Sadowsky Jim Hall Archtop

see specs and picks at Sadowsky's web page etc.

Straight ahead jazz - mostly in drumless trios but often with drums and more horns.
Tone is pretty much everything. You want the guitar to play well - and it has to be at least nearly in tune most of the time - but its the tone you're after. For (mainstram)jazz you want some accoustic properties in the sound - it can't all come from the strings/pick up - you want the body of the guitar to be engaged - to resonate - with the notes you play.
I've used modern and vintage gibson instruments up until today. When I switched from newish instrumnets (175's, L4's and a super 400) to old instruments I was convinced that you just couldn't get the relevant tone out of a modern archtop. Too much pick up and not enough from the guitar. Well I sat here today with my beautiful 1953 es 175 (set up perfectly by the man in Nashville) and the Jim Hall Sadowsky guitar and it's plain that the Sadowsky is better all round. You get more from the guitar - more woody tone - AND more clarity and accuracy (perfect neck). The depth in the tone doesn't come from partial feed back. Often guitars don't acquire the full voice you want from them until they're at a volume which puts them on the edge of feeding back. This guitar doesn't work that way. So the fullness you get doesn't compromise the clarity of the sound - big deal. The sound is different from the pure fifties feel of the es 175. I thought I was hopelessly addicted to that sound (Christian, Kessel, Burrel, Farlow, Raney) - but this guitar shows me I'm not. I get the warmth I want but the trade off with clarity is much better with the Sadowsky.

Very nice indeed. It feels great to hold - very friendly - and the neck is a dream. I'm scarred to find out how low the action will go before the neck stops working properly. I got the thing new and it's in faltless condition.

Built for action, no back ups required.

Not applicable - I think it comes with a warranty.

Small jazz gigs - standards and parker tunes - double bass, alto or trumpet and guitar (four or five gigs per week for about 12 years). I haven't played this thing in a gig yet but I just know it's going to be wonderful. The people who put this guitar together wanted all the right things for it. It had to provide the tone and it had to be accuarte, smooth and easy to play. They got the body and the pick up right (great tone - great clarity) and the the fretwork and the neck are just terrific (smooth and easy to play). The rest is neither here nor there. It does look great (are the newer ones less spectacularly flamey than the earlier ones?) - much more like a modern 'electric' guitar than the instruments I'm used to - but i can get over that. Jim Hall not only endorses but plays this very instrument - he stopped playing his D'Aquisto and started playing this. Now that I've played it I'm not surprised.

Everything requires in a first class archtop!

Hi,

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Sadowsky "Jim Hall" Archtop is a wonderful guitar. Perhaps the nicest archtop I've ever owned. For those interested in guitar specs, I'll suggest going directly to the Sadowsky site for all pertinent information.

I ordered this guitar in February of 2004 and took delivery in early August 2004. The folks at Sadowsky were very helpful, responsive and when Roger wasn't around to personally answer inquiries, his able staff did so. The guitar itself is beautiful to look at, but more importantly sounds great. The sound capability of this archtop ranges from a deep warm tone to a bright distinctive sound. The guitar feels great to play! Exquisite feel!
I would recommend this guitar to anyone interested in a professional 16" archtop.