Top demonstration and playing! All have their place! More or less, I like them in the exact order that they were demoed, and yet could as easily live with any of these gorgeous gals!
Now THAT"S how a comparison video should be done!!! Thanks so much it is fascinating!!! The difference in tone is really marked between makers (to my ears anyway) and I must admit that the old Hofner really did sound wonderful! My benchmark for sound was the floating pickup Heritage which really was beautifully clear and consistent all the way through and the big red Gibson had a really punchy sound. As you say though the Made In China Eastmans and the D"Angelico were a real surprise. Ah well - since I dont have anything within a hundred miles of your technique I'll just watch in awe and perhaps in my next life! Thanks this was so much better than all the comparison viddies which are really just advertising in disguise (& not very disguised either!) VivH
Beautifully done and played, I can listen to Fly Me To The Moon played this way all day. You most definitely bring out the character of each individual guitar.🎼🎸🎼
The 2 gibsons topped the list, but only the L4 has the rich bottom end, mids and potential to open up beautifully over the next 20 years. Nobody knows, but a dry climate and constant but gentle sound vibration applied on the L4 might speed that up. For live shows, most of those treasured jazz tones SOME expensive archtops aquire are usually lost anyway (due to room accoustics, amplification, sound travel and lack of sound engineering skills).
Awesome playing! I gravitate to the first Gibson L4, but they all sound amazing. It’s important to point out the sound we are familiar with in so many timeless recordings is the Gibson sound.
1. Heritage Sweet 16 (Kent Armstron Handmade floating PAF) 2.Heritage Golden Eagle (neck mini floating humbucker). These two had a more open (brighter, clarity) sound. 3. Hofner New President Vintage (mini floating humbucker) The other humbuckers which were warm but muted to my ears generally. Beautiful instruments all!
Makis Ablianitis Yes and I will usually listen to the bass strings especially when they’re round wound versus flat wound to see how much definition I’m getting on the lower strings because the upper strings don’t seem to be a problem. i’ve been making a little hobby experiment on making cheap arch tops sound good. on my epi Joe pass I changed the low E and A strings to round wound and kept the others flat wound. I then purchased two inexpensive home bucker sized P 90s from Warman Guitars alnico magnets and the guitar sounds incredible especially considering the low price.
To be fair, all of these instruments sound fantastic and no doubt are. It’s your exemplary playing that I want. Thank You for your great post……and playing. Cheers Stay safe Sir. 👍👍
Well, as for me the L5 is my first choice with its very warm sound. The L4 comes close as well as the D'Angelico EXL1-DP. The others sound well but a bit too bright for me. However, they are all great guitars. Thanks for sharing your work to us!
Excellent comparison , what dedication Makis..and same strings too.....wow! well done and really well played..I would take any of those guitars.. the old adage holds true "the guitarist makes the tone" FWIW I have just acquired a D'angelico and I love it , Thank you for this...... Ray
Exquisite playing. Really allows me to hear what the guitars have. Each one possesses its own soul and to brought it out with your playing. I’m leaning towards the Heritage...with the floating pick up for what I want to do.... but there really is no going wrong here.
Awesome. Thank you for this! First, it shows that tone really is in the player. That said, the Heritage with the floating humbucker was my fave…. but the Eastmans, which I might be acquiring one of soon, also sound excellent.
Love them all, and own a 550, but the Hofner seemed to be the most neutral sounding, which is what I like. It gave exactly what you put into it, no echo, sustain... just plainly beautiful sound.- Charles Bloomington, IN
Hello Makis! I'm listen different kinds of music from 10 (i guess) now close to 50 and play guitar a little. your album "bahar" was one of the most beatiful things. Thank you! (for me:)).
Awsome man..thank you..i found an early 805ce at a pawn shop for peanuts.sold it once bought it back with a broke tail peace..i new when i first picked it up just clicked. Man your an incredible soulful guitarist and thanks again
I loved them all. I have to say the Gibson L4 sttood out in regard to tone played electrically. The Hofner Presidente was was excellent too. I would consider the L4 any day after this video. Maybe you could play them acoustically as one might do.at.home without an amp. That would be helpful. Thank you!
They are each and every one lovely sounding and looking guitars. Any one of them would be a joy to have. It's hard to say which I preferred, as they sounded quite similar. The Heritage had a particularly clear and balanced sound that I liked. The Eastman guitars all sounded like they were easier to play. Thanks for the great demo and playing.
