-
Hi guys, I'm new here. Sorta funny, back in the 80s I had a really nice ES-175 (when I thought I could learn to play jazz), eventually sold it and got into the rock\fusion thing. Here it is 30 years later and all of a sudden I want to give the jazz thing a try again. That said, I am looking around to buy a jazz box (somewhere in the $1K range). I really like the Peerless brand at this point, but I haven't made a decison yet to buy anything specific, which leads me to the topic of this thread.
Specifically; I know the purist out there just go with a neck PU, but for the sake of versatilty I can't help but think that having a bridge PU is a good thing, unless there's a reason against it that I'm not aware of.
Same thing goes with having a tone knob. Why wouldn't you want one of those too, especially to dial in a darker tone.
Just curious what the prevailing consensus is.Last edited by Terbo40; 11-14-2013 at 01:04 PM.
-
11-14-2013 11:55 AM
-
Peerless jazz guitars are great!
-
I think you asking about one pickup versus two, although it didn't come out that way.
On archtops, I *rarely* use the bridge pickup. I would be happy without it, although some people say its mass resting on the top affects the sound (for the better or worse you decide). I like tone controls on a guitar -- easy fiddling reach, but I could live with an EQ pedal instead -- more fiddling potential!
-
read and reread your post.. not quite sure I follow.
-
Sorry, I am just wodering if there's any reason not to have 2 PUs (a neck & bridge), as well as a tone control. Since I see some models that have only 1 PU (neck) and only a volume knob (no tone knob), I was just curious why one would would opt for that setup. I can sorta understand the logic of having just a neck PU (seeing "bigdaddylovehandles" reply), but the reason for not having that any tone control escapes me.
Originally Posted by SamBooka
Is that clearer?
-
I think it has a typo in it. I'm pretty sure that in the second paragraph he meant to say "I can't help but think that having a BRIDGE PU is a good thing". Originally Posted by SamBooka
As for my own taste, I strong prefer a neck pickup only and I pretty much insist on having both volume and tone controls. I'm not really interested in versatility. My interest is in dialing in the basic sounds in my head and then doing the rest with my hands. All the sounds I'm after can be dialed in with a neck pickup only so why add a bunch of hardware that I'm never going to use? They add weight, cost (sometimes) and remove wood from the top for no practical reason (for me). The tone control allows me to make adjustments on the fly without having to go back to the amp.
Another factor that I'll add, I'm really only interested in top mounted pickups. I generally prefer the sound and more important, I can't really play comfortably with a pickguard, so floating pickups and pick guard mounted controls don't work for me.
-
I am a total purist and prefer just a neck pickup, although my best guitar is a 175 with both. That said, if you are willing to go with just the neck pickup, I STRONGLY recommend looking at the Eastman AR371. I love that guitar and it can be had for around $750 - $780. There is a newer, two-pickup version if you choose to go that route.
-
Ugh, yes you are correct. I have fixed that now. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
Thanks for your reply. This is the kind of info I am looking for.
-
Thanks for advice. That does look like a pretty nice guitar. I have to admit, I'm more of a chrome hardware guy, so that's a plus on this model for me. Originally Posted by djelley
-
Once again, Jim hits the nail on the head. I have guitars with bridge pickups; I hardly ever use those pickups and would not miss them at all if I didn't have them. My main guitar has a single neck KA floater, also a tone control, and I can't imagine needing anything else. If I were to look for another guitar now, then unless something with 2 pickups jumped out while I was searching and grabbed me as essential for its other qualities, it would be with a single neck pickup (set-in rather than floating). Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
-
Hmm...so going with that criteria, in the $1K range, what would you & Jim recommend? Originally Posted by mangotango
-
In that category, I own an Ibanez AFJ91. You can get one with a case for under $700. It's a great guitar for the money and a very good guitar regardless of the price.
-
If you need the versatility to do jazz, fusion, rock, etc., all on the same guitar, it is nice to have both neck and bridge pickups. Ninety-nine percent of the time I have used the neck pickup only on double-pickup guitars, but a couple of times, over the course of many years, I have flicked the switch to pull in the bridge pickup when I was playing with a combo and I wasn't sitting quite right in the mix. It's one way to do a quick on-the-fly adjustment in that very limited circumstance. My next archtop will not have a bridge pickup because it adds weight to the top, reducing acoustic tone. I also just like the simplicity of one pickup.
My current go-to guitar has neither volume nor tone knobs. It has a floater wired straight to the endpin jack. I find it's okay for me to make volume and tone adjustments at the amp. I just set it and go. I'm not trying to do it all with one guitar. I am thinking of trying an EQ pedal to help dial in tone and have a volume control at my feet, but I have resisted so far because I'm a plug-guitar-straight-into-the-amp kind of guy.
