I've got a fever for the flavor of an archtop!

I'm GASing for an archtop acoustic. I'm looking at The Loar & Godin 5th Avenue models in the $500 range. Does anyone out there have any experience with either brand, or have any other recommendations to make?

Im not a expert on archtops, or anything else for that matter. But, i do have a old Kay archtop that was my dads. Its a cool old guitar imo. Plays like a dream and has that vintage look and a killer bluesy tone. Was a el cheapo back in the 60"s but heck ive had alot of fun with it! May still be a few around to be had. But im clinging onto mine :)

I'm GASing for an archtop acoustic. I'm looking at The Loar & Godin 5th Avenue models in the $500 range. Does anyone out there have any experience with either brand, or have any other recommendations to make?

I just remember GP mag giving the Godin guitar a very nice review- and it is affordable. Seems like Godin (and Seagull/same parent Co. right?) offer great sounding, well-made guitars at player prices.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUpk7rQCQDU


Godin sells for about $500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUpk7rQCQDU


Godin sells for about $500

That's the one I'm looking at, although the Loar is nice too. The fact that Godin is made in North America is a selling point. The Loars are made in Korea or China. Since I'll be flipping it over, I would have to lose the cool pickguard on the Godin, though :cry:. The Loar doesn't come with one, so that'd be a couple less empty screw holes.

If you do get the Godin, let us know how it goes - I've been eyeing these up myself...

You can frequently find "factory seconds" on eBay of the Godin instruments. I have one. It is a fantastic instrument on its own merits. It's not a D'Angelico (and sadly, I've played one of those - ruined me forever) but it's a damn fine guitar, far better tonally than the old Kay/Silvertone plytop guitars, and I use it frequently. I may put a pickup on it in the future, but then again I may just leave it. It also is one of the most nicely built instruments I've ever run across, everything fits dead tight and there was not a flaw to be seen.

I own a Loar and a Godin Kingpin (Fifth Avenue with a P90 screwed into the top)

If you want it as an acoustic guitar, the Loar is a much better instrument. Spend the few extra bucks and get a LH-600, all solid woods. The tone difference is remarkable, as well as the increase in volume.

If you're going to amplify, I like the Godin. The Loar fits their archies with a Kent Armstrong like floating pickup, which are kind of "meh." They have a new model with a P90 that also has a solid top...IMHO, I kinda defeats the purpose of a solid topped archtop to put such a smokey old school sounding pickup on it. Plus the laminate Godin will be more resistant to feedback.

They're both nice guitars, and I imagine you'd enjoy either. The Loar stuff is not as "polished" from the factory--you'll likely need a setup, might have a high fret or a sharp fret end, maybe some cosmetic flaws...for that the exchange is an all solid wood archtop under 1k--unheard of.

The Godin's are pretty much ready to go right out of the box. My Kingpin is kind of a plain jane, but flawless--nothing out of place.

I own a Loar and a Godin Kingpin (Fifth Avenue with a P90 screwed into the top)

If you want it as an acoustic guitar, the Loar is a much better instrument. Spend the few extra bucks and get a LH-600, all solid woods. The tone difference is remarkable, as well as the increase in volume.

If you're going to amplify, I like the Godin. The Loar fits their archies with a Kent Armstrong like floating pickup, which are kind of "meh." They have a new model with a P90 that also has a solid top...IMHO, I kinda defeats the purpose of a solid topped archtop to put such a smokey old school sounding pickup on it. Plus the laminate Godin will be more resistant to feedback.

They're both nice guitars, and I imagine you'd enjoy either. The Loar stuff is not as "polished" from the factory--you'll likely need a setup, might have a high fret or a sharp fret end, maybe some cosmetic flaws...for that the exchange is an all solid wood archtop under 1k--unheard of.

The Godin's are pretty much ready to go right out of the box. My Kingpin is kind of a plain jane, but flawless--nothing out of place.

Thanks for the info! I am more interested in an acoustic, so your advice is appreciated. The Loar would be easier to convert to a lefty, too.

I got me one of these Harmonys! There are ton on eBay and they are cheap. Plus they reek of MOJO!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2792/4312746282_5689e0386d_o.jpg

I got me one of these Harmonys! There are ton on eBay and they are cheap. Plus they reek of MOJO!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2792/4312746282_5689e0386d_o.jpg

I'm considering that option, as well. That would be fun.

I have a Harmony H58 with a solid carved top and a P13 pickup. They are definitely a different instrument than a flat top acoustic. A good one plays very fluidly.

