PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[Monkey King]

Great to hear that you're getting into Jazz Guitar! It's a great area, and makes for some really amazing combinations of music. I've heard some great pairings of Jazz and heavier rock (Stone Temple Pilots come to mind, listen to their Bassist and Guitarist and you can definitely hear the Jazz elements). Personally, to start on Jazz Guitar, I'd recomend looking into a hollowbody. It's hard to get that Jazz tone without one. Personally my primary stage ax is a Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean (hollowbody) played through a Roland Jazz Chorus 90 (with a few Danelectro effects). Gretsches are great for what they do, and have an unmistakable sound, but can be on the pricey side. For a first hollowbody, I would strongly suggest looking into the Ibanez Artcore line. I've played a few of them, and own one with a fairly decent Bigsby style tremolo arm on it (they're also available without it) and let me preach it.... You ain't gonna find a better (or ANY other) hollowbody in the $300-$350 range. Watch out, though, because at high volumes ANY hollowbody will start giving you feedback fits if you don't know what you're doing. What guitarists do you find influencing your playing? Every guitarist has hints and their faves, just keep in mind... There WAS life before Clapton and Hendrix.

[Guest]

[jazz]

Hi everyone,

I've been doing classical for a while now and have never had the perfect balance of working in jazz time but I just came together with a bassist and a drummer and we got some jazz gigs coming up. I'm still looking for a good jazz guitar though, I have a Guild bluesbird (like goldtop lespaul) and a G&L S-500 Stratocaster. The guild has the amazing setup feel but doesn't have the sound and the pickups are kind of strange, probably need rewiring. The G&L is a great guitar for blues and rock. I've used it a little in the jazz but still doesn't encompass the feel. I imagine there is some psychology to it where if you're on a hollowbody, you feel like you're playing jazz, thus you play it better heh. So I run both of these guitars through a Dean Markley (smaller 50w amp) that was my first amp and has had a bass run through it enough to destroy the speaker, which somehow made the sound even better.
I also have a Marshall bi-chorus 8200 head, and 4X12 Marshall Cab.

My Jazz influences are Django Reinhardt, Bireli Lagrene, the gypsies, and recently some more electric stuff like Johnny Smith, George Benson, and some bossa-Charlie Byrd.
If anyone knows of a good big jazz box, something the size of a jumbo but electric, So you could play the Django stuff on it and the electric stuff on it, please do tell me. I probably have up to 1500 to spend on one.

Take care,
Phil

[gigginpig]

Hollow bodies are nice. I have an old Yamaha 335 copy (SA-2000), and an Ibanez George Benson GB-5 (BTW: the GB-5 is a 17" archtop, as opposed to the GB-10 which is the smaller body guitar). However, I've found that I can get a beautiful soft jazz tone out of the neck pickup on my Tele. I've had people who hear my recordings ask what type of "jazz guitar" I played and were surprized to learn it was a Tele. So, I suppose my message is not to completely toss out a solidbody when searching for good Jazz tone.

I currently play Sundown amplifiers. Again, these are old too. They were made by Dennis Kager back in the mid 80's. Basically an all tube boutique amp but you can get them for a song if you can find one.

Other guitars are a custom strat and a Yamaha SBG-2000.

[Rich]

Hello,

I'm new to this site but that been playing guitar for 7 years. I am classically trained, but have been into jazz for about 4 years. It was only recently that I discovered the brilliance of Wes Montgonmery's technique in octaves, and single note solos, so much so that I felt moved enough to buy a semi-acoustic. I brought a Stagg Electric Jazz guitar, as it sounded identical to a Gibson Super 400 owned by a friend. I haven't look back since buying the guitar for a mere fraction of the GS400 as it has given me good performances and is quite beautiful. Stagg are going to go far, if they keep the quality up. I've also heard that there Les Paul Series are pretty good also.

So if you want to get the dusty Wes sound, a Stagg is the way forward. Not unless you've already aquired a signiture model, or have a gibson semi acoustic of some kind.

I would like to know if there are any other Stagg owners out there, or people who have played on a Stagg, and have any core recommendations for amplifiers.

Peace guys,

Rich

[Jazz]

Hey,

I am 23 and have been playing guitar for almost 14 years. Over the last 4 years I have fell in love with jazz guitar. Over the years I have played lots of different guitars, and own atleast a half dozen guitars. I have found this great jazz guitar made by Tradition <traditionguitars.com>. I have the MTA500, but all guitars in the MTA series are hot. It is not the most well know guitar yet, but everyone should try one. I also play through a Peavey Classic 30 amp (all tube). This set up allows me to get sweet jazz tones, but rock if I need.

Later
Jeremy

[colin]

I recently bought an epiphone emperor, joe pass signature model. I play it through an old Fender Champ 12 all valve. Superb tone!! The floating bridge needs a bit of care if your playing style is a bit heavy. I've used the guitar in a country band and the tone is excellent for that deep twang.

I tried an Artcore form Ibanez and it was okay but the pick ups on the epi really won the day.

colin

[shopdog]

It's not the model or even type of guitar you play.
Just ask Earl Klugh.
_________________
A good axe will get you through times of no women better then a women will in times of no guitars. Sad but true.

[Brian]

I play a Ibanez Artcore AFS75T through a 1959 Gibson Skylark GA-5T. Really happy with the Ibanez, I feel it a good choice for those seeking the Gretsch 6120 sound/feel on a tight budget. A Gretsch someday, an Ibanez today. Take care.

[Guest]

Wait until the true digital guitars hit the market.
If you've ever played around with digital modeling amps like the Roland 30 you might be interested in the evolution of digital guitars.
Just imagine having the exact tones of any classic guitar from gut strings to Pauls to L-5's, all at the flick of a switch!
Now this approuch may not be for every player, there's still a lot of pretty heated discussion about digital not being musical, or how modeling doesn't quite sound real enough and on and on.
Personally and maybe because I've used Roland guitar synth's for years, I like the idea. My feeling is you can make just about anything musical, the more the merrier!

[jazzalta]

Hi all. I'm new here. RE guitars: I just ordered a new Gibson ES-175. Costly up here in Canada but I'm so looking forward to expanding my jazz horizons. I'll pair it with a Fender tube amp and I should be set.

[coz]

Hey man. Youshould try to buy a Gibson ES-175 over here in Scotland. Pricey would be an understatement. Best of luck to you when it arrives and many years to enjoy it.

Colin

[coz]

Hi

I own and play a Tacoma acoustic guitar, the Roadking. Its great to play. I understand that they also make an archtop semi. Any one tried it out or know anything about it.

Colin

[zoki]

hi
I play ibanez fg 100 jazzbox and on it flats from fender
and i just got roland jc_120 amp and now I am all set and happy
roland is a huge amp with remarkable clean sound
and this is really nice guitar ibanez fg 100
currently I am also building me my own archtop solid wood acoustic guitar with the help of benedetto plans and book
i think it will be finished in autumn
regards zoki

[Ronjazz]

Check out Samick's Greg Bennett line of big jazz boxes, around $600, excellent. Amps basically suck, I've given up, now using Bose PAS system with various processors, mostly Korg, much more controllable, no feedback, very clean, easy to use.