Jazz players & gear

Al_F · #1 03-31-2011, 11:07 AM

I'm curious, in general, would you say jazz players are as focused on equipment as say rock/blues guys with amps or acoustic players with boutique guitar builders ?

Banksia · #2 03-31-2011, 11:11 AM

In $$$ terms, yes they are but, in terms of gadgets, not so much.

mr. beaumont · #3 03-31-2011, 11:12 AM

Yes and no. We have less to focus on usually, but we love to focus on it--we're still guitar players, after all.

At least we don't have too many conversations here about little boxes you step on or the virtues of adirondack versus englemann verses bearclaw versus german versus whatever spruce...

NSJ · #4 03-31-2011, 11:30 AM

Ever check out the Gear Page? Wow.

One thing I learned there that I've never known before was the difference between R0, R9, R8, R7, R6. I still haven't ever played one, or a Std, or a Junior or a Deluxe, or a Studio, or a "Slash reissue" or a "Jimmy Page reissue" or a...

I like focusing on music and less on gadgets.

As someone said here, "jazz is music, not gear".

RoyaleT · #5 03-31-2011, 11:46 AM

I believe we are far less prone to chase the "Latest and the Greatest" stuff out there. We appreciate the mellowed tone of an aged instrument, and the craftsmaship inherant in jazz guitars, as well as the simplicity of a good clean amp.

FWBO · #6 03-31-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyaleT

I believe we are far less prone to chase the "Latest and the Greatest" stuff out there. We appreciate the mellowed tone of an aged instrument, and the craftsmaship inherant in jazz guitars, as well as the simplicity of a good clean amp.

I think we do the opposite of the "latest and greatest". We tend to reject the modern and place value on older stuff particularly guitars which can end up costing a lot. Even the new guitars are fairly historical in outlook. I would say that it is likely that as the demographic of jazz lovers being older than rockers we probably can afford more expensive gear too.

Al_F · #7 03-31-2011, 05:21 PM

Yes, some people really get into the differences and details between Les Paul models or tone woods, that's what I'm talking about it. Everyone's different of course which is a good thing.

Klatu · #8 03-31-2011, 07:03 PM

It's a different level of gear obsession. Often times the central issue which concerns a jazzer is whether or not they'll have to make more than one trip to the car to get their gear.

barrymclark · #9 03-31-2011, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klatu

It's a different level of gear obsession. Often times the central issue which concerns a jazzer is whether or not they'll have to make more than one trip to the car to get their gear.

This!

Funny, that is exactly a large portion of my criteria. Can I carry this and that all in one load with no issue.

woyvel · #10 03-31-2011, 09:29 PM

Regardless of the genre, I think we focus too much on the gear, myself included. Even the above-average, non-musician, fan in your audience isn't going to give a good gosh darn, or even care about the difference, if you're playing an L-5 through a Dumble or a Squier through a Crate.

mr. beaumont · #11 03-31-2011, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klatu

It's a different level of gear obsession. Often times the central issue which concerns a jazzer is whether or not they'll have to make more than one trip to the car to get their gear.

Post of the day! So true.

I'm so happy with my 18lb. Speaker cab/ amp head in a shoulder bag...to think I used to gig a fender twin! Back when I thought I was important enough to need 85w and 2 12" speakers...

Flyin' Brian · #12 03-31-2011, 11:02 PM

I'm a long time Gear Page member. There's no doubt that the focus there is way more about gear than music. Many folks are highly paid professionals, doctors, attorneys etc who have huge (20-30) guitar collections and amp collections. The more gear they have, the less interested in jazz most of them are.

Although I'm a member there, the concept of paying $250 for a 15 foot guitar cable is quite foreign to me.

amhabz · #13 03-31-2011, 11:06 PM

Agree with Mr. B, small is great. In the early/mid 60's, I had the only car the amps would fit into, a convertible, had to put the top down to fit in my big Mosrite amp and my cousin's homemade amp with separate speaker cab. He had a big woofer, tweeters and mids in the cab and made the amp part from radio shack kit. Looking back maybe we started something.

Abaddon2005 · #14 04-01-2011, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woyvel

Regardless of the genre, I think we focus too much on the gear, myself included. Even the above-average, non-musician, fan in your audience isn't going to give a good gosh darn, or even care about the difference, if you're playing an L-5 through a Dumble or a Squier through a Crate.

I think that's generally true, but then you have your own ears as well. Personally, it matters to me. I once played on a strat at practice with some kind of reverse wiring and when i thought it was on the neck it was actually on the bridge. i was playing through a little crate and the sound was so terribly shrill i didn't really feel like playing anymore.