Another vote for archtop! - New Members https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/ Guitar Making Forums en-GB Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:44:32 +0000 wpForo 60 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2548 Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:53:15 +0000 I would vote for Archtop, 17 inch Bendetto style guitar

]]> New Members Anonymous 922 https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2548 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2340 Thu, 20 Aug 2020 13:44:08 +0000

If proof were needed that @markbailey is ALWAYS RIGHT!

Tell Carol that! hehehe - Cheers James!

]]> New Members mark bailey https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2340 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2335 Thu, 20 Aug 2020 09:43:51 +0000

No. The string tension will be identical unless you change the tuning or the scale length...

Jol Danzig sets up a rig to test string tension:

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/30517-jol-dantzigs-esoterica-electrica-the-doors-of-perception-Luthier-lutherie-Jol-Dantzig-Hamer-guitar-builder-string-tension-myth-busting

If proof were needed that @markbailey is ALWAYS RIGHT!

]]> New Members jamesbisset https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-2335 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1691 Sun, 21 Jun 2020 00:56:48 +0000 One more comment before I take a deep breath and move my drawings to the Design Your Own Guitar section.

I’ve now read the Jim English ’Making a Laminated HollowBody Electric Guitar’ book and, with the greatest respect to Jim English - a highly skilled guitar maker, I cannot wait for the Mark Bailey online course on building an archtop!

]]> New Members jamesbisset https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1691 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1667 Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:19:52 +0000
Posted by: @frocesterbill 
They may well be aluminium (or an alloy containing aluminium) the gold on my first Bailey workshop build has worn off a bit but it was all I played for two years.....

They do them in black........

Just had a very helpful reply from axesrus.com. According to Craig (as far as he can tell), Trev Wilkinson worked with Gotoh originally but never trademarked ‘Wilkinson’. Gotoh is a trademark, so ‘Wilkinson by Gotoh®’ is protected, but ‘Wilkinson by Sung II’ wasn’t trademarked by anybody so now you can go on any of the third party ‘factory’ sites and get wilkinson stuff without going near JHS (John Hornby Skewes, distributors).

The Axesrus bridge used to be ally, but the same supplier updated to zinc; it weighs in at 119g and most importantly comes in black. I’ve ordered one :)

That’ll do until Callaham Guitars do a cryogenically treated steel one ;)

]]> New Members jamesbisset https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1667 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1648 Tue, 16 Jun 2020 12:40:36 +0000
Posted by: @jamesbisset

Does a tailpiece instead of a wraparound not soften the string tension?

No. The string tension will be identical unless you change the tuning or the scale length...

]]> New Members mark bailey https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1648 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1646 Tue, 16 Jun 2020 12:29:52 +0000 They may well be aluminium (or an alloy containing aluminium) the gold on my first Bailey workshop build has worn off a bit but it was all I played for two years.....

They do them in black........]]> New Members Bill Flude https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1646 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1642 Sun, 14 Jun 2020 23:14:59 +0000 @frocesterbill Thanks Bill. I do think that KISS is always a good principle. I’m just struggling to work out what I’ll actually be buying. Zinc? Aloominum? I do fancy a black bridge though. I reckon all the pretentious tonal analysis will go out the window when presented with black or chrome...?

 

]]> New Members jamesbisset https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1642 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1641 Sun, 14 Jun 2020 22:26:32 +0000 Good discussion point actually. The success of the Gibson Juniors in a rock context was usually put down to the simple wraparound bridge bolted to a slab of mahogany. That was my starting point. It’s simple and it works.

But the other option is a bridge and tailpiece combo. I usually use .11s on 25.5” scale guitars. A Bailey course guitar will normally use a pre-cut 25” fretboard. Does a tailpiece instead of a wraparound not soften the string tension? So, would a tunomatic style bridge bolted to a mahogany pillar with an arch top tailpiece let me use bendable .12s with body and sustain? Or just sore fingers and clunk?

]]> New Members jamesbisset https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1641 RE: Another vote for archtop! https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1640 Sun, 14 Jun 2020 19:51:59 +0000 I’ve got Wilkinson wrapovers on two of my guitars and they work really well - intonation is very good.

]]> New Members Bill Flude https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/new-members/another-vote-for-archtop/#post-1640