The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #76

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    Quote Originally Posted by rodan
    Hi there, I've gone through most of this thread but haven't seen anyone mention any jazz guitars for those on a tight budget.Is it possible to buy a hollow body for the price of a Squier solid body?I would love to be able to trade my Squier Stagemaster for a nice archtop.

    Rodan
    There's a very well kept and sweet sounding 1988 Washburn J6 on eBay right now. It is laminated maple so that it does not feed back as easily as a solid top. And if you put a Gibson HB in the neck, you would not be able to tell the difference against one that cost thousand$ more. I can barely tell with the original Washburn HB's now.

    But if all else fails, try an Oscar Schmidt, have it set up properly and get new pups. Just about anything from Washburn is a good value.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #77

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    I used to have a 335 (60s) that was wonderful. Now I have one custom Strat that real kicks--I use it in my band and to record. But I am not totally thrilled with it for jazz from a couple of perspectives. When I was living in Venezuela I bought a Legend, which is a strat clone and it plays lovely. So when I got my new strat, I yanked the neck off the Legend and a friend is putting two P-90s in it with a modified (Les Paul style) tone control. Should be sweet.

    By the way, just to note changing times, a bit from Winkepdia on the ES-175 (a wonderful guitar!)
    "The denomination 175 came from the original price tag of the first ES, which was $175.00."

  4. #78

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    By the way, just to note changing times, a bit from Winkepdia on the ES-175 (a wonderful guitar!)
    "The denomination 175 came from the original price tag of the first ES, which was $175.00."[/quote]


    Same with the goldtop version that had a bigsby, the ES-295.

    I remember back in the early '70s, seeing a Howard Roberts Custom in sunburst at a place in NJ called Muscaras Music. It was selling for about $800 with case. Brand new. These days that same guitar on the vintage market is fetching $2500 to $3500, used.

  5. #79

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    No guitar is perfect, but I have just been introduced to the Peerless line and every single one of them are potentially "perfect for right now".

    And Doc Dosco is a righteous dude, so give them a try. There are few better values out there at any price or for any level of experience.

    I am impressed.

    www.docdosco.com

  6. #80

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    Amen on the tele-portation for jazz. I used an American tele ( delta system wiring ) with stock P/U's rolling off the high end of the neck P/U about 1/4 turn playing fingerstyle chord melody with a combo that included horns and it was a HIT ! Amazingly, I would not have expected it to produce, but it was the ONLY axe I had at the time....Wah La ! Some of the listeners were equally amazed during our travels and gigs......I always knew and respected Leo for the TWANG monsters, but LAYED BACK !!??!!....Who knew?

  7. #81

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    Quote Originally Posted by 86general
    I bought a gen-yooo-wine Gibson ES-335 for jazz. Perfect guitar for jazz, right? Well, it's certainly been used alot for jazz, and it also plays rock, blues. Perfect. I was in heaven. I had MY guitar.

    Trouble is, I've had it 8 months, and I don't like it. Sounds great. Neck plays very well. Pickups sound great.

    But it's uncomfortable to play...ergonomically (I play seated). No matter how I sit with it, whether resting it on one or the other thigh, or strapping it on with a strap, with foot propped or not, with the guitar at various angles, it just doesn't feel right. I'm either hunching or twisting somehow, or one or the other arms is in an uncomfortable spot, or the guitar is unbalanced and I'm holding it up with one or the other arms.
    Oh boy, can I relate to this! I've got a Godin LGX-SA that I have played exclusively for the last ten years (almost). High quality, versatile guitar, SD Jazz Neck, SD Custom Custom bridge, sounds great, etc. I have the same problem though, I've never found my comfort zone with it. I can only get it sitting with it propped like a classical guitar. I can't sit like that playing with the band. I can't find my comfort zone standing with a strap!

    I'm VERY intrigued by the number of positive comments on the Telecaster. Perhaps the Tele would be a better fit for me? I never considered them before because they don't portray the image I've imagined for myself. I confess to seeing them as strictly country complete with cowboy hats and sequin outfits. I think I need to reconsider my bias. The idea of a working man's guitar that does the job appeals to me more than owning a finniky little beauty that requires more maintenance than its worth.
    Last edited by ggman; 03-27-2009 at 03:28 PM.