I was hoping some of the less expensive guitars would win the day, but the sound of the Gibson L-5 is my favourite among these. Maybe I'm just predisposed to like that sound after hearing it so much. The Heritage ones came second for me. The Eastman ones seem like very nice instruments but to me they sounded a bit too acoustic or "stringy" if that's the right word. They all seem like great guitars, though.
You are right about the Eastman 'stringy' sound. They are delicate light instruments with floating pickups and acoustic properties! All of them are great guitars, each one with its own character!
I seem to like the ones with floating pickups more. The D'Angelico is great, but I think I'd choose the Eastman AR910CE - to me that has a very natural kind of tone.
I could hear any of these guitars all day, even though intonation on all guitars is flawed. But to me the D'Angelico EXL1-DP had the most striking and yet caressing tone.
Probably the Eastman 910 or the D'Angelico. I liked the highs of the Eastman but the D'A had some good tones. The Super Eagle was probably 3rd. Surprisiongly the L5 was middle of the road or lower.
The heritage guitars were the most impressive for me. There was a guy in my area, years ago now, who sold Heritage Guitars exclusively in his shop. I would have bought one, but, oddly, the ones I tried in his shop would not stay in tune for 5 seconds. At that point in my life I would not have known how to rectify that issue. The Heritage models played here have the mellowness I enjoy hearing. The Gibsons are a bit brash to my ears.
@@MakisAblianitis very true, but a quality tone nonetheless, and a well-made guitar. And at more than twice the price on the low end, and more than 10x the price on the high end, the L5 tone just isn’t that much better to me. I would love to have heard a Guild Artist Award in your comparison, but a great review anyway.
I often amuse myself with thinking how a human voice would sing if it followed the notes of Jazz guitarists! I still can't do it without giggling! I ask my students to try & always results in laughter, but it is fun! :-)
Plutôt génial ce test ! Il permet vraiment de sentir les subtilités selon les modèles. Pour la plupart très performants. Après question de goût : j'adore le "boisé" de la L4 CES
nice play. damn i would give something for one of these^^. i still like the l5 tone, but my fav is eastman. on third is maybe the dangelico, just for their unique hard tone. those were my threes. the heritages are sounding all excellent, just a bit too gentle for my taste and playing style. the hofner is quite interesting blend of all tones.
@@MakisAblianitis Just a really clean sound. If you factor price there is no comparison. Several of these guitars are just unobtainable for the average player.
Not an easy pick. No bad choices here. They were all fine sounding guitars, and I suspect the artist has a lot to do with that. I love my Heritage 574 but any of these would be a keeper.
L4 !!! Dreamy sound ... and the heritage golden eagle humbuger is no2 .The L5 needs better tuning for this chord solos so for me it is out of comparison in this clip .Its good tohave a samedemo with baground also to see how they are placed in a band situation ! Many thanks for uploading !
This is an excellent video, and your playing is beautiful! Just two questions, what kind of pick do you use and what type of strings do you prefer? Thank you very much!
It's all a matter of taste. I like the Eastman sound, mellow, not too bright, not too dark/dull. Hofner and Heritage sounds also pleased me. The L4 was the only I do not like at all: was the tone fully rolled off ?
I agree. The Eastman, which I have been tracking, sounded good but there was certain presence missing in it’s tone - at least to my ears. Still a remarkable guitar though.
My favorites have to be the two Gibsons but I also really loved the heritage 550 , the L5 sounds perfect the L4 sounds as wonderful just slightly less bass warmth, and the 550 sounds very very good I think for my style the 550 would be best so I'm drawn to its sound. They're all beautiful instruments but that L5 is in it's own league
Hi Mark - This video really helps me decide whether I want a new guitar when I retire or stick with my 175. My biggest question is whether there is any clear winner in your opinion with respect to play-ability. I'm also interested in your opinion about floating vs standard humbucker sound. I always loved the sound Benson got with his Johnny Smith Gibson with floating. Some of that sound was the floating pickup - especially in higher register, but most is his technique and his heart.
Thanks for watching Bryan! You are right, the most important thing is technique, touch and heart. I like to play floaters with a hammond-organ trio (better frequency coverage) but enjoy more playing with standard humbuckers in a duo or easy going-low volume group! I like to have both options, so if you already have a 175, its to time to have a guitar with a floating mini humbucker as a D' Angelico or an Eastman..
Thanks Makis! I am so sorry I spelt your name incorrectly. Your advice makes sense - different tool for a different job. I am not a very big guy. I like how smaller guitars fit my body but I love the big sound and the low end of big body archtops along with the richness of the entire frequency range. I will have to check them out in person when the time comes. My headphones are not to be trusted....I was interested in the D'Angelico throwbacks. But I would also be open to spending more if needed to get it right.
