Anybody playing jazz on a flat top?

[somlaifischer]

Gabor Szabo played mostly on a Martin D with a pickup across the sound hole.

[Chazmo]

I have played jazz on a Guild F47M, a Gitane DG-something, a Breedlove Atlas, an Ehlers GJ, and currently, a Martin 00-15M.

The Martin is a sweet little mahogany guitar that's great for jazz. I installed a K&K Pure Mini pickup and plug straight in when I gig with it. I got turned onto that small-body flattop sound by hearing Tommy Emmanuel and Eric Skye.

[Trickey Dude]

I play jazz on my mahogany '94 Martin 000-16c. Small body cutaway with an oval soundhole. Sounds great for jazz; strung with DR Rares PB .11s. I also use it for gypsy jazz tunes. Excellent all-around acoustic guitar.

[Trickey Dude]

I play jazz a lot on my '94 Martin 000-16C mahogany/spruce cutaway with oval soundhole. It's strung with DR Rares PB .11s and sounds great for jazz tunes. Good for gypsy jazz as well.

[AlohaJoe]

I have played jazz on a Guild F47M, a Gitane DG-something, a Breedlove Atlas, an Ehlers GJ, and currently, a Martin 00-15M. The Martin is a sweet little mahogany guitar that's great for jazz. I installed a K&K Pure Mini pickup and plug straight in when I gig with it. I got turned onto that small-body flattop sound by hearing Tommy Emmanuel and Eric Skye.

I'm glad to hear you like it... I've been looking at the new 00-15M for the same reason. The vintage ones in decent shape are getting pricey, but they're among the best sounding and playing guitars I've ever had my hands on. I love my late 80s 000-16 (Spruce top) around the house or with another guitar, but that rich, woody tone gets lost in the mix pretty fast in a larger group.

The combination of the 00 size and the Mahogany top seems to produce more tightly focused midrange, but without the jangly top end you get with some small bodied flat tops IMO.

[willschmid97]

You bet! A flat top has a very wonderful color to my ears and I use it very often in a jazz setting. I have always loved Metheny's extensive use of the flat top in his band, and some of that McLaughlin stuff is cool too from time to time. Bill Frisell also makes great use of it. It's a wonderful sound that I don't think has to be anything other than what it is, it doesn't have to sound like a hollow body arch-top to be jazz.

It's probably my favorite instrument to play.

[Flyin' Brian]

30 posts about playing on a flat top and finally a mention of:

[larryb]

Beautiful. I want to be able to play like that!

[mr. beaumont]

Me too
Perhaps when i grow up

[larryb]

My comment was in reference to your clip, Mr. B. I had even made it as far as Metheny's when I posted my comment.

[mr. beaumont]

Well, son of a gun, thanks! Blush...

Mine was in reference to Pat...man...he's so damn good.

[larryb]

Indeed. He's from another planet. Would love to see him in person.

[Chazmo]

Here are a couple of guys who seem to know what to do with flattops:

[rpguitar]

^Just... sick. Two guys known for being fingerstyle monsters, showing that they can flat pick like mad as well. That was great.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Here are a couple of guys who seem to know what to do with flattops:

dang.that's good. Great use of contrast via space, register etc for just 2 acoustics. Obviously having a great time as well.

[destinytot]

Lenny

[barrymclark]

I never truly play jazz (I'm working on it), but, when I attempt it with a flattop, it is with a Gibson J55.

[matt.guitarteacher]

I never truly play jazz (I'm working on it), but, when I attempt it with a flattop, it is with a Gibson J55.

Yeah. I'm a hobbyist and don't have a "real" jazz axe. I play a flat top or classical by default. Need to get a Tele at the very least. Later maybe...

[Headshot]

First off, let me start off by saying that my local Sam Ash is a very dangerous place for me....

I was messing around with a few guitars into a Fender Rumble bass amp, as I think they sound great for jazz. Then my sales guy brings me a Takemine Acoustic Electric Jumbo that just came in used. Of course, the right thing for me to do is to plug it in to the Rumble....if that guitar is still there tomorrow it has a 90% chance of going on layaway. I think I might be changing my whole style of jazz. I used to be Strats and Teles, now have a Wildkat hollowbody, no Strats, no Teles (except the one I am currently building), and loving the sound of acoustics for my sound. My partner in our little jazz duo has been egging me on to get an acoustic for our gigs, but I am stubborn. Ok, I am a dumb redneck afterall...

Am I crazy? Wait, don't answer that...am I wrong to make this almost wholesale transformation. Or am I just late to the party?

[Marty Grass]

Does anyone find it troublesome that the bridge is not easily adjustable on flattops?

I have one such guitar. Once I got it set up just right, I kept with the same strings with each change.

I guess that isn't a huge deal, but mine has a transducer under the saddle, so adjusting the saddle height also requires making sure the saddle is also completely flat for even string amplification.

[skykomishone]

Anyone listen to Julian Lange? JULIAN LANGE . He's beyond great on a flattop. I heard him last week in Seattle at the Royal Room, solo, and couldn't believe anyone could play a guitar like that. Almost possessed, it seemed. A real master playing on an ancient Martin that he had restored from a pile of broken pieces. Amazing.

I play jazz on a flattop Taylor that I bought from Mr. JZ a while back, primarily when on the road, mainly because I didn't want to carry my archtop when I go trucking with my camper to wild places. Not my main squeeze, however.

[CafeJazz]

I think it is fair to say that I am - have been, and remain - interested in the tone and sound of different instruments over the years. And my ear has gone through its changes of what I like. So, yeah, the Gibson 175, 335 all that, for that classic (some say dated) sound. And I've come to be pretty comfortable playing jazz on a PRS solid body, and on a Taylor nylon string acoustic. That said. . . I find the following a very enjoyable and pleasant sound. I agree with many here - you can play jazz on anything, pretty much. It just depends on the sound that you like. But there is something to be said for clarity of notes and tones, over muddiness, which is too often misidentified as good jazz tone.

[Chazmo]

CafeJazz, that video demonstrates just how good flattops are for rhythm/comping. Great clarity and richness of tone. And now that it is easier than ever to amplify a flattop, why not?

[jzucker]

I don't care for it so much. Way too much compression. The example I posted of Paul Bollenback is still one of the best examples of jazz on a flattop. here it is again:

I think it is fair to say that I am - have been, and remain - interested in the tone and sound of different instruments over the years. And my ear has gone through its changes of what I like. So, yeah, the Gibson 175, 335 all that, for that classic (some say dated) sound. And I've come to be pretty comfortable playing jazz on a PRS solid body, and on a Taylor nylon string acoustic. That said. . . I find the following a very enjoyable and pleasant sound. I agree with many here - you can play jazz on anything, pretty much. It just depends on the sound that you like. But there is something to be said for clarity of notes and tones, over muddiness, which is too often misidentified as good jazz tone.

[Dylanfan424]

I use my Martin 000-28 all the time to play jazz and just improvised music and it is quite possibly my favorite guitar ever, just can't beat a good Martin IMHO.