PM3C or LGB30

[voxo]

have the money...what would you choose LGB30 or PMC3...

[chris32895]

Do you want a single coil or humbucker sound i.e. articulate vs fat sound (generally speaking)?

[AllanAllen]

Do you want a single coil or humbucker sound i.e. articulate vs fat sound (generally speaking)?

Exactly... I don't like humbucker tones, so I'll go with PM3C, but most people seem to like them just fine.

And if you do like humbucker tones.. might I interest you in this?

Eastman AR503CE

[dconeill]

I would pick the one whose combination of sound and playability I liked better. I wouldn't be very interested in what other people have to say about it - particularly sound - since I'd be the one playing it. On the other hand, I might be interested in what others had to say about build quality, materials, and so on.

If I were unable to find examples to play locally, I'd buy both from somewhere with a good return policy, audition them both, and then send one (or maybe both or neither) back.

[Cunamara]

Based purely on the YouTube videos that I have heard, not on playing either instrument, I would be inclined towards the PM3C. I like single coil sounds, for one thing; for another the PM3C to my mind falls into the Charlie Christian lineage of jazz guitar tone which includes players like Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, 1950s Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel, etc. Tim Lerch has several videos with his that show the tonal possibilities to good advantage.

These guitars are quite different ergonomically and that's very important. It goes without saying that if you have the option to play both, you'll be better able to make a decision. Unfortunately, few of us live anywhere in the world where a music store would have both of these in stock.

[2bornot2bop]

For $800 one can have a used LGB30. That’s a can’t miss in my book.

[chris32895]

Honestly they both look like great instruments and will have near identical build quality so it comes down to what hardware you want and what sound you want. Secondarily, what aesthetics you are after.
If it were me, I would get an LGB30 for a typical warm jazz sound and the PM3C for something new/modern (I know CC was the original jazz pickup, but I think what most people call a 'typical' jazz sound is round and fat), preferably after already having tried a typical jazz setup.
If you are a newbie to jazz, my vote would be the LGB30. Otherwise, pick on the above factors