I own the exact same Eastman AR-805 CE model (colour, floating pickup etc. - mine dated 2008) that Makes is brilliantly demoing in his informative video. I notice nice and subtle differences in tone, snappiness and sustain in between these fine arcbtops and I am wondering up to what point these could be made to sound similar to each others by virtue of expert EQing and whatever else...??
I am surprised how little the differences are in then end, considering also how differently they are constructed. I guess I am completely fine with the guitars I have. No need for a Gibson or a The Heritage. Not worth the money. My D'Angelico from the Vestax era sounds awesome, just like my custom boutique shop guitar from Henning Doderer. And together they still cost less than a new L-4.
Your D' Angelico is a fine crafted guitar that can cover almost everything in the jazz guitar idiom! This doesn't mean that some of the others aren't worth the money. Different colors different feel and taste...
I like the Heritages, although the Eastman had a very nice tone. A couple Gibsons seemed to lack body or a roundness I think it was poor wood choice,( happens some time) lacking resinous tone.
Best unpluged sound:Eastman AR910, Best value:D' Angelico EXL1 DP, More comfortable:Heritage Sweet16, Best overall:Heritage Golden Eagle, Thanks for watching!
thank you for your reply to my question i ask only because my guitars are ibanez .s and hagstom and i want to move up too a highter spec and the big cost involved one do,s not want to make a mistake .i want to play unpluged some times . thanks again and i look forward to seeing and hearing you play
@@vicbarker5739 Gibson started it all. It is the benchmark for all the others. L5, Super 400 and L4 with the set in pickups and Gibson Johnny Smith with its floating pickup! Unfortunately all these recently became as a custom order and very expensive...
Well...to begin with...All the Performances were excellent...as far as which instrument had the best sound..? I have to say the following is my opinion and I am a 73 year old Player...so it means I been around the block a time or two...I do have to say That The Gibson’s really stood out for me as their sound was not as bright as the other Guitars...And for me Jazz has always needed to be somewhat more of a mellow experience...maybe if the guitars were in a different order..? I really don’t know...I have had the opportunity to play a lot of different guitars and they All have their place...so keep up this great work..!
All of them are 1st grade outstanding archtop guitars! Eastman AR910 and Heritage Super-Golden Eagle have the most full and resonant acoustic sound. The guitars with the set in humbuckers (L5 - L4 - Super Eagle - Golden Eagle and H550) have the full, loud, round sound and are pretty close to each other. The guitars with the floating pickup has definition and stand out better in the mix! I would be happy with any of them!!
I’m so curious…do you own all of these great archtop guitars. They are all great instruments and your playing is excellent and make each one sound so good!
Hi again I recently purchased a 1975 Joe Passé (Epiphone casino) It has wear But Please advise for my overhaul & refurbishment Which pick ups would you recommend Along with any other tips Thanks ✌🏼🙏
Η σωστή σύγκριση θα ήταν να χρησιμοποιείς τον ίδιο μαγνήτη για όλες,εκεί θα καταλαβαίναμε τις διαφορές(ποιο όργανο είναι καλύτερο στα μπάσα ή στα πρίμα κτλ).Παρόλα αυτά πολύ ωραίο βίντεο και ωραίο παίξιμο.
Dangelico EXL-1.. best sound.. you played all the Eastman's with ease. and I could def hear the tone diff from the others.. I prefer the Eastman's and the Dangelico.. really great playing .. so.. ?? haha
@@adriennelee1520 All of them are fantastic, professional grade instruments, but as I prefer more a longer scale and thick necks, I feel more familiar with the big Eastman and some of the Heritage's
It's a hard one but i have a sweet 16 and so yeah that's why i'm going with the ......golden eagle, neck humbucker! ....no they all sounded great, the Eastmans slightly 'weaker' but still excellent and well Gibsons L-5 L-4 are gorgeous but nothing between them and The Heritage guitars. Great playing and a good fun test.
πολύ όμορφο παίξιμο!! περισσότερο απ όλες μου άρεσε η D'angelico.....τι μαγικό ήχο έχει αυτό το όργανο..... παρ οτι είναι φτιαγμένη στην Κορέα παραδίδει μαθήματα στις ακριβές.... θα με ενδιέφερε να μου πεις τι αίσθηση είχες στο μπράτσο της στην ταστιέρα πως κυλάει το χέρι επάνω και γενικότερα σαν κιθάρα.... μπράβο για αυτά τα όμορφα δείγματα!!
