dallasblues Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Hey guys/gals. I've got an early 50's ES-125 that I really do love. It feels great and the P90 pickup sounds amazing. For the cost, it's turned out to be a great find! However, I'd like to sometime find another archtop with a stronger acoustic presence than my old 125. In fact, an acoustic, solid-top (not laminate), archtop is where I'm leaning. The key here though is that I'd need a good bargain. I know that archtops in general command some pretty big prices. While I'd love to own an L5, L7, Super 400, Epi Broadway, D'Angelico, etc... It just ain't happenin'. I'm thinking that an acoustic archtop under $2k is more realistic for me. If that hasn't narrowed things enough, I prefer vintage guitars. Any suggestions? Even more so, I'd love to hear some reviews! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 The best value for in a "vintage" Gibson carved archtop is the L-7. As they were the poor man's L-5, Gibson made boatloads of them, and many are advertised for sale on e-bay at any given time. The problem is the sellers think they're worth L-5 prices, and they're not, nor do (educated) buyers pay those ridiculous prices for them, so........ you just have to play a waiting game to find one at a realistic price (or "make offer"). $2000 CAN buy an L-7..... http://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-Gibson-L7-cutaway-archtop-guitar-/131170403276?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e8a5d83cc But..... if you can add $1000 to your budget, you'll have more options. You should be able to pick up a nice L-7 around $3000. It really is worth the wait! Here's my 1947 L-7. This would probably be my "desert island" guitar. There's a bunch of L-7 owners here, and I think they'll echo thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCBirdMan Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I have to admit I don't know much about Gibson archtops... but there sure were a lot of cool models and even the neat old ones don't seem to be that expensive. I think it would be a buyer's market. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black36 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I'm waiting for the arrival of a 1936 L-30. It was the cheapest archtop Gibson made (originally $30 hence L-30) but they've got a lot of character and are pretty distinctive. I've been looking for one for a while and played one locally that wasn't quite right. Then I found this one at Retrofret and had really great service from them buying long distance. It came in under your $2000 limit although that was before shipping and taxes/duties. I've seen several go for a lot less on ebay but I wanted the re-assurance of a pro dealer and was happy to pay a bit of a premium for the condition of the one I've got. Look out for some Youtube clips to get an idea of the sound, especially . Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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