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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The F-hole may be the most prominent feature of any archtop. Although beautiful, graceful and nice to look at, there are subtle differences between models. Take a look at the pics in the first post, then come back and choose which you believe is the prettiest. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Here are the choices:
ES-135
ES-335
Gretsch Country Gentleman
Guild Starfire IV
Ovation Thunderhead
Epiphone Joe Pass
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Location: New South Wales, Australia | The 335 does it for me. I dunno much about art but I know what I like. |
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| 335 for me too... I like the way it's ridin' the burst.
Glenn |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The camera flash lights up the internals, but just looking at them in natural light, the dark interior inside the F hole really looks good on the lighter finishes. The trim on the Gretsch and Ovation look good against the darker finish. However, I personally have to go with the ES-135. I like it's length and curves. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | none of the above,
The Hamer Improv for me. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | I too prefer the "f" holes that are trimmed. Not only for the look, but also support of the end grain. I voted for the "O"...
I gotta get a T-Head |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Based on the Nominees as presented I went with the Joe Pass.
I prefer the binding and I liked the thinner approach. The T is next.
What you are really doing with the F hole is creating an awareness of the surrounding top by presenting what isn't there.
Gotta go, the Nurse is here... |
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Location: SoCal | Shouldn't the question read "What has the prettiest F hole", instead of who?
I have to answer that there was this girl in college, who even had it trimmed........ |
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Location: Up North | I was wondering when this discussion would head south... |
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Location: East Tennessee | Gretsch Country Gentleman.
Good enough for Chet. :cool: Good enough for me. :D |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Shouldn't the question read "What has the prettiest F hole", instead of who?
Excellent point, Moody. I was thinking manufacturer and went with "who", but should have been thinking model and gone with "what".
On the other hand, "who" opens the forum for a bit of fun.
For those who have a different preference or favorite, feel free to post a pic. |
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Location: SoCal | I can't post a pic. It would and should get me in trouble..... |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | The Martin CF-1...
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Location: Bluffton, SC | +1 on the Joe Pass model. |
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Location: closely held secret | Joe Pass. |
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Location: big island | i like the contrasts of the gretsch and o models. the binding sets the f-holes off nicely. |
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Location: Up North | The Thunderhead's F hole has the most graceful organic curves, with a larger, more balanced terminal. |
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Location: Central Massachusetts | Of the options presented, I like the Joe Pass, too.
But I really like the Hofner Verythin Classic look...
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | From the list I'm gonna have to go with the Thunderhead or Epi Joe Pass because they have binding. However, for overall "concept" and lines I like the looks of the Improv best. |
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Location: SoCal | Of the pics posted, I like the Joe Pass. But I desperately wish I were rich enough and a good enough player to justify getting an Improv. That guitar just rings all my chimes....... |
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Location: SoCal | 
my vote goes to Nikki ;) |
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Location: big island | noah, you are being paged over on the sell/trade forum. |
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Location: SoCal | can't I just stay here with Nikki? |
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Location: big island | she's playing in the key of A. d'you know any lead licks in that key? |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Who has a pic of an Improv? |
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Location: Up North |  |
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Location: Tennessee | I like the ones on my Hamer Newport ... they look just like the Improv to me.
Then again, I'm pretty smitten with the bound "cat-eye" slash hole on my Surfcaster. |
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Location: closely held secret | Careful, Bobbo... Tuppy might get offended about tied-up cat's eyes being slashed and used in the production of guitars. |
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Location: SoCal | Hold on guys. I gotta clean up the drool on my keyboard after looking at the Improv..... |
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Location: Up North | And only $7k! |
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Location: big island | interesting knob placement on the "improv". seems they would be in the way for my style of playing. |
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Location: Up North | 
Charvel Surfcaster |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Didn't Benjamin Franklin say that all f-holes were the same in the dark?
