Jazz Box Kit?

Lew UK · June 6th, 2004, 06:19 PM

Hi all,

Probably a stoopid question BUT does anywhere offer "kits" or parts (such as warmoth,usacg etc...) To complete a Bigbox Guitar?

I really want a BixBox,I had an EPI Joepass once and it was of average quality.

I really like the look of the Guild Guits.
AS Bigsby style trem would be good aswell.
I see warmoth can do a good body shape but it has bolt on neck.

Or am i just going to have to save and pay out for a good one?

Cheers for any wisdom.

Lew

telefreak · June 6th, 2004, 06:53 PM

I've got a Guild Jazz box, a 1964 X175 ch to be precise.
It's a rare mahogany bodied model.
They're much cheaper than Gibsons and just as good.
I might sell mine, not sure, it's not really a sound that fits what I play, but it is a great sound. I need to tweak it a bit more before I decide what to do with it

Don Miller · June 6th, 2004, 07:55 PM

I think Stew mac or Luthers Mercantile carry the woods you'd need...but you will end up carving the top, bending the sides, carving the neck...a kit in the purest sense..

Bob Benedetto had a video on building a jazz box...available thru Stew Mac, i think..

The hardware is available...StewMac or Luthers Mercantile again...fancy grovers with art deco buttons, floating bridge, humbuckers of various kinds, tailpiece...

I think building one would be a heck of a lotta work...unless one was into the building end of things...and you need room and tools and time and skill to build .... not a task for the cramped or the untrained....or youll end up with a pile of expensive kindling

I suspect theres alot of midrange jazz boxes out there...Epiphone, Ibanez, even Samick-Turser(sp?)..that could be nice with an upgrade or two...

Roel from Holland · June 7th, 2004, 04:47 AM

Hey Lew,

Why don't you buy a Heritage guitar.
www.haarguitars.nl is the distributor here in Holland and you can also buy directly from him. Best of all; they also do custom orders so you can order a nice Goldtop H575 with P90's and a Bigsby for example 8)

jack.plugg · June 7th, 2004, 05:37 AM

...some of DeArmond's guitars are pretty nice, and are modelled on Guild originals.

They brought out three versions of their jazz guitar, the 155, 145 and 135, and all look pretty nice.

I've got a couple of DeArmond guitars, (the Starfire, and the Starfire Special), which were modelled on Guild Starfires. Both are really good instruments. High quality fittings, superb finishes and excellent sound.

They don't make them now, but they are always turning up on Ebay.

If you like Guild guitars, then the DeArmonds are well worth considering ...

Anonymous · June 7th, 2004, 07:34 AM

If you're doing it for the experience, go for it.

If you're doing it to try to get a jazz box inexpensively, I'll second what others have said, just scout around for a low-end model. I think you'd wind up spending as much or more on supplies as a budget "storebought" guitar would cost. And unless you already have some knowledge of what you're doing, you may not like what you wind up with.

But the main thing is that just in the last few years there's been an explosion of very playable low-end archtops. Ibanez Artcore, DeArmond, Epiphone and others. You can get a used 17" archtop with a floating pickup and 25.5" scale like the Epiphone Emperor Regent on Ebay for $400~$500 US. There are even new Ibanez models that are selling for less than that.

As recently as five or six years ago, decent quality budget archtops were hard to find. But since then, several manufacturers have figured out that there's a market for them and have responded accordingly. Best of luck, CS

Ptrallan01 · June 7th, 2004, 09:30 AM

by Ibanez, $279 to 329 in the states full sized archtop that is an incredible value for the money. See the reviews here or at harmony central. Great guitars very versatile, I put flat wounds 12's over instead of the 9's it came with and it sounds great. Due to visits from my friend arthur-i-tis i'll have to back to 10's but the 12's sound beautiful.

Peter

Lew UK · June 8th, 2004, 06:50 AM

Wow Thanks for all the great Responses.

Too awnswer a few..I think that a kit is a bit too serious,a bit different too chucking a bunch of parts together and having a tech set it up anyway

I Guess it would be around the £500 mark which at the moment is loads of dollars. :P

I might try and scout round for a broken in used box.

Roel,the guitars look awesome but a little out of my price range :evil:

Thanks all

stantheman · June 8th, 2004, 01:10 PM

in regards to the new Strombergs, the Company is VERY
RESPONSIVE and they make a "nice, very nice JazzBox."
I still say a Joe Pass II with 11's is a grrreat all-around
Box....'specially going through a Fender Tube Amp like
say a Deluxe Reverb on "5" 8) .

