Anyone compare Broadway to L-5 CES?

[Roosto7]

Have you made a sound comparison?

[Sleeko]

Have you made a sound comparison?

 

I have an Elitist Broadway and an L4CES. Sound pretty close but the L4 is a little smoother and sweeter sounding. Probably due to the difference in pups. Should be an interesting comparo with an L5 though.

[Parabar]

Yes. I've played my Elitist Broadway side by side with an 80's L5-CES and a Heritage Golden Eagle (their equivalent model).

 

The Heritage only had a neck pickup, so it was less versatile, but played and sounded great, and probably had the best neck pickup tone of the three. The Elitist Broadway was a very close second, though, and if I were to change pickups, I bet it would be every bit as good. The L-5 was heavier and not quite as "live" sounding as either the Broadway or the Heritage.

 

Considering the L-5 was selling for three times what I paid for my Elitist Broadway, I believe I got the best deal. The tone is close enough not to matter to an audience, and when I'm not in "picky evaluation mode," but just playing music, I am completely enthralled by the sound of my Elitist Broadway.

 

I also have a Korean (Peerless) Broadway, and while it is an excellent guitar, it is not quite in the same league as the Elitist.

[Roosto7]

Yes. I've played my Elitist Broadway side by side with an 80's L5-CES and a Heritage Golden Eagle (their equivalent model).

 

The Heritage only had a neck pickup, so it was less versatile, but played and sounded great, and probably had the best neck pickup tone of the three. The Elitist Broadway was a very close second, though, and if I were to change pickups, I bet it would be every bit as good. The L-5 was heavier and not quite as "live" sounding as either the Broadway or the Heritage.

 

Considering the L-5 was selling for three times what I paid for my Elitist Broadway, I believe I got the best deal. The tone is close enough not to matter to an audience, and when I'm not in "picky evaluation mode," but just playing music, I am completely enthralled by the sound of my Elitist Broadway.

 

I also have a Korean (Peerless) Broadway, and while it is an excellent guitar, it is not quite in the same league as the Elitist.

 

I have a Peerless Broadway. What are the main factors that give the Elitist a better tone and sound?

 

[Red 333]

I have a Peerless Broadway. What are the main factors that give the Elitist a better tone and sound?

 

 

 

The Elitist has a solid, carved top (which also has a thin laminated layer on the back), while the standard Broadway has a fully laminated, pressed top. The solid top will generally produce a richer, woodier sound, particularly acoustically.

 

The Elitist has Gibson USA pickups; the standard has generic Asian-sourced pickups. The Gibson pups are more articulate. Older, generic Epi pups tend to be a little muddy.

 

The Elitist has a five-piece maple neck (traditional on high-end archtop construction); the standard has less-stable maple neck with a scarf joint (a cost-saving type of construction used on budget friendly instruments). As I noted, the chief virtue of the five-piece neck is its stability. However, as the L-5 and others also have this sort of neck, the Elitist is more likely to sound closer to the L-5 than a guitar built with a scarf jointed neck, as the string energy is transmitted down the neck closer to the same way.

 

The Elitist has a tunomatic bridge. The standard has a wooden bridge/saddle. The tunomatic contributes to better clarity, as well as intonation.

 

I also think that the Elitist's finish is thinner (I have no way to measure to provide real proof--just what I observe); a thinner finish will usually contribute to a more lively and resonant instrument.

 

I have both, and think the standard Broadway is quite an impressive instrument for the money. As others have noted, though, it's not quite at Elitist level.

 

Red 333

[Parabar]

Additionally, the Elitist has an ebony fingerboard while the standard has rosewood. The body is slightly deeper with a more pronounced arch in the top and back, so it's specs are closer to an L-5 than a standard Broadway. Still, as mentioned, the standard Broadway is an excellent guitar, just not quite to the level of an Elitist.