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How do you think what it's mean comfortable jazz box?
small body?
no feedback?
good sound?
no problems with service?
exelent fret work?
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03-10-2012 06:14 AM
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Something that you can play, standing or sitting, without any sort of pain or strain.
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what about guitar scale?
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Scale isn't an issue for me but I did own a 17" archtop that was way too big for me to play comforably. Come to think of it dreadnaughts are too big for me too.
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All of the above + must be a good looker!
Originally Posted by kris
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I don't want anything that's too heavy.
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fat neck?
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Something no bigger than s 16" body. Anything bigger then 16" isn't comfortable for me to play...maybe because I'm not that big of a person.
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Soloway fingerstyle model should be mentioned specifically here. Comfort was a particular design consideration for Jim Soloway. I have his Gosling Single (now called Swan) 15" hollow body (with two blocks) and it is light, very comfortable to hold sitting down or standing up with great versatility of tones as well.
Review here:
Soloway Single 15" Electric Guitar Review - Premier Guitar
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For me comfortable jazz guitar means easiest to play with maximum efforts. And I found this in my Epiphone Broadway Elite. Tried a few Ibanez's (GB, AF 125), Furch, Höfner, Gibson, but on this one playing is just like a dream come true. The luthiers in the US (from where I bought this beauty) shot the axe for my left hand so good, that I have to say I spare time ergonomically when pushing the strings to the neck compared to the other guitars (and the sellers told me that those ones were also setupped, so it depends maybe on the luthiers I dunnow really). The frets, electronics, body, neck..., everything is superb. The neck is just totally comfortable, its look is outstanding, the sound through my Ibanez WT80 is world class. No more words to say...
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When talking about comfort, I like Fenders, even if they don't get the traditional guitar tone. The bigger scale on non-Jaguar guitars helps my big hands, but at the same time, the necks feel far, far more comfortable to me than the necks on most of the hollow or semi-hollow guitars I've tried (which, granted, aren't a lot- even the best guitar stores around here don't cater much to the jazz market). Their body shapes also feel more comfortable to play than hollow-bodied guitars, especially sitting, and my Thinline Tele is practically weightless too. They're easy to take care of, and even in the event they got damaged they're much cheaper than most archtops to replace, which is definitely a comfort.
All those advantages are worth sacrificing traditional tone as far as I'm concerned, though it's a matter of taste. I can get sounds out of them that sound great to my ears, and both bandmates and audiences have never been anything but complimentary about my tone.
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I like a wider neck. Say, 1 3/4" like my Eastman, or The Godin Kingpin, which also is a bit wider than usual, though not, I think, as wide as the Eastman. Makes some chord voicings a bit easier to grab. Originally Posted by kris
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All of the above. Despite the fact that a small body is not a necessary attribute, I typically try to avoid instruments of this size or more. Originally Posted by kris
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Comfortable jazz guitar = Hofner Jazzica.
And I believe there's one for sale on this very forum.Last edited by Hammertone; 03-11-2012 at 01:33 AM.
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First and foremost, I think the way the action feels is what I think of with the word "comfort". The action of course has to do with the neck design/shape, length, how low or high the action is, types of strings, etc. That's one reason why you see so many people posting here about "set up".
After that, I would say it gets into the size and shape of the body and we all have personal preferences. Me? I like a smaller/thinner body, but if the tone isn't good, I reject it. I certainly do not like the dreadnought sized body. My Guild and my Ibanez are two different sizes but they both feel ok to me. I've spent some time and money on the actions on both of them.
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Comfortable is different and unique to each person. Originally Posted by kris
A guitar has to feel good and sound good to you. This includes all aspects of the instrument: the neck size and width, the size and depth of the body, the weight, the strings and the set-up, etc.
Play as many as you can and find out what you prefer. Take measurements and make notes.
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The Byrdland must be the most comfortable and still looking like a real jazz-box.
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Is it possible to play or try 1000 guitars? Originally Posted by Gitarguy
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I have a fairly long torso, so I actually prefer a 17 or 18" body as it brings the neck up higher than a 16" body (or smaller) would do. With a bigger body, I can play it seated without a strap. With the smaller bodies, I need it on a strap even when seated. Originally Posted by martinopass
Another factor when plaiyng seated without a strap is the placement of the body waist.
I have owned a Gibson 175 for almost 40 years, but despite that, it has never felt comfortrable for me without a strap when seated. My 17" Painter (which is 2½" thick) is much more comfortable. I guess I was never built to get along well with the 175.
As for solid bodies, I find a Strat really comfortable and ergonomic - but always on a strap.
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How would you describe a pair of pants (trousers, for you brits) as comfortable? Or a pair of gloves? Or a hat? I'm guessing as something that "fits". Guitars are the same.
If you have giant hands, and a freakishly short torso/arms, then a small-body guitar with a huge scale is probably the ticket.
If you have tiny hands and a gigantic torso, then an 18" jumbo archtop with a 23" scale is probably more your style.
Some like thin necks, some like chunky necks. Fingerstylists often like a wider nut width. My guitar teacher plays on a freakishly narrow-necked 175 and sounds like a million bucks.
Other things that come into play: do you want to play mostly seated or standing? Once you determine that, figure out whether you are more comfortable with a solid body (neck typically joins at 17th fret) or an archtop-type guitar (neck typically joins at 14th fret, which effectively brings the nut/low frets closer to you).
Some experimentation is required to get it right but, basically, "comfortable" means something that's comfortable for you given your style of play and physical characteristics.
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It was too small for me and I sold it. Originally Posted by Norway
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In Dallas it is. Originally Posted by kris
Is it possible to play or try 1000 guitars?
There's no need to play thousands of guitars to figure out what you like. I realize it will be ore difficult in Poland because of availability. It will take more time and patience. It may also require travel to Germany for one of the big music conventions; which will still be easier than getting from one end of Texas to the other.
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I like to play with a strap, somewhat shortened, when seated. I think it helps keep my fretting hand looser or more free.....could be my imagination but my brain believes it anyway. Originally Posted by oldane
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I use a strap when seated also. I let the guitasr hang directly in front of me in a very classical style position. When I play standing, the position remains the same.
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For me, yes! Doesn't have to be a baseball bat, just a nice full C shape. Unfortunately not many of those being made right now as the medium to slim D shape seems to be the trend. Originally Posted by kris
I have a nice fat neck on my 335 and I also like the Wide/Fat on the PRS. The Collings electrics feel good to me as well though they come with a hefty price tag. Sure would like to take that new Eastside LC archtop for a spin though!Last edited by Jazzpunk; 03-13-2012 at 05:44 AM.
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