H D' Angelico όπως αυτή της προηγούμενης γενιάς και πριν αρχίσουν τις περικοπές σε υλικά και εργατώρες, είναι ένα διαμάντι ανάμεσα στις υπόλοιπες που είναι κατά πολύ ακριβότερες. Το μπράτσο της είναι πολύ βολικό και γρήγορο, η δε ακουστική της απόκριση (χωρις ενισχυτή), βάζει κάτω πολλές επώνυμες ή boutique!!
All of them are fantastic, professional grade instruments, but as I prefer more a longer scale and thick necks, I feel more familiar with the big Eastman and some of the Heritage's
Well, all of them can do the job! If I had to pick 2-3 of them would be... High end: Gibson L5 or Heritage Super-Golden Eagle-Sweet 16! Value for money: Eastman or D' Angelico! Thanks for watching!! Please subscribe.
Maybe the best guitar comparison in the history of TH-cam!
Thank you Walter!!
All amazing listening again now I like the heritage Goldeneagle with the floating pick up.
Thanks for watching!!
Top demonstration and playing!
All have their place!
More or less, I like them in the exact order that they were demoed, and yet could as easily live with any of these gorgeous gals!
Thanks for watching!!
It was between the L4 and the Sweet 16 for me, however, the Sweet 16 won me over with a good blend of clarity and vintage warmth
Good choice! Thanks for watching!!
Now THAT"S how a comparison video should be done!!! Thanks so much it is fascinating!!! The difference in tone is really marked between makers (to my ears anyway) and I must admit that the old Hofner really did sound wonderful! My benchmark for sound was the floating pickup Heritage which really was beautifully clear and consistent all the way through and the big red Gibson had a really punchy sound. As you say though the Made In China Eastmans and the D"Angelico were a real surprise. Ah well - since I dont have anything within a hundred miles of your technique I'll just watch in awe and perhaps in my next life! Thanks this was so much better than all the comparison viddies which are really just advertising in disguise (& not very disguised either!) VivH
Thank you for your kind words!!
Such a nice playing ,you forget why you are watching the video.
Thanks for watching and your kind words !!!
Beautifully done and played, I can listen to Fly Me To The Moon played this way all day. You most definitely bring out the character of each individual guitar.🎼🎸🎼
Great playing and all the guitar sound great.
Thank you!!! Regardless of budget all are wonderful guitars.
The 2 gibsons topped the list, but only the L4 has the rich bottom end, mids and potential to open up beautifully over the next 20 years. Nobody knows, but a dry climate and constant but gentle sound vibration applied on the L4 might speed that up. For live shows, most of those treasured jazz tones SOME expensive archtops aquire are usually lost anyway (due to room accoustics, amplification, sound travel and lack of sound engineering skills).
Thanks for watching!
Awesome playing! I gravitate to the first Gibson L4, but they all sound amazing. It’s important to point out the sound we are familiar with in so many timeless recordings is the Gibson sound.
1. Heritage Sweet 16 (Kent Armstron Handmade floating PAF) 2.Heritage Golden Eagle (neck mini floating humbucker). These two had a more open (brighter, clarity) sound.
3. Hofner New President Vintage (mini floating humbucker) The other humbuckers which were warm but muted to my ears generally. Beautiful instruments all!
Jeffrey, floaters are more bright and transparent than regular humbuckers and seem you prefer them!!!
Makis Ablianitis Yes and I will usually listen to the bass strings especially when they’re round wound versus flat wound to see how much definition I’m getting on the lower strings because the upper strings don’t seem to be a problem.
i’ve been making a little hobby experiment on making cheap arch tops sound good. on my epi Joe pass I changed the low E and A strings to round wound and kept the others flat wound. I then purchased two inexpensive home bucker sized P 90s from Warman Guitars alnico magnets and the guitar sounds incredible especially considering the low price.
@@jeffd8597 I will try this with the round wound bass strings! Thanks
The D'Angelico Excel was my personal favourite. Both visually and aurally. You chose a good chord solo to test the guitars out. Nice playing!
Good choice!! Thanks for watching!
To be fair, all of these instruments sound fantastic and no doubt are.
It’s your exemplary playing that I want.
Thank You for your great post……and playing.
Cheers
Stay safe Sir.
👍👍
Thank you Davey!!
I have to say the L4 did it for me. Great playing, and great review!
Thank you! The L4 its a marvelous guitar!!
Well, as for me the L5 is my first choice with its very warm sound. The L4 comes close as well as the D'Angelico EXL1-DP. The others sound well but a bit too bright for me. However, they are all great guitars. Thanks for sharing your work to us!
Beauty is in the ear of the beholder-I like D'Angelico's brightness and L4's presence.
