JimR56 Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I have 2 archtops and 2 laminated tops, 1 of which is a new ES175. I think you meant to say "I have 2 carved tops and 2 laminated tops". They're all "archtops". :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny W. Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Danny I have to ask you if through the years you had ever considered the old Guild jazz guitars of the 1950's/very early 1960's? I used to be into Gibsons early on and still have a few of their jazz guitars having owned most of them early on through the years but am now into the old Guild jazzers as they used to be very reasonable pricewise however are now getting into the Gibson price ranges..............jim in Maine I had a couple of Artist Awards from the '60's and didn't like them very much. In general I preferred Gibson's models to Guild's closest equivalent models. Danny W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 OK, enough discussion I call the question. It was a simple question - my vote - Solid Carved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 I think you meant to say "I have 2 carved tops and 2 laminated tops". They're all "archtops". :) Yes. That's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyl51 Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Danny, Just curious as to what it was specifically about the Artist Awards and associated Guilds that you didn't like in comparison to Gibsons? Thanks for the input, jim in Maine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Total know nothing newbie rookie here. In the absence of knowledge and experience, I read the internet for 3 weeks and then chose a guitar for my son based on his musical interests, abilities and internet expertise (It is all true! The internet never lies.) He asked if I could get him another guitar. I chose an L5CES, and said "Would you like this?" He said yes. I like its history, solid wood and carved top. I liked the way L5 owners wax eloquent about their axe. He is 28 years old now. I hope when he is 68 he will remember fondly his step up to a professional instrument. In 1974 I put down $250 and took home a Chinese guitar and case package. The salesman said it was "good value" and never mind the laminated top. It not only sounded dead, it needed a neck job. I took it back and another salesman helped me pick a solid top guitar that would be a pleasure to learn on. My music career didn't go far but that was when I learned the guitar axiom "solid top good, laminated top bad." Tomorrow I'll order a L5CES because in this small market, the music store doesn't stock them. Then I'll relax, hope he enjoys it, and know I did the best I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Total know nothing newbie rookie here. In the absence of knowledge and experience, I read the internet for 3 weeks and then chose a guitar for my son based on his musical interests, abilities and internet expertise (It is all true! The internet never lies.) He asked if I could get him another guitar. I chose an L5CES, and said "Would you like this?" He said yes. I like its history, solid wood and carved top. I liked the way L5 owners wax eloquent about their axe. He is 28 years old now. I hope when he is 68 he will remember fondly his step up to a professional instrument. In 1974 I put down $250 and took home a Chinese guitar and case package. The salesman said it was "good value" and never mind the laminated top. It not only sounded dead, it needed a neck job. I took it back and another salesman helped me pick a solid top guitar that would be a pleasure to learn on. My music career didn't go far but that was when I learned the guitar axiom "solid top good, laminated top bad." Tomorrow I'll order a L5CES because in this small market, the music store doesn't stock them. Then I'll relax, hope he enjoys it, and know I did the best I could. Skilsaw, As noted in the discussion throughout this thread, a quality laminate guitar is not a bad thing, compared to a solid wood build. Many factors are involved thus some players prefer laminate and some solid/ carved. To me, a Gibson 175 produces a great tone, but equally so does an L5. Remember, a lot has to do with how good the player is in the first place - i.e, if you suck, no guitar is going to make you sound good! Many players stuck with their laminated guitars and preferred them - look at Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney and also the multitude of es 335 players in the world. All these guitarists sound great to my ears and they certainly could have afforded to buy L5's, Super 400's, Byrdland's or other makers fine solid wood instruments. An interesting point to note for me is Joe Pass - I always loved his tone playing a 175, then he switched to a solid D'Aquisto archtop which still sounded lovely full and warm but (to me) not as nice sounding. He then started using a thin sounding Ibanez during the 80's which sounded pretty awful in comparison! Then in the early 90's he went back to a 175, but a thinline. Another interesting point to make is that I've heard players using Gibson SG's & Les Pauls for jazz and sounding phenomenal... And lastly regarding cheaper guitars, I own a Gibson 175 and also an Epiphone 175. The Gibson is by far a better instrument, but the Epiphone really is a great player (if a little thin sounding). Action, intonation and playability are all spot on for a Korean instrument. I certainly play gigs with either of these instruments. In conclusion, the L5 is a fine, professional instrument, but so is a laminate 165, 175, 330, 335, Lucille, 137 etc! If solid/ carved wood and price was the only equation when buying an archtop guitar, Gibson would only make the top of the line Super 400 or Citation! PS, The ES line are professional instruments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 To me, a Gibson 175 produces a great tone, but equally so does an L5. Remember, a lot has to do with how good the player is in the first place - i.e, if you suck, no guitar is going to make you sound good! Good comment cody. This is so true. A classic parallel example would be golf clubs. People dream of developing the perfect swing and buy clubs, hoping it will make a difference. The manufacturers sell clubs, telling you they will make you a better golfer. I'm not a golfer, but I ski, and that is another pass time where better equipment will only help you so much. It is obvious from other threads that people don't buy the best guitar, once and forever. It is a life long quest as their taste and experience grows. Hopefully there is a lot of satisfaction in the journey. cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Good comment cody. This is so true. A classic parallel example would be golf clubs. People dream of developing the perfect swing and buy clubs, hoping it will make a difference. The manufacturers sell clubs, telling you they will make you a better golfer. I'm not a golfer, but I ski, and that is another pass time where better equipment will only help you so much. It is obvious from other threads that people don't buy the best guitar, once and forever. It is a life long quest as their taste and experience grows. Hopefully there is a lot of satisfaction in the journey. cheers, Yes, that's very true! I've been playing 23 years, since age 7. I began studying classical from a young age on my sisters old BM Classico, then got into rock and blues, so saved up for my first Gibson Les Paul at 15. Around this time I really got into jazz, but I still loved Les Pauls so played jazz on them instead of buying an archtop! I went on to do a degree in music and graduated with a 1:0... and picked up guitars as I went along! At present I am lucky to have 13 Gibson's; including archtops, les pauls, SG's and an acoustic, plus a bunch of others - Fender, Gretsch, Cashimira (classicals) & Epiphone. It's not always the case that a guitar is better or worse when you reach a certain price point I think. For instance, even though a Super 400 & Citation is more costly than an L5 or L4, they really are all great, top of the range instruments, as are ES 335's and 175's etc. It comes more down to a players individual likes and dislikes. For some a Super 400 is way too big or a Citation is just more of an art guitar/ collectors piece. For some an L5 or L4 has too much tendency to feedback, or an ES 5 or 175 is not resonant enough etc. Really the list is endless! You can be sure however that your L5 will be of the highest quality and for many players is a dream guitar, especially amongst Wes Montgomery fans! He had such great tone with that instrument, that many have tried to emulate! If you get time it would be great if you post some pics of the L5 after Christmas...everyone on here loves to look at great Gibsons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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