  8. #82

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    You can change instrument. I suggest diatonic harmonica (chromatic is too heavy) , or the kozoo, or the piano (be seated when play it). And pay attention to avoid acoustic bass or the didjeridoo...

  9. #83

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    I have had a few great guitars over the years and I still have a McKerrihan 16", a 60's Guild X175, an early 50's ES350, a long scale 350T, and a 335. Lately I've been playing a '56 RI goldtop LP with original 50's pickups and harness; very sweet, better than what I expected from a LP. The old 350 is semi-retired, the 335 is very nice too, but it doesn't seem to have the warmth.
    Last edited by ES350; 04-03-2009 at 10:11 PM.

  10. #84

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    Have a few guitars. An Eastman Thinline T185MX. Very nice. Jazz or blues. A
    Guild Blues Bird. Similar to the LP. Sweet through tube amps. But my favorite is my G&L ASAT Classic Blues Boy Semi Hollow. Its a G&L Tele thinline. Love it.

  11. #85

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    Quote Originally Posted by sno_pack
    Have a few guitars. An Eastman Thinline T185MX. Very nice. Jazz or blues. A
    Guild Blues Bird. Similar to the LP. Sweet through tube amps. But my favorite is my G&L ASAT Classic Blues Boy Semi Hollow. Its a G&L Tele thinline. Love it.
    Is your blues boy chambered or with f holes ? how is it with feedback I hear that tha Seymour Duncan Seth lover pickup squeals if your to close to your amp and playing loud...Is it balance when you play standing or neck heavy?Hows the neck chunky or thin? sorry for all the question I have been considering one...Thanks

  12. #86

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    Blues Boy has an f hole. Chunky gun-oiled neck with ebony fretboard. I have never had problems with pickup squeals, but generally don't play loud. I do play close to the amp frequently though.

    Play through a Victoria 512, Rivera Clubster 45, or Fender Bassman. Use a Holy Grail for reverb on all. Keep the Clubster on the clean channel. The guitar is balanced, but can get heavy after a while.

    Usually set pickup switch to middle position and notes sound clear and warm with an initial pop. Notes in the lower register have more clarity than my other guitars.

    Build quality excellent. Solid. Great sustain. For me a little pricey...2500 or + depending on options.

  13. #87

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    Checkout any of the PEERLESS jazz guitars...The higher end Cremona is great...The others are very , very nice too...Not that expensive....$2000. or so.They are almost as nice as a Benedetto and certainly as nice as Eastman.
    To me , Benedetto is the nicest i've ever seen or heard but i'm a Newbie.
    There is a dealer in New Jersey named Lou. Look up Peerless online and it will take you to him.

  14. #88

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    I got a Gibson ES-135 Limited Edition a couple of months ago. Everyday I like it more and more. It gets incredible not-jazz tones (rock, blues, blah, blah,) and actually does jazz about 96% as well as my full hollow with flatwound strings. (I think the absence of flats on this gtr. is the missing 4%).

    I'm not sure how that is, but what I've convinced my self is that using balsa wood for the center block doesn't add as much oomph as the maple found in 335's or mahogany in the 137's, but still eliminates feedback. That combined with the slightly deeper body (than 335's) and Gibson's '57 Classic humbuckers give it a great jazz tone.

  15. #89

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    I don't know if it is "the perfect jazz guitar". I don't think such a beast exists. Different tools for different jobs. I can get some great voicings but the trade off is I can't roll my thumb on to the E string, for example. it all depends on what you are going for. I play chord melody or at least try to, its great for that. And when I get together with a couple of my friends to jam without a bassist they are amazed at the full sound I get. So for me its as perfect as I can get. Saying that I wouldn't pass up an L-5 if I had one given to me LOL
    Thanks for the compliment on my guitar Peter.

  16. #90

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    I'm a full time Tele player but this is probably as good a time
    as any to confess.......I also collect Harmonys. These two
    are old, mojo filled, sweet sounding work horses and very
    inexpensive. Good old fashioned American made instruments
    now living a second life as the vintage world's best kept
    secret. Those pickups.....Gibson P13's, the predessor to the
    P90's.

    Late 50's Harmony H65



    Early 50's harmony H50


  17. #91

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    wel,i have to tell it!I bough me an aria herb ellis en she sounds sweet!I guess my other guitars wil have to leave the playroom..

