Official Luthiers Forum!

I know this isn't exactly luthier related, but I know a lot of you will have good advice/opinions. I'm looking for an affordable archtop, something that sounds like an L-5 or ES-335 but for a lot less money. I'm not buying it for collector value, but more so to have one available when I need it when the urge to play some ole Chet style fingerpicking comes along. What recommendations do you have for an affordable guitar in this style?

Thanks!

John

As far as a 335 clone goes, I bought a Hamer Echotone several years ago. Made in Korea, true, but the 'fit and finish' is top notch. I did replace the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover model, but that was a tone choice more than anything - I would likely have done the same on a new Gibson.

Look up a heritage on eBay. Do you want a nice guitar, or a sound? You
could always get an ibanez and replace the pickups with some Lollars.

I've played a Samick 335 clone. Scary thing was the fit and finish was as good as my Kalamazoo made Gibson.

L-5 or 335 for Chet fingerstyle? Wouldn't a flattop be better.

are you looking for an acoustic L5 or an electric 335 type sound. they are not the same at all.

but either way the older epiphones were not that far off the gibson standard and are not as sought after so are more reasonably priced.crazymanmichael39057.4707175926

I vote for a John Elshaw.

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As Michael said, two very different guitars.

Poor man's L-5? Look at some Eastmans.

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[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] are you looking for an acoustic L5 or and electric 335 type sound. the are not the same at all.[/QUOTE]

I'm actually looking at an electric L-5 type sound like the one shown here:

Gibson L-5

Of course the really nice ones from the 60's are even more expensive.

Here's a nice ES-335, but it's a 1961 and is $23,500.

Gibson ES-335

I also really like the Gretsch's from the late 60's, early 70's, especially the Gretsch 7660.

All of these guitars sound great playing jazz, finger-style, blues, etc. Aside from playability (which I'm sure I can setup to improve), I can always swap out a pickup to improve tone. Even so, there is still no substitute for the real thing. I found this out when I got my custom shop Wolfgang. It's the complete package that gets that GREAT tone.

Cheers!

John

John,

Check out newer Epiphone archtops. They're based on Gibson models, and they cost under $1K.

ah well, different generational perspectives. the gibson L5 model designation predates the electric guitar by a few decades (circa 1924 or so iirc) and for me the nomenclature still brings to mind an acoustic archtop.

i had the same problem when folks started talking about sj's. for me the designation will always initially bring to mind a gibson southern jumbo of the j45 type.

Don't overlook the Ibanez arctops that they built back in the 70s. Or the new ones, for that matter, but I think the ones they built back in the 70s are better made. Here's one I stole -- er, picked up at a local guitar shop several years ago for $600. I figure it's worth twice that, but sometimes you can fall into a good deal. Model 2455NT, signed by the luthier . . . or at least the guy in charge of production.



Best,

Michael

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John, Do you have time to build one? I have some plates and es335 necks
ready made (Watkins CNC) that I sell. Take a look on my www. The necks
arent there but there is some info under laminated plates.
Ken

all comes down to how much your willing to spend really...?
For value for money i like the japanese stuff built in the 70's....
I have a couple of ibanez's from the same era as the one pictured above ...an ES-335 and ES-175 clones ...and they are every bit as good as a lot of gibsons i've played....
you can also look for old Greco's, Yamaha's or Aria's from that era for value...
If you've got a bit more money then i'd look more at things like old epiphones, heritage. some gibson models like ES-125's can be had for a good price...

But a few things you mention L-5 (being more a jazz beast) , 335 ( being more a rock/jazz guitar ), and chet atkins ( being more a fingerstylist/ jazz/country artist).......all this adds up to GRETSCH archtop to me for something that covers these things you mention...

Those older Ibanez's are great guitars. I particularly like the GB10 (George Benson model). I would agree Ibanez built a lot of guitars every bit as good or better than Gibson's of the same era.