Ken Parker makes some phenomenally looking and engineered archtops, no question about that. But I have a hard time understanding all the accolades on the tone. The acoustic tone sounds very Macafferi-like guitar, and typical of archtops like these. To me, it sounds thin, has weak bass, and the high end is strident and harsh, with no sweet chime.
![[Image: ParkerAnatomy.jpg?format=1000w]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58dd73cf6b8f5beb11d1200f/1534191974360-BTP43XYSO2C32TQVFSPM/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kAUHmmw8mv68CUsooXUADiF7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z4YTzHvnKhyp6Da-NYroOW3ZGjoBKy3azqku80C789l0prfa1Z6IeUrCPboCAmmHZmnBxcQ7mi1ayDSC1L5ZwM2q-WiUdyB87-iOXiU_pJ6Aw/ParkerAnatomy.jpg?format=1000w)
As an example of the KP archtop sound, this is Charlie Hunter (a very talented guitar player) playing a Ken Parker archtop, and it sounds a bit harsh, strident, and like a Maccaferri guitar. You can hear it here:
I am surprised there isn’t as much deep bass, given that this is close to a 16” archtop.
Overall, if you want a deep, rich, complex acoustic tone for live playing -- nothing in my opinion beats a good acoustic flattop guitar. Players like Tommy Emmanuel, Andy McKee, and Antoine Dufour as well as the late Michael Hedges clearly demonstrate this -- playing larger, dreadnought guitars.
If you want to play traditional jazz, then there are many other, much cheaper choices which can give that warm, rounded tone amplified. Few people play Archtops unamplified today, but a large jazzbox could do it. It just isn’t done because you need to be amplified to be heard over the band. Personally, I have found that many types of electric guitars with proper pickups, EQ, and guitar amp can replicate a great warm jazz tone. I believe players use traditional jazz boxes for visual and sentimental reasons, as well as personal feel and familiarity. But for recorded tone, I believe a lot of hollowbody as well as solidbody guitars can replicate the tone.
Regarding the tone of a Ken Parker Archtop -- there are numerous Youtube videos of the sound of the KP guitar, acoustically. They are not that impressive in my opinion. There are a few that sound great amplified, and really only a few that are exceptional, and that is a recording amplified of KP’s personal guitar called Lucky. It’s here:
Played at the Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin in 2014. The sound has depth, clarity, with good complexity and detail. The treble is not strident and harsh like it is when heard acoustically. However, bass is still lacking a bit in comparison to the treble. The amplified EQ settings are not known.
However, the same guitar does not sound that great here:
OR here:
It sounds very thin and weak. The treble is a bit better and not as harsh, but still lacks a lot of richness and character. It reminds me a little of a banjo.
One better acoustic sample I could find is here, but it is Spot (different woods). The bass balance seems better here, but note that the body size is larger.
Recent recordings (March 2019) of Lucky from Adam Miller are here:
Acoustic
Listen to the Traugott acoustic compared to the archtop. It has so much more complexity, body, bass, and treble sweetness. In my opinion, you would only play the archtop amplified because the acoustic tone is mediocre.
Amplified but with pencil mic and mic on small amp
Both of these recordings are with Lucky with the newer Duneland Labs pickup. The amplified tone sounds much better than the acoustic sound, the latter which seems dry and 2D. The amplified tone is much better sounding than previous recordings. The treble still sounds a little brittle and thin, but the bass and rich complexity are more apparent. It also isn’t clear what EQ was done on either recording however. You can significantly change the tone with EQ and good recording techniques and processing.
You can really hear the Maccafferi quality of these kinds of archtops. It lends itself to a certain style like Bluegrass or more country-like tones. It’s a modern-day Django Reinhardt tone guitar. Tommy Emmanuel even mentions this on a Youtube video when he plays the Parker here with Martin Taylor:
I just don't think this tone is that awe-inspiring. I don't agree that this is the most beautiful guitar ever made, nor is it the best sounding.
I hear a strident treble that doesn’t have a sweetness to it. I also noticed that when multiple people play “Lucky,” they tend to play harder and you can hear the fret buzz all over. This is quite annoying in my opinion. This is noticeable also here:
Acoustic tone is very bluegrass and Django-like. Again, it sounds much better amplified, and of course this is where the amp, mic, recording, etc. can certainly add EQ to get a better tone as it can for any other guitar.
The newer Duneland Labs pickup has very good sound, but of course doesn’t do anything for the basic acoustic tone.
They don’t mention that the guitar shown (Lucky) is like $50K USD or perhaps more since it is KP’s personal guitar.
In my opinion, I don’t hear that great of an acoustic tone from these guitars -- even when played by these master players. I am sure they play very well and are visually stunning, but sonically, I feel they are lacking. And very much disproportionate to the price.
There’s an acoustic depth, 3D, air, and complexity that is missing like you would get on a flattop. Hence the amplified sound I believe is far superior (also allows EQ and modification). Here is an example of a flattop sound which is stunning in its rich, complex bass and sweet, chimey highs. This is a multi-scale guitar from Benoit Lavoie.
Or listen to a Buendia masterpiece:
The acoustic tones here are so much better than any acoustic archtop in my opinion.
On Youtube, search for “Ken Parker Archtop” and take a listen. I could not find that many good sounding recordings of the guitar acoustically, but there are a few that sound good when amplified.
