Members K.platyops Posted May 24, 2007 Members Share Posted May 24, 2007 Which do you prefer to play? My preference is for archtops with F-holes, but I seem to be in the minority. Why do most prefer flattops with round/oval soundholes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted May 24, 2007 Members Share Posted May 24, 2007 Well, acoustic arch-tops were originally designed for pure volume*, because they were expected to compete with piano, string bass, drums, several reeds and several brass simultaneously...thus, they don't have a lot of sustain, acoustically, which is good for orchestra usage. Flat-top guitars, otoh, have less volume, acoustically, but longer sustain... It's all good! *When the string excites the wood body, there is X-amount of energy released, and that can be in the form of volume or sustain, but not both, simultaneously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whit townsend Posted May 24, 2007 Members Share Posted May 24, 2007 I prefer the right tool for the job. For me and what I do, that means a flat top. If I was a jazz player, I'd want an archtop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted May 24, 2007 Members Share Posted May 24, 2007 To add to TAH's post, archtops are also designed to operate in a different tonal range (which certainly helped you cut through in the days of AM radio). If you're playing an archtop, it may actually sound softer than a flat-top while you're right on top of it...but frequency-wise, it can cut through multiple instruments better than most flat-tops. That said, we're no longer in the days where pure volume and acoustic cutting power matter as much. I'd say more people play flat-tops because...One, they sound louder as you're actually playing it (although an archie will carry farther most of the time).Two, they're cheaper (carving a solid, arched-top is time-consuming and labor-intensive).Three, they have more complex overtones in the register that we most easily hear harmonic detail -- treble. If you want to play bop lines, an archtop is your bag.But for other styles, a flat-top is preferable. Cowboy chords ring more. Power chords have more detail. Lead lines have more highs that are easier to hear with modern recording technology. I own more flat-tops, but archies have an interesting tone. I'd love to have a Loar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pascal Posted May 25, 2007 Members Share Posted May 25, 2007 I'm mostly a jazzer, and I'm not a big fan of flat-top steel strings for single lines and band playing. I guess I haven't found the one for me yet... My first acoustic was actually a nylon string, the next one (and now my number one) is a gypsy jazzer (not really flat top, oval hole), and my next one (ordered a couple of months ago), will be an acoustic archtop w/floater (Eastman AR805E). I might explore flat-tops more seriously after that, but don't really now where to start, what would be best for me (Jumbo, OM, Parlour, Dread...)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted May 25, 2007 Members Share Posted May 25, 2007 I'm mostly a jazzer, and I'm not a big fan of flat-top steel strings for single lines and band playing. I guess I haven't found the one for me yet... My first acoustic was actually a nylon string, the next one (and now my number one) is a gypsy jazzer (not really flat top, oval hole), and my next one (ordered a couple of months ago), will be an acoustic archtop w/floater (Eastman AR805E). I might explore flat-tops more seriously after that, but don't really now where to start, what would be best for me (Jumbo, OM, Parlour, Dread...)... Well, it depends on what tone you'd want out of a flat-top. Parlors sound great for fingerstyle, but usually can't stand up to hard flat picking, and aren't very loud. Dreads generally have that boomy bass (depending on bracing and construction) and let you dig in with a pick, but many feel they don't have the clarity for fingerstyle. OM's and Jumbo's are kind of a compromise. OM's usually sound great for fingerstyle and can handle some flat pick work. Jumbo's have a bit more bass (in general...not as a rule), but I've never really dug their tone...although mini-jumbos are pretty nice, IMO. I'd start with a OM/000 and work from there. Then again, you may just be an archtop-kinda player. Nothing wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pascal Posted May 25, 2007 Members Share Posted May 25, 2007 I'd start with a OM/000 and work from there. Then again, you may just be an archtop-kinda player. Nothing wrong with that. Thanks for the recommendations. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy playing a flat top alone at home or at the occasional English Folk jam in the pubs around here. I might start investigating them more seriously after I get my archtop... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 Thanks for the recommendations. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy playing a flat top alone at home or at the occasional English Folk jam in the pubs around here. I might start investigating them more seriously after I get my archtop... No prob. I'd have a hard time putting down that Eastman, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 55gibby Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 I have two archtopped electric hollowbodies (a Gibson and a Hamer) that are wonderful guitars. I just picked up a flat top acoustic that I really enjoy as well, but for entirerly different reasons. The register between the two (as well as the timbre) are quite differet animals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members min7b5 Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 D-hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pascal Posted May 29, 2007 Members Share Posted May 29, 2007 That's cool...I don't think I've ever seen a "petite bouche" Selmer-style archtop with the 24th fret fingerboard extension.?... Well.... I recently realized that somebody quite famous used to play one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD6ZD1Igxr0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted May 30, 2007 Members Share Posted May 30, 2007 BTW, EvilTwin, do you remember, a couple of months ago, when I posted a pic of my petite bouche and you said: ?... Well.... I recently realized that somebody quite famous used to play one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD6ZD1Igxr0 Well don't I just feel like a fool now? I must've watched that clip 30 or 40 times and never even bothered to look anywhere but his left hand ("it's hideous, but I can't look away!"). It makes me wonder why Saga hasn't jumped on making an affordable version of a guitar like that, with how popular the gypsy jazz resurgence has been the past few years. I now envy your guitar even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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