Master guitar luthier Michael Greenfield is a world class builder who has made guitars for none other than Pat Martino, Charlie Hunter and Joe Finn among others of notable fame. Here he takes time from a very busy work schedule to answer some of your answers your arch top and guitar-making related questions. Click here to send in your questions now.

Q) Michael, I am playing an ES-175 and wonder where to drill/place the second strap-button. Saw all kind of solutions (treble side heel - bass side next to the neck - heel cap …) Is there an ES-175 specific solution? How you go about this with your guitars? Thank you and best regards

Frank

A) Hi Frank. To some extent it depends on player preference. It also depends on heel shape and design. I have seen 175's with the button in the heel cap, on the heel face (center) and into the head block. They all work and all feel a little different. My own preference is into the head block (like on a 335).

While this seems like a simple install (and it is), it is always best to let a qualified pro work on your cherished instrument. Poor work or slight miscalculation can result in a hole in the wrong place (missing the head block and drilling into the gap in the dovetail joint), chipping lacquer, or spitting the heel. Maybe even all 3!

Peace,

Q) My name is David, and I am a student of jazz guitar. I have been browsing your site for an answer to my question, but have not found one yet. Any information or advice you could provide would be much appreciated.

I have been playing jazz guitar for about 8 years now, but never really invested in a jazz axe. I've simply been playing with a strat and a polytone amplifier for the last few years. For my purposes, its done the job, and I've been able to achieve the sound I want; But, I am interested in purchasing a jazz box now. I'm aware that I should probably go out to the music stores and try out some of the jazz axes, but I was wondering if you could recommend some models/names as a starting point. I want something that I can grow with and keep long-term. Also, I want something that will handle well in gigging and recording situations. My budget would be about 1-2k.

Likewise, I may also be in the market for an acoustic/electric guitar. I want something with the similar features mentioned for the jazz axe (keep long-term, gig, record with). However, I know with this guitar I will want to play a variety of styles (including, but not limited to jazz). Are there any steel-string acoustic/electric starting points you can provide me that would be suited for playing jazz and other genres (such as folk or acoustic rock)? Thank you in advance for any advice,

David

A) Hi David and thanx for writing. I am answering this inquiry off the JGL web site as the purpose of this column is not to endorse product. I can not tell you what guitar is best for you. A musical instrument is a highly personal and very intimate purchase and connection. You will have to do the leg work yourself. As for what is best…that’s up to you. When you find a guitar that ‘speaks to you’; you will know. Ed Bickert played a Tele (with humbuck) through a Roland cube 60 up to the end of his career…that was HIS sound. Lenny Breau played classical and flamenco guitars, along with jazz boxes and solid body guitars too.

These days, there are many import guitars on the market in your price range. As for how long they will last down the road and whether or not they will have legs so that you can ‘grow into it’…well…only time will tell. These are, after all, inexpensive instruments and probably not built to the same standard nor with the same quality tonewoods, hardware or electronics as many of the higher priced new guitars, vintage guitars or hand made guitars. But you/we may be surprised….again…time will tell.

From the day students of the viol family enter conservatory, their professors start drilling the message into their heads that if they are really serious about their music…they should start saving for an instrument. An entry level, concert quality cello starts at around $40k these days. I think guitarists have it pretty easy with so much choice at prices from $600 and up. My friends who play in the symphony think we guitarist have it made. For 25% (or less) of the price of a cello, you can buy a monster jazz box (or any guitar for that matter). Of course there are violins in the $100k+ range and there are guitars in the $50k price point too.

A mechanic invests many thousands of dollars in his/her tools; as do we woodworkers, machinists, etc. A cab driver has to buy a car. A dentist equips a practice. A recording studio buys mics, consoles, amps, speakers, cable, software….you get the point…this is/will be your business! Your gear (whether is only 1 GREAT do-it-all guitar or an arsenal of 20) is all you have to invest in, in order to make your living. A pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

As for your second question…look back to Ed. [Just as an example] Bickert, Page, Gill, Gatton, Stern, Morse…all play(ed) Teles; all had/have very different styles and bags. It’s not about the guitar or gear…it’s the player. Jazz, or any genre, comes from your right and left hands, your voicings, licks, understanding of harmony and your ears. I have seen guys playing jazz, country, rock, etc on Strats, Teles, PRS’s, Pauls, SG’s, jazz boxes, ovations, classicals, Gretches, Takamines and of course all sorts of great hand made guitars! It’s all good. But most important it is about you and your chops…not the axxe. Best of luck,

Q) Hi, I have learned many things from this site thank you for your contribution. I would like to ask you about 2 things concerned with acoustic guitar. Steel string or nylon, there are the guitars with cutaway and without it. I think know cutaway gives us greater playability. But then, what does non-cutaway give us? There are still a lot of guitars with no cutaway and it seems that they are as popular as ones with cutaway are. I imagine it makes the sound different. Could you describe what difference in sound comes between the 2 types? And also, what sound difference will be made by 2 guitars having the neck joint at the 12th fret and the 14th?
R.

A) Hi R., Ok...first the cutaway question:

Yes, cutaways are designed to give the player easy access to the upper register of the fingerboard. Having said that...classical guitarists are taught to and do fine without; as do many steel string players. The archtop guitar has an elevated fingerboard as do violins, mandolins and recently some nylon string guitars as well (my concert classical guitars all have elevated fingerboards as does my nylon Jazz model C2). This does afford the player much better access above the body joint.