I think people are hearing with their eyes and wallet. I have tried to be objective and listen carefully to the Parker archtop from the Youtube videos and sound samples available on the web, but all I hear from the guitar acoustically is a thin, strident treble tone -- like an updated Django tone -- with not much bass. Even with the bass, there’s no complexity or richness. It might be loud and light, with great playability but the acoustic tone is not great in my opinion. The treble is a bit annoying too -- not sweet, chimey, airy and smooth like on a great acoustic.
You're essentially buying an investment at > $30K USD!
As an example of the KP archtop sound, this is Charlie Hunter (a very talented guitar player) playing a Ken Parker archtop, and it sounds a bit harsh, strident, and like a Maccaferri guitar. You can hear it here:
I am surprised there isn’t as much deep bass, given that this is close to a 16” archtop.
Overall, if you want a deep, rich, complex acoustic tone for live playing -- nothing in my opinion beats a good acoustic flattop guitar. Players like Tommy Emmanuel, Andy McKee, and Antoine Dufour as well as the late Michael Hedges clearly demonstrate this -- playing larger, dreadnought guitars.
If you want to play traditional jazz, then there are many other, much cheaper choices which can give that warm, rounded tone amplified. Few people play Archtops unamplified today, but a large jazzbox could do it. It just isn’t done because you need to be amplified to be heard over the band. Personally, I have found that many types of electric guitars with proper pickups, EQ, and guitar amp can replicate a great warm jazz tone. I believe players use traditional jazz boxes for visual and sentimental reasons, as well as personal feel and familiarity. But for recorded tone, I believe a lot of hollowbody as well as solidbody guitars can replicate the tone.
Regarding the tone of a Ken Parker Archtop -- there are numerous Youtube videos of the sound of the KP guitar, acoustically. They are not that impressive in my opinion. There are a few that sound great amplified, and really only a few that are exceptional, and that is a recording amplified of KP’s personal guitar called Lucky. It’s here:
Played at the Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin in 2014. The sound has depth, clarity, with good complexity and detail. The treble is not strident and harsh like it is when heard acoustically. However, bass is still lacking a bit in comparison to the treble. The amplified EQ settings are not known.
However, the same guitar does not sound that great here:
OR here:
It sounds very thin and weak. The treble is a bit better and not as harsh, but still lacks a lot of richness and character. It reminds me a little of a banjo.
One better acoustic sample I could find is here, but it is Spot (different woods). The bass balance seems better here, but note that the body size is larger.
Recent recordings (March 2019) of Lucky from Adam Miller are here:
Acoustic
Listen to the Traugott acoustic compared to the archtop. It has so much more complexity, body, bass, and treble sweetness. In my opinion, you would only play the archtop amplified because the acoustic tone is mediocre.
Amplified but with pencil mic and mic on small amp
Both of these recordings are with Lucky with the newer Duneland Labs pickup. The amplified tone sounds much better than the acoustic sound, the latter which seems dry and 2D. The amplified tone is much better sounding than previous recordings. The treble still sounds a little brittle and thin, but the bass and rich complexity are more apparent. It also isn’t clear what EQ was done on either recording however. You can significantly change the tone with EQ and good recording techniques and processing.
You can really hear the Maccafferi quality of these kinds of archtops. It lends itself to a certain style like Bluegrass or more country-like tones. It’s a modern-day Django Reinhardt tone guitar. Tommy Emmanuel even mentions this on a Youtube video when he plays the Parker here with Martin Taylor:
I just don't think this tone is that awe-inspiring. I don't agree that this is the most beautiful guitar ever made, nor is it the best sounding.
I hear a strident treble that doesn’t have a sweetness to it. I also noticed that when multiple people play “Lucky,” they tend to play harder and you can hear the fret buzz all over. This is quite annoying in my opinion. This is noticeable also here:
Acoustic tone is very bluegrass and Django-like. Again, it sounds much better amplified, and of course this is where the amp, mic, recording, etc. can certainly add EQ to get a better tone as it can for any other guitar.
The newer Duneland Labs pickup has very good sound, but of course doesn’t do anything for the basic acoustic tone.
They don’t mention that the guitar shown (Lucky) is like $50K USD or perhaps more since it is KP’s personal guitar.
In my opinion, I don’t hear that great of an acoustic tone from these guitars -- even when played by these master players. I am sure they play very well and are visually stunning, but sonically, I feel they are lacking. And very much disproportionate to the price.
There’s an acoustic depth, 3D, air, and complexity that is missing like you would get on a flattop. Hence the amplified sound I believe is far superior (also allows EQ and modification). Here is an example of a flattop sound which is stunning in its rich, complex bass and sweet, chimey highs. This is a multi-scale guitar from Benoit Lavoie.
Or listen to a Buendia masterpiece:
The acoustic tones here are so much better than any acoustic archtop in my opinion.
On Youtube, search for “Ken Parker Archtop” and take a listen. I could not find that many good sounding recordings of the guitar acoustically, but there are a few that sound good when amplified.
I think people are hearing with their eyes and wallet. I have tried to be objective and listen carefully to the Parker archtop from the Youtube videos and sound samples available on the web, but all I hear from the guitar acoustically is a thin, strident treble tone -- like an updated Django tone -- with not much bass. Even with the bass, there’s no complexity or richness. It might be loud and light, with great playability but the acoustic tone is not great in my opinion. The treble is a bit annoying too -- not sweet, chimey, airy and smooth like on a great acoustic.
You're essentially buying an investment at > $30K USD!
