The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Posts 1 to 25 of 64
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    A few years back, I realized that my favorite jazz guitar sounds came from Peter Bernstein's Zeidler guitar. I thought the magical combination was a carved top guitar with a floating pickup into a Fender style amp, but I've heard enough attempts at that sound using that equipment to come to the conclusion that it's not quite as simple as that. That said, I was recently turned on to a promising young guitarist named Graham Dechter that has a sound to rival Peter's IMO (BTW, thanks to whoever it was who first posted about Graham).



    Another sound that draws me in every time I hear it is Martijn Van Iterson's. I consider his tone to be among the best I've heard, and what surprises me about his situation is that he's achieving his own legendary tone using relatively modest equipment (Gibson ES125 into a Fender Hot Rod DeVille).



    I'll go ahead and give props to Wes Montgomery, who in many ways set the tone standard to which many aspire, but I'd like to find out what sounds or sound types are preferred in this forum.

    What would you consider to be your tonal reference?

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Man, there's so many I like...Jimmy Raney's tone on the album "But Beautiful" is about as good as it gets for me, as far as a traditional amplified archtop sound.

    Heck, Raney's whole career is full of great tones.

    Lately, I lean towards less archtoppy sounds though too...I really like the tones Jakob Bro gets, for example. nd Frisell almost always sounds great to me...the tone he gets on Paul Motian's "I have the Room Above Her" is just to die for.

    I'd also agree with all of your picks.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    Good call on Jimmy Raney. I tend to prefer his later tones to his earlier ones. His later tones sound fuller and more even to me.

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Howard Roberts H.R. Is A Dirty Guitar Player and Color Him Funky.

    Johnny Smith

    Wes

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    I guess some of you guys might not find this especially "special" ..
    but I love this tone - particularly in the solo.


    I have a le grand, but can't get that tone..unless im doing something wrong.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    I don't think I have a favorite sound any more. I tend to think of it more in terms of how well the sound matches the player and what the player is trying to say.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Doug Raney, Herb Ellis and Barney Kessell, depends on the mood.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    No single favorite, but I've l've always loved this tone:


  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    Early George Benson (pre GB-10), Strings era Pat Martino, Joe Pass Joy Spring, Peter Bernstein

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    All George Benson (even GB10, Tenderly for sure).
    Wes Montgomery
    Early Al DiMeola (Land of the Midnight Sun, Elegant Gypsy, Casino)

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    I have Peter Bernstein's "Monk" CD pretty much welded into the CD changer of my car -- and try to see him as often as I can when he's playing in NYC or Philly -- so I guess he qualifies as my 'tonal reference.' However, it's hard, in my mind at least, to separate a tonal reference from each of the other elements that contribute to an artist's persona - touch, taste, expressiveness, all those intangibles that seem to elude me.

  13. #12

    User Info Menu


  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by jzucker
    Early George Benson (pre GB-10), Strings era Pat Martino, Joe Pass Joy Spring, Peter Bernstein
    Which George Benson albums should I check out, and when did Pat Martino's sound become what it is today?

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    I like a broad range of sounds and tones for both guitar and bass (maybe what Jim was alluding to). I find it easier to identify what I *don't* like when I hear it. Maybe I'm just too pedestrian in my listening, but the palette is huge (and contextual) for me.

  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    My favorite tones are the ones I get In general that means single coils through a Princeton or Quilter (set for a close clone of the Princeton.) Teles, Strats and laminate archtops with p90's.

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    Here's two of my favorite guitar tones (and performances) compliments of Kenny & Wes:





  18. #17

    User Info Menu







    Why nobody ever talks about Chuck Loeb in this Forum?



    Here with Fourplay. Man, his TONE is simply beautiful, no matter what style he's playing.
    Last edited by LtKojak; 03-30-2015 at 04:55 PM.

  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    Thanks everyone for the great clips. I don't know how to comment on individual comments yet so I'll say I can't disagree with any of you.My favorite tones were Wes, Joe Pass,Barney Kessel and George Benson.

  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    Ted Greene, one of my favorites.

  21. #20

    User Info Menu

    Peter Bernstein's tone is my favorite. Ed Bickert's tone is my favorite. Jim Hall's tone with his ES-175 is my favorite. Tal Farlow's tone with his ES-350 is my favorite. Gene Bertoncini's nylon string tone is my favorite (especially on "Someone to Light Up My Life"). And...

    It kind of depends who's music is playing on my CD player or my phone at any given time.

  22. #21

    User Info Menu

    One of my favorite Wolfie videos -- I love how he goes from clean to dirty! (and with a killer rhythm section!)



    However, I've always dreamt about Kevin Eubanks' sound from Dave Holland's "Extensions" album -- I guess I'm a clean/dirty guy. [Long tune; for the impatient, guitar solo starts around 6.00]


  23. #22

    User Info Menu

    (1) Wes Montgomery (I would have selected the Round Midnight clip -- that's a really cool one!)
    (2) 60s Pat Martino
    (3) Tal Farlow
    (4) Barney Kessel





    Last edited by palindrome; 03-31-2015 at 12:04 AM.

  24. #23

    User Info Menu

    For me, Lage Lund has the greatest tone I've ever heard.
    Last edited by pushkar000; 03-31-2015 at 12:17 AM.

  25. #24

    User Info Menu

    Here's my favorite jazz guitar sound: Leonardo Amuedo playing a Sadowsky!

    Last edited by jasaco; 04-01-2015 at 12:18 AM.

  26. #25

    User Info Menu

    Leonardo Amuedo must be the most underrated player alive today.