The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread

[CookingWithGas]

@WordMan

**CookingWithGas **- I remember that photo - or a photo of that room with different guitars in it - from a thread about folks’ gear!

That archtop Hofner (2nd from left, for those not conversant in guitar-speak) looks very cool. Would love to hear a review of it, or even hear it, over in the GOGT (Great Ongoing Guitar Thread). Did you ever read the thread I started on the Four Major Food Groups of Rock Guitar? In Post #27 I describe my relationship with jazz archtops :( I wish I had the time to learn that language. As for the ES-335 and the Tele (3rd from left and left-most) - both look fun and cool.

Here are videos of my jazz workshopgroup giving a performance. Remember this is an amateur group. The recording quality is just the camera at the back of the room but better that I expected. This is the first time I’ve played out with this guitar and am still working on adjustments for the right tone, and am thinking about getting a different amp (this is a Peavey Studio Pro 60). (ETA: I tried a Fender Acoustasonic, but I don’t recommend it for jazz. It’s voiced for a dreadnought.)

http://www.seiglefamily.com/photos.php?dir=2010JBM&cols=1&cappos=right&ppp=10

I wanted a carved top and the Hofner was the only one I found at this price point, which was $2000 brand new from Legato Guitars(Bill Fender). That was when Bill was still in the DC area and I went to his house and played a bunch of guitars, including a $20,000 Benedetto just for fun. (In my search I also played a Heritage, a D’Angelico, a couple of other Hofners, a Gibson Tal Farlow, etc.)

The guitar has some cosmetic flaws in the pearl inlay. Also has a long crack in the finish that runs parallel to and under the strings. I didn’t notice it when I bought it, not sure if it was there new or showed up later. Playability is very good, although I had to pay a tech to do a very thorough setup, including hammering down frets that were not seated properly, so there were some quality control problems.

Tone is great. It sounds really nice unamplified. The pickup is reasonably hot; the tone actually sounds best if I roll the volume knob down a bit. I am still struggling with a rig that will allow that acoustic warmth to make it out through the pickup and out of the amp. I have gotten very nice tone playing through a Roland Cube 30 at workshop sessions, but it’s not loud enough for gigs. I get a nice tone with the Peavey but you don’t get the acoustic tone coming through, very “electric” sounding. I am considering a Henriksonbut am not eager to drop a grand when I’m not gigging regularly.

I don’t think you will find a better carved top at this price point. I’m not sure you can find one at all at this price point.