The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: Which one?

Voters
242. You may not vote on this poll
  • Gibson

    73 30.17%
  • Sadowsky

    31 12.81%
  • Collings

    40 16.53%
  • Others (ibanez, yamaha, heritage, etc)

    98 40.50%
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Posts 26 to 50 of 131
  1. #26

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    ESCC,

    Your H-535 is a beauty. I was thinking about all of the old DC-area stores yesterday...I forgot Rolls! I spent a lot of time in there. Zavarellas was my favorite haunt, though.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    That 535 is nice. I like the satin-y finish on it. Maple is also famous for "blotchiness" when it is stained. The Kalamazoo crew turned this one out nicely, and I also like the cream colored binding. The wooden scratch plate is also perfect for the rest of the top finish.


    Esthetically, I have a weakness for guitars that actually look like the material they are made out of...i.e. wood. Can't go for that '68 Camaro look that you see on a lot of solid bodies, or excessively shiny bodies. Wood....what a concept.

  4. #28
    Not that I have played any of the brands other than Gibson but...
    I'm really happy with my Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III (crazy name, I know). It's a semi-hollow, but a little deeper than a 335, which gives it a slightly fatter tone. It also features an ebony fretboard and one of those finger tail pieces. I find that it offers a good middle ground between a full hollow body, and a typical semi-hollow. It can do the classic jazz thing pretty well, and if I don't put too heavy strings on it it works really well for fusion, blues and even rock. It might look a little weird to some, but is a really sweet, somewhat overlooked modell that I recommend everybody that appreciates a good Gibson to check out.

  5. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    I'm a 335 guy. Been playing one for years. However, we shouldn't forget The Heritage 535 and 555 models. They are beautifully executed and they sound and play GREAT! Check out clips, in particular, of the 555 on YouTube. That guitar kills. [Patrick2 would applaud this inclusion.]
    Yep...I loves me some Heritage H-555.

    This is my #1:


  6. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northenlights
    I'm really happy with my Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III (crazy name, I know). It's a semi-hollow, but a little deeper than a 335, which gives it a slightly fatter tone. It also features an ebony fretboard and one of those finger tail pieces. I find that it offers a good middle ground between a full hollow body, and a typical semi-hollow. It can do the classic jazz thing pretty well, and if I don't put too heavy strings on it it works really well for fusion, blues and even rock. It might look a little weird to some, but is a really sweet, somewhat overlooked modell that I recommend everybody that appreciates a good Gibson to check out.


    The HR is just as you describe it, definitely a fatter tone than a 335. (Had one which I sold to finance an acoustic archtop floater.) The 135 and 137 are also fatter body and fatter-tone Gibsons, that are cheaper than 335's.And the 333 model is, essentially, a cosmetically less fancy 335, at a more affordable price.

    I think the 135, 137 and HR Fusion are Gibson's fattest sounding semi-hollow bodies, and sound closer to a 175 hollow body, than anything else they make with the body block in it.

  7. #31

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    I have never taken a close look at the HR Fusion. Look at that tail piece! Man. You're right it sounds fatter than an ES 335. Deserves a closer look. Very nice.


  8. #32

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    Definitely a "sleeper guitar", as is the 137. Achim Kohl and Jack Zucker, both great players, IMO, have great clips on youtube showing what a 137 can do.

    There are so many great tones available in the jazz gtr. world: thunky mid-rangey Gibson goodness (175's, 165's, the HR Fusion, 135, 137, Barney Kessel, 350, 195, 150, 300, 225); lush fullness with or without a set-in pu (L5's, L4's, Heritage eagles); more balanced "chime" (Guilds, acoustic-y archtops, Eastmans (?), Sadowsky's (?)); and bell-like clarity (telecasters).

    Finding the right jazz gtr/sound is like that Billy Chrystal/Jack Palance movie (I forget it's title) where one of the character exclaims that the "secret to life" is finding something really important and pursuing it....and the other guy says something like "But what IS that thing? and the answer comes back...."It's up to you to find it...for yourself"

    (BTW, I've only listed guitars and brands I am most familiar with....and there is a whole huge world of other makers, and instruments out there (Ibanez, Epiphone, Gretsch) which all have their good point, which I haven't played.)

  9. #33

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    My ES-139 Equipped with D'Addario Chromes, 011. It's my main guitar, I use it for traditional jazz tone as well as some distorted fusion, growling rock, and snarky pop.


  10. #34

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    Here's another "different" one. This old Carvin.

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-carvinsh-jpg

  11. #35

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    Unquestionably the ONLY three to buy are:

    - Collings I35 Deluxe Artist
    - 1980 Jacobacci R2L
    - 1980 Polytone Improv II

    [ed] So, now that I have sold all of these guitars, what I REALLY meant to say is that, unquestionably the ONLY one to buy is:

    - German-made Hofner Verythin Standard

    Yeah, that's the ticket.
    Purely coincidentally, I have a couple of these for sale right now.
    How about that, eh?
    Attached Images Attached Images Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-img_1328-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 07-21-2021 at 05:44 AM.

  12. #36

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    I've owned three ES-335s, but thanks to a good return policy, I've only paid for one. It, too, has flaws, but I can live with them. I really like that guitar. But I bought a used Epi Dot and put Lindy Fralin P-92s in it, and I hardly ever play the 335. There is nothing about the 335 that I like better than the Dot from a sound, build quality, and playability perspective as far as I can tell.

    But never having played a Heritage, Collings, or Sadowsky, I'm betting there is one there that would knock me out. And my Carvin SH550 is still my favorite.