Now for the sound...well...that area of the sound board is usually "over-built" (stiff bracing) and not doing all that much sonically other than structurally supporting the fingerboard and keeping the guitar from caving in on itself as a result of the pull of the strings. So from that point of view, there is very little difference, as far as a vibrating plate is concerned, between cutaway and no-cutaway guitars.... most makers share this view.

Then there is the air column - that volume of air inside the body. The cutaway reduces the size of the air column and changes the Helmholtz frequency of the body. On top of that, the inside space is now asymmetrical. This affects the way the air moves around inside the body and makes it do weird things (compared to the way it moves within a symmetrical, non-cutaway space). Having said all of that....most players can not hear the difference between cutaway and non-cutaway guitars. I have a few clients, with GREAT ears, who can and do. They insist on playing full bout (non-cutaway) guitars. Also...my non-cutaway models have consistently been better sounding than cutaway models (in my opinion).

So...where do you REALLY live on the fretboard? How often do you play above the 15th – 16th frets? How serious/fanatic are you about acoustic tone (once you plug in…this variable becomes even less evident to the average player)? You may just want to go for a full bout guitar! Do some A-B-ing…decide for yourself.

Now for 12 fret and 14 fret guitars:

Joining the neck at the 12th fret, instead of the 14th fret... moves the bridge down, into the middle of the lower bout (look at any classical guitar....the bridge is centered in the lower bout)...which is the most efficient place for it to be. It is arguable that these guitars sound better. I say they sound different. A well designed 14 fret instrument can sound every bit as good, powerful, dynamic, balanced, etc (albeit different) as the same guitar with a 12 fret neck.

As I have said before...a great guitar is a cohesive, thoughtfully designed, COMPLETE, system. Not merely a bunch of parts stuck together a la Mr. Potato Head.

Hope this helps!

Q) I have an Arch top Emperor Regent guitar with a floating bridge. While changing the strings the bridge position moved and has altered the playability of the guitar significantly. Is there a standard distance from the freetboard that can be applied to determine the optimum position for >the bridge. Any tips on intonation would also be appreciated.
Ian

A) Hi Ian! The basic position for bridge location is twice the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. Ex: on a 25.5" scale length guitar the 12th fret is 12-3/4" from the nut. Take this measurement and place the saddle 12-3/4" from the 12th fret and the guitar will play reasonably in tune (If you not certain what the scale length is on your guitar just measure from the nut to the 12th fret and use that same measurement from the 12th fret to the bridge). You can then fine tune the intonation by "scoothing" the bridge forward a hair if the guitar is playing flat...or back if you are playing sharp.

Another quick tip is that on most archtop guitars (if they were properly built), the center point of the "f" holes is the intonation line of the bridge. If you line up the center of the bridge directly between the points of the 2 "f" holes...you will find yourself right in the ball park!

Once you get it right, to help ovoid this problem in the future, change your strings one at a time.

Here's another possible solution regarding the issue of mold and guitars from JGL reader Bob Kimball - Lyle Robinson

Hi Michael, I happened across your column on the web (nice!) and saw the question about mold in a guitar. In a past career gig, I worked with a company that manufactures ozonation equipment.

Ozone is particularly effective at killing mold. There is an arithmetic model for killing little nasties with oxidizers such as chlorine, bromine or ozone. Each oxidizer works at it’s own speed. It turns out that a concentration of 1 part per million ozone for 1 minute will kill just about any micro-organism (including mold spores) except for very hardy viruses and cysts. You can buy inexpensive “room ozonators” on ebay and elsewhere. They tend to provide very low effective concentrations of ozone (glorified toys)… but, in this case, low concentration is probably a good thing. You could put the ozonator in a small space, say a bathroom, with the moldy guitar. Turn on the ozonator, close the door. Check on the guitar after about 15 minutes. If that didn’t do it, keep checking every 15 minutes. If the ozonator is really weak, you may have to leave it on for hours, but it’s always good to use as little oxidizer as you have to.

The small print: Ozone degrades black rubber, most plastics (but not as badly as rubber) and may have some effect on your guitar’s finish (if it’s plastic) but probably little risk compared to an instrument that has become nearly unusable to its owner. It usually takes quite a lot of exposure to turn plastic brittle. If the owner is worried about breathing ozone (no one ever died or got ill from inhaling ozone at non-industrial concentrations but it can seem very irritating in low concentrations to some people), just open the room door for a few minutes before going in to check the guitar.

BTW, ozone is great for getting rid of odors in cars, like pet accidents or random skunks, so after you’ve fixed the guitar, you can keep the ozonator for “nasal emergencies”. Ozone neturalizes poison ivy and poison oak on the skin, and can help heal burns. A bath in ozonated water (tough to make at home, sorry) will make a skunked dog smell as sweet as a rose in a few minutes. It’s true!

I’m a lifelong player and composer looking to branch out from rock, blues and eclectic (like edgar meyer, danny gatton) into jazz. If I could ask, what are some of your favorite CDs for developing the ear for jazz guitar? I already have Montgomery, Metheny, Ritenour, Carlton, Coryell, etc. cds in the library and have listened to a fair bit gypsy jazz. I especially like the jazz flavorings that have some afro-cuban rhythmics going on. Thanks!

Bob

Q) Hi there my name is John and I definitely have a question for you that I hope you can answer. I recently got some custom parts for my full bodied jazz guitar for Christmas. One of them was a custom tailpiece with my initial on it. I noticed right off the bat that the tailpiece was shorter than the previous one I had on there. After putting it on and of course changing the strings I noticed a significant change in tension and feel. The guitar became very stiff and lost a lot of sustain. Do you think this is do to the new tailpiece or just the change of strings which are the exact same ones I had last time just new? I realize that this is kind of a stupid question but I want to make sure I'm right before putting the old tailpiece back on. Thanks, hope to hear from you.

