I’m just happy to see and hear you playing any guitar because you make them all sound fantastic. Happy 2023 to you, Wes and your families and thank you for everything!

I went to a weekend workshop with Rich years ago. He gave me a quick 5 min private lesson that really helped with my right hand picking technique. Thanks Rich.

#5 Gibson Tal Farlow, 0:52, 2:15 #4 Gibson L4, 4:15, 4:50, 5:59 #3 Heritage 575, 6:40, 7:32 #2 Gibson L5, 8:32, 9:35 #1 Heritage Golden Eagle, 12:07, 12:56, 13:55

Great lineup Rich. I've been playing my old 1967 Gibson ES330 a lot lately. It is my first electric guitar that my parents gave me when I graduated from the 8th grade. I recently had it fully restored by the guys at the Guitar Shoppe in Laguna Beach and it plays like brand new. I have a bunch of amps, but the one that really makes it sing is my Quilter 101 through a Razer's Edge 10" cab. For guys on a budget, don't forget the Eastman guitars. I have a 503 CE and it sounds great and plays nicely, but I had to work on it a bit. You are correct, we must learn to work on our guitars. My prize is my 1976 Byrdland, but I am not always in the mood to play short scale. I love your channel. Even though I don't always attend the live show on Thursdays, I always review the videos and you are amazing at what you do. I'm hoping to attend camp this year for my first time.

Thanks for the smile and warmth when work is so stressful...these give me a lift when I am weighed down...

Thank you Rich. They are all exemplary, and each is wonderful in their own way. There was a woodiness to the L4, that really grabbed me... Thanks again!

I was expecting some angular-shaped Jackson with a Floyd Rose from your hair metal days. ;)

Wonderful guitars well presented. It is always a pleasure to watch you playing.

A wonderful thing about instruments and Guitars 🎸 particularly...each and every one has it's own distinctive properties.... based on different varieties of utilization.... thanks again Rich....

Great choices!

Love the L-4, one of my dream guitars.

Fantastic, great video.

Made my day, me and my GE are sittin here smilin. My 575's grinnin but my 175's lookin a little put out.......hey Rich thanks for all these great videos.(frankly i was worried #1 would be the Sammick) you make em all sound good

1 # is gorgeous and awesome tone!🎸

Hi Rich best to you .. Jim Barlogio from Visalia ... the chord inversions were so helpful to me in my playing >. !!

Amazing guitars! The top 4 are incredivle to nock the Tal down to 5th place. Of course, I have never played, or even held, a Tal - they may stink to high heaven - but it has always been the one that tugged at my heartstrings (at least for 56 years!)

What a collection! Gibson and Heritage...great choices. Thought we'd see an ES 175. The red L4 looks drugstore cowboy-ish. Fancy! Thanks!

Yeah, the Golden Eagle! Sounds and looks awesome! 👌

Every guitar sounds gorgeous when Rich plays it

Great guitars, great playing! Question: what microphone is used to record the amp?

What kind amp setup you used for this recording? all the 5 guitars sound very good. Thanks for sharing!

what beautiful playing and gorgeous guitars

“The Days of Wine and Roses”…that was stunning Rich.

I would love to see a show on nthe top 5 guitars You wish you owned as well. Great video btw.

Great video. I really enjoy all your videos. Your a fine player and a joy to watch. Thanks for sharing

@mychaelpierce8049

7 ай бұрын

Rich I'm looking to purchase an Eastman AR 680CE or 880CE, the Pisano models. Of course there are none of these in stock anywhere near me to try out first. I normally prefer the warmer sound of Mahogany over Maple, so I'm leaning towards the 680. I've watched all your Eastman video's. Any suggestions regarding tone sounds,etc.? Thanks a lot

@RichSeversonGuitar

7 ай бұрын

You'll be happy with either@@mychaelpierce8049

@mychaelpierce8049

7 ай бұрын

Thanks @@RichSeversonGuitar

Highly entertaining!

The beautiful thing about these guitars is the sound that you produce. A guitar, well played by an accomplished jazz musician, is a wonderful thing.

I'm a little late, but Happy New Year, Rich. Your guitar tones on KZread are sweeter than any others I've heard. No listening fatigue whatsoever. Between your archtops, reverb (plate or spring?) and amp, I could listen all day if I didn't have other obligations. (:^D My Johnny Smith Gibson replica just arrived. @ $395. it has solid maple and spruce w/ebony board. I bought your recommended .013 & .015 gauge to fatten the uppers. I also went for an .018 for that pesky G. As I'm sure you know, that minor 3rd in traditional guitar tuning fights against the 10 primary harmonics of a string's vibration, which is in the major. And I'll also take your recommendation and purchase a "rhythm chief" for the sweet spot. Your free consultations here on KZread are a blessing, sir. All the best.

All great guitars, but while I'm not typically a fan of the L-4 because they are a bit small for me and I prefer a longer scale, your L-4 CES is the best sounding of the bunch to my ear. Thanks for sharing.

I'm kind of drawn to the Heritage box. Sweet sounds and nice sizes. Don't know much about the playability, have to try 'em out.

