Modern jazz guitar sound

**jzucker** · 02-21-2016, 10:49 AM

any chance we could get back to modern jazz guitar tone?

**Klatu** · 02-21-2016, 11:28 AM

So how would you guys define "modern" jazz guitar tones?

Sifting through this thread, my conclusion would be that modern jazz tones are produced either by solid body guitars or archtops played by the under 40 crowd.

**mr. beaumont** · 02-21-2016, 11:38 AM

Here's another tone I've been way into lately...nylon strings with a bit of modulation on the reverb.

**Bosko** · 02-21-2016, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

So how would you guys define "modern" jazz guitar tones?

Sifting through this thread, my conclusion would be that modern jazz tones are produced either by solid body guitars or archtops played by the under 40 crowd.

No one style dominates in modern jazz today. Individual musicians often play in a variety of styles, even in the same performance. There is no consensus among modern jazz guitarists today on modern jazz tones, regardless of a small sampling of modern jazz guitarists in this thread.

Modern jazz simply refers to what is being played and recorded by today's jazz musicians, not a specific style. The age of the musician, gear, or tone would not include or exclude them from being referred to as a modern jazz musician.

Many of these posts do showcase younger players, some playing solid bodies and modelers, but that is more a reflection of the taste of the poster, not necessarily an indication of a consensus on what modern jazz tones are.

I do think most of the examples posted lean toward clean with verb, pretty straight forward.

**mr. beaumont** · 02-21-2016, 01:22 PM

It never seemed to me the point was to define a modern tone, but rather to share tones we liked from modern players.

**llazarides** · 02-22-2016, 05:22 PM

I saw Kurt a few months ago at the Kennedy Center and he was playing his dark red double cutaway Westville guitar, which I believe is a signature model prototype he has in the works with them. Sounded amazing.

Lage uses a 14 on top? Man, no wonder he gets such a full sound up there. Good to know, thanks, Jorge!

**David B** · 02-22-2016, 05:54 PM

A pretty straightforward Tele sound but great tone and THAT GROOVE!

**jorgemg1984** · 02-22-2016, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by llazarides

I saw Kurt a few months ago at the Kennedy Center and he was playing his dark red double cutaway Westville guitar, which I believe is a signature model prototype he has in the works with them. Sounded amazing.

Lage uses a 14 on top? Man, no wonder he gets such a full sound up there. Good to know, thanks, Jorge!

He mentioned once in his fb page - 12 rounds with 14 and 18 on top. Bernstein does the same and, well, myself too. Now I just need to play like them!

It does help getting a fat sound on top and also it helps with kepping your pick attack consistent. With regular 12s my picking would always be too hard on the E and B strings. Try it

**itsall4you** · 02-23-2016, 04:13 AM

I talked to Lage in March and he uses a 012 set with 013 and 17 on top now with his new Schotmuller. But I guess the idea is the same.

**jzucker** · 02-24-2016, 10:52 AM

did anyone list oz noy?

**jorgemg1984** · 02-25-2016, 07:15 AM

Two great Charles Altura clips

**kris** · 02-25-2016, 08:35 AM

**gggomez** · 03-04-2016, 04:58 PM

What is going on in Poland, so many fantastic young jazz acts.
Has Szymon Mika been mentioned:

**nick1994** · 03-04-2016, 05:02 PM

**jorgemg1984** · 03-05-2016, 12:27 PM

**kris** · 03-05-2016, 01:07 PM

without pick...very nice!

**pkirk** · 04-13-2016, 03:37 PM

I heard this guy, Alex Levine, a few nights ago. Great playing, compositions, tight band, and the bass player Francois Moutin
was insanely good. One of the best shows I've heard in a long time.

(and he's another Benson picker...)

**jbernstein91** · 04-13-2016, 03:56 PM

Francois Moutin has played for years in a trio with two other extraordinary musicians -- pianist Jean-Michel Pilc and drummer Ari Hoenig. I've seen that trio live several times, and the level of improvisational interplay is truly Olympian. Check out this performance from back in 2002, particularly the section after Moutin's solo, starting at around 3:06:

**jorgemg1984** · 04-14-2016, 02:04 PM

**dvirulu** · 04-30-2016, 10:04 AM

Hi everyone!
Do you have any suggestion how i can get more modern jazz sound with effects, what to buy, how to use and etc...
I really like the sound of Kurt and Kriesberg...
Thanks

**jbucklin** · 04-30-2016, 10:15 AM

Try using round wounds and a delay pedal. What guitar are you using?

**dvirulu** · 04-30-2016, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by jbucklin

Try using round wounds and a delay pedal. What guitar are you using?

Gibson es 330, but I dont have reverb...
which delay?

**kris** · 04-30-2016, 10:44 AM

copy solos of your favorites guitar players...pedal efects/rev..delays..etc../ are the next step....

**Boston Joe** · 04-30-2016, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by dvirulu

Gibson es 330, but I dont have reverb...
which delay?

I just picked up an MXR Carbon Copy delay that I really, really like. It doesn't color the sound much at all - just gives a nice analog echo sound.

**jbucklin** · 04-30-2016, 10:53 AM

Ah! I just sold my beloved '65 330. There are lots of choices when it comes to delay pedals. Someone gave me a Digitech Hardwire that I'm pretty happy with. I've owned several however. Boss makes very good ones, the DD20 (?) being the best. But, you really don't need to spend much since all you need is the sound of the delay with 3 or 4 repeats and the level set pretty low. The more expensive pedals have lots of different delay effects which aren't needed unless you really want to get experimental. Have a look at the HardWire and the various Boss pedals. The HardWire has one delay effect called Modulation which gives a very subtle chorusing effect, especially when using two amps in stereo! Now THAT is a modern sound and is how Frisell does it.