A) Hmmmmm.....In theory...string tension is a function of scale length; which is the
distance between the nut and saddle. Having said that, many other factors affect string tension and/or "FEEL" on the archtop guitar. Neck angle and the break angle over the saddle/bridge have a MAJOR contribution to this equation. This is also a very important element to consider when building the guitar, as down force on the top will affect the voice. As the tailpiece approaches the bridge, the break angle increases and subsequently increases the down force on the top plate. The reverse is also true.

What is confusing to me is that you seem to be experiencing the opposite. Normally, as the tailpiece becomes shorter, it is farther from the bridge and the break angle (depending on the geometry of the carve/arch) decreases; decreasing down force. You say string tension has increased! And then there is the loss of sustain issue....this shouldn't be happening. All very confusing without seeing the guitar and tailpiece.

Most tailpieces have some sort of hinge. If your tailpiece is not hinged, it could have increased the break angle and subsequently down force.

Also...in general, as the total string length (not scale or speaking length) increases, the guitar will "feel" looser and have more sustain. In theory, because of the scale length and string gauge, the string tension is the same. My experience, both as a repair person and a player, has always been that long strings = loose feel. I had a couple of 50s Gretch(s). Between the low arch and long string length, you could string those beasts up with 13s and they felt like I was playing on 10s!! Jimi Hendrix started the whole "reverse headstock" thing, by playing a stock strat, left handed. The longer string length on the bass strings...made them feel looser and sustain
longer. Some modern players buy guitars with reverse headstocks for the same reason (or maybe it's just to look cool!).

I would have your local "guitarguy" check it out. The easy first step is always to swap out the parts, put the original tailpiece back on the guitar and see if the problem goes away. If it does...you have your answer. If not....it's not the tailpiece...but rather a set-up issue. Perhaps the t-rod somehow moved and there is now more relief in the neck. Or the bridge was accidentally moved/adjusted up and the action is higher...or both!

In general, I tell people that a great guitar is a well designed, cohesive instrument. Parts are usually very carefully thought out and designed to fit THAT GUITAR. Try putting the original part on the guitar and take it from there.

Best of luck. A year of peace, love and joy to all.

Q) I love hearing old standards played as solo full-chord melodies on guitar. I play a Washburn J-10 "Orleans" 17" arched top guitar with floating pickup and a Gretsch Streamliner 3256 with Bigsby tailpiece. I wish Washburn, Carlo Robell, Jay Turser, Samick or other contemporary low-price manufacturer would come out with an 18" archtop acoustic guitar. Your comments would be appreciated.

Bill Gordon

A) Hi Bill! Interesting question and it is something I, and some of my colleagues, have been thinking a lot about lately. The reality is that until lately, with the introduction of CNC technology and more recently the flood of South Asian import guitars, the archtop guitar was always an expensive instrument to produce (it also required a highly skilled individual to carve and voice the plates) and was often beyond the financial reach of most players. My belief is that with the flood of inexpensive import guitars now available, more people are able to get into the archtop guitar, will "get hooked" and eventually look to move up to a much better, hand carved instrument.

My personal opinion is that for the money these are GREAT instruments and probably even a great work-horse for working players who don't want to take their '56 L-5 out 300 nights/year. Having said that...they are what they are. I think that they may work well in a live situation, are over-built, so will amplify reasonably well once plugged into a great amp but will never have the subtleties of tone of a well voiced acoustic instrument (even plugged in, a well voiced guitar will sound better plugged in). They certainly don't hold a candle to a true hand carved, acoustic archtop and never will. It is simply not what those instruments are all about. But they are also a fraction the cost of a hand made, acoustic archtop guitar.

The 18" archtop guitar is [in my opinion] the most difficult of the jazz boxes to "get right". They can be slow to respond and can get "boomy" in a hurry; due to the massive top plate and size of the air column. Remembering, of course, their original advent was to chug out un-amplified chords from the band-stand, to cut through the band and not to respond to all of the left and right hand subtleties of modern, full chord melodies of fingerstyle jazz guitar. I personally believe that bigger is NOT better and the 16" or 17" guitar is a better choice for solo, acoustic jazz guitar (ever play a 40s L-7, D'Angelico or an early acoustic L-5?!...OMG!). Of course...I have heard some mind blowing, early '50s super 4s (non-electric), some Manzers and Monteleones that were simply ethereal.

The 18" archtop guitar market is very small and highly specialized. I doubt that any of the off-shore manufacturers would find it practical to tool-up to produce a very few of these instruments per year...but then again...you never know!

Q) I have a DeArmand 135 archtop with a neck pickup. Love the feel of the guitar but I am curious as to whether or not I can improve on the sound, so I am looking for the best pickup that I can find. I like a clean straight ahead sound (i.e., Raneys, Lietch, etc.). I have absolutely no knowledge on the subject so I would appreciate any advise or thoughts that you might have on the matter. Thanks for your time.

Craig Garrison

A) Hi Craig. The question is: what do you mean by “improve on the sound”? I wrote quite a bit in answer to this question in earlier responses; when I addressed whether or not an on-board humbuck and laminated top was the way to get "the sound", should you buy an old jazz box or a hand made…and other topics (below). Read them through again and I am sure they will help you find more clarity. While sometimes you can get lucky and realize something close to the sound you are after by swapping a part or changing a pickup…it is rarely the solution.

I imagine this is a new guitar. So, my first suggestion is to give it a couple of years to play in. Any guitar will benefit immensely from this. I promise, it will make a world of difference.

The fact of the matter is that while your instrument is a fabulous opportunity to get into the archtop market at a reasonable price, it will usually have its limitations. Certain specifications regarding materials, hardware and components were made in order to manufacture a guitar and bring it to market at that price point. Swapping out pickups may or may not help you to get a better sound. A great amp will help too. Having said all that....great guitars all begin with good design and great wood. Even the quality of the laminations and the laminating process itself [in a laminated guitar like yours] will affect the voice of the guitar. A hand maker will usually pay more for a good piece of very old spruce than the importers pay for the landed price of the complete instrument! While a great 40+ year-old guitar or a hand made guitar, by one of today's top makers, will sound incredible and may really be what you are looking for; the price may be beyond the reach of many. There are also many great new instruments available by lesser known hand makers, as well as the major manufacturers.

The best guitar in the world is always the one you enjoy playing. If you are not buying a specific guitar as an investment (or as part of a collection) and the guitar isn't doing something you would like it to do (short of obvious set-up and maintenance stuff)…sell it and buy the one that does. It's all about making music!

Mostly, from reading your question, you cite the sound of great players (you mentioned two in your question). This has a little to do with the guitar, pickup and amp but mostly the "sound" comes from the player's right and left hands, ears and experience. Give Mr. Lietch ANY guitar...possibly even a coconut with strings on it... and he will sound sublime...

Straight ahead….

Q) Hi Michael, Years ago, around 1972 or 1973, I was in D'Aquisto's Huntington shop and Joe Puma had his guitar there, The Puma. I always wonder where it is these days. Are the D'Aquistos and D'Angelicos gone forever? Lost in the hands of private investors, never to resurface. And where or where is The Puma? Could it be reproduced without Joe or Jimmy? Guess there is always eBay. Just a thought.

Bryce

A) Oh, they’re out there. But not for us mere mortals. At last year’s long island guitar show (THE archtop show) I was directly across from Larry Wexler’s table. He had 4 D’Aquistos all lined up (they were around $40k and up). I seem to remember he had a D’angelico too. One fellow commented (referring to the prices) …”that’s not a guitar…it’s a @#%?!! house!” It was a great opportunity for me. I spent the weekend studying those great guitars and trying to get inside the maker’s head. I learned a lot (always do).

Yes, they truly were stellar instruments…but there are some VERY talented makers out there today. There was and still is a lot to learn from those old masters….but I think today’s guitars are better than ever. As for the Puma, I’m sure it was a great guitar on its own… but mostly because Joe played it.

If you are looking for something you just can’t find in a new production instrument….find a great hand builder and commission a guitar! Look to the future! Soon, everyone will be asking “what ever happened to ‘The Bryce’?….I always wonder where it is”!

Q) Hi guys. I recently bought and returned an early 70s' Gibson Byrdland due to a mold problem. I'm quite allergic to mold. How does one kill mold inside an arch-top? Not just kill the scent, which means mold probably still is 'in' the wood. But actually killing the mold. Thanks in advance.

Rick Del Savio

A) Hi Rick. Well....I began my career in lutherie with 20 years of repair/restoration and worked for many collectors and dealers of fine vintage guitars (I no longer do any repair or restoration work). We all know and love that old smell....ok...so you don’t love it like we do! All kidding aside, I had seen a lot but no one had ever requested a de-molding before and I had no idea how to deal with this safely - so I called a few friends, one of which is the mighty Frank Ford of Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, CA (arguably the best repairer/restorer around). Everyone answered: "Tell him to get another guitar". This was Frank's response too. Then he told me "the story"...

A while ago he had a client who had your problem. He noted that this was a particularly bad case…a real “stinker”. She had recently married someone who was very allergic to mold. They sold her old house and bough a new one together. Got rid of all the old furniture and rugs. Everything was new and mold free...except her old guitar. So she came to Frank as a last resort. They started by replacing the case with a new one. He then CAREFULLY wet sanded and buffed the entire outside of the guitar. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR AN OLD GUITAR!!! LEAVE THIS TO A VERY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL!! These finishes are usually wafer thin and very brittle. You can easily sand or buff through the paint, chip or watch large areas of the finish flake off…or any one of a number of fun and exciting nightmare scenarios. Altering the original finish of a vintage instrument will also diminish its value. Next he dumped an entire I pound box of baking soda into the guitar, closed the sound hole up and shook vigorously. He left it like that for a few days, shaking from time to time. They then vacuumed out the guitar and shook it for hours trying to get all of the baking soda out. This was followed by a pound of brown rice, which was also shaken around the inside of the guitar to loosen and remove as much of the remaining baking soda. There was MUCH less odor but it was not entirely gone. He does not know if this did the trick. Remember....the owner of the guitar did not have the allergy...so it may have been good enough for her to keep closed in the new case in the house and play it out. She may have ended up having to sell it too….

Obviously, bleach will kill mold very efficiently but it is NOT a good idea to swirl bleach around inside a guitar. It will bleach the wood and ruin the finish. Who knows what it will do to glue joints, electronics, etc?...let alone the value of the guitar. While speaking with Frank, we had an idea to fill a tub with hot water, fill it with bleach and suspend the guitar OVER the tub with the soundholes facing down, to absorb the fumes. This step may or may not help after the above steps; it's just a theory.... this may also over humidify the guitar, may affect its tone and/or playability (not necessarily permanently) and you will have to let it "dry out" for quite a while afterwards.

The 70s was not known as a great, or even good, period (quality wise) for any of the major manufacturers. Most of the guitars were underwhelming at best. Having said that, occasionally, there were great guitars which left the factory production line and they are worth keeping. If your allergy is a serious concern, I would sell the guitar and buy another. If this Byrdland is really a stellar instrument, sell it to someone who will love it and make music with it. The guitar deserves it...

If you, or anyone out there, know of a solution to this problem, please share it with us/me. I will then share it with Frank and my other luthier friends. This is how we work and how a lot of techniques out there for instrument restoration develop. In the end, it will help the entire guitar community.

Good luck!

Addendum: I was contacted by Jim Klieforth, a retired luthier from Hawaii who had a lot of experience dealing with mold. He explained a technique to me using UV light. If you have a serious allergy to mold and have a guitar you need to save, this may be another solution. I have forwarded this information to Frank Ford who will test it. The shipping charges to a qualified restorer, equipped and experienced to deal with this technique, will surely be worth saving the instrument and your health.

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS FIX ON YOUR OWN. THIS IS NOT FOR AMATEURS OR EVEN MOST REPAIR PEOPLE. UV LIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO WOOD, FINISHES, ELECTRONICS, WIRING, GLUE AND MOST OF ALL YOU. IT IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN. THERE ARE ALSO THE ADDITIONAL RISKS OF BLINDNESS AND SEVER BURNS.

This is a dangerous fix and there is considerable risk to the instrument. If your allergy to mold is an issue, I would still try finding a mold free instrument. The risk to a true vintage instrument should only be considered as a last resort. There are not a lot of these fine old guitars around anymore and I would rather see it out there making music, as is, for many more years rather than possibly losing it or diminishing its historic value.

Michael Greenfield

Q) Hi, I haven't been able to get much info on this question on newsgroups. I have a Vantage nylon string acoustic-electric guitar. It has a wider fingerboard than steel-string acoustics but narrower than a classical guitar. I got it used at a dusty guitar store that has since closed down. The neck is bowed and I think it needs to be reset. The action is really high at the 12th fret and the intonation is pretty bad (although when playing I compensate by bending strings). I have already lowered the saddle as much as it will go. Would a neck reset on this guitar, which has about a $350 market value, cost more than the guitar itself is worth? Are there any "do it yourself" resources you might send me to to investigate? I know this isn't a high-end jazz guitar, but I'm just an at-home dad jazz wannabe. I like this guitar's sound for the most part. What do you think? Thanks so much.

Dave Moffatt
at-home dad.
diapers changed, hugs arranged.

A) Hi Dave, When I used to do repairs, I would always weigh whether or not it was worth the investment in the repair to any instrument (I am about to give you a lot more information than you need here but the idea of this column is to help as many people make general decisions about as wide a spectrum of issues as possible).

First, I would look to see if this guitar has a truss rod. Many of the new and especially the low end, import nylon string guitars have truss rods in them. If it does...turn it and straighten the neck, then re-evaluate the action. This is something you can (and should be able to) easily do yourself. There are many great books, videos, DVDs, etc available on basic guitar set-up and this isn’t a repair column, so I won’t go into how to do this here but check out http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans.html for “how too”. A neck with too much relief will certainly affect the action and intonation of the guitar (as will an under-set neck). It may just get you up and running. If that doesn't fix the problem it may indeed need a neck re-set, or more. A neck re-set is not a do it yourself project and should only be attempted by an experienced luthier.

I would look at the instrument as follows: chances are it may even cost you as much as $500+ to get this instrument playing well. A neck re-set often goes hand in hand with re-fretting, possibly planing and leveling the fingerboard. If there is no t-rod, the neck will need to be straightened and should have a t-rod installed or some graphite reinforcement. The guitar will then also need a new nut and saddle. So ask yourself the question "for $500 (or more) can I get a guitar which will sound and play better than this one (assuming once the work has been done, the playability will be perfect)?

I used to tell the following story to clients facing similar dilemmas to yours: I had a fellow who had an early 70s Martin D-35. He was the original owner, played it out for a living and knew the guitar’s complete history. It was a great guitar (few 70s guitars were); but now needed $1200 of work. Neck re-set, new fingerboard, inlay, frets, new bridge, nut, saddle and pickup system. We did all the work, the guitar was once again in perfect condition and it was amazing. There was no way he could find another guitar which would play or sound this good for $1200 (new or used). And on top of all that, this one was 25 years old! You can’t build the sound of 25 years of “playing” into a new guitar (….not for $1200). He was good for another 25+ years. But please note: not every old guitar is a GREAT guitar….sometimes it’s just an old guitar.

So, depending on how much you REALLY love this guitar, what is really needed to get it up and playing (or fully restored) and how much you are willing to invest into it; you may or may not want to invest in a conventional neck re-set, shoulder-tuck, or other “traditional” fix to this problem. There are also some quick and dirty neck-set/repair techniques (it involves a back saw and a dry-wall screw) that busy/experienced repairers know about but this will not address the excessive relief in the neck. Depending on how under-set the neck is, this will get the guitar playing better, for a very reasonable amount. But it won't be "pretty" (a good repair/restoration should be almost invisible and look original to the instrument).

In either case, you/everyone should have a good relationship with a qualified repairer/restorer in you area and ask him/her for guidance. Most good "guitar guys" will check the truss rod and see what is involved to get the guitar back in playing condition free of charge. If they need the $10 from turning a nut in order to pay their rent, I would question the level and quality of their work in general. I never charged a client just to adjust a truss rod (I would, if it was part of a complete set-up). If it got the client up and running, they would leave my shop happy....I knew he/she would come back to me first when it was time for a set-up, fret dress, re-fret, major repair or some other job where I would charge appropriately for my time.

So…to sum up, without seeing your instrument, holding it my hands, evaluating it and listening to it for myself; it is very difficult to help you in this matter. My experience and gut feeling tells me that since this is an old Vantage, you are better off buying another instrument. One which is easy to play and plays in tune right out of the chute. Many manufacturers offer "cross-over" nylon string models to address the jazz, Latin and electric guitar playing markets. So there are lots of instruments out there with that 1-7/8" nut width...many with pickups too. Good luck!

Q) What is the relationship between body size vs. body depth for the acoustic response of a carved top archtop? For example, if you take the standard size of 17” X 3”, what difference would a 16” X 3” instrument be compared to, say, a 17” X 2 1/2” or 7/8” guitar? If someone wanted the best acoustic response possible from a carved top archtop but wanted a bit more comfort, is it best to reduce the width or depth, all other parameters (woods, appointments, etc) being equal?

Morey Richman

A) Hi Morey! Nice to hear from you again. Let me begin my response with a question for you to think about: if you took a parlor guitar (with a 13" lower bout) and made it 6" deep, would it sound like a J-200 (17” super jumbo)? NO!! Actually, it would sound terrible (more why, below).

There are several factors at play here. Firstly the size of the top plate (soundboard) and the distance between the "f" holes determine the "speaking" area of the plate. Assuming that the placement of the soundholes on a 15" and 17" archtop guitar are proportionately the same; the 17” guitar will have a larger surface available to produce sound. One can also draw a parallel between the top plate of a guitar and a speaker. A 6” and a 15” speaker both sound very different, even though they may be capable of the same frequency response. As there is a much smaller area of the plate to be driven on the 15” guitar (I use the 15” and 17” guitars as examples because the differences are more exaggerated and apparent; the 16” falls in between the two), it will be much “quicker” to respond than the 17” guitar. Many smaller bodied archtop guitars are favored by players for this reason. They are great for soloists and have a distinctive “pop” off the pick attack of each note (think Benson). The larger vibrating diaphragm (top or back plate), if properly treated, will develop a more complex and richer or lush voice than the smaller. One must also remember the original purpose of the archtop guitar, which was to chug out rhythm and be heard on the bandstand in the days before amplification.

Next is the depth of the body. Again, using the same speaker analogy; deeper is not better. Nor is too thin. It’s all about balance and the interaction between the two vibrating membranes (top and back plates). The depth of the body works in concert with the size of the body and area of the top plate to create the internal volume of the “box” or the air column which must be excited. This is a major factor in determining the resonant frequency or “Helmholtz resonance” of the body (http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/Helmholtz.html); which is also affected by the size of the sound holes. This air column is a big part of what will define the lowest fundamental of each note the instrument can accurately reproduce with clarity and articulation (how the plates are carved also plays a major factor in this equation). But there is a fine line which must be walked here…more is NOT necessarily better. If the box is too deep, the bottom end will lose focus, definition and become muddled and mushy. The instrument will also become very slow to respond or not respond to quiet or delicate passages. As you reduce the depth of the body, you tighten up the low end and focus the bass. Too shallow and the instrument will lose all complexity and richness of tone (it will work well for feedback resistance).

It is this balance between the size of the top plate and the depth of the body which make the instrument interesting to listen to and an efficient radiator of sound. The style these days is that 17” archtop guitars are 3” deep. Most makers are basically offering their version of a “Johnny Smith” (17” body, 3” deep, 25.0” scale, “X” braced, floating pickup). It’s a great set-up! But note: the old L-5s were 3-3/8” deep and 25.5” scale (they were also almost exclusively “parallel” braced)! I personally find the 3” depth on a 17” body too shallow. My standard depth is 3-1/8” to 3-1/4” for that reason. An eighth of an inch may not seem like a lot but trust me, it is. I also carve different than the next guy. These two factors make my instruments sound different than others (not better…just different; an instrument’s voice is a very subjective thing. I, or any good maker, will of course alter body depth, the way the plates are carved and the bracing to achieve a desired result). As an acoustic instrument, I do make my 16” guitars 3-3/8” deep. However depending on the desired result, 3-1/2” could be the way to go (ES-175 is 3-1/2” deep), or 3”…possibly even 2-7/8” for those looking a tighter/snappier live sound and for feedback resistance. As a point of interest, an 18” body does not necessarily need to be 4” deep to make it work (following the above logic). I find that 3” deep is the magic number here. The 18” body is so massive and there is so much air inside that it needs to be controlled or the guitar will lose all focus and won’t project. If the body is too deep, the air column requires a massive amount of energy to drive the back plate and the guitar becomes so slow to respond that unless playing very legato fingerstyle chord solos, it is useless (in my opinion). It’s all about that balance and controlling the air column.

As for comfort…that’s a separate issue. I personally believe that an instrument is a complete system and needs to be designed with this in mind to achieve specific acoustic results. Ergonomics and comfort may be dealt with subsequent to the selection of body type and depth; in various ways. Many of the old rhythm players of the swing era and later, who were playing those big super 400s, adopted a funny playing position where they would rest the guitar in their lap at a 45 degree angle to the floor. This did several things: a) it allowed the back plate of the guitar to vibrate freely, project better and speak with a louder voice (most players these days suck the guitar up to their body which takes the back plate out of the equation). b) Made the instrument more accessible and comfortable for the player. c) Gave the player a better view of what was going on.

In 1984 Linda Manzer designed and built the 42 string Pikasso guitar for Pat Metheny. She also developed the “Wedge TM” bilateral body taper in order for Pat to be able to see over the top of the guitar and what he was doing. The added benefit was that the guitar was also much more comfortable to play. She (and many others, myself included) now offers the “Wedge TM” body taper as an option on all of her guitars and it has proven to be a great ergonomic option. It involves making the treble side of the guitar deeper than the bass side (or player’s side), so that the guitar “tilts” back, giving the player an “aerial view” of the guitar. The taper, if properly designed and executed, maintains the same internal air column and tone does not suffer.

So…to sum up…first you must decide whether you prefer a 16” or 17” instrument for a particular application or as a general instrument (if you are only going to have 1 archtop guitar). Remember that 16” and 17” guitars are both great as strictly acoustic instruments (if properly crafted), they just have slightly different musical personalities (better yet….get one of each!! <grin>). Next, decide the application and the sound you are after. Speak to the maker and order an instrument to those specs. If you are comfy with a 16” guitar as-is, it’s great! If you prefer a 17” guitar but find you need to “climb on board” for the evening, add an option such as the Manzer “Wedge TM” or an arm rest, to make it more comfortable!

As always, in the end it is all about the music, what you are comfortable playing, what the application will be (are you traveling, gigging out, in the studio, playing at home?) and where you would like to live musically.

Hope this helps! Stay in touch.

Q) I am curious, a popular opinion is that a routed in humbucker on a laminated top is a better choice for "the sound" on a live gig w/drummer or otherwise. Is it that most manufacturers use a laminated top with routed in p/u because of cost or design? One piece top with a routed pickup is bad as in too lively and feedback prone? Bottomline - you don't see many solid tops with routed in pickups, just laminates right?

A) Tough question to answer because we are dealing with “sound”; which is subjective. In my opinion, there is a far greater difference in the voice of an instrument built of laminated plates vs. one of carved plates, than a floating vs. routed-in pickup. Then there is the question of humbuck, min-humbuck and finally single coil pickups (there are also other factors such as type of wire used to wrap the pickup bobbin and type of magnets used (alnico ll alnico V, ceramic, etc) – all of which will have a dramatic affect on the voice of the amplified instrument). So one will not be “better” than the other, just different. Laminated plates are less acoustically active/responsive than a properly carved, graduated and voiced plate of fine, well aged tonewood. This is not bad, it is different.

The laminated plate will have a darker more muted voice, which some prefer and the instrument will be less responsive and subsequently slightly less prone to feedback than a carved guitar. I have clients who play L-5s from the later part of the 60s for that reason; laminated back and sides = darker sound. They prefer the darker voice. Others prefer the archtop guitar to have a responsive, singing very acoustic voice, which they will never get from a laminated instrument. Laminated plates (if properly done) are definitely more stable and less prone to problems for an artist who travels extensively. They are also much quicker and less expensive to make than a hand carved instrument. Laminated guitars definitely have their own voice.

String selection will have a huge impact on the voice of an archtop guitar. Flat wound will sound very different than round wound strings. 11s different than 13s or 14s, phosphor bronze different than nickel. String height, neck relief, neck angle and break angle after the bridge will also greatly affect the voice of an instrument. I have installed routed-in pickups for clients who have had guitars with floating pickups and there is a SLIGHT difference. The guitar will sound darker…but not much. I do find that the floating pickup does sound more “open”. I think there are many other factors (some listed above) which will affect the voice of the guitar more than floating vs. routed pickups. In a carved plate, there is no question that you are cutting a huge hole in a vibrating plate (less critical in a laminated plate). For factories and production, it is simply easier to route for the pickup than to install one which is floating; especially because they were already tooled up to do it for their other electric guitars. A humbuck will sound darker than a mini, which will sound less “open” than a single coil. Alnico ll’s will sound darker than lV’s or V’s. How “hot” were the pickups wound to being with? 10k, 8.5k, 7.4k? All critical to the amplified voice.

Unfortunately…when amplifying a guitar, the amp is often more important than the guitar in getting “the sound”. Take one of the modern Korean archtops and a great D’Aquisto; side by side. Plug your $60,000 D’Aquisto through a $100 amp and it won’t sound nearly as good as the $1,200 archtop through a hand wired, point to point, class A tube amp (of course the D’Aquisto through the $3,000 wouldn’t suck!). Even your cable will affect tone. I know….it’s daunting.

The most over looked variable in getting “the sound” is always the player’s right and left hands. People ALWAYS leave this out of the equation and to me it is the singly most important factor of all. THAT is where the sound comes from. Put Metheny on a $300 Samick Strat and 3 notes into a phrase, people will turn around and ask “is that Pat Metheny”? Not to name drop but another classic example of this was the day I delivered Pat Martino his instrument. As most of you know, Pat plays his own Gibson signature model which is basically an L-5S (more like a 336) and I built him one of my 15” archtops; a VERY different instrument. This is a true acoustic archtop guitar with a floating pickup. He plugged it in, dialed in his sound on the amp, started playing and Charlie Hunter came into the living room from the kitchen and said ”wow, it sounds like Pat Martino is here”! Because he was. It wasn’t the guitar….it was the player.