Both excellent guitars! Thanks for watching!
Excellent comparison , what dedication Makis..and same strings too.....wow! well done and really well played..I would take any of those guitars.. the old adage holds true "the guitarist makes the tone"
FWIW I have just acquired a D'angelico and I love it ,
Thank you for this......
Ray
Enjoy your new guitar Raymond! Thanks for watching!
Exquisite playing. Really allows me to hear what the guitars have. Each one possesses its own soul and to brought it out with your playing. I’m leaning towards the Heritage...with the floating pick up for what I want to do.... but there really is no going wrong here.
Thank you! All of them are superb instruments, its a matter of taste!
Awesome. Thank you for this! First, it shows that tone really is in the player. That said, the Heritage with the floating humbucker was my fave…. but the Eastmans, which I might be acquiring one of soon, also sound excellent.
Eastmans are really good! Thanks for watching!
Love them all, and own a 550, but the Hofner seemed to be the most neutral sounding, which is what I like. It gave exactly what you put into it, no echo, sustain... just plainly beautiful sound.- Charles Bloomington, IN
550 is a very versatile guitar!! Hofner is different but also great !
I've waited years for this.
Thanks for watching!!
Very good. Thank you for this comparison. Seems I like the big bodied archtops.
Thanks for watching!
Hello Makis! I'm listen different kinds of music from 10 (i guess) now close to 50 and play guitar a little. your album "bahar" was one of the most beatiful things. Thank you! (for me:)).
Thank you Rafa!!!
I like the Heritage Super Eagle the best ... have come to this over and over, so I guess I finally know what I want ... Thanks !
Absolutely right !! A very full sounding guitar!
@@MakisAblianitis But the price ! I'll have to save my pennies !
Awsome man..thank you..i found an early 805ce at a pawn shop for peanuts.sold it once bought it back with a broke tail peace..i new when i first picked it up just clicked.
Man your an incredible soulful guitarist and thanks again
I loved them all. I have to say the Gibson L4 sttood out in regard to tone played electrically. The Hofner Presidente was was excellent too. I would consider the L4 any day after this video. Maybe you could play them acoustically as one might do.at.home without an amp. That would be helpful. Thank you!
The Gibson L5 has a special rich and sparkling sound. It stand out!
L5 started it all! Thanks for watching.
They are each and every one lovely sounding and looking guitars. Any one of them would be a joy to have. It's hard to say which I preferred, as they sounded quite similar. The Heritage had a particularly clear and balanced sound that I liked. The Eastman guitars all sounded like they were easier to play. Thanks for the great demo and playing.
Thanks for watching!
Wow, that Golden Eagle model with a floating pickup was so good, such a crispy tone. I wonder what pickup does it have...
It has the stock Heritage floating pickup. Thanks for watching!
Wow, for the money the D'Angelico really stepped up to the expensive archtops, although for me the L5 is always a winner...
Thanks for watching!
Maybe it's because I'm so used to the classic sound, but the L-5 is my first choice.
The guitar that started them all! Thanks for watching!
I was hoping some of the less expensive guitars would win the day, but the sound of the Gibson L-5 is my favourite among these. Maybe I'm just predisposed to like that sound after hearing it so much. The Heritage ones came second for me. The Eastman ones seem like very nice instruments but to me they sounded a bit too acoustic or "stringy" if that's the right word. They all seem like great guitars, though.
You are right about the Eastman 'stringy' sound. They are delicate light instruments with floating pickups and acoustic properties! All of them are great guitars, each one with its own character!
I have an Eastman… great build but would benefit from a better pickup… know what you mean about the stringy sound…
Great video. Great playing and a lovely lot of guitars that all sounded good, though I loved the L5 best
L5, the one that started all! Thanks for watching!!
I like the Archtop with suspended pickup. It s more acoustic. Very nice playing.
🙏 ! Thanks for watching!!
Excellent choice of jazz guitars for tonal comparison.
Thanks for watching!
I seem to like the ones with floating pickups more. The D'Angelico is great, but I think I'd choose the Eastman AR910CE - to me that has a very natural kind of tone.
Both are excellent guitars! Thanks for watching!
I could hear any of these guitars all day, even though intonation on all guitars is flawed. But to me the D'Angelico EXL1-DP had the most striking and yet caressing tone.
@Evan Hodge 😂
Very nice video :-)
Thank you Francesco!!
Thanks for this fantastic video🙌 very impressive! Which one did you prefer to play on🙂?
Outstanding Markis.
Thank you Steve!
I am the only one who would like this redone playing the tune at regular tempo.
