The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I realize Trad Jazz is sort of outside the norm for most of the topics here, but today, I attended the Sacramento Trad Jazz Society monthly meeting and jam sessions and had a blast. A great group of people! The problem: my Loar 600 would have been overwhelmed by all the horns, so I played plectrum banjo instead. However, I'm relatively new to banjo, and couldn't sight read all the charts fast enough to be in the groups that I would have liked to sit in with. It would have been simple if were playing guitar, but just not loud enough.
    I then thought about the Gretsch Honey Dipper.......Would it cut through? Anyone tried? I don't want to spend $500 to find out it doesn't.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2
    Let me define Trad Jazz as I heard it today: 2 trumpets, 1 clarinet, 1 trombone, sax, drummer mostly using sticks, tuba for bass, and the early pre-1930 arrangements. ---The piano was even a bit quiet for solos.

    My previous band played early and mid 30s music, and my guitars were just fine. This was way more raucous than anything I've been in so far.
    Last edited by 10course; 09-13-2015 at 10:45 PM.

  4. #3

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    Check for videos with John Reynolds on youtube.


  5. #4

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    I think you will find that resonator guitars, like traditional acoustic archtops, project nicely, with much greater volume than you experience in playing position. They also provide something which banjos lack: sustain. You might have to alter your right hand technique to compensate for these factors, and occasionally massage your cheeks to relieve the cramping that the inevitable big ol' grin may cause, 'cause resonators are major fun!

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Lang
    Check for videos with John Reynolds on youtube.

    Yeah!! I can see a resonator in my future! My tenor banjo practicing doesn't seem to go anywhere, and I'm not even in love with the sound of it. Resonator sounds great, on the other hand, and I wouldn't have to struggle with learning chords...

    Which type of resonator is the loudest, btw?

  7. #6
    I'd be curious to know that as well. As for new ones, the metal Gretsch seemed louder that the Fenders, wood Gretsches, and Epiphones.
    My banjo sounds good as far as plectrum banjos go, I think I'm just not partial to banjos. It feels like a tool rather than an instrument--the tool that I use to play Trad/Dixieland when I want to reproduce a particular sound. Doesn't inspire me to practice......

    My wife and daughter never tell me to close the door to the music room when playing guitar, but the banjo......all I hear are doors slamming and complaining.
    Last edited by 10course; 09-14-2015 at 03:10 AM.

  8. #7

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    My wife and daughter never tell me to close the door to the music room when playing guitar, but the banjo......all I hear are doors slamming and complaining.

    That is the dream, a music room! My gf (soon to be more
    ) says that once we move to a house, I can get a music room (we live in an NYC apartment). She even said I could get an upright bass! We all gotta look forward to something

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by 10course

    My wife and daughter never tell me to close the door to the music room when playing guitar, but the banjo......all I hear are doors slamming and complaining.
    Damn, my gf actually escapes to 'her' room(it's really bedroom) when I start playing banjo. She hates it! hahaha, wow, I thought it's just me! I don't have any music room, so I started practicing in the kitchen. The problem is, the kitchen doesn't have a door.

  10. #9

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    I've been using a Gitane D500 for an all acoustic Trad gig for a few years now, it is a cannon, very loud. I would recommend checking one out if possible.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by eddy b.
    I've been using a Gitane D500 for an all acoustic Trad gig for a few years now, it is a cannon, very loud. I would recommend checking one out if possible.
    I have one too. It is loud, but not that loud in my book. I met a guy at a jam recently who played an old parlor guitar that was louder then Gitane. I dunno, I just never bonded with it, I guess. It's very uncomfortable to play for me for some reason. All the Gypsy jazz guys plug their guitars in anyway for the gigs, and mine has a build in mic too. Still, when play a Gypsy jazz gig I bring my Guild archtop, works much better for me.

  12. #11

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    I've been searching for a good parlor guitar. I'd sell my classical to get one. The best I've seen for the price was a Bedell parlor. Perfect size, and the tone was really yummy!

  13. #12

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    Oscar Aleman was known to have used a resonator guitar. I've seen several photos of him with what looks to be a National Tri-Cone. He also used a thumbpick.

  14. #13

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    Did Oscar still play his flavor of gypsy jazz on the resonator, or did he use it for another style? Just curious.

  15. #14
    Well, I'm willing to give a $2500-$3500 National Tri-Cone (and other vintage brands) a play to see what the fuss is about, but I am a vintage sceptic. After my quest for the "best" archtop, I've developed a different perspective of what vintage means. I'm going to a bluegrass oriented music store this evening that has many resonators. I'll let you know what I learn.

  16. #15

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    A bluegrass music store will probably have mostly, if not all, square neck resonator guitars with spider bridge resonators. These are usually found in Dobros. The traditional National had a biscuit cone or Tri-Cone with a totally different sound than the spiders. Try them all before you buy.

    Resonators Explained, by Paul Kucharski

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Irez87
    Did Oscar still play his flavor of gypsy jazz on the resonator, or did he use it for another style? Just curious.
    Irez87,
    I've seen pics of Aleman playing resonators, Grande Bouche Selmer/Maccaferris and classic guitars. I imagine that he played whatever he wanted with whatever guitar he had at hand. He did play both single string and fingerstyle.

  18. #17

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    I've seen pictures of Lonnie Johnson with resonator guitars, and his playing was none too shabby!

  19. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Slide
    A bluegrass music store will probably have mostly, if not all, square neck resonator guitars with spider bridge resonators. These are usually found in Dobros. The traditional National had a biscuit cone or Tri-Cone with a totally different sound than the spiders. Try them all before you buy.

    Resonators Explained, by Paul Kucharski
    You were spot on! I'll keep looking.

  20. #19

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    For some, the answer to your problem would be 6 string guitar tuned banjo, or "ganjo".


  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
    For some, the answer to your problem would be 6 string guitar tuned banjo, or "ganjo".

    Ganjo? Yet for some it's ganja that solves all the problems!

  22. #21

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    Check out Republic Guitars website . They have some real nice resonators and parlor guitars . I bought a tri-cone a few years ago from them . Nice prices and good people .

  23. #22
    Is tri-cone the loudest? Republic is priced very competitively. --Im considering them.

  24. #23

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    What's the story on Republic? Are they actually making them or sourcing them cheap?

  25. #24

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    What's the story on Republic? Are they actually making them or sourcing them cheap?
    I am pretty sure Republic guitars are made in China.

    Is tri-cone the loudest? Republic is priced very competitively. --Im considering them.


    Last edited by Slide; 09-16-2015 at 05:35 PM.

  26. #25
    Well then, brash is OK by me for what I'm doing. ----It can't be more jarring or distracting than a plectrum banjo with a high tensioned Mylar clear skin comping to Ain't Misbehavin.