The L5 and the Heritage 575 Custom are my faves. Both are classically beautiful!

All guitars are excellent and beautiful. In Japan, extremely hard to get them in 2023. envy😑😑

Days of Wine and Roses - sublime playing

All beautiful guitars. I agree with you the single pick up would be my choice

@johnbullpit9481

8 ай бұрын

I never thought about second pickup affecting things. Obvious now after this video and your comment. Thanks from England.

Is this GE the one that was x braced with a floater and had the HRW added. You had explained how they did it without cutting the braces, if so it sounds amazing. Im wondering if it wasnt cut though why would it sound different than a floater? (it does I have one) Thanks

HAHA! That's mine! 1996 one with the Benedetto floating pickup. Love it! I have an old GALLIEN KRUEGER MLE 206 amp from the 80's. Sounds delightful and I use a pick from my Gypsyjazz guitar (THICK!) or the Primetone small triangle 1.5 (Dunlop) What picker you use?

Rich you playing beautifully 😊

@RichSeversonGuitar

3 ай бұрын

Thanks @eearts!

11:30 The L5 heard you say you don't play it, you ride it :) Sounded great though!

Nice sound including chair squeaking;-)

My vote is for the L4CES!! not sure if it is the setup but it sounds best IMO!

Wow, beautiful guitars! I find myself drawn to the Heritage guitars as they seem to best balance the goals of tone, playability and physical beauty. The Golden Eagle has wonderful tone, but I would guess if I was in the room with all 5 instrument, I would pick up the Heritage 575 to play first. Thanks for Sharing Rich! John Gig Harbor, WA

I think just from the looks alone the two heritage guitars are my favorite of these five, I was wondering what kind of amp and rig you're using?? you have such a consistently good tone in all your videos no matter which guitar you're using,a very inspiring tone I end up grabbing a guitar and noodling around even the little short demo phrases lol

I can't afford a Gibson L5 but I'm very happy with my Ibanez JP-20 Joe Pass Signature Japanese made archtop guitar!

NO doubts... The moment you touched the strings... THAT Tone lifted THAT guitar above the others... and... only needs THAT one pick-up... Heritage Golden Eagle... Have played this 'vid' several times ??? and still same conclusion... To be the Preferred guitar in THIS line up, is to be a treasured guitar indeed ! Congratulations Rich ! (nice playing too)......

Still playing my '54 carved top L4-C !

I love all of your guitars but the nicest one by far is the Heritage Golden Eagle.

Hello Rich, I've been seeing a lot from your videos lately. I thank you for many reasons, but the main one is because you showed me the Greg Bennet LaSalle JZ-2 and JZ-3. I've been looking for one like crazy but I just haveen't been able to see one online avaiable. Do you know where I could buy one with its original pickups, parts and its case may be? Disclaimer: I live in Colombia (southamerica) so I can't really try one out. I'd have it sent out to my family in the US. If you have any useful tip or data regarding where I could get one it would be very much appreciated. Thanks

@Pinzonic

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for helping out a brother from far away. It is not easy to get our hands on a decent guitar from here... Plus: does it bother you when an archtop has a narrow nut width? (41mm - 1.624 ") ... Or is it just the same? Thanks man

Hey Richard. What amplifier are you using. I love the beautiful sound you get with every guitar you play.

@RichSeversonGuitar

Жыл бұрын

I'm going direct to a mixer then to the computer

They all sound great, but I like the Golden Eagle the best.

Yes! Heritage golden eagle is incredible. Where does the Schaefer rank??

Everything is sounds good on your hand

I have owned two Heritage 575's. I sold the 1st one for $$$. I never played the 2nd 575 so I traded it for a Heritage 555 several months ago. I love the 555. I set aside my mid-60's 335 and I play the Heritage 555 almost every day. Heritage makes some amazing guitars.

I like that you played the same tune on all of them.

Thankyou. The L5 was the clear winner for jazz tone. I'd put the 50s L7 I had in HS, though, to compete with any accept it on tone. But on stage, my L7 seemed flat. Maybe that's why some artists ditch their Gibson archtops and play comfortable 16" Ibanez's or the most budget friendly Benedettos. Gigability and budget friendliness are perhaps the most important factors to me. And I suppose versatility.

@genec8393

Жыл бұрын

Agree with your 50's L7. I have owned all the greats but miss my 50's L7 the most. Luckily I have recordings of it from the 60's. That's the way an archtop should sound. I believe Wes's Too Late Now was done on an L7 loaned to him by KB.

What is it about the 5-piece neck that you prefer? Being mostly maple, it is brighter, more stable, and stiffer than mahogany, especially with the ebony 'board that is usually used with that kind of neck construction. Anyway, I'm just wondering why you're partial to the 5-piece.

You needed your "Wes" to play the L5! Lol. If I ever have a son he will be Wes II. Yeah I have an L5 and it is uncomfortable at times. I probably just need to play it more. My 175 is a lot easier to handle. Not sure how the real Wes actually did it

Wow Tal Farlow my number 1#guitar sounds so full just pretty awesome..number3.Heritage 575custom Gibson L5 is the next sound i like Heritage golden Eagle number 2 sound Then L4... Rich thank u yer playing is awesome amazing

Love my 2002 L4.

