What do you recommend?

[Snork]

I know this isnt in the proper section ill probably get more responses this way. What do you guys recommend for an archtop 700 dollars and lower. i like the carlo robellis, the ibanezs look nice but i have to play them, the epiphone joe pass is real nice but its a little expensive for the features. I love the arias but i dont where to find them. anyone have recommendations?

[canuckguitarist]

How 'bout that tennesean for sale in the buy-sell-trade area?

[Snork]

nah i have a semi i need a full 3-4 inch depth hollow body.semis are all right but.... come on you gotta have the real deal jazz sound.

[Snork]

PLEASE HELP!

[Drak]

Well, what do you prefer?

Sitka or Englemann, maybe a nice Koa or Redwood topper?

Maple-backed or Walnut backed?

Maple or Mahogony neck?

Cross-braced or parallel-braced?

electronics or no electronics?

carved top necessary or is pressed top ply OK?

Ebony or metal TOM bridge?

any preference for a tailpiece...leather tether or big ole' honkin' metal job?

Do you like 16's, 17's, or those big ole' fat-daddy-don't hurt-me 18's?

Roundwounds or Flatwounds you like?

[jbkim]

The "Ibanez Artcore AG75" looks pretty nice for $330. That's probably what I'd get if I were in the market for such a guitar... that price (much lower than $700) is a big plus too .

Just checked the rondomusic website: "Agile AS-920" for $300.

[Snork]

yeah the artcore was one of the major ideas runnin through.

Drak thanks for all the questions. I prefer an ornate metal bridge, 17 or 18 inch archtop. flatwounds are nice but roundwounds i can deal with too. ebony TOM please. sitka sounds best for me as a top but any of those are fine if you can find it for the price. preferably maple neck. I like a floating pickup. but whatever as long as it has electronics. carved top is necessary those flat topped archtops sound like ass to me.

[Drak]

As long as you are OK with the floating pkp, then you can find a cross-braced/carved top model, which gives the 'classic' dark jazz archtop sound.

If it has pkps routed into the top, it will be parallel-braced, and probably not give you what you're looking for for a classic archtop sound.

I think an 18 will be too big for you and quickly tire your arm out, you don't look quite big enough yet to handle a fat-daddy 18.

Be armed with this information when you go shopping.

[Snork]

lol your probably right. but i can handle it just for shi** and giggles. plus im pretty lanky i have vai hands.

Do you have any suggestions for archtops meeting this for less than 700?

[Snork]

...........drak...........help............someone.

[weezerboy]

what have you tried out so far?

and yeesh , have some patience

[Snork]

i havent tried out too much. i've tried out the epiphones series and the carlo robellis. my favorite is the carlo robelli manhatten. i dont like the stop piece or the pickguard. but it comes with a hardshell and sounds like a d'angelico bottom end model anyway.

[weezerboy]

i recommend that you get down to a guitar shop , and try out every single guitar that you can that fits your description - its a connection, someone can't tell you a guitar that you are going to connect with

[/guitar spirituality bs.]

[Snork]

i MAKE the guitar mine. if it has the right sound i MAKE it mine.

[soapbarstrat]

So many of them have a laminated top, which might be fine for some, but would bug the hell out of me