Probably the Eastman 910 or the D'Angelico. I liked the highs of the Eastman but the D'A had some good tones. The Super Eagle was probably 3rd. Surprisiongly the L5 was middle of the road or lower.
Thanks for watching!
L5 however,the Eastman at the end of the video had a nice acoustic sound.
Thanks for watching!!
The heritage guitars were the most impressive for me. There was a guy in my area, years ago now, who sold Heritage Guitars exclusively in his shop. I would have bought one, but, oddly, the ones I tried in his shop would not stay in tune for 5 seconds. At that point in my life I would not have known how to rectify that issue. The Heritage models played here have the mellowness I enjoy hearing. The Gibsons are a bit brash to my ears.
The Heritage models played here are all excellent - professional grade guitars and compared with the Gibsons, a great value for money!!
The L5 was my favorite, but the Eastman AR-805 was very close, and considering the price difference that is my winner.
A fine guitar! Not exactly the same sound as an L5.
@@MakisAblianitis very true, but a quality tone nonetheless, and a well-made guitar. And at more than twice the price on the low end, and more than 10x the price on the high end, the L5 tone just isn’t that much better to me. I would love to have heard a Guild Artist Award in your comparison, but a great review anyway.
Thank you Mr. Jazz master! L4, then Hofner.
Thank you! Both are amazing instruments of the same size!
I agree, the 4L.
Thanks for watching!!
My choice would be the heritage ones. I love your playing.
Thank you Marco!!
Somehow the Gibson L5 looked to offer the best playability on the string action. Your fingers just seem to float across the neck. All sound great.
Thank you! All of them has somehow the same setup!!
An Eastman is a fine violin in the form of a Guitar
I tried to "blind" myself by just listening to the guitars aurally. I rather liked the Eastman AR-805. But they all had their unique sound.
Every one of those Heritage guitars sounded really nice.
Yes indeed!!
For me it was between the L5 & L4 but the L4 was particularly outstanding
Thanks for watching!!
Same here Gibson all the way
Love it
Thanks for watching and your comment!!
1 L5 2 AR910 real sound 3 805
Thanks for watching!!
That L4.
Thanks for watching!!
I often amuse myself with thinking how a human voice would sing if it followed the notes of Jazz guitarists! I still can't do it without giggling! I ask my students to try & always results in laughter, but it is fun! :-)
Almost heard Sinatra humming in the background....do do do do do dah dah dah dah dah dah
hate to say it but gibson l5 won. my choice though would be eastman ar805ce. what a lovely instrument.
Thanks for watching!!
Muy interesanre, gran vídeo. Gracias.
Thanks for watching!
Plutôt génial ce test ! Il permet vraiment de sentir les subtilités selon les modèles. Pour la plupart très performants.
Après question de goût : j'adore le "boisé" de la L4 CES
Good choice! Thanks for watching!!
nice play. damn i would give something for one of these^^. i still like the l5 tone, but my fav is eastman. on third is maybe the dangelico, just for their unique hard tone. those were my threes. the heritages are sounding all excellent, just a bit too gentle for my taste and playing style. the hofner is quite interesting blend of all tones.
Thanks for watching!
Yeah , the L-5 has that sweet finish . The Eastman sounded better that I thought it would.
Thanks for watching!!
Eastman AR910
Agree! Its a great guitar!
@@MakisAblianitis Just a really clean sound. If you factor price there is no comparison. Several of these guitars are just unobtainable for the average player.
Musical art work, thanks.
Thanks for watching!!
Not an easy pick. No bad choices here. They were all fine sounding guitars, and I suspect the artist has a lot to do with that. I love my Heritage 574 but any of these would be a keeper.
Thank you Larry!
The Hofner surprised me with its rich straight forward tone.
It is a 1st grade guitar! Thanks for watching!
L4 !!! Dreamy sound ... and the heritage golden eagle humbuger is no2 .The L5 needs better tuning for this chord solos so for me it is out of comparison in this clip .Its good tohave a samedemo with baground also to see how they are placed in a band situation ! Many thanks for uploading !
Thanks for watching!!
This is an excellent video, and your playing is beautiful! Just two questions, what kind of pick do you use and what type of strings do you prefer? Thank you very much!
Thank you Art! I play with tortex big teardrop 1,14 picks and prefer 0,12 flatwound strings from GHS.
It's all a matter of taste. I like the Eastman sound, mellow, not too bright, not too dark/dull. Hofner and Heritage sounds also pleased me. The L4 was the only I do not like at all: was the tone fully rolled off ?
All guitars have the tone fully open. Thanks for watching!!