  18. #92

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    The Aria Herb Ellis model is a pretty good guitar, I don't think you have to break the bank to get a good guitar.

  19. #93

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    I bought a Hagstrom Super Swede Vintage Series a couple months ago, and the jazz tone settings I'm using really appeal to me. The sustain is incredible, it'll go on forever. The body is solid mahogany maple bookmatched top. The electronics are supposed to be the same as the 70's Swedish made models. These guitars have a tough, polyester finish that doesn't scratch near as easily as traditional finishes, and the necks on all Hagstroms are the selling feature. I'll vouch for mine, the best I've used.

    I would suggest to anyone looking at the Gibson 335 or Epi copy to have a good look at the Hagstrom Viking series.

    I read 2 magazine reviews on Hagstroms that said they are finished at least as well as 2000 dollar and up American made guitars.

  20. #94

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    Excerpt :

    Quote Originally Posted by ggman
    Oh boy, can I relate to this! I've got a Godin LGX-SA that I have played exclusively for the last ten years (almost). High quality, versatile guitar, SD Jazz Neck, SD Custom Custom bridge, sounds great, etc. I have the same problem though, I've never found my comfort zone with it. I can only get it sitting with it propped like a classical guitar. I can't sit like that playing with the band. I can't find my comfort zone standing with a strap!
    ================================================== =======

    I love my LGXSA I sit , have to now after one car accident to many . It's a bit of a monster ( so is a Les Paul ) to be sure but what a tone giant . Straight into a little Gibson Skylark 15watt tube and wow it's unreal for the 50's sound and plugged into my old Gretsch class A tube and it's a time machine to Charlie Christian's era's sound .

    I have a Carvin X60 tube hybrid 60 watt and it sounds really great there to for Jazz , Blues and Rock and it's many permutations .

    When I use a multiple voiced sound like adding a electric piano to a jazz guitar or rock guitar's sound it's really astural at times really When I realized I had sounds the likes of Pat Matheny when I did this I said :

    OH WOW thats how he got that !

    Yeah synthesizer sounds meshed and blended with traditional jazz / blues / and or rock is where it's at for me . My LGXSA do deliva when hooked to my Roland GR33 guitar synthesizer and Digitech GNX4 .

    I use :

    Peavy single folded horns ( X2 ) with Black Widow 15" full range woofers and Altec big ass state of the art horns ( X2 ) these suckers are huge , the driver elements on it to replace cost me over $100.00 each and that was 13 years ago !

    Pump them up with a generic 500 watt solid state stereo amp and it can handle a really big room no problem . I have a 8" JBL system for small venues .

    Also I use a Yamaha 50 watt solid state guitar amp in stereo with my Carvin X60 tube amp ,the stereo FX I get when I use my Digitech GNX4 on this set up is fantastic . I can also go directly to both guitar amps and the 500 watt amp all from my GNX4 including ( with full FX and RVB ) my vocal XLR mic .

    Life is good

    Sincerely :

    Hurricane Ramon

  21. #95

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    hi,

    what about not harming Django to play even on a broken guitar?
    I read this somewhere.
    Made me a lot of thinking, why and what and certainly because.
    A friend of mine makes every guitar "sound", and he doesn't mind, seems
    as he's got the sound from his "ears". Amazing and frustrating.

  22. #96

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lester
    "Use the Warp knob to Morph amp and cabinet models together to create your own Hypermodels."

    Man that is one serious rig! I'm too old for that sh$t. I'm still trying to figure out what the middle switch position on my Tele does.
    Hey Lester whats shakin man :

    I bet I'm older than you heh heh ( 58 ) and yeah this unit ( GNX4 ) is not for the faint of heart . The fact of the matter for me in this case as a guitarist is I began only 10 years ago after being a performing pro since 1977 as a Blues Harp Blowing maniac with chops that rivaled many a piano - keyboard / guitar player no BS .

    So here comes a miracle a real one and I'm making up for lost time . My first 6 years at it was set at 6 to 7 days a week if I could do it , 4 to 6 minimal hours and all day when I could manage it .

    I had begun learning keyboard in 93 and knew how to read notation since I was a trumpet player in elementary school in 58 . I started harps ( diatonic harmonicas ) in 54 at 4 yrs of age .

    My majority time practicing was with the physical aspect of developing my left forearm and hand's strength and coordination since at 48 your going backwards in the case of muscle development

    But I digress ...

