Lend Me Your Ears! (Guitar Identification)

[Jokoker]

Okay! Confusing post below, so I'll sum up the point here. I need you to listen to an audio clip, and tell me if it's a resonator, or an archtop jazz box guitar ( I know ).

 

 

Hey HC,

 

 

Since seeing the movie years ago, I have always been fascinated by this particular guitar tone from the movie Chocolat.

 

In the party scene, where the song takes place, the actor is playing a Archtop Jazz Box guitar. However, I read this "goof" from IMDB: "Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Roux is playing the 2nd time Vianne visits the docks, he is playing a (metal) resonator guitar (dobro) with a slide, and the sound we hear is that of a dobro. At Arnaud's party, he is playing a more standard f-hole'd hollow-body (Archtop) guitar with an open left hand (chords, not slide), but we still hear the sliding dobro tune." I'm not too sure about you guys, but somehow, I doubt the credibility of IMDB's users.

 

Here's a quote from the actor about the movie:

 

"Q: You are playing the guitar and singing songs, but was it the first time you sang songs in movies, while you are singing in your own band?

A: Johnny : Yeah. It's the first time I really played. In Cry Baby, I only pretended to play the guitar. This time, I really played the guitar, which was shot on the spot. That was fun."

 

I am not familiar with Archtops or Resonators, so I was wondering if somebody could identify the type of guitar being played. Thanks!

 

Guitars in question:

 

National Dobro

http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images19000-19999/urb19854-nationalduolian/index.html

 

Archtop Jazz Guitar

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/760/archtop1mq.jpg

 

Audio Clip:

 

http://s36.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0BVQGT6CGJBCD1S2SYF33Z4QFZ

 

Finally, if that doesn't work, try this one from Amazon...

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000056O00001001/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_001/103-8614630-0360603

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

[JasmineTea]

I don't know what it is, but it certainly is'nt a reso.

The song "Minor swing" is an old Django song. I've never heard of the guy in the recording, but does he usualy play gypsy jazz? If so he may be playing a gypsy jazz guitar. But it does'nt sound like one of those to me either.

Also, it sounds like it's got some serious production on it. Possibly a combination of a pickup and a mic, plenty of compression. The tone is too rich to be simply an acoustic guitar in front of a mic. Compression, EQ, in stereo... They coud've used four tracks just for that guitar, each adjusted a little differently.

My guess would be an archtop with pup and a mic combined.

[Jokoker]

Thanks.

Yeah. I wasn't too sure about it being a resonator, or an archtop because they both have a percussive bell-like tone. Also, I'm quite sure it's not a Selmer type guitar. It sounds too smooth, if you know what I mean, and you are right, it does sound too rich for it to be recorded on the spot, so it most likely was rerecorded in the studio. But, the actor actually plays the archtop correctly, note to note of the song, in the movie. I wonder if they reused the archtop (same one in that pic), or put in some other guitar for the mix.

Anyway, that's what's bugging me at the moment! I love that tone, and I just sold my acoustic so I'm looking for a new one. If you guys don't mind, any good non-cutaway (preferably) archtop guitars like that for around $700?

Thanks again.

[JasmineTea]

gibson L-50

 

L-48

 

Keep an eye on G-base. Sometimes they're going for less than a grand. I had a link to another cool site but it's not working. Sometimes Elderly has a good deal too.

[Jokoker]

Haha

Wow. That's actually the same guitar! You know your stuff man, good eye.

Cheers.

[JasmineTea]

It was just a guess. I could'nt realy make out the one in the pic. The one in the movie could be an L-7 or something. I was looking at L-7s a while ago. compared to L-12, L-5 and such, the L-7 is a lot cheaper, for some reason it does'nt have the collectablity of the others.

Some of the L-48s and L-50s have laminate, not necissarily a bad thing. I think they started doing lam aroung '52-3.

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html

[Jokoker]

Hmm...

Some more questions just in-case my luck doesn't turn up. I searched MF earlier and they only have archtops for electrics. Are recent acoustic archtops hard to find? I noticed Elderly has a Loar that's about right.

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/LH500S.htm

I'm watching the scene again and I'm sure that the L-50, is the same one in the movie. The actor was lucky enough to get a nice 1930's National Duolian, and a 1950's L-50, because it was a period piece.

Would a Jumbo flat top guitar sound the same? Or are there any other types of guitars that would get that sound?

Sorry for the many questions!

Oh! Another thing. Just so you know, I live outside the U.S.

[JasmineTea]

Attempt at a reply:

I hav'nt looked into new archtops, however I think Eastman makes some affordable ones.

The Loar looks interesting. It'd be cool if it sounds as good as it looks.

Sound: When recording, it's possible to doll-up a cheap guitar, or even make a nice guitar sound cheap. I guess you'll have to educate yourself on how to create tone, the possiblities are endless. Between acoustic with a mic, and/or acoustic with a pup, you can get a million sounds.

I suggest you get out and play as many as you can get your hands on, read reviews, check out guitar specs. Play those that have a good reputation, but don't judge a model or maker by first impression, everyone makes a dud now and then.

One guitar that I'll suggest, it's a bit out of your price range, and it's also not an archtop, is the Martin OM-21. They have a nice warm tone with plenty of mid. Not a lot of bling so the price is'nt too high. Check one out if you can.

I believe there are some guys around who know about buying from outside the US.

[JasmineTea]

Here's another suggestion: Martin OM-16. The 15 and 16 series Martins are less expensive than say an OM-21 which is part of the Standard series. Martin has all the specs listed on their site.

Edit: Also, if you're looking at Martin prices, you'll actualy pay about 40% less than what's listed at the site. I have no idea what kind of mark-up other countries use.