POLL: what type of guitar do you mainly play for jazz?

[KirkP]

I don’t have a “primary jazz instrument” as I tend to rotate through various guitars in my small arsenal. Each one brings out something a little different in my playing.

[L50EF15]

How about “D: All of the above”? I play jazz on electric solid body and hollow body (Les Paul with P90s, Les Paul with humbuckers, Tele, Casino); acoustic archtops (L Jr., L-50, L-75); and acoustic flattops (Yamaha Eterna EF-15 and Gibson G-200EC).

I do the same thing with banjo (primarily tenor and plectrum) and mandolin (including a Loar era A Jr. Snakehead).

It’s all a matter of mood as I rotate between them.

[pauln]

Exclusively for the last 35 years.

[dixiehwy25]

A couple of months ago, I watched Jens Larson's video "$400 jazz guitar" (90's Epiphone Sheraton btw). I got online and started looking around. I found a natural 2023 Epiphone Frequensator that was barely used from Guitar Center for the same price as a new ES335 Epiphone, so I got it. It's a pretty nice guitar with a lot of luxury features on it, I'm pretty pleased. I'm experimenting with it in different ways. I think it will do jazz pretty well.

Archtops are pretty much what I'm into, though. About 15 years ago I bought a new Aria FA-77, and a 90's Aria FA-70 when I made it abortive attempt to relearn the guitar. I still have them and they are keepers. I decided a couple of months ago to restart again so last week I bought a Loar LH-300 and am starting from scratch with that one right now. So it would be fair to say I'm pretty much an archtop type.

Personally, I think what type of guitar one would play depends more on the style and the ensemble that one's going to be playing in. There is an old saying- you have to have the right tool for the job.

[2bornot2bop]

2B, you have a point. All those pizzas that I tossed back in my Pizza business days sure took a lot of effort from my hands. And then in my Lawyer days, I used my hands to type quite a few pleadings and memorandums of law. My hands deserve a rest!

And indeed, I have had many opportunities in this life. America has provided this grandson of an illiterate immigrant from Romania with the tools for a life well lived. What a Country!

Romainian roots?! Outstanding. Did you pick up any language? I nearly went to Bucharest when I was in Ukraine.

[lawson-stone]

I absolutely love my Tele, but it's my archtops that take me to my happy place, the guitar sound and feel I have sought all my life. When I pick up literally any of the archtops I own, I'm there. King of the herd is the L5ces, but the ES175 "VOS" is flawless as well. Two Epiphones, a MiK Broadway and Zephyr Regent Re-Issue, are often reached for. Last, the Aria Pro II PE180 is a jewel. Love them all, play them often.

[SOLR]

Solid lately, I'm 75 with the most common issues mentioned in other posts...

While I love the sound of my archtops I just can't play them for any length of time, everything hurts ...

For the last 3 years I've been happy with the Schecter solo II custom, an amazing instrument, easy to play (for me, slim neck! ) and the neck pup sounds really good (replaced the pots with CTS ) better than most LP I've used(I just can't do Fenders !!??!) it weighs 7.5 lbs . Has some Chromes on it now but usually have TI JS 112 or 113

I've sold my ES 150 TD double cut (the one Jesse Van Ruller sometimes play), and my 70 something GB10 (never could bond with it ) and sold the d'angelico EXL 1 recently (too big it hurt my neck and shoulders) I kept my slim hollow Luthier custom made

but don't like it nearly as much as the Solo II. I am in the process of acquiring a second one .

S

[2bornot2bop]

[2bornot2bop]