took it after a gig.. I'll take some better pictures soon...

[mikhailgtrski]

Check out Myka Guitars. David builds some very fine archtops... don't know if they're in your price range, but it's worth a look.

Mike

[fryovanni]

Yes, David Myka is a brilliant builder. If he could work you into his schedule. He would make you a great guitar.

Peace,Rich

[verhoevenc]

+1 on the Myka guitars. Hell, he's a damn inspiration that one. My first build reeks of Mykian influence (I'm coining that phrase!!!) because I was so impressed by him. His guitars would be PERFECT for you for a number of reasons, 1- any pickup config. you want. 2- they give archtop tone, and look like an archtop, but are significantly thinner and thus easier to carry around and gig with. 3- I think they're only like $3500? 4- He recently built a Claro topped one that had a SWEET jazz floating bucker for jazz tones, but with the other pickups also gave quite a nice twang for country. And I'm sure there was some blues in there too.

Chris

[Jon]

.

Edited July 29, 2006 by Jon

[wierdOne]

so are all of Myka's "archtop" guitars really semi-hollowbody guitars like a 335?

here's pics of one he's making.. It's got a block of wood running through the body.... I'm a huge fan of archtop guitars and how they feel when you pound away at the strings... they feel alive.. hard to explain.. but when you go to play Wes Montgomery style ocatves with your thumb... the top of the archtop flexes and breathes... when you're playing a semi-hollow body it just feels... well.. stiff... like your playing an electric guitar... The action on semi-hollowbodies is to die for.... but.. there is a major difference in feel....

Myka's guitar

[verhoevenc]

I said to look at the DRAGONFLY models. They have to wood running down the center. They have carved braced tops, and thus that feel you like.

Spruce Top DragonFly

The Claro Topped With FLoating Jazz Pickup One

And shoot! He's taken down the full progress build of a Dragonfly page! Either way, trust me, that's how they're built, I've seen the building. Either way. If you're interested, I know he's got picks of the inside, the bracing,t he carving, the construction,e tc. Just ask him, I'm sure he'll send the pics to you.

Chris

[Myka Guitars]

Thanks everyone for the support! Mykian, I like it!~

Most of my guitars are actually not like the 335. The 335 styles have a big block of wood down the center and are not true hollowbodies. #051 is a one-off project that was client designed.

I prefer the tone and playablility of the Dragonfly guitars personally. They are designed as a fully hollow carved top hybrid electric. They have all the big box jazz tone with a very comfortable body size. Add in an acoustic pickup and you have some great tones. Actually the Dragonfly sounds great unplugged. Since the top is carved and the spce beneath is fully hollow with bracing (like an arcthop) they have that alive feel. I know what that is and I love it too! Nothing else has it. Oh, and the action can be set up however you want it, it's just a matter of the setup.

wierdOne, I sent you a PM.

~David

[brian d]

David,

How do you mount the pickups in the tops in a way that minimises interference with the vibration of the sound board?

Thanks,

Brian.

[verhoevenc]

Yeah, i second that... cause from the looks of things... woudln't you pickup routes go right through your bracing... and thus kinda ruin what they were put there for?

Chris

[Mickguard]

So.. the question.... Is there anybody here that makes (affordable) archtop guitars that are equipped (or equippable) with 2 humbuckers? If so, what are your prices? I can't afford a 10,000.00 Bennadetto or a 5,000.00 Gibson or Epiphone... Eastman Guitars don't have 2 humbuckers....

Don't want to take any business away from Myka (his guitar shapes won't really get you the 'jazz credibility' you're looking for anyway)

But I can recommend a great guitar for what you're looking for...it's an old Aria Pro II TA-40 ...it's a full-hollowbody in the ES-335 shape...I play my teacher's at my lessons, I don't bother bringing my own anymore because I like this guitar a lot...has an awesome true 'woody' tone when played clean, has a really comfortable neck too. Very lightweight too.

I just saw one in a shop the other day for 200 euros...would have bought it but I just bought an Epiphone Sorrento (which has P90s, otherwise, I'd recommend that too).

