Looking for a New Guitar

[Sunbursted]

@jazzloverfat, yeah, I'm pretty glad I got talked out of it. I'd like to build a kit eventually, but first I want to buy a decent guitar. I've heard that the kits need some modifications to play well, and at this point I'd rather get something I can plug in and play.

@Cunamara, initially I was looking for an archtop, but I'm looking at the range of guitars and sounds and it's incredible. Honestly, I think I do now properly understand the whatever works for you advice. I've been looking at some weirder guitars and you can get something distinctive for pretty cheap these days. Right now I'm curious about the Ibanez ICHI10 just for the weird tech in it, might be seriously considering it for a funkier sound (also the tuning system looks interesting mechanically). Overall I'm moving up the price bracket because of a job someone's having me do, the list is growing!

Edit: Thoughts on the ICHI10? Just curious.

[John A.]

Edit: Thoughts on the ICHI10? Just curious.

If you're looking for a Kenny Burrell-like sound, you definitely won't get it on that or any 24-fret guitar. The extra frets are right in the spot where the neck pickup is typically installed. This forces the pickup to be pushed back an inch-ish toward the bridge, which results in a slightly brighter, more scooped sound. Some people are OK with this, but I think it's fair to say most aren't, which is one of the reason not many jazz players use 24-fret guitars.

If semi-hollows are in the mix, the only thing I'd add to what others have said is that there is an almost overwhelming range of choices for $700-1000 (especially if used is in the mix) from Ibanez, Epiphone, D'Angelico, Guild, Sire. They're all quite good in terms of build quality and materials, and all will sound and play the way you would want a semi-hollow to play. Some sound closer to 335's than others, if that's you benchmark. That aside, it'll come down almost entirely to subjective factors, which makes it difficult to recommend one over the other.

[Sunbursted]

@John_A., I agree, it's far off from Burrell. I was asking more for jazz in general. I agree, semi-hollow opens up the range a ton. Choices, choices.

[John A.]

@John_A., I agree, it's far off from Burrell. I was asking more for jazz in general. I agree, semi-hollow opens up the range a ton. Choices, choices.

Having once owned a 24-fret guitar for a long time, all I can say is that I don't like the neck pickup for clean sounds, and basically never used the one I had for jazz. Otherwise I'm pretty flexible as to what constitutes a "jazz guitar" and happily rotate among 4 completely different electrics. Headless strat style guitar with the standard neck pickup position? Sure, I'd love that. It would be the perfect travel guitar. But with 24 frets? Nope, not for me.

[rpjazzguitar]

I agree about 24 frets. The L5S also has the pickup moved towards the bridge and apparently sounds less mellow as a result. That guitar has its adherents but relatively few.

[Sunbursted]

@John A and @rpjazzguitar, interesting. I see you can switch the pickup combos, but IDK how much that would change things. Thanks!

[John A.]

@John A and @rpjazzguitar, interesting. I see you can switch the pickup combos, but IDK how much that would change things. Thanks!

I don’t follow what you mean by “switch the pickup combos”.

[Sunbursted]

I don’t follow what you mean by “switch the pickup combos”.

ICHI10 | ICHI | ELECTRIC GUITARS | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

To my understanding you can switch which pickups are being used and how to change the tone. I'm probably not gonna get it, but the tech is really interesting to me. There's another version called the Q54 which uses a humbucker and two single coils with different switching choices. Perhaps this might be better for jazz theoretically?