I see that JazzTele says he has the Godin with the single pickup: a local blues duo player has one of those - I've heard it enough times - I'm always surprised at how bland it sounds and I know there's a price premium for stepping up to electric. Sheesh!

Anyway, wish I could tell you I have played the Loar. I would prefer a new instrument over a 60 yr old one: despite their "charm", many of the old ones are on life support. I know I had to reset the neck on mine. We were in a golden age of acoustic guitar building about 20 years ago and that continues if you would accept an import but also the shear diversity of instruments available is pretty amazing.

If I could get a solid wood North America new archtop guitar for a reasonable price - and it would be a lifer for me - I would go for it. If you're in Evergreen you should be able to play quite a few before you make a decision. Or, does auditioning a reverse-strung instrument not help much?

Greg

I see that JazzTele says he has the Godin with the single pickup: a local blues duo player has one of those - I've heard it enough times - I'm always surprised at how bland it sounds and I know there's a price premium for stepping up to electric. Sheesh!


Greg

Actually, if you go used there's not much of a difference...I think I got my Kingpin for just over 5 bills. Pretty cheap...but yeah, it's an electric guitar first and foremost. I'll play it unplugged on the couch and it's cool for practice, but once you hear an archtop with a solid top, the difference is night and day--perhaps even more than the difference between a lam top flattop and a solid top.

I also have both the Godin 5th Ave (no pickups) and a Loar LH-350. I will defer to jazztele as far as how they compare to all-solid archtops with a better "jazz pedigree," but I can tell you that I love both of them, and they are night-and-day different.

The Loar is a true archtop, and with the floating pickup, it is squarely in "classic jazzbox" territory, like an ES-175, etc.

The Godin is a hybrid. It's an archtop, but with a lot of flattop vibe mixed in. Lots more mids and bass than the Loar. And like every Godin/Seagull guitar I've ever played, the fit and finish are absolutely flawless.

I will probably end up putting a piezo in the Godin for acoustic singer-songwriter type gigs. The Loar always gets played through a guitar amp.

I have a Harmony H58 with a solid carved top and a P13 pickup. They are definitely a different instrument than a flat top acoustic. A good one plays very fluidly.

I see that JazzTele says he has the Godin with the single pickup: a local blues duo player has one of those - I've heard it enough times - I'm always surprised at how bland it sounds and I know there's a price premium for stepping up to electric. Sheesh!

Anyway, wish I could tell you I have played the Loar. I would prefer a new instrument over a 60 yr old one: despite their "charm", many of the old ones are on life support. I know I had to reset the neck on mine. We were in a golden age of acoustic guitar building about 20 years ago and that continues if you would accept an import but also the shear diversity of instruments available is pretty amazing.

If I could get a solid wood North America new archtop guitar for a reasonable price - and it would be a lifer for me - I would go for it. If you're in Evergreen you should be able to play quite a few before you make a decision. Or, does auditioning a reverse-strung instrument not help much?

Greg

Auditioning a reverse-strung guitar actually does tell me a lot, since the build quality should be the same regardless of orientation. As neat as some of the old Harmony types look, I'll probably opt for a new guitar.

I don't have any problems with imports, either. I own a Carvin Cobalt and absolutely love it. (Carvin does the final setup and inspection in San Diego, true, but the bulk of the manufacturing is done in Asia).

Old Harmonys and Kays are cool, but 1 in maybe 25 is really suitable for playing anything other than open chords or some slide on.

But when you find one that is a player...woo boy...talk about mojo.

But they're still not acoustic powerhouses like the loar...seriously, check those babies out if unplugged is yer thang.

Old Harmonys and Kays are cool, but 1 in maybe 25 is really suitable for playing anything other than open chords or some slide on.

But when you find one that is a player...woo boy...talk about mojo.

But they're still not acoustic powerhouses like the loar...seriously, check those babies out if unplugged is yer thang.

I'm definitely leaning in the Loar direction now. Thanks again for the advice!

I own two but both are pre-War round soundhole archtops - a Kay Kraft (spruce top and birch body) and an all mahogany May-Bell (made by Slingerland). They are hard to catagorize but combine the mids and punch of an archtop with the fatness of a flat top. Not everybody's cup of tea but worth being on the lookout for.

One piece of adevice though. No matter what you buy if it is an older el cheapo - dump the bridge that comes with it and slap on an ebony one with a bone saddle. While I have never really heard a whole lot of difference swapping bridges and saddles on a flat top, on an archtop it makes a big difference.

I'll respectfully disagree.....the properties of bone aare the last thing I want to add to an archtop...but then again, I also don't want my archtops to sound anything like a flattop...