I agree. The Eastman, which I have been tracking, sounded good but there was certain presence missing in it’s tone - at least to my ears. Still a remarkable guitar though.
My favorites have to be the two Gibsons but I also really loved the heritage 550 , the L5 sounds perfect the L4 sounds as wonderful just slightly less bass warmth, and the 550 sounds very very good I think for my style the 550 would be best so I'm drawn to its sound. They're all beautiful instruments but that L5 is in it's own league
The Heritage H550 is a versatile and wonderful guitar! Thanks for watching!
L4!
Thanks for watching!!
Hi Mark - This video really helps me decide whether I want a new guitar when I retire or stick with my 175. My biggest question is whether there is any clear winner in your opinion with respect to play-ability. I'm also interested in your opinion about floating vs standard humbucker sound. I always loved the sound Benson got with his Johnny Smith Gibson with floating. Some of that sound was the floating pickup - especially in higher register, but most is his technique and his heart.
Thanks for watching Bryan! You are right, the most important thing is technique, touch and heart. I like to play floaters with a hammond-organ trio (better frequency coverage) but enjoy more playing with standard humbuckers in a duo or easy going-low volume group! I like to have both options, so if you already have a 175, its to time to have a guitar with a floating mini humbucker as a D' Angelico or an Eastman..
Thanks Makis! I am so sorry I spelt your name incorrectly. Your advice makes sense - different tool for a different job. I am not a very big guy. I like how smaller guitars fit my body but I love the big sound and the low end of big body archtops along with the richness of the entire frequency range. I will have to check them out in person when the time comes. My headphones are not to be trusted....I was interested in the D'Angelico throwbacks. But I would also be open to spending more if needed to get it right.
All great guitars. Just a matter of personal preference. That’s all.
Thanks for watching!!
whats you oppinion of the peerless monach is it a nice guitar that will sound well un pluged
I own the exact same Eastman AR-805 CE model (colour, floating pickup etc. - mine dated 2008) that Makes is brilliantly demoing in his informative video. I notice nice and subtle differences in tone, snappiness and sustain in between these fine arcbtops and I am wondering up to what point these could be made to sound similar to each others by virtue of expert EQing and whatever else...??
I am surprised how little the differences are in then end, considering also how differently they are constructed. I guess I am completely fine with the guitars I have. No need for a Gibson or a The Heritage. Not worth the money. My D'Angelico from the Vestax era sounds awesome, just like my custom boutique shop guitar from Henning Doderer. And together they still cost less than a new L-4.
Your D' Angelico is a fine crafted guitar that can cover almost everything in the jazz guitar idiom! This doesn't mean that some of the others aren't worth the money. Different colors different feel and taste...
Thanks for the reviews! What kind of pick do you use sir?
Dunlop 1,14 tortex teardrop
@@MakisAblianitis Thank you for your reply! Cheers!
I like the Heritages, although the Eastman had a very nice tone. A couple Gibsons seemed to lack body or a roundness I think it was poor wood choice,( happens some time) lacking resinous tone.
Thanks for watching!!
which of those guitars did you like the best and which guitar played well with out power
Best unpluged sound:Eastman AR910,
Best value:D' Angelico EXL1 DP,
More comfortable:Heritage Sweet16,
Best overall:Heritage Golden Eagle,
Thanks for watching!
thank you for your reply to my question i ask only because my guitars are ibanez .s and hagstom and i want to move up too a highter spec and the big cost involved one do,s not want to make a mistake .i want to play unpluged some times . thanks again and i look forward to seeing and hearing you play
@@MakisAblianitis i see you did not put the gibson in your selection
@@vicbarker5739 Gibson started it all. It is the benchmark for all the others. L5, Super 400 and L4 with the set in pickups and Gibson Johnny Smith with its floating pickup! Unfortunately all these recently became as a custom order and very expensive...
Well...to begin with...All the Performances were excellent...as far as which instrument had the best sound..? I have to say the following is my opinion and I am a 73 year old Player...so it means I been around the block a time or two...I do have to say That
The Gibson’s really stood out for me as their sound was not as bright as the other Guitars...And for me Jazz has always needed to be somewhat more of a mellow experience...maybe if the guitars were in a different order..? I really don’t know...I have had the opportunity to play a lot of different guitars and they All have their place...so keep up this great work..!
Thanks for watching!!
Which one did you prefer?
All of them are 1st grade outstanding archtop guitars! Eastman AR910 and Heritage Super-Golden Eagle have the most full and resonant acoustic sound. The guitars with the set in humbuckers (L5 - L4 - Super Eagle - Golden Eagle and H550) have the full, loud, round sound and are pretty close to each other. The guitars with the floating pickup has definition and stand out better in the mix! I would be happy with any of them!!