One thing about body size...the Sorrento is huge --it's 40 cm at it's widest point (that's nearly 16 inches)...and it's one of the most comfortable guitars I've ever played. In fact, I like this wide long body so much, I'm calling into question my other guitar projects, because the bodies now seem too small. The Sorrento (it's the cousin of the Casino) is very lightweight too, because there's no center block.

Both the TA-40 and the Sorrento are thin-bodied guitars, that helps to make them easier to handle. On the other hand, as soon as I turn up my amp a little bit, the Sorrento goes off into feedback land...

[rlrhett]

The MIMF website has archtop specific luthiers group. There are some REALLY talented builders that specialize in archtops on that site. Custom guitars are, of course, rarely cheap. But if you have a reasonable expectation I think you can't go wrong there.

Of course, Myka guitars are great. Just giving you some options.

[Setch]

That said, the MIMF doesn't allow commerical solicitation, so you won't be able to go on there and ask if anyone is interested in making you an archtop.

Also, I'd forget the idea of a true handmade archtop if your main aim is appealing to an audiences visual preconceptions. If you can wring the right sounds out of a tele, get a high-ish end factory archtop. Archtops are probably the most time consuming and fiddly guitars to build, and hand made examples are *very* expensive. Most builders don't offer humbuckers, because bolting 2 big old magnets to your top tends to some what stifle the acoustic voice of the instrument, which is sa big part of the archtop deal.

FWIW, Eastman refer to a single cut, 2 humbucker model on their site, but without pics. It's a thinline, model no T160.

[WezV]

If i was really rich i would have the benedetto, if you can stretch to it definatly go for a myka!!

But on a budget why not try some of the yamaha range like these:

AE500

AES1500

AEX1500

AEX500

[wierdOne]

MickGuard... yeah... I know.... Archtops are huge... I've been playing on big guitars for the past 3 years.... and boy are my arms tired..

actually... I was having trouble with my shoulder hurting when I'd lay down.... It hurt for the past 2 years or so...... until I switched to the PRS... It's such a thin guitar that my arm doesn't have to hang over the body.... It took a while to get used to, but now.... i can sleep with no shoulder pain... (i'm pretty big boned, so the weight that my arm was exerting while pulling away from my shoulder must have been more than my shoulder liked to handle..)... anyways... i really believe that the thinner body cured it.... So.... I looked into purchasing an Aria... and found a coveted 1980's herb ellis model... what some people seem to think is the "most underated factory produced jazz guitar ever built".... I almost pulled the trigger... but the shoulder started feeling better... and I started thinking..... I'd like to have an archtop guitar.... but with a thinner body.... the only one that I've seen is the hometown hero Myka's guitars. I'm checking into them as we speak..

Setch... sadly I'm aware of how much money a "good" archtop is.... I've got a 50+ year old guitar playing buddy that has over 180 guitars.... The guy literally has a problem (mentally)... he's obsessed with purchasing high dollar guitars.... He obviously is single..... He's plays a custom built archtop for his gigs..... it cost him 6,000.00.... he says that's his throw away guitar.... he's not kidding... he's got a 5 or 6 1950's teles, strats, an original flying V, archtops galore.... and most of them are in PRISTINE condition.... he spends sooooooo much money on guitars..... don't know why i posted that... guess I just wanted to say that I am aware of how much (you as) luthiers time and skill are worth.....

Thanks guys for all the suggestions..... after I find the guitar that will hold me over for a while.... I've decided that sometime next year I'm going to attempt to go down the long road and attempt to build myself an archtop guitar... I'll probably get benadetto's book.... use scrap wood for the first few guitars...... collect the tools as I go.... gain experience... and maybe in a couple of years from now take a real stab at building the real guitar...

[hans-jürgen]

So.. the question.... Is there anybody here that makes (affordable) archtop guitars that are equipped (or equippable) with 2 humbuckers? If so, what are your prices? I can't afford a 10,000.00 Bennadetto or a 5,000.00 Gibson or Epiphone... Eastman Guitars don't have 2 humbuckers....

Well, why not buy a good copy of a Gibson, e.g. a Tokai FA70? Another manufacturer of good affordable archtops is Hofner, both old and new, although the new models of their vintage archtops cost around $2,000. But you might find cheaper used ones on Ebay, too.