  13. #37

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    Has anyone tried or looked at the Prestige Double Cutaway model (Canada), approx. $1k or the Robin Savoy (Texas), approx. $2-2.5K. Both are well made, great to play and in the case of the Robin, can be found in varying configurations.

  14. #38

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    I voted "Gibson", having wanted one from around 1980 (in the event, I bought Chet Atkins Country Gent and played it for the next 25 years) and having finally scored in 2010:

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-gibsones-335andbluesjr-jpg

    But I missed the ol' Country Gent's Bigsby, so searched and found this 2013 Carvin SH550 on craigslist (Bigsby, cedar top, Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Jazzmaster single coils -- thanks again, Peter):

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-musicroom2_zpsa4b34b64-jpg

    I played the 335 the night before last when a longtime playing partner blew in from Birmingham and we were joined by another, local bandmate with HIS 335. He was plugged into my '59 Bassman LTD, while I got to try out his almost new Kendrick 5E3 tweed clone. Magic and singing tones.

    But IF I were in the market for a new semi-hollow, I would definitely look at the Heritage and perhaps the Collings.

    Thanks to Woody Sound for the vintage Carvin pic....

  15. #39

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    A vote for the Gibson 135.

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-img_6147_zpsdcd5wgxm-jpg

    Also will throw this out there--Godin Premiere. Great guitar for much less than the others.

  16. #40

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    I have a most excellent Prospect that takes a back seat to no Gibson I've ever owned. As a matter of fact, I can say EVERY Heritage I've played was absolutely perfect... An enviable thing to say coming from one who has the Gibson gits in house to compare to.
    Last edited by GNAPPI; 03-02-2016 at 04:21 PM.

  17. #41

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    I paid $450 for a Samick Greg Bennett Royale 3, put RMC synth pickups in it, Buzz Feitened the nut, and made many thousands of dollars with it. It plays and looks great, never let me down, and I never worried about it no matter where I played. I have played many of the guitars listed here: Sadowsky, Collings, Gibson, Yamaha, Guild, Ibanez, etc. Just about all of them were very good and would have done the job, but most of them were too expensive to consider modifying to the extent I did the Samick, and none of expensive ones seemed worth that much more. It's on my short list of "keepers" as I start thinning the herd. Over my 5-decade career, I have come to the conclusion that only truly acoustic guitars are worth several thousand dollars, whether they are archtops, classicals, flamencos or steel-string flat-tops. YMMV.

  18. #42
    D'Angelico NYSS-3B, made in Japan.


    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-dsc02124-jpg

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-dsc02129-jpgSemi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-dsc02134-jpgSemi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-dsc02130-jpgSemi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-dsc02133-jpg

  19. #43

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    the seventy seven albatross ranks up there with any of the big boys that I've ever owned. And you can find them cheap. I sold mine for $800 and I another one on here went for $700ish.

    Sometimes we get carried away on the gear forums and think that you have to spend $5k to get a great guitar. I played the collings I35 and Soco recently and didn't think they sounded as good as the seventy seven.

  20. #44

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    Some of the semihollow headless guitars such as the forshage and the holdsworth and the strandberg are very good as well.

  21. #45

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    This is totally unscientific and meaningless: I had a jam session with a friend from Birmingham and a couple of other guys from around here. Not counting the Alabaman (who is an acoustic only player) the rest of us own two stop-tail 335s, one trapeze 335, a 335-12 and a 340.

    Our preferences may be obvious.

    (For the record, I mostly played the Fender '51 P RI pictured earlier.)

  22. #46

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    Which Gibson, or which of the others? Each particular guitar is different. In terms of brand, I have many recordings of artists using Gibson guitars but not so many (maybe none) of the others.

    Since musical instruments are consumable goods, rather than investments, I try to have as little money tied up in them. Got this one from Craigslist for $1200, didn't work. Just needed new pots. One of my best guitars, I love it.

  23. #47

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    Quote Originally Posted by jzucker
    the seventy seven albatross ranks up there with any of the big boys that I've ever owned. And you can find them cheap. I sold mine for $800 and I another one on here went for $700ish.

    Sometimes we get carried away on the gear forums and think that you have to spend $5k to get a great guitar. I played the collings I35 and Soco recently and didn't think they sounded as good as the seventy seven.
    I agree. I have a Collings Soco (original owner paid $6000+) and it's a wonderful, flawless instrument and a joy to play.
    But my Seventy Seven Albatross sounds better. I play the Collings and it sounds really good, then I plug in the Seventy Seven and it's....Wow!

  24. #48

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    Great to hear a “Wow” in praise of the Albatross because I must tell you all this. I used to think it was hype but I have NEV ER read a single negative comment about the Collings brand. Never. I’ve spent all but 5 minutes on an I35 and it felt like magic but that does not a whole experience make. So I continue to keep an eye out for a single dissenter about the Collings magic. ;-)

  25. #49

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    I have not played a semi-hollow that comes close to the Collings spruce top I35. It is the finest playing and sounding semi-hollow I've come across.

    Semi-Hollow Guitars - Collings vs Sadowsky vs Gibson-p3_uvxldsggk_so-jpg

  26. #50

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    I am still waiting to hear a single negative thing about the Collings guitar brand. Incredible how the reviews keep streaming in... all positive.

    Not to take this off the subject. I heard a Collings 01 RW G acoustic guitar outfitted with Throbak strings that literally sounded like an electrified fully hollow archtop (as opposed to sounding like a "regular" acoustic guitar) . Color me green but I was kinda blown away.