Budget jazz guitar with "narrow thin" neck?

**Mrchips** · 10-17-2007, 07:58 PM

I am looking for a jazz guitar under $750 with what you might call a "narrow thin" or "regular thin" neck. A lot of the jazz guitars I've tried, including some Gibsons, have that round baseball bat neck... but I'm an older guy with hand issues and really need a nice thin neck that plays like butter. Most of the solid bodies today (Fender, PRS and others) seem to stress that "wide fat" style. I have a Fender telecaster FMT with an elegant neck that is getting close, but I'd like a hollowbody jazz guitar also.

I've read some good things on this forum about the Ibanez Artcores, Agile, and Epiphone Emperor and Joe Pass models, but can't seem to get much info about the necks on these. Would anyone like to provide their two-bits? Thank you.

**John Curran** · 10-17-2007, 11:02 PM

Hey Mr Chips,
I just bought an Ibanez artcore and am happy with it. It's a good guitar for the money. The neck, to me, seems relatively easy even with flatwound .012s on it ( I've set the action down real low), but I'm used to bass guitar necks so I may not be a good source for comparison.

Good hunting,

John

**jazztogo** · 10-18-2007, 08:57 AM

Hi there, I just bought a Hagstrom HJ600. Its about your price range. I own many guitars including a Guild. This guitar is worth much more in comparison. Needs adjusting but the action and playability is awesome. Might be worth trying one out. Narrow and thin neck. Even the pickups are pretty good for the price but I opted to change it to a Bartolini for the neck. Hope this helps.
RJ

**Mrchips** · 10-18-2007, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned above that the neck on the Taylor T5 also seems to agree with me.

Jazztogo, that Hagstrom looks interesting -- I'll look into it.

John, do you know which model of Artcore you have?

**fingerpicker** · 10-18-2007, 03:08 PM

Now you are talking my language. I bought a T5 a few months ago and discovered it's the guitar I always wanted. It does everything!

**John Curran** · 10-18-2007, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Mrchips

John, do you know which model of Artcore you have?

Yes, it's an AF-86. Looking at their website it may be an obsolete model. They show AF-95s and AF-75s but no 86s.

john

**Mrchips** · 10-18-2007, 04:01 PM

The more I read on this, the more I read about Hagstrom hollow bodies -- Viking, HJ600, and others -- having a "fast" neck. I've read some complaints about the hardware and finishing, but this type of neck is really what I'm looking for.

Fingerpicker, I play thumb & fingerstyle too -- tell me more about what you like about the T5.

**derek** · 10-18-2007, 10:16 PM

The local store where I take lessons carries Hagstrom. I have played both their hollow and solid body models. Very impressive for the price. I didn't notice any fit or finish issues.

**Mrchips** · 10-18-2007, 10:47 PM

Yeah, I think the complaints were pretty minor, and had to do with the type of cosmetic issues that could be expected with any production guitar.

Did the Hagstroms seem to have a fast neck to you?

**fingerpicker** · 10-19-2007, 07:59 AM

1. The action is the best of any guitar I own (about a dozen). My next best is a '72 Gibson Les Paul Recording guitar.
2. The flexibility of the sound. It has a pick up under the next, one under the bridge and a stacked humbucker under strings about 2 inches up from the bridge. The five-way switch connects the pickups in various ways to provide tones which are suitable for any style of music I can think of. It uses active bass and treble equalization for even more tone control.
3. It works equally well when plugged in through an amp or a PA. I have used both setups in various gig situations.
4. It is relatively light-weight, so easy to play on longer gigs.

The only drawback is that it uses a 9V battery to power the active pickups, which provides about 40 hours playing time. This means that the cable needs to be disconnected when not in use to extend battery life.

All in all, it's the best guitar I've ever had.

**derek** · 10-19-2007, 02:54 PM

Fast neck? Boy that's a good question. I switch between my tele, strat, wide fat PRS archtop, Gibson ES175, and Tal Farlow. Lots of different neck shapes, so I don't really notice it except in two situations.

The Ibanez rock guitars have that wizard neck, which is way to thin for me. The other extreme is the neck on some teles and LPs that feel like half a baseball bat, or a canoe. Can't stand either of those two profiles, other than that, i am easy to please.

**Mrchips** · 11-02-2007, 12:55 AM

Two weeks later.. after trying all the Artcores, Epiphones, Gibsons, Eastmans, and whatever else I could get my hands on, I decided on the Hagstrom HJ600. The guitar arrived today and the neck is just what I'd hoped for. The hardware could be classier, but for where I'm at right now I couldn't be happier. I may move to a Hagstrom Viking if I find I need to get higher up on the frets.
Thanks for all the help!

**fingerpicker** · 11-02-2007, 08:48 AM

Congratulations, Mrchips! May we expect photos of the new arrival???

**Mrchips** · 11-02-2007, 12:22 PM

Will do! Once I can find a place to post it... for anyone else interested in one of these, I bought mine from a fellow selling them on Ebay as "blemished" for only $420, but I couldn't find a scratch on it. It was a heckuva deal. He may be trying to clear out stock (Musician's Friend told me that a new line is arriving soon); maybe Hagstrom won't let him sell at that price if it's advertised as new?

**derek** · 11-02-2007, 01:22 PM

Congrats on the new guitar. Nothing like a new instrument to inspire. As far as the blem thing goes, that is a standard ebay practice.

Sellers find inexpensive wholesale lots to move. Since Hagstrom, Fender, etc have arrangments with local stores, they typically won't sell to individuals who don't have a brick and mortar store.

But they will sell blems or 2nds to them, as the retailers typically don't want them.

**T5man** · 11-04-2007, 01:04 PM

Hi Fingerpicker,
I too have a T5 and was looking at a Hagstrom, what amp do you use to get a jazz tone out of the Taylor?
thanks
Steve

**Tarnisher** · 09-30-2008, 08:59 PM

I found the Hagstrom Viking neck to be flatter than any neck I've ever played. It was as if they took a regular neck and squashed it. Not my cup o' tea, but I'm sure it's someone else's dream.

**Mrchips** · 10-01-2008, 12:42 AM

Yes, those Vikings look terrific, and of course the neck is playable way above the 14th fret, unlike a regular jazz guitar. I haven't played one since I got my HJ600 and would like to try one now that the HJ600 is imprinted on my fingers.

**RoyaleT** · 10-01-2008, 04:05 AM

Give a look into Samick's Greg Bennett La Salle and Royale series of semi and hollow bodies. All are $800 0r less. I have a Royale 3 and have been very pleased with it overall.

**Chito** · 10-01-2008, 02:14 PM

Try to look for those Ibanez Artstars (335 clones) that were made in Korea in the late 90's and early 2000's. I have an Ibanez Artstar AS120 and the neck is what I describe as "thin". I also have an Ibanez PM35 which is actually an Artcore Custom so I am assuming it has the same neck as the AF105 and comparing the 2, the neck of the Artstar is a whole lot thinner than the PM35.

**trigga** · 10-01-2008, 02:50 PM

hagstrom hj600 and other hagstroms and for me.

Fast neck=thin neck,24 3/4 freatboard,ebony fretboard for the lowest sustain and 6105 frets for good clean note,low radius(straight),the best setup(action) in guitar from a good technician for the first time and then u must learn to do it alone.

But all that is a matter of usage,experience in a specific instrument and the habits on it.