Is the 5pc neck more stable?

All versions!

I didn’t hear any criticism of the Tal only praise. So why was it number 5? All gorgeous! 😎👌

I have no idea what they sound like in the room but in the recordings, the Tal Farlow sound by far the best followed by the Golden Eagle.

Nice playing great videos,hands look scary with arthritic knuckles

I'm just seeing this today, Jan 22, 2024. I nearly bought your fave guitar, a Heritage Golden Eagle, TODAY from a shop on Long Island, NY. I decided against it at the last minute due to the time of year. I, like you, Rich, is in Calif, SoCal more specifically. Shipping such a fine archtop all the way at this time of year, with all the super cold weather across the midwest just made me think twice. I'll keep searching for one that's much closer or wait until spring. BTW, I had a Heritage Super Eagle back in the early 2000's. I sold it like a dummy. Oh well!

@RichSeversonGuitar

6 ай бұрын

Maybe you'll find one at the Orange county Vintage guitar show this weekend. I have a line on one with a headstock repair and a repaired cracked top, if interested

@RichSeversonGuitar

6 ай бұрын

Hey got a Gibson Super 400 if interested www.guitarcollege.net/for-sale.html

Ha! The GE for the win!!!😂

Thank you for not surprising us with something like a "Harley Benton" as being your #1 guitar. I would have seriously hit the "don't recommend this channel" tab if you did.

For my ears and taste I would put the Tal at number 1 . IMO TAL model is best sounding tone wise and your performance (which is great on all of the guitars) seems the most comfortable and relaxed. It even seems you have less to criticize and more to praise about the Tal vs the others. It strikes a nice balance between a practical working musician's ax and an upscale jazz archtop. Number two for me would be the 575. Number 5 would definitely be the L5 if it made the list at all. A matter of taste again but the gold and scrolly scribbles are really more suited to Elvis, or Liberace, or Porter Wagoner.

The Golden Eagle has a gorgeous 3D sound. It seems to grab all the details in the song and misses none. Exceptionally nice, with oodles of warmth. An excellent solo instrument.

Great video. Personally, I think the Tal Farlow sounded best in your hands... I was waiting you fulfil your promise to tell us, why it's no. 5 on your list, but didn't really hear the reason... would you air your secret, please? Anyway, thanks for the video. BTW my second favored was the L-4.

Anyone looking to by an Gibson ES175, spend a little more and get the Gibson L-4, spruce top baby!

@RichSeversonGuitar

Жыл бұрын

you can email me at rich@guitarcollege.com about it

I owned a Tal Farlow around 1999 or '2000 exactly like the one you have. It was a very stupid move to sell it and replace it with a Vestax D'Angeelico NYL2 New Yorker. The NYL2 is nice but not like that Tal Farlow. Man, that L5 is something else.

Interesting to see that #1 has a wood bridge, the rest metal. How much does that factor in?

On the TL Farlow, the only things I don't like are the false curling, and the Batman- looking pickfuard

I liked the TF but all the guitars were in the same ballpark to me with only subtle differences.

L5 too big ? The J200 is deeper, and still quite comfortable .. you must be a small guy.. I´ve played a few Heritages. None sounded like a Gibson.. and I so hoped I could get a bargain 🤩 No worky..

I was expecting an Eastman in the #1 spot. You fooled me. My personal Gibson picks would have been a Johnny Smith and Howard Roberts Fusion. Sadly, I can afford neither.

Hello, what Amp are you using?

@RichSeversonGuitar

Жыл бұрын

Going direct into a mixer to the computer

This might sound shallow but I don’t like heritage headstocks. I love a Gibson .

What do you think is the closest analogue to the L5 that doesn't cost $5k+?

@RichSeversonGuitar

3 ай бұрын

A Samick JZ4 is a great L5 copy for less than $1,000. You can also find L5 copies by Aria and Ventura and a few other brands that were made in the 80's. They are in the $2500 range.

☑️👍nice 👌 five guitars are too few ❗️🙃☻️🌙

I think the L5 sounds the best and it doesn’t want to be touched by anything other than the case.

The 575 Heritage is the least best sounding guitar of those - the L4 sounded the best but you played it with your thumb - for me the Gibsons sounded more mellow - I have an L4 and a 175 - the L4 sounds better but I prefer my 175 - I had it refurbished and I play it all the time . I’ve never played a golden eagle but it does sound good - I think my no 1 would have been a 175 but I just love the feel of it - I suppose it’s what you get used to and feel comfortable with -like the 3 and a half body which I just feel comfortable with

You forgot to mention the H-575 has solid top, back, and sides. And, did I hear you say the scale length is 25.75"? I'm not sure, but I think it's 24.75".

@RichSeversonGuitar

Жыл бұрын

you're right Oops

Where’s the flying V?

Start up your engine he reminds me of someone

You don't play it' you ride it! and that folks is why there's an "f" hole! Just kidding folks....LOL!

Only Gibson, too expensive 😢

Not a Guild in sight.

@CAGED1702

Жыл бұрын

☹