I'm glad you posted that charvel, it looks alot like a reverend. Interesting. |
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Location: big island | not to hijack this thread, but has anyone played a "Dillion" brand electric? it's another korean adventure by an enterprising american but the ratings are very high on harmony central. several of their guitars are on eBay. i especially like the looks of the white "gibson" firebird VII. (except for the crooked aftermarket Gibson TRC!) |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The Improv's F hole is beautiful. A bit less curvaceous than the other models at the beginning of this thread, but very pretty. Some of these shapes are better viewed in perspective with the entire guitar body, not just the hole itself. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Gotta go with the T-head. After all, I marri..bought one. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
in perspective with the entire ... body, not just the hole itself. And how many decades does it take us to learn that lesson?
:rolleyes: |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | With 23 votes in, its a three-way tie for the lead. Its great to see the T-Head holding its own against some of these more popular and higher-priced models. I guess we might interpret that to mean higher cost doesn't necessarily mean a prettier F hole. |
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Location: Isle of Man, UK | I've gone with the T-head as I like the binding too, although my Gretsch would have been choice (same reason...)
Just when I thought I needed to get a life and re-align my priorities...
Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Hold on guys. I gotta clean up the drool on my keyboard after looking at the Improv..... Thanks for making me feel as normal as some non-guitar folk, Mr Moody!! :cool:
JB |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | That is not making the conversation head south, just to the equator where things can get hot. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | Then there is the MOB f-holes.
any comments? |
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Location: Upper Left USA | MOB soundholes on a Koa top lined with superfluous amounts of Abalone. Make it a Longneck.
(insert Homer drooling picture here) |
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Location: Tucson, AZ | ...not an answer, but something I just noticed looking at all those pictures: are the upper and lower end-loops supposed to be SYMMETRICAL or DIFFERENT in both shape and diameter?
...I've got an ES-135LE and never paid much attention as to whether the "ƒ"-holes were same or different from the ES-345TDN that I used to have?!?
...the Fender Coronado and Thin-line guitars have a "different" ƒ-hole shape for sure. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The T-Head seems to have pulled away and is distancing itself from the others. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
The T-Head seems to have pulled away and is distancing itself from the others. Probably has something to do with the name of the website that this poll was posted on.
Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | I made a special effort to not look at the brand names. I still picked the Thunderhead. |
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Location: NJ | I thought this thread was about something else . . .
. . . never mind . . . |
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Location: SoCal | Man, you are so late with that comment..... |
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Location: Vermont USA | moody p.i. posted Man, you are so late with that comment Better late than pregnant :eek:
Pauly |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Sorry, it is not an archtop, but I like Proto 11 "F" holes.
(pic from Jerome's gallery) |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Sorry, it is not an archtop, but I like Proto #11 "F" holes :
(pic from Jerome's gallery) |
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Location: Nevada | That's all I have to say about it.
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | That model with the black top (not the bright red one) lifted from Jerome's gallery above has some great historic value, but I just have to pass on those soundholes. On the other hand, if I would have had access to a picture of the PRS posted by Dr. Tom, that guitar certainly would have been in the running in this f-hole contest. |
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Location: Up North | That's one of the best first posting's I've seen on this forum. Took you a while to pick your shot though!
Welcome Jeffleg! |
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Location: big island | do wonderbras and guitars create a conflict of space? |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | No conflict here... |
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Location: big island | why, are you wearing a wonderbra wease? :eek: |
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Location: Nevada | Originally posted by Grif:
That's one of the best first posting's I've seen on this forum. Took you a while to pick your shot though!
Welcome Jeffleg! Sorry I had to find the prettiest F Hole. And I sure did don't you think. :) |
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Location: Houston, Texas | yep! |
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Location: CA | I always kinda liked the minimalist treatment of Rickenbacker 300-series guitars: www.rickenbacker.com/model.asp?model=360
Here's another new twist on the theme: www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/violin.html |
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Who has the prettiest F Hole?