Guitar - Whats The Diffrence Between Flame and Arch Top?

Question

This may be a stupid question, but I keep hearing a difference between some guitar, the difference of Flame top and arch top...

Whats the difference, and does it make a big difference?

Does this style hinder my choice in guitars due to sound?

Thanks for any help!

Answer 1

"Flame" refers only to the finish of the wood. "Archtop" is a shaped top that is arched (as opposed to "flat top").

The finish makes no difference. Some people have a real preference for archtops, as they do for flat tops. I believe archtops DO have a fuller sound, if only because they enlarge the inner volume of the instrument. Most ( I think) jazz players prefer an archtop guitar to help get that mellow tone that jazz guitars tend to produce. However, I play jazz on a flat top (Taylor 812ce), but use the strings (flatwound) that are commonly found on archtop jazz guitars.

Read more about the differences here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fla...

Kabum

Answer 2

Flame means it's got a figured maple top that looks like a "flame" is running through it.  This is a very cool look and is common on many guitars:

http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/techno...

Arch top refers to hollow body jazz guitars because the actual top of the guitar is carved from inside to arch outwards when it has been placed on the guitar.  These are usually 16 or 17 inch wide guitars with f-holes in them.  This example you can see the arch in the top and back of the guitar:

http://www.mandoweb.com/88-2508.JPG

One term you didn't ask about is Quilt Top.  Quilt top is very similar to Flame Top, it is also maple, but the quilt has a different look:

http://www.garzguitars.com/images/ranft....