I’m so curious…do you own all of these great archtop guitars. They are all great instruments and your playing is excellent and make each one sound so good!
Thank you Bill. Really appreciate the message 👐
Do you own every one of those guitars?
@@billbettencourt7053 Yes, music and guitar is my passion and my job!
Beauriful and Great Player!
Can you Say me what amplifier and pick you use ?
Thanks Christian! The amp is a Fender Twin with roll off the treble and I play with a Dunlop Tortex teardrop 1,14mm
Hi again
I recently purchased a 1975 Joe Passé (Epiphone casino)
It has wear
But
Please advise for my overhaul & refurbishment
Which pick ups would you recommend
Along with any other tips
Thanks ✌🏼🙏
Η σωστή σύγκριση θα ήταν να χρησιμοποιείς τον ίδιο μαγνήτη για όλες,εκεί θα καταλαβαίναμε τις διαφορές(ποιο όργανο είναι καλύτερο στα μπάσα ή στα πρίμα κτλ).Παρόλα αυτά πολύ ωραίο βίντεο και ωραίο παίξιμο.
Thanks for watching!
I think you need to keep the L5.....and send me the others😂beautiful playing by the way.
Thank you!
Wish there was 6120 or White Falcon to compare. .)))
Gretsch will be on the next video review! Thanks for watching!
@@MakisAblianitis Thanks , will be waiting... :))
L-4🤙
Thanks for watching!!
Dangelico EXL-1.. best sound.. you played all the Eastman's with ease. and I could def hear the tone diff from the others.. I prefer the Eastman's and the Dangelico.. really great playing .. so.. ?? haha
Thank you Adrienne!
@@MakisAblianitis Which one did you enjoy the most???
@@adriennelee1520 All of them are fantastic, professional grade instruments, but as I prefer more a longer scale and thick necks, I feel more familiar with the big Eastman and some of the Heritage's
Since their sound is so similar I'd go on looks and take the D'Angelico.
Thanks for watching!!
Sorry just read the header
Which answers my string question in part
Thanks🙏🤪
It's a hard one but i have a sweet 16 and so yeah that's why i'm going with the ......golden eagle, neck humbucker! ....no they all sounded great, the Eastmans slightly 'weaker' but still excellent and well Gibsons L-5 L-4 are gorgeous but nothing between them and The Heritage guitars. Great playing and a good fun test.
Thanks for watching!!
Beautiful! Do you have the music or tab to the tune in the video?
I' m sorry don't have it!!
Gibson L4 , the winner..
Good choice! Thanks for watching!
πολύ όμορφο παίξιμο!! περισσότερο απ όλες μου άρεσε η D'angelico.....τι μαγικό ήχο έχει αυτό το όργανο..... παρ οτι είναι φτιαγμένη στην Κορέα παραδίδει μαθήματα στις ακριβές.... θα με ενδιέφερε να μου πεις τι αίσθηση είχες στο μπράτσο της στην ταστιέρα πως κυλάει το χέρι επάνω και γενικότερα σαν κιθάρα.... μπράβο για αυτά τα όμορφα δείγματα!!
H D' Angelico όπως αυτή της προηγούμενης γενιάς και πριν αρχίσουν τις περικοπές σε υλικά και εργατώρες, είναι ένα διαμάντι ανάμεσα στις υπόλοιπες που είναι κατά πολύ ακριβότερες. Το μπράτσο της είναι πολύ βολικό και γρήγορο, η δε ακουστική της απόκριση (χωρις ενισχυτή), βάζει κάτω πολλές επώνυμες ή boutique!!
ευχαριστώ να σαι καλα!!
MAKIS WHICH WAS NICEST TO PLAY IN YOUR OPINION ?
All of them are fantastic, professional grade instruments, but as I prefer more a longer scale and thick necks, I feel more familiar with the big Eastman and some of the Heritage's
@@MakisAblianitis Thank you for the reply and may I say you played them all very well
What song are you playing in the demos?
A rendition of Fly me to the moon. Thanks for watching!
What is mikes pick?
Well, all of them can do the job! If I had to pick 2-3 of them would be... High end: Gibson L5 or Heritage Super-Golden Eagle-Sweet 16! Value for money: Eastman or D' Angelico! Thanks for watching!! Please subscribe.
Does anyone know what amp he is using?
D’aquisto?
Nice!!!!! Whats the amp?
Waaaaat! No Benedetto? I'll all of them. Just ask and I'll give you my shipping info.
Thanks for watching!!