June 6th, 2004, 06:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lew UK Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Posts: 1,388	Jazz Box Kit? Hi all, Probably a stoopid question BUT does anywhere offer "kits" or parts (such as warmoth,usacg etc...) To complete a Bigbox Guitar? I really want a BixBox,I had an EPI Joepass once and it was of average quality. I really like the look of the Guild Guits. AS Bigsby style trem would be good aswell. I see warmoth can do a good body shape but it has bolt on neck. Or am i just going to have to save and pay out for a good one? Cheers for any wisdom. Lew

June 6th, 2004, 06:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
telefreak Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex UK Posts: 659	I've got a Guild Jazz box, a 1964 X175 ch to be precise. It's a rare mahogany bodied model. They're much cheaper than Gibsons and just as good. I might sell mine, not sure, it's not really a sound that fits what I play, but it is a great sound. I need to tweak it a bit more before I decide what to do with it __________________ I didn't grow up, I just got older.

June 7th, 2004, 04:47 AM	#4 (permalink)
Roel from Holland Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Den Haag, Nederland Posts: 1,020	Hey Lew, Why don't you buy a Heritage guitar. www.haarguitars.nl is the distributor here in Holland and you can also buy directly from him. Best of all; they also do custom orders so you can order a nice Goldtop H575 with P90's and a Bigsby for example 8) __________________ Proost, Roel http://www.telecastergallery.com

June 7th, 2004, 05:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
jack.plugg Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 259	Have you considered a used DeArmond? ... ...some of DeArmond's guitars are pretty nice, and are modelled on Guild originals. They brought out three versions of their jazz guitar, the 155, 145 and 135, and all look pretty nice. I've got a couple of DeArmond guitars, (the Starfire, and the Starfire Special), which were modelled on Guild Starfires. Both are really good instruments. High quality fittings, superb finishes and excellent sound. They don't make them now, but they are always turning up on Ebay. If you like Guild guitars, then the DeArmonds are well worth considering ...

June 7th, 2004, 07:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
Anonymous Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 0	Would you be building for fun or to save money? If you're doing it for the experience, go for it. If you're doing it to try to get a jazz box inexpensively, I'll second what others have said, just scout around for a low-end model. I think you'd wind up spending as much or more on supplies as a budget "storebought" guitar would cost. And unless you already have some knowledge of what you're doing, you may not like what you wind up with. But the main thing is that just in the last few years there's been an explosion of very playable low-end archtops. Ibanez Artcore, DeArmond, Epiphone and others. You can get a used 17" archtop with a floating pickup and 25.5" scale like the Epiphone Emperor Regent on Ebay for $400~$500 US. There are even new Ibanez models that are selling for less than that. As recently as five or six years ago, decent quality budget archtops were hard to find. But since then, several manufacturers have figured out that there's a market for them and have responded accordingly. Best of luck, CS

June 6th, 2004, 07:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Don Miller Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Age: 57 Posts: 579 14 Photos	I think Stew mac or Luthers Mercantile carry the woods you'd need...but you will end up carving the top, bending the sides, carving the neck...a kit in the purest sense.. Bob Benedetto had a video on building a jazz box...available thru Stew Mac, i think.. The hardware is available...StewMac or Luthers Mercantile again...fancy grovers with art deco buttons, floating bridge, humbuckers of various kinds, tailpiece... I think building one would be a heck of a lotta work...unless one was into the building end of things...and you need room and tools and time and skill to build .... not a task for the cramped or the untrained....or youll end up with a pile of expensive kindling I suspect theres alot of midrange jazz boxes out there...Epiphone, Ibanez, even Samick-Turser(sp?)..that could be nice with an upgrade or two...

June 7th, 2004, 09:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ptrallan01 Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 532 3 Photos	Artcore AF series by Ibanez, $279 to 329 in the states full sized archtop that is an incredible value for the money. See the reviews here or at harmony central. Great guitars very versatile, I put flat wounds 12's over instead of the 9's it came with and it sounds great. Due to visits from my friend arthur-i-tis i'll have to back to 10's but the 12's sound beautiful. Peter

June 8th, 2004, 06:50 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lew UK Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Posts: 1,388	Wow Thanks for all the great Responses. Too awnswer a few..I think that a kit is a bit too serious,a bit different too chucking a bunch of parts together and having a tech set it up anyway I Guess it would be around the £500 mark which at the moment is loads of dollars. :P I might try and scout round for a broken in used box. Roel,the guitars look awesome but a little out of my price range :evil: Thanks all

June 8th, 2004, 01:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
stantheman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 4,830	Check with Rob D. in regards to the new Strombergs, the Company is VERY RESPONSIVE and they make a "nice, very nice JazzBox." I still say a Joe Pass II with 11's is a grrreat all-around Box....'specially going through a Fender Tube Amp like say a Deluxe Reverb on "5" 8) . __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime