2 part question

[velvethammer]

Hi I'm Kirk and I'm a Jazzaholic.
I'm getting back into playing guitar after a long layoff.My son started playing and now i have the bug again,only this time it's for jazz. I'm from the 80's shredder mode and self taught.

I want to buy an acoustic but have never owned one. I want to purchase one for less than $ 200.00 and don't know what to buy.

Two of my choices are the Epiphone PR-4 or the Epiphone AJ-100CE.Another guitar that caught me eye was on Ebay. They have these acoustic/electrics made by I think GUITARMAN. They are inexpensive and look interesting. Are any of these good choices?

Also,I have a '69 Fender Jazzmaster for any electric stuff I may want to play. Would i be wise to put flatround strings on it and if so why?

Thanks for listening to my rant,thanks for having me aboard.

Kirk

[mongrel]

First: Get to know pawnshops in your area. I have a hidden gem 10 minutes from my home run by a guy who mainly deals in jewelry but is a great guitar player and gets some really funky axes that he sells cheap. A couple of years ago on one of my weekly visits I noticed a nasty cracked top acoustic archtop with an SS Stewart neck and bought it for around $20 US. My guy had gotten it for free and re-set the neck. The top and sides were cracked but someone had made epoxy repairs and it played fine--good frets, straight board and nice high action. Even came with its original ratty gig back. One of Harmony's extended family from late '50's or early '60's. Great beater to take to the beach or woods with almost no projection so it won't wake the wife or dog at 3 a.m.

Second: Get a set of .11 or .12 D'Addario Chromes--the outright best flatwounds for the money-- and string up that Fender. This would be very wise because you may be so enchanted by the new tones that you end up savings hundreds to thousands of dollars on expensive archtops and different amps. I've put them on my Strat, vintage Les Paul Custom and really vintage '62 ES 355 as well as my floor beater Tele-clone and deArmond solid body. Don't forget to play with your Jazzmaster's pickup heights to fine tune the tones.

For around $35 US I've presented a reasonably priced solution.

[hot ford coupe]

I agree with Mongrel. .012 flatwounds on that Jazzzmaster will really surprise you. I also did that with a Strat and used only the neck pickup. Check out Joe Pass on YouTube playing a Jazzmaster. It's an old vid but it's very convincing.

[cosmic gumbo]

Craigslist is usually full of great bargains for used acoustics, or for $200 you could get a new Yamaha or Washburn worth owning. Flatwounds would sound very jazz on that Fender.

[SamBooka]

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

I agree with Mongrel. .012 flatwounds on that Jazzzmaster will really surprise you. I also did that with a Strat and used only the neck pickup. Check out Joe Pass on YouTube playing a Jazzmaster. It's an old vid but it's very convincing.

Yep.. all the horrible things you hear about jazzmasters go away when you put heavy flats (ok.. they are still pretty noisy pickups.. but everything else is fine)

I didnt find the joe pass vid with a jazzmaster but I did find one with a jaguar. Some guitar players can make anything sound good. We should all aspire to that. I myself am guilty of focusing on getting the right tone from the guitar instead of the right tone from my fingers (but that is another rant).

Wellcome to the phorums.

[Steve Z]

Kirk,

If you already know how to play the guitar some and want to learn jazz youmay want to consider taking lessons online with http://www.jimmybrunoguitarinstitute.com. Great program at a great price.


Regarding Joe Pass playing a Jazzmaster, I have never seen any video of him using a Jazzmaster, but here is picture of Joe Pass with the Jazzmaster (nice guitar) and a video of him using a Fender Jaguar...

YouTube Video

[velvethammer]

thank you for your replys and the welcome.
the jazzmaster was my grandfathers.he bought it original and it may be some what of an oddball guitar so i don't like to play it.
in 1986, when i got the guitar, a local guy who knows his fenders said it didn't have the right tuners on it.i thought he told me that to devalue it because he offered to buy it. i ignored this until a few years ago when i read an article on jazzmasters that spoke of a rumor about 68'and 69' that had grovers on them.the author said he had never seen one but has spoke to ppl that said they had. i wrote him but he never wrote back.
thats kinda why i want a cheap acoustic or maybe a semi hollow or hollowbody.
what is it about the flat wounds and should i put them on an acoustic as well?

[Steve Z]

Jazzmasters are nice guitars... and since yours has family history definitely keep it and play it.

Flatwound strings produce a warmer/mellower tone than round wound strings. I would not put flatwounds on an acoustic guitar though.

[SamBooka]

I dont know if you noticed but jazzmasters are one of the most comfortable guitars to play sitting down. I have never heard of grovers on a JM BUT if they are not original you should see extra screw holes from the original schallers (I think they were schallers.. anyway.. big honkin F tuners) on the back.

Keep it.. love it. It isnt ultra collectable but a good and underappreciated guitar. GBASE has one for 3500$ (and I find their prices a little high) so you wont sell it and retire. Oh.. and because you are new to the forums there is a new rule.. you must post lots and lots of pics of the guitar

[Doctor Jeff]

The Jazzmaster is made for heavy-gauge flatwound strings and when properly set up can produce quite a reasonable jazz tone:

Detailed Fender Jaguar and Jazzmaster review | Jag-Stang.com

I would stay away from flattop acoustics, as they are too bright and you are unlikely to be able to get the tone you want. (Although Joe Pass could make even a Martin sound great...) The expensive exception I have found is Taylor cutaways that I think are good for about anything.

I second the idea of looking for a cheap old acoustic archtop in the local pawn stores, on Craigslist, or on Ebay. The Harmony/Kay/Silvertone line is frequently found out there, though be careful because a lot of them without truss rods have neck set issues, and they have become more collectible recently, with a resultant increase in the price beyond what they're worth.

acoustic archtop, great deals on Musical Instruments, Antiques on eBay!

Or, save up your money and get a Godin 5th Ave. or Gretsch G100.

[velvethammer]

[velvethammer]

[velvethammer]

[Steve Z]

Wow! That looks to be a very clean Jazzmaster. Thanks for posting the picture.

[SamBooka]

very sweeeet .. cherish it dude.
That is too clean a job for those not to be original tuners.
The big F is a tip-off as well. I have NEVER seen them before.
Glad you didnt sell it for nothing!

[velvethammer]

thanks. now to get some flatwounds.

[TommyD]

Look at what Ed Bickert plays! NOT an acoustic.