Room size, amp placement and height of the pickup from the strings will affect feedback levels more than solid wood vs. laminate. I have seen clients of mine play 17” acoustic archtops through a Fender Twin at serious stage levels in a large room, with no feedback. In a small room, with the amp too close to the guitar…anything will feed back. For those where stage volume is an issue, there are guitars with blocks in them (335’s) or even solid body guitars. Les Paul, Lenny Breau, Ed Bickert…anyone have a problem with any of them?!! It’s all good! The best guitar is always the one you enjoy playing the most!

Q) I have an older Epiphone Zenith... I really love its acoustic tone, but I'm thinking about adding a floating Dearmond and Bigsby to it. Will the Bigsby have a major impact on the acoustic tone of the guitar? The point of contact with the top could be limited by raising where the hinge is attached at the bottom... would that make much of a difference?

A) I love those old DeArmond pickups! If you get a good one, they sound wonderful!!

The Bigsby will definitely change the voice of the guitar. First, you are adding a LOT of metal to the guitar (a simple brass tailpiece will sound VERY different than a wooden tailpiece; the Bigsby probably has 10 times the brass in it than the original 2 piece tailpiece on your Zenith). The sound will be more metallic with more sustain; not necessarily bad and considering why you probably want a Bigsby to begin with; you may really like the change.

As for the point of contact… Firstly it is right over the end block and that area is inactive to begin with. Where it touches the top, closer to the bridge, there will be a slight amount of damping effect but considering the strings are attached to it and it is now one large piece of vibrating brass, I do not believe the effect will be a serious as, say, putting your right arm across the top, or allowing the guitar back plate to touch your body when you play standing up (or sitting down) as most players do. The tailpiece is also only touching at a relatively small spot.

Next, you are going to be plugging in now and I assume playing a style of music where the amplified tone of the guitar will be less critical of the natural acoustic tone of the guitar. Try not to change the break angle of the strings over the bridge as this will drastically change the voice of the guitar. If the tailpiece sits too high, you will have too little down force on the top plate and you won’t be driving the top, the voice will die.

But here’s the thing…especially with rare, old guitars (and even more so, good ones), I tell people to leave them alone. If the guitar doesn’t do what you want it to, buy one that does. Any modifications to pick guard or holes drilled in the neck extension to accommodate the pickup, will de-value the guitar. When I used to do guitar repair and restoration (I no longer do) I ALWAYS tried to do mods which were COMPLETELY REVERSABLE and never altered the original integrity of the guitar. Have someone make you a new pickguard, which will use the same mounting holes as the original, to accommodate the pickup. Depending on the Bigsby, most can be installed with no changes to the guitar. And always keep all the original parts.

Q) I'd like to take more advantage of the natural qualities of my hand carved archtops. I suppose this means using a microphone to amplify them? It seems almost as though most of the benefits of having a Heritage, Hofner or Eastman is wasted, once you plug it in?

A) Some of this was addressed above. Originally, the archtop guitar was a rhythm instrument and its function was to “chug” out chords and be heard on the bandstand. The characteristics of the carved plates and maple back and sides give the guitar tremendous clarity of voice and the ability to reproduce complex chords with superior separation. If this is your gig, just stick a gtreat small condenser mic in front of it.

As a solo instrument, we enter a whole other world…A really good hand carved guitar with a floating mini humbuck or even single coil pickup with the tone wide open and a great, transparent amp will give you a wonderful “open” more acoustic sound than the “dark” muted, more traditional sounds of the past.…Mitch Seidman has another approach. Mitch is playing one of John Monteleone’s 18” archtop guitars. He is using a contact pickup (sometimes referred to as a “frap”), which is attached to the top plate on the inside of the guitar, in concert with a Fishman mini mic, which is “goosenecked” slightly outside the ‘f’ hole. This set up works really well for Mitch and his gig.

Q) Why should I invest in an archtop made by a luthier like yourself rather than buying an old Gibson jazz box?

A) It really depends on your gig. For some, an old Gibson or Epiphone is “the sound”. But most production guitars just don’t hold a candle to a fine handcrafted archtop guitar. Anyone who has ever played a hand crafted instrument knows…there is just no comparison or turning back once you’ve played one. Granted, you usually need a couple of years to really play the thing in, let it loosen up, let the voice mature, develop and get it speaking more freely (the old guitars are already 40+ years old)…but once it does…look out! A fine hand crafted instrument will usually smoke any old guitar. Most do, right out of the chute! They are often also cheaper than an old, vintage jazz box. We also have to remember that just because it is an old guitar, doesn’t mean it is a good one. Some truly are great (and never for sale because they are being loved and played out every night) but most are just old, collectable guitars.

I can only speak for myself…I spend a lot of time discussing the players’ needs, playing style, string type and gauges, fret preferences and gig with them. These are truly custom made instruments. Once again, what’s your gig? Do you want a wide nut? Narrow? 10” radius fingerboard, 16”, 20”, compound, flat? Fat neck? Slim? 24.625”, 25.0”, 25.2”, 25.5”, 25.6” 25.75” 26” or some other scale? Dark or open sound? Are you playing big band or Jim Hall? Bop or cool jazz? You can select beautiful tone woods and options which just are not available on factory guitars. What sort of voice are you looking for? It will affect the way the arches are carved, how high they are? The shape of the arch, how the guitar will be braced? Do you play out? Where? Or is this a studio axxe?… You are not buying a guitar off a rack; you are commissioning a musical instrument which will be built specifically to meet your musical preference, technique and playing style. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

-----------------------

Many people think they could play the guitar like a jazz pro if they practiced enough, but the truth is, being a musician is much more difficult than it seems. Music programs are being cut out of teaching lesson plans, and all schools could benefit from a good education grant to fund their music programs.