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

[ruger9]

Just curious how many people do NOT play an archtop as their primary "jazz guitar". Of course you can play jazz on anything, I'm just curious what the players here actually do.

[John A.]

You should add semi-hollow and an option for "no primary jazz instrument; I switch between more than one."

Not sure of the percent of jazz time each guitar gets, but it's split among one archtop, one semi, and two solids for performing/jam sessions, plus a flattop for some of my practicing. Overall, the archtop probably gets more jazz time than any one of the others, but it gets almost no time with the other music I play (mainly blues, plus whatever else comes up). All of this varies according the specific music, random "I feel like playing my [] today", etc.

[Alter]

I mainly use a 335, cause of the no feedback factor. I also like the edgier attack sometimes. I think my ideal guitar would be a 330 maybe!

[jamesego]

I play an ES-330, so one vote hollowbody

[ruger9]

Yeah, I forgot about 335/semi-hollows... to me, they're more of a solidbody, but they do fall in-between.

Maybe I should have just said
Archtop
or
Something else

[AllanAllen]

335 is a semi-hollow thinline archtop. So, in my opinion, it's an archtop.

[mr. beaumont]

The one I'm currently holding

I just like guitars. 9 times out of 10 I grab an acoustic these days, either my Martin flattop or a Yamaha Classical. I also keep a beat up classical in my classroom.

My New Years resolution is going to be to plug in more, actually. That shit is FUN.

[jim777]

I mainly play my Emerald X-20 acoustic for everything, as it fits my left hand at the moment (post-surgery) with the least amount of discomfort. It is a fantastic guitar though, and it has gotten the majority of my unplugged playing time for years. It is a flat topped, carbon fibre acoustic.

[John A.]

335 is a semi-hollow thinline archtop. So, in my opinion, it's an archtop.

And a Les Paul is a solid archtop ... what a second ... my Les Paul has weight relief holes so it's a hollow-body archtop ... and my strat has a swimming pool rout and the pickguard is a little bit curved, so that's a hollow-body arcthop, too. I guess my "primary jazz guitar" (all 4 of them) is an archtop after all.

I mean come on, we all know that solid body, archtop, and semi-hollow as descriptors are not really about the shape of the guitar's top so much as they are about the overall construction of the guitar. I don't think many people who play "archtops" and "semi-hollows" are confused about which is which or use the labels interchangeably.

[AllanAllen]

My New Years resolution is going to be to plug in more, actually. That shit is FUN.

If you want to plug in in front of people hit me up. I'm going to be playing in Chicago (Ravenswood) a few times this year, you're welcome to sit in.

[AllanAllen]

And a Les Paul is a solid archtop ... what a second ... my Les Paul has weight relief holes so it's a hollow-body archtop ... and my strat has a swimming pool rout and the pickguard is a little bit curved, so that's an hollow-body arcthop, too. I guess my "primary jazz guitar" (all 4 of them) is an archtop after all.

I mean come on, we all know that solid body, archtop, and semi-hollow as descriptors are not really about the shape of the guitar's top so much as they are about the overall construction of the guitar. I don't think many people who play "archtops" and "semi-hollows" are confused about which is which or use the labels interchangeably.

I would not consider a Les Paul an archtop. Again, it's only my opinion and as such, I reserve the right to be irrational.

[rolijen]

Lately, my Tal Farlow. Its neck profile is fairly chunky and has posed problems for my aging hands, but… the sound. And, Gibson made the fretboard and frets perfect so it plays like buttah. I used it for two gigs recently and it blows me away. I’m using a Princeton Reverb (Input 2) on about 5, bass at 2, treble 4 or 5. Voice of angels. And to think I came so close to selling it a couple of times on this forum. Glad I didn’t. By gently stretching my hands and playing lightly, I’m doing ok on this gem of a guitar!

Thank you to my forum brothers who encouraged me to hold on to it. I think it may be my best sounding (electric) archtop.

[Jim Soloway]

Solid bodies have gotten most of my playing for the last 35 years. Many guitars have come and gone over in the interim but this one has gotten the overwhelming majority of my playing and gigging time since 2010.

[rpjazzguitar]

Comins GCS-1 is my main guitar. But, I also play and sometimes gig with a Yamaha Pacifica 012 (the cheapest one) - it has a Lil 59 HB and replacement tuners.

I haven't been as successful as some in controlling feedback from hollow guitars so I gave up on that. I like the way they sound when others play them.

In the past I've also played primarily solid body guitars for years.

[Cunamara]

I have three archtops, two solidbodies, two semi-hollowbodies, one classical, one flattop. I tend to play whichever one is the handiest to grab. Going out to play somewhere, usually my ES-175 or my (chambered, lightweight) Tele. I might use the archtops slightly more often. Maybe?

