School me on Hollowbodies/Archtops

[jirodreamsofdank]

I had a Harmony Rocket (two goldfoil pickups, early '60s no truss rod era) that I got cheap, it sounded fucking awesome (one of the best dirty sounds I've heard) but desperately needed a refret and the body was coming apart in a couple of spots.
Body was roughly Casino sized, maybe a little thicker, chunky neck.

I wound up trading it for more than I paid but I wish I'd just ponied up for a refret to make it playable and just patched the body issues with that stuff they advertise on TV that will hold boats together.

The main guy in Portishead uses one a lot, IIRC.

[shikawkee]

BTW-If you want a killer archtop without breaking the bank that's a stellar electric too check out the Morris ES-175. It's a luthier-made direct copy of the Gibson. I mean a perfect copy from the ex-Gibson dealer in Japan. Carter Vintage has one in stock right now in Nashville. It's a 1969 vintage and a beauty.

[lumena]

Eastman ar371,ar372 both are fine copies of Derek Bailey type of gibson. Good solid woods and acoustic tone. Eastmans are best bang for buck. Peerless makes several good 17” models.
Check out GuitarsNjazz.com lots of choices under $1k.
Other thoughts
Carved top is louder and more harmonic acoustically, laminates are more electric sounding.
50s electric bop guitar mostly 16” laminate top with humbucker neck position...
Except Grant Green he is playing Gibson es330 with p90. Alot of the sound comes from string thickness skinny strings don’t give you that sound .11 is considered minimum but .12 sets more common these guitars are made to project so to get a strong tone you need tension. A good jazz box setup will be flat neck,.12 strings and low action.

Depending on your posture and size 16” guitars are just a bit easier to handle.
17” is really a sit down guitar.
Carved top with set humbucker is the best compromise, cheap pickups won’t cut it so figure upgrading to either quality humbucker or charlie christian bar style in humbucker cavity. Best one of those CC pickups is made by vintage vibe.

I found on of an Eastman ar403 carved top totally upgraded for at the jazzguitar.be board.
https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/sale/73 ... ar403.html
not mine but at $750 asking it would be there - has agibson humbucker,fancy tuners and case.. i would think to bargain with that number but still is good deal.



Otherwise check out the epiphone es175 premium -comes with gibson pickups and is pretty much an es175
most other cheap jazz boxes will not give you that umph I’ve played godins but they really don’t have the acoustic power but they do have good necks.
Buy used and ask questions at jazzguitar.be lots actual jazz guys there.
L.