Soulezza headless jazz guitars

**IbanezAS100** · 02-10-2016, 01:10 PM

Came across these guitars and thought folks over here would be interested....quite an impressive list of endorsers. Anyone tried them?

Soulezza Guitars

I really like the look of the John Stowell model and any excuse to post videos by these heavy players is good for me....

**Woody Sound** · 02-10-2016, 01:36 PM

What makes them specifically "jazz guitars?" I'm not being difficult, I mean it.

**drbhrb** · 02-10-2016, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

What makes them specifically "jazz guitars?" I'm not being difficult, I mean it.

Gigs you play with them pay roughly half what they would if you used a rock guitar.

**Woody Sound** · 02-10-2016, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by drbhrb

Gigs you play with them pay roughly half what they would if you used a rock guitar.

Now THAT I get.

**jzucker** · 02-10-2016, 02:56 PM

i'm guessing they are "jazz" headless guitars because they have spruce tops and are designed more for jazz players whereas guitars like strandberg are designed more for metal players and tappers.

Not to say that you can't do both or that you can't play jazz on a strandberg...

**IbanezAS100** · 02-10-2016, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by drbhrb

Gigs you play with them pay roughly half what they would if you used a rock guitar.

Nailed it...

**JazzNote** · 02-10-2016, 04:53 PM

I don't like the look and i don't like the sound. Maybe my ears & my eyes are too old fashion conditioned.

**mr. beaumont** · 02-10-2016, 05:15 PM

Lol, I think they sound and look great!

**Eric Rowland** · 02-10-2016, 08:24 PM

Mr Loueke has the Kemper amp all fired up...unusual sound there...

**kkfan** · 02-10-2016, 08:46 PM

Looks like an amputee to these old fashioned eyes...

**jads57** · 02-11-2016, 12:41 AM

I think it's hard for anyone use to playing a 16",17" even 18" Archtop would ever adapt to these insstruments. There's no way for them acoustically compete w/ the traditional archtop. Plugged in is where it would really count, and portability for travel and stability due to extreme climate changes. Actually that's why the Telecaster was invented in the firs place,lol!

**jordanklemons** · 02-11-2016, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

What makes them specifically "jazz guitars?" I'm not being difficult, I mean it.

Just checked out the website, as I'd never heard of this brand. Seems like they have chambered bodies... so I suppose that gives them a tone that can function in the jazz realm... at least in the modern jazz realm.

Anybody know where they're made? Or if they're sold in any NYC shops? I wouldn't mind trying one out.

**Flat** · 02-11-2016, 01:52 AM

At least no one will complain about the headstock.

**Cunamara** · 02-11-2016, 11:24 AM

I like the look but did not like the tone on any of the clips. But to be fair, listening on laptop speakers to a recording down with who knows what mic (maybe just the built in mic on a cell phone) probably doesn't give the guitars a fair shake at all.

And, to be fairer, I hear a lot of tones on archtops, Teles, Strats, Les Pauls, etc., that I don't like- not infrequently from top-drawer players on top-notch instruments. Heck, most of the time I don't even particularly like my own tone!

**targuit** · 02-11-2016, 11:50 AM

I suspect that these guitars address a couple of issues for musicians. For one they look comfortable to play, noting how the artists hold them. Secondly, if you need to travel by air, I imagine the smaller profile makes it possible to put in an overhead storage bin, though I have not flown in the TSA era.

I would not buy one of these guitars for a couple of reasons. One, cannot afford the list price. Two, I would want to try one before purchasing and I didn't see any "locate a store" links on the web site. But the endorsers, who I imagine get a price break likely, praise the playability of the instruments. I for one would like an instrument with a smaller profile and shorter scale, so 24.75 or so sounds good to me.

**jzucker** · 02-11-2016, 12:39 PM

Obviously tone is subjective. You are unlikely to get Joe Pass Joy Spring tone out of any semi, muchless a headless one. However, there are a ton of examples of modern headless jazz tone that I love including a couple clips below. I know many folks don't like this kind of stuff.

Originally Posted by Cunamara

I like the look but did not like the tone on any of the clips. But to be fair, listening on laptop speakers to a recording down with who knows what mic (maybe just the built in mic on a cell phone) probably doesn't give the guitars a fair shake at all.

And, to be fairer, I hear a lot of tones on archtops, Teles, Strats, Les Pauls, etc., that I don't like- not infrequently from top-drawer players on top-notch instruments. Heck, most of the time I don't even particularly like my own tone!

**David B** · 04-14-2016, 05:32 AM

I like the specs of the John Abercrombie model. Wish my Carvin HH2 had a 24.75" scale and 12" radius.

Does anyone know who's actually building these? The website gives no detail about the company beyond "handmade in the USA".

**Hammertone** · 04-14-2016, 09:11 AM

Soulful would be a better name.

**arnie65** · 05-13-2016, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

Obviously tone is subjective. You are unlikely to get Joe Pass Joy Spring tone out of any semi, muchless a headless one.

I'm not so sure about that Jack, hear the tone of this Wright "Santa Fe" model played by John Stowell straight in to a Fender Deluxe Reverb. It sounds very archtop to me..IMO

Cheers,
Arnie...

**kris** · 05-14-2016, 11:07 AM

it is not standard jazz tone...but if you like it it is Ok...:-)

**arnie65** · 05-15-2016, 06:34 PM

He has a baritone tuning but I like it because it sounds very archtop to me, I'm willing to bet that if there wasn't a video, most people would guess it was a real archtop. Although, like Jack mentioned "tone is subjective". I met Pat Martino in the early 90's through a mutual friend and the last time he was here in Florida I spent some time with him at a house he was vacationing at. One of the questions I remember asking him was about the guitar he used in one of his early recordings. I was guessing it was either an L5 or a Super 400, he smiled and said; it was a Les Paul going through an old bass amp....Go figure.

Cheers,
Arnie..

**feral guitar** · 05-15-2016, 07:26 PM

name is a little too close to 'soulless'

**Double V** · 05-18-2016, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by arnie65

I'm not so sure about that Jack, hear the tone of this Wright "Santa Fe" model played by John Stowell straight in to a Fender Deluxe Reverb. It sounds very archtop to me..IMO

Cheers,
Arnie...

John sounds great as always. his own voice and sound on whatever guitar he plays.
I've always been intrigued by the Soloette's and its very cool to see this new line of guitars

**EllenGtrGrl** · 05-18-2016, 10:28 PM

Hmmm, it kind of reminds me of the old Steinberger M Series guitars.

As was mentioned earlier headless guitars can do jazz. The most offputting thing about them for me, is the the size. I pick from the wrist (I'm not an arm slinger), and one thing I like about larger bodied guitars, is that their bodies make nice armrests for my right arm, while I'm playing. You don't get than nice feature with smaller bodied guitars.