I dunno if I am alone in this, but my choice tends to be influenced by who I've been listening to. If Ed Bickert, I tend to grab the Tele; if Jim Hall, Joe Pass or Jonathan Kreisberg, the ES-175; if Peter Bernstein, my carvetop; if Gene Bertoncini, my classical... so easily influenced.

[JazzPadd]

1970s Gibson Johnny Smith with tone knob and output jack mod, strung up with Thomastik-Infeld Bebop 11s, round wound with a round core. Playing it with the thumb, my main jazz box at the moment, mostly for standards at open jam sessions around town.

Enchanted by its acoustic tone, and plugging direct into backline amps at the venues (JC 120, Mini Brute, Fender or Yamaha combo), or my Henriksen Blu Six at home or for occasional gigs.

Originally strung with D’Addario flat wound 13s but a senior guitarist touring Japan noted “that’s a pretty dark guitar,” himself using round wounds. My steadily aging hands needed something lighter anyway, so I went TI Bebop 11s because of the round core. No looking back.

[ruger9]

I must admit, even tho archtop hollowbody guitars are the "norm" for jazz, I was expecting (at least a little) more solidbody players...

[joebloggs13]

Gibson ES-335 and Teles for me.

[Oscar67]

Depending on my mood, hands and ears on any particular day: Ibanez GB10, PRS 594HB-II, Eastman Romeo. When in a solidbody mood but still feeling jazzy: PRS DGT, PRS SE Soapbar I.

[GuyBoden]

Most practice days, I'll play my small hollow body Enya carbon fibre guitar. It weighs less than 4lbs, it's so light I can play it all day without any physical aching (I'm aged in my 60's).



Otherwise, I play an archtop.

[Stringswinger]

I have played jazz guitar professionally for the last 20 years doing about 200 paid gigs a year. This year I have cut back to under 150 gigs and next year I am really cutting back (under 50 gigs) and it will probably be my last year in the business (Hey, next year I will turn 68. It is time for me to get out of the way and give younger cats the work in any case). Arthritis and neuropathy have made playing the guitar for several hours sometimes painful. No problem, I have been blessed with a great ride while it lasted.

In the beginning it was almost always an archtop strung with 13's (perhaps therein lies the culprit for my hand issues?). These days it is often a solid body strung with 10's (and sometimes 9's). Not only are the light strings a big help, but the added sustain of the solid body allows me to sit on a note a bit longer and give my fingers an occasional break.

But truth be told, if my hands were still 100 percent, most of my jazz guitar playing would be on an archtop, the king of guitars.

[ruger9]

I have played jazz guitar professionally for the last 20 years doing about 200 paid gigs a year. This year I have cut back to under 150 gigs and next year I am really cutting back (under 50 gigs) and it will probably be my last year in the business (Hey, next year I will turn 68. It is time for me to get out of the way and give younger cats the work in any case). Arthritis and neuropathy have made playing the guitar for several hours sometimes painful. No problem, I have been blessed with a great ride while it lasted.

In the beginning it was almost always an archtop strung with 13's (perhaps therein lies the culprit for my hand issues?). These days it is often a solid body strung with 10's (and sometimes 9's). Not only are the light strings a big help, but the added sustain of the solid body allows me to sit on a note a bit longer and give my fingers an occasional break.

But truth be told, if my hands were still 100 percent, most of my jazz guitar playing would be on an archtop, the king of guitars.

Do you have a favorite archtop? "the one"?

[Stringswinger]

Do you have a favorite archtop? "the one"?

I have 11 archtops and enjoy them all. But my "Number 1" for the last 15 years has been a Blond 1997 Gibson ES-175

[2bornot2bop]

I have played jazz guitar professionally for the last 20 years doing about 200 paid gigs a year. This year I have cut back to under 150 gigs and next year I am really cutting back (under 50 gigs) and it will probably be my last year in the business (Hey, next year I will turn 68. It is time for me to get out of the way and give younger cats the work in any case). Arthritis and neuropathy have made playing the guitar for several hours sometimes painful. No problem, I have been blessed with a great ride while it lasted.

In the beginning it was almost always an archtop strung with 13's (perhaps therein lies the culprit for my hand issues?). These days it is often a solid body strung with 10's (and sometimes 9's). Not only are the light strings a big help, but the added sustain of the solid body allows me to sit on a note a bit longer and give my fingers an occasional break.

But truth be told, if my hands were still 100 percent, most of my jazz guitar playing would be on an archtop, the king of guitars.

That’s the attitude. Nothing has been taken from you. You’ve simply gotten older. And how many cats do you know who died young having never had the opportunities you’ve had.

But perhaps the arthritis isn’t from playing guitar, but instead from throwing all of those pizza shells in the air.

[Stringswinger]

That’s the attitude. Nothing has been taken from you. You’ve simply gotten older. And how many cats do you know who died young having never had the opportunities you’ve had.

But perhaps the arthritis isn’t from playing guitar, but instead from throwing all of those pizza shells in the air.

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!