-
I don't need / use a tone control or a bridge pickup.
-
I think some people regard a tone control and its wiring as an unnecessary corruption of the signal path. I think some players are looking to amplify the acoustic sound of their guitar with as little colouration as possible. Its one approach amongst many. Depends what type of sounds you're looking for.
-
I just never cared for the tone out of a bridge pick-up, regardless of guitar type/shape/colour...and I just don't like having things around that don't get used. All in all, I am against bridge pickups. I had my only two-pickup guitar modified so that the bridge pickup is now just there for show.
Lots of tone variation is possible using the neck pup alone through adjustments to the tone knob and where one picks.
Personally I like having a tone control though.
-
The bridge pickup by itself is pretty worthless on a jazz guitar, but the combo of both pickups is anything but worthless. It can definitely function well as an alternate, brighter tone for comping. The Gibson 2x2 controls, if your guitar has that scheme, work great with that because you can make the bridge pickup setting soft. That way, when you switch to both pickups, it loads down the signal and your volume drops. So you have your bright but quieter rhythm setting using both pups, then your full-on solo/melody setting using just the neck. That's just one reason it's cool.
I also prefer tone controls. On most jazz guitars, you can get a warmer sound by rolling the volume off a hair. But, obviously, that affects your volume. I appreciate being able to roll off tone without touching volume.
BTW, the Ibanez AFJ-91 has a two pickup counterpart, the AFJ-95. Similarly, there's the AF-151 and AF-155.
-
Danny W. (who regrettably does not post here) said this once: He likes twin pup archtops because he can turn the volume of the bridge to zero and use the switch selector to mute the guitar without changing the volume setting on the neck pup nor turning the amp off.
It is the most novel use of a bridge pup I have ever heard. Then there is also Bireli Lagrene who mixes in the bridge pickup for a slightly brighter tonal palette. I have yet to hear of anyone mixing the neck pickup with the bridge pickup as the dominant pickup though.
If that is your style, a bridge pickup makes a lot of sense. I am slowly coming around to that idea so twin pups archtops may not be all that antithetical to the jazz ethos.
-
You ask for consensus...I think there is none. Just overlapping tastes perhaps, but there are also seasoned jazz players who love and use the bridge PU, Scofield coming to mind (although he does so on a semi, not a full hollow archtop).
It depends on what tone you want to produce, regardless of the taste of others. I suppose classic straight ahead jazz asks for a more classic 'neck PU' sound, but perhaps you may fare well with a bridge PU or a combi of both!
-
If he did, none of the rest of us with L-5s could get a word (or photo!) in edgewise. I jest of course, but we've all seen those couch shots. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
Back on topic, on my 335 I have done the opposite - used the bridge pickup with a little neck to fatten it up a hair, while remaining bright (with overdrive).
In an electric guitar, I don't see the big deal, even on a carved top L-5CES (it's supposed to have 2 pickups). Clearly not on something with a floater that's meant to be acoustic, though. I think the Ibanez GB10 is weird with its bridge floater, but I saw a video recently of "Affirmation" where George switches to the middle setting when his keyboard player takes a solo. That sound definitely has a functional purpose in a band/mix situation. And the GB-10 was probably designed for George as a small, electric Johnny Smith - not to open that can of worms again!
-
i generally only use the neck pickup and its all i need, but i do use the both pickups together from time to time...
-
I have never felt the need for anything but the neck pickup on my "jazz" guitar. (Sadowsky SS-15) But I would never take it on a gig that required more than that one great tone. That's why I have other guitars.
If you need versatility, get a guitar with two pickups.
-
Hello, Originally Posted by Terbo40
Addressing the price-point aspect of your post, the latest Artstar series from Ibanez, which includes the similarly appointed: Pat Metheny PM20, George Benson LGB30, and Artstar AF155/AF151 all sound great, and have the the Artstar "fret edge treatment". These three models typically sell new on Ebay for between $500-1000. My Ibanez AF151 plays as well as my $2400 Eastman Jazz Elite 17!
Last edited by helios; 11-14-2013 at 11:52 PM.
-
For most of jazz guys, bridge pu is useless.
And, the electronic with two pickups is more complex, if you want to do some mods or some repairs. You multiply by two your chances of electronic issues.
And I don't know the reason, but I notice that the guitars, in the range of prices under 1000$, with two microphones are often heavier.
The only reason I see to have a bridge pickup, it's to play with a distortion.
It seems to my ears that Philip Catherine uses mainly the middle position with his clean sound, and Ben Monder, sometimes with a distortion. But maybe that it's not the case.
Originally Posted by Terbo40
-
That Benson model looks really nice! I think the 2 main contenders at this point are that and the Peerless Gigmaster.
Reply With Quote
bass guitar
Today, 09:45 AM in Other Styles / Instruments