Looking for a new axe!

haden olmsted · #1 03-29-2010, 07:33 PM

Hey guys, this is my first post here. I was tired of no one really knowing or caring about jazz and jazz guitars over on the harmony central forums, so i made the move.

Back to the matter at hand... Im in the market for a new guitar and im looking to get a jazz guitar. At the moment in kinda caught between two Eastmans and two Gretschs... The Eastmans are the T186mx and the AR803CE 16. The Gretschs are the Country Club and the Black Falcon... I really like em all but idk which one is the best buy... I really play mostly jazz/fusion and blues/rockabilly stuff... not really that huge on jazz solo standard stuff but i want something that can kinda do all the tones i need out of a hollowbody... If you all have any suggestions or input that would be great, thanks.

msr13 · #2 03-29-2010, 08:24 PM

Welcome to the group. Of the four, which felt the most comfortable and good to play? All four are very different guitars with different bodies and necks. If they all feel good, I would strongly lean toward the T186. It would give you a nice variety. The Gretschs are really nice, too, but my personal preference would be the Eastman, at that point.

jazzrat · #3 03-29-2010, 10:53 PM

I have a very nice AR803CE. Very fine guitar, what it does, it does well, but I would say not as versatile as the T186.

82Benedetto · #4 03-30-2010, 05:03 PM

PM sent.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #5 03-30-2010, 05:19 PM

Jazz/fusion and blues/rockabilly? I wouldn't be trying to get all that out of one guitar.

amusiathread · #6 03-30-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Jazz/fusion and blues/rockabilly? I wouldn't be trying to get all that out of one guitar.

I agree with this point. You CAN get one guitar that gets a lot of sounds that are just okay, or you can get one guitar that sounds incredible with just a couple of tones. But getting one guitar that sounds great with a lot of tones is pretty tall order.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #7 03-31-2010, 12:13 AM

Also, does jazz/fusion mean you play jazz and fusion, or just jazz fusion?

What might help is if you list guitarists whose signature tones you'd like your guitar to evoke.

Prestige Guitars · #8 04-01-2010, 12:28 PM

Hi Gang,
Last year, Guitar Player Magazine did a big "Fight Club" Review on some major Semi Hollowbody and Hollowbody Jazz Guitars. The guitars they reviewed consisted of Collings, Gretsch, Hutchins, Normandy, Prestige, PRS and Reverand. It is a great read for anybody in the market for a new hollobody guitar.

Here is a LINK to the PDF File from our site: http://www.prestigeguitars.com/guita...ian-review.pdf

(I hope this doesn't come off as shameless promotion of our guitars. I just think this article is genuinely a good read for anyone contemplating a purchase of any of these brands)

haden olmsted · #9 04-02-2010, 01:39 PM

well my influences at this point are pretty much Scofield, Grant Green, BB King... so for all those things... i really lean toward the t186mx... but recently iv been really into rockabilly type sounds... so thats where the gretsch comes into play... but iv decided ill just get both in the long run... which ever i get first idk, but what ever i get now wont be the last guitar i ever get