crust Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I here ya...lol...ouch...lol...ouch...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 ...when I got it the strings where 1/2 an inch off the neck. These were about 1/4 inch off the neck. I pulled them off (they were miswound), lemon oiled the fretboard, pulled the pick guard, rubbed in some guitar wax on the top (so far), and put the guard back on. Amazing how much better it looks just cleaned up! The top is well arched, but it seems to be as designed. I guess the binding is really only coming up in one spot, which can be fixed. The binding really looks aged 75 years, which is what you want on a 75 year-old guitar, I guess. And that little piece on the bottom back of the neck can be replaced, since half of it's missing. I take it this is supposed to have a floating bridge? Both the bridge and saddle-top are well rounded and seem higher on the low E side (with both adjuster screws set all the way down). I wonder if the saddle is set on there backwards. My dad didn't know jack about guitar set up and maintenance, haha. He could play though. No open chords. All six strings always chorded, damping some. No pick. Any key, any song. Old swing rhythm style, I guess. So this thing needs a case! The old cheap inward-warping cardboard case he had it in probably does more to damage to the guitar taking it in and out than it does in protecting it. What the hell shape is this? What hsc will it fit? Thanks guys for your limitless guitar knowledge and nice pics of your own vintage models! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 These were about 1/4 inch off the neck. I pulled them off (they were miswound), lemon oiled the fretboard, pulled the pick guard, rubbed in some guitar wax on the top (so far), and put the guard back on. Amazing how much better it looks just cleaned up! The top is well arched, but it seems to be as designed. I guess the binding is really only coming up in one spot, which can be fixed. The binding really looks aged 75 years, which is what you want on a 75 year-old guitar, I guess. And that little piece on the bottom back of the neck can be replaced, since half of it's missing. I take it this is supposed to have a floating bridge? Both the bridge and saddle-top are well rounded and seem higher on the low E side (with both adjuster screws set all the way down). I wonder if the saddle is set on there backwards. My dad didn't know jack about guitar set up and maintenance, haha. He could play though. No open chords. All six strings always chorded, damping some. No pick. Any key, any song. Old swing rhythm style, I guess. So this thing needs a case! The old cheap inward-warping cardboard case he had it in probably does more to damage to the guitar taking it in and out than it does in protecting it. What the hell shape is this? What hsc will it fit? Thanks guys for your limitless guitar knowledge and nice pics of your own vintage models! Mine fits in a regular case, no special case needed, like I mentioned make sure she is properly humidified it might take time to get her playable but once it is they are a blast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 this guy can fix it, if you don't mind mailing it... Thanks. I've got a local guy I've been taking my stuff to. He's good - Tom at "Local Music." His shop is ridiculous. Chock full of old acoustics and other stuff, and I mean full. There's barely enough room to walk in the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Personally, If it was my dad's, to me...I would never ever part with it...it's a priceless reminder of "good old dad"... Yeah, I'm not really thinking of selling it. Just like to know its value. You know, like on Antiques Roadshow. I see some now on ebay - some priced at $1,000-$2,000 that aren't selling. One recently sold for $850. Of course, I'll have his nice Gibbie LP Studio to remember him by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 piece of "Americana"...history in that instrument... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Yeah, I'm not really thinking of selling it. Just like to know its value. You know, like on Antiques Roadshow. I see some now on ebay - some priced at $1,000-$2,000 that aren't selling. One recently sold for $850. Of course, I'll have his nice Gibbie LP Studio to remember him by. Been in the family awhile you can't let it go. It is worth the restoration though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGgypsyboy Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 If the adjustable floating bridge is as low as it will go and the action is still very high it may be time for a neck reset. You may be able to stall that a few years by having the base of the bridge sanded down to lower the action. Looks like you have enough wood there to have that done. best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 If the adjustable floating bridge is as low as it will go and the action is still very high it may be time for a neck reset. You may be able to stall that a few years by having the base of the bridge sanded down to lower the action. Looks like you have enough wood there to have that done. best of luck. I did that it is another option definitely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Keep inind that an archtop from that era will have higher action in bet the body than a modern day flattop. Archtop a from that era were all about being loud and highet action over the body of the guitar produced a louder volume (so an instrument could be heard in an orchestral setting). Electric/amplified archtops began solving that issue around that time, but a true acoustic archtop from that era had higher action than today's guitars for that reason. On the other hand, if the guitar is unplayable due to its action, it needs repair. But, don't use a modern guitar standard. My 1936 Epi Zenith had a neck reset to get it back to how it should be due to its age, but the action is still higher than today's flattop and it is super loud. I've exchanged bridges(as replacement bridges are available that are lower) they took the mojo volume right out the archtop, so I put the original slightly bridge back in it. An acoustic archtop from that era also will have a much more prevalent mid-range to it than a flattop. So don't expect a lot of bass from the guitar. I can honestly say when I bring my archtop to my acoustic guitar jam, there can be ten flattops and my archtop's midrange (and different EQ) cuts right through all ten flattops in terms of its volume from the sound bouncing off its top and its higher action. So I recommend keeping the action a bit on the higher side to give it its true intended sound. Some of the later era archtops with flattop like action just don't have that special loud archtop sound. Hope this helps. Jazzman Jeff aka QM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Besides the info from jeff... The midrange of an archtop also worked well with the mikes and other equipment used in the pre WWII era radio and recording. Mother Maybelle's Gibson archtop was horrid if one considered playing by current standards. Note however that capoed and used with thumb and steel fingerpicks in a similar mode as playing an autoharp, the guitar with its super-heavy strings was quite loud enough to be heard in a non-amplified gig and reproduced well enough in recording and live radio. As Jeff noted, the action was quite high regardless. Adding a pup to 1950s archtops was pretty common, OTOH. I used one that I'd modified to a 7-string (doubled "G") around '66-'67. Single pole add-on pup that didn't even require cutting holes in the body, and lowering the action and using lighter strings worked well. Regardless, they were/are quite different creatures compared to flattops. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Took a road trip visiting my 92-year-old dad and brother in the Pasadena area. I was born in Pasadena & lived there until 1967. Haven't been back since a visit in the early '80s, but it was a good place in which to be a kid interested in music (mostly because of the record shops in Hollywood!). Anyway, best of luck in whatever you decide to do with your Dad's Epi archtop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Mine fits in a regular case, no special case needed... Regular, meaning what, dreadnought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Regular, meaning what, dreadnought? sorry yeah my dreadnaught case. its a little tight but that keeps it secure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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