Video

Thanks for stopping by. Time is a real commodity and I’m sure we all would like to improve our playing. I’m not sure what you were hoping for, but keep in mind that these videos are not intended as performances. They are just to allow a direct example or comparison of the sound of guitars. As in this video, just a couple of short passages are played, one being a very simple more Freddie Green style and another to give an idea of clarity using some chords that could easily get very muddy. One thing I learned years ago when I started doing this is there is no way to please everyone.

@@ThatRhythmMan Thanks for your reply, you are a honest man. I understand, what you are saying. I hope your love for these fine guitars never stops!

I agree completely and that’s with the hum canceling dummy coil in the circuit, so it’s a direct comparison.

Correct, it has sold. We have a 1936 Broadway coming soon after a refret.

www.thatrhythmman.com/product-page/1995-comins-chester-avenue-18-inch-archtop

I have heard these open up considerably with heavy play.

It sure has it!

Check it out thatrhythmman.com. Lots more to see there and more always on the way.

Prices aren’t static. That’s why I recommend visiting my website.

Would you care to share what sounds not “crappy”?????

@@ThatRhythmMan Compared to pretty much ANY ordinary acoustic guitar that ISN'T an archtop.

Looks like we definitely disagree! Enjoy those flattops then.

Gosh! I guess I better learn the “right” chords! Seriously though, that guitar is very nice, but no amount of adjustments will make that carved top guitar with a “new” CC pickup and electronics will never sound like Kessel’s modded ES-350 with a vintage pickup. Ask Bruce Forman.

Indeed it is a nice guitar .I saw and heard Barney Kessel playing live many times with his ES 350 and he had a great you call it modded- I call it a “ dark brown” sound. Loved it. I do not like the way new owner Bruce Foreman is playing Barney’s sacred instrument.

The mod was the Charlie Christian pickup in place of the original P90. The fretboard has also been replaced.

Definitely never underestimate a NY Epiphone! Even the low end ones are often very competitive with much more expensive guitars. A Gibson L-48 or even an L-50 usually can’t stand up to a Blackstone. Like most Epiphones, they can give you a lot more guitar for the money.

All four guitars have Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze 12-53.

Thanks for watching!

I get how some people feel that way, but I also think that the Tone Spectrum pickups were a big weakness in the NY Epiphones. They paled next to the Gibson pickups in my opinion. A few Epis got some DeArmond made pickups and those sound great.

@@ThatRhythmMan Yeah been trying to call Epiphone to get a lose pair of New Yorkers from the new 150th RI, but they are hard to reach. I think I will go with firebirds instead or 3D print some replicas myself. ( I need the 1947 version).

If I remember correctly those reissues are actually humbuckers. The original NY Epiphone pickups were single coils.

@@ThatRhythmMan But they look the part.

These all had Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze. I also like Martin Retro Monel strings on acoustic archtops. I’m starting to test D’Addario XL and XS strings. I tend to prefer phosphor bronze, but I think Jonathan Stout uses 80/20 and I like his sound.

@@ThatRhythmMan I like his sound too. I also like the French gentleman Romsin who plays Acoustic Standards. I have some D'Addario EJ 17s and some Martin Original lights which I bought for a 00 Mahogany I like a lot but for my Epiphone Deluxe from the 50s I was wondering what other guys used. I will look for the ones u mentioned and give them a try.

Have you ever seen the old video of Johnny Smith playing "What are you doing for the rest of your life? Is that D'A he is playing? Video is about 15 years old but it is from the 70s I would guess.

I haven’t seen it. I’ll have to look for it.

@@ThatRhythmMan Let me know if you think it is a D'A. I know he bought one but he got tied in with Gibson....

You would be very lucky to find one at that price.

That one was $8500.

Both of these sold quite a while ago. I agree that it would be very interesting though.

The RK is a fantastic guitar.

I won’t rule out more demos of amps like these. I don’t currently have an EH-150 in house, but I imagine there will be another.

These are all great guitars, but I would probably rank them the same.

Well Yes it's like comparing HOF baseball players Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Stan Musial and Henry Aaron. The worst one is better maybe than anyone else except maybe D'Aquisto.@@ThatRhythmMan

The mic placement is the same, but the camera is closer. That skews the appearance of the mic placement.

The MHS are great pickups, seriously. The ‘57 has the standard SLE-101 Throbak set.

@@ThatRhythmManThank you, really appreciate that!

I’m not 100% certain, but I think the selector switch works for both speaker jacks.

I have the manual right here in front of me. The switch in the back is both for the internal speaker as for external ones.

Thanks Ray, I have two and neither came with a manual. Its nice to be sure before you start swapping parts.@@raytorvalds3699

@@evanpaulsmithfalconfogolin6147 You are very welcome :) Yeah, for sure. Don't want to ruin your amps.

@@evanpaulsmithfalconfogolin6147 Oh, one thing about that. When you hook up a cabinet to the external speaker jack and want just that cabinet (and get the impedance right), you have to disconnect the internal speaker. It doesn't do that automatically, like some amps do.