Archtop tenors- what's out there?

[SincereCorgi]

What kind of acoustic archtop tenors are out there these days? Who's building them? I looked at the Earnest Instrument site, and those are nice albeit expensive.

I've been soloing a lot more on tenor, using my trusty Martin 018-MT. That guitar sounds good and loud for rhythm, but I wish it had more projection for solo lines (especially when things are going fast and loud... yeah, I realize a spruce top might help). I am curious about archtop options, though, and whether anybody here plays/gigs with one.

[fox]

I don't know of any mass produced archtop tenors, so I will be watching this thread to see if there are any!
My requirement might be different to yours as I wanted a shorter scale so I can speed up Irish jigs I like to play.
In the end I have ordered a custom built Jazbox baritone uke with a 20" scale.
It will be built as a tenor guitar with truss rod & strong bracing to match steel string CGDA tuning.
I have also asked for a decent pickup, tuning pegs & bone nuts to suit.
The cost is very reasonable indeed!!
Should be ready in about 8 weeks now...

[SincereCorgi]

I've seen these! That Toby guy makes some beautiful ukuleles, and apparently they come with whiskey and glassware. Are you in the UK? I assume customs might be a bear to get one sent over here. I'd be very curious to hear how your instrument sounds. I completely sympathize with wanting a shorter scale length for Irish music, but I feel like it might lose a bit of volume. Still, 20" is pretty dang good. Would you mind PMing me with the price?

[fox]

The prices are very board as the wood options are huge as are the options for custom fitting.
I do know he sends all over the world & the waiting list is about 4-5 months.
I can only go by the owners reviews I have read as I have never actually heard one live!
However everyone says the volume is beyond what they expected & the playability is exceptional, you can be sure I will give an honest review when I get mine.
I have gone for a multi piece queen back in mahogany & zebra wood, zebra wood sides, all bindings, and trims in ebony, ebony fret board zebra wood head, mahogany neck... not decided on the soundboard as yet.. only about 5 weeks before the build starts & then another 3 weeks build time!!! like a child at Christmas I am
The base model is about $900 with truss rod & X bracing, mine with matching hard case will be around double that.
Toby's workshop looks great..... check out his facebook page for more pics..

[bruce.b]

Herb Taylor. He makes fantastic arch top tenors for a reasonable price. Looks like he even has a 5 string tenor available. After I bought mine I stopped playing everything else. Mine has a 21.25" scale and can really honk. He builds unique, one of a kind instruments. There is nothing else out there quite like them that I know of. Everyone who plays them seems to rave about them. That is how I became interested.

http://www.herbtaylor.com/instruments/tenorguitar/

[bruce.b]

BTW, for CGDA tuning I think 20" sounds fine. Maybe a little short for GDAE. I'm a GDAE player and my Herb Taylor with a 21.25" scale works great, but I've played other tenors with a 21 inch scale tuned GDAE where I felt the G string was slightly weak compared to the other strings. I love playing tunes that spend time on the low two strings so a strong G is very important to me.

[fox]

My main instrument is a 20" scale tenor banjo GDAE.
I also play a Ozark tenor guitar in CGDA it has a 21" scale but I have tried GDAE, it was ok but better in standard tuning for my ears.

[djweiss]

Paul Lestock builds Arrow Guitars & Mandolins...

[billhay4]

Fox,
Who is the builder of the Jazbox? Nice looking instrument.
Bill

[SincereCorgi]

Paul Lestock builds Arrow Guitars & Mandolins...

I've admired these before, but have never seen how you're supposed to get one. Is Paul Lestock is hiding from Interpol or something?

[billhay4]

Paul Lestock is, indeed, hiding... in Oregon. You may have to move there to get one of his instruments.
Bill

[djweiss]

I've got some contact info for Paul Lestock. PM me if you'd like it.

[fox]

Fox,
Who is the builder of the Jazbox? Nice looking instrument.
Bill

http://www.jazzboxukes.com/

[mrmando]

Paul's on Facebook. Not really hiding. Paul does enough business by word of mouth that he doesn't need a Web site.

There are also some vintage Epiphone and Gibson archtops out there.

[Michael Wolf]

Maybe a bit out of reach for you, but Karsten Schnoor here in Germany makes very nice Tenors. You have to look under Guitars - Archtop Guitars 4-string.

[MdJ]

Herb Taylor. He makes fantastic arch top tenors for a reasonable price. Looks like he even has a 5 string tenor available. After I bought mine I stopped playing everything else. Mine has a 21.25" scale and can really honk. He builds unique, one of a kind instruments. There is nothing else out there quite like them that I know of. Everyone who plays them seems to rave about them. That is how I became interested.

http://www.herbtaylor.com/instruments/tenorguitar/

I played several of Herbs' beautiful instruments in Astoria at TGG4- they feature many design and engineering improvements that are unique to his instruments. I played an arch top of his that was lovely all around and (being an arch top fan myself ) I was eager to try it ..... But the one that I cannot get out of my mind was # 183 (which is still for sale I believe)

http://www.herbtaylor.com/instruments/tenorguitar/i183/



This instrument featured a super thin top and a special bridge which exerts zero downward pressure on its lightly braced flattop.... I do not fully understand why this thing sounded the way it did, but It was a jaw dropping experience when I hit the first chord. It projected far better than anything else I have played.

A few other things about herbs production :

The boxes are designed from the ground up as tenor instruments sonically, their volume and depth/width are all proportioned specifically to the tenor range. IE these are not converted or scaled down 6 string designs-

They feel great in the hand - neck profile/ weight / string spacing etc. - they are very forgiving to play.

All the floating bridge HT tenors I saw in Astoria featured raised fretboards, a feature often seen on the prewar higher-end (usually master-tone grade) Gibsons. I believe with the raised fretboard he gets a better 'entry' angle between the tailpiece and the bridge which results in improved transmission thru the bridge.

All the best,

MdJ

[mandroid]

I Like my Hodson Dlangolin , David made some Selmer style tenors too..

[bruce.b]

Fox, did you get your custom Jazbox tenor guitar yet?

[Eddie Sheehy]

Soares'Y produced nice arch top tenors in the past..

[fox]

Fox, did you get your custom Jazbox tenor guitar yet?

No, not yet!
Poor Toby suffered an untimely family bereavement mid summer so is running behind with his orders.
However he has started the build so not long now.....
I really wanted to keep to the vintage theme and requested banjo style tuners but they would of been to heavy so we are going to try http://www.allparts.com/TK-7863-011-...ys_p_4648.html
Definitely excited......

[Eddie Sheehy]

Here's one...

[FatBear]

A Harmony was just posted today in the classifieds...

[Jim Garber]

Joel Eckhaus / Earnest Instruments makes a beautiful archtop tenor with the body sized for the right tone.

[Marty Jacobson]

Joel Eckhaus / Earnest Instruments makes a beautiful archtop tenor with the body sized for the right tone.

Ooh, those are lovely.

[SincereCorgi]

Joel Eckhaus / Earnest Instruments makes a beautiful archtop tenor with the body sized for the right tone.

I love Joel's stuff (I am lucky enough to have a Tenorcaster), but I just can't afford one of these beauties. Please keep me informed if you undergo a religious conversion that involves you giving away all your material possessions, like, for instance, say, your Selma.