    My take on what I wanted in an electric guitar and then the peripherals that are available for one to " enhance the guitar's sounds and textures of :

    Yesterday - Now - N - Tomorrow .......

    My eyes saw my future guitar ( electric after I made a Washburn D46SCE acoustic electric sound real purdee) to be one that was the :

    " state of the art electric guitar "

    I did not let tradition get in the way .

    I did look at every guitar player and rig I liked .

    I did not limit the guitar to any one genre .

    I did consider what Andres Segovia said :

    " The guitar is like an orchestra each sting being a separate and distinct voice "

    After all was thought out for over a period of 4 years of researching everything from guitar players I know in the business and the internet's powerful reach of information I settled for the Godin LGXSA with a Roland GR33 guitar synthesizer and then my last piece to complete my dream set up I got the Digitech GNX4 because nothing came close for the $'s with as much bang fo dee buck .

    I have to write that the GNX4 really messed up my mind for quite some time as did the Roland GR33 . These units take some studying aside from the actual use !

    But - - -

    Did not learning to play guitar also mess up your mind for a while ? Was learning how a chord is constructed take only a hour to learn ? What about arm , hand and the coordination trip ?

    What takes time to learn is not easily forgotten , worth while projects take their time .

    Easy Come Easy Go - -

    1st song I tackled on guitar was { Some Where Over The Rainbow } . It kicked my ass ! 4 years !

    But

    Seems nothing is too difficult now heh heh .

    I'm nobody at 10 years at it but , I am light years ahead of many others with more than 10 years at it save some younger guys who are so good I want to shoot them heh heh .

    So that's what makes me tick .

    Teles I love . The LGXSA can make a really cool Tele like sound too , it was one of the reasons I got it . The Fender Roland ready did not have as much flexibility even though well made and cheaper . The PRS were way out of my price league as was the Parker Fly synth guitar . My expense for the above rig I posted was :

    $1700.00 for the LGXSA w/hardshell case and Roland GR33
    $500.00 GNX4 no tax or shipping charges .
    100.00 empty single folded Peavy horn cabs X2
    $200.00 15" Peavy Blackwidows X2
    $300.00 Altec horns ( one with a blown element ) X2
    $120.00 Horn element
    $250.00 New off an internet music store GEM 500 Watt Stereo Power amp
    $3170.00 Total .

    Now I could have spent the $s on just one Gibson ..............or a Parker Fly

    NOT ! ! !


    Sincerely :

    HR

  23. #97

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    Hurricane
    The best Jazz guitar is the one that fit's your needs and speaks to you.
    I play acoustic, I have amps but seldom use them as I never play outside the house.
    In fact the last time I played with anyone pluged into a amp was in your front room!!!!!
    Love Ya Bro

  24. #98

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    Quote Originally Posted by jaxson50
    Hurricane
    The best Jazz guitar is the one that fit's your needs and speaks to you.
    I play acoustic, I have amps but seldom use them as I never play outside the house.
    In fact the last time I played with anyone pluged into a amp was in your front room!!!!!
    Love Ya Bro
    ================================================== ========

    Hey Blood Brother !

    Yes that was really fun only nearly not enough time ! The best moments in music are sometimes the impromptu times in a living room with a good friend .

    Yesterday with my neighbor and an other two friends the acoustic steel strings were humming to the sounds if Latin America , Tangos , Cumbias , Latin 60's pop/rock .

    After a few hours I was asked to play some Jazz and really helped some seasoned guitar players sit up and take notice of something quite new and different to them , the best of these two guitarists asked after wards if I would show him " Satin Doll " cool huh !

    That guitarist who learned Satin Doll was stoked on learning something Jazz for the first time , he thought it would be impossible heh heh .

    Easy man

    Hurricane Ramon

  25. #99

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    I can tell you what NOT to buy...Canvas CFC 70. Sounded very tinny unplugged (it's a full hollow), pup's were weak and without any depth, the neck had a wave in it. Maybe I expected too much for a cheap jazz box. At least the seller promised to refund my money.

  26. #100

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    There are many South Korean guitar makers, Samick being the largest, (maybe the largest in the world in volume). The companies will build to spec. and differ the design and details to the buyers request.
    Some of the guitars are pretty good some,, not so much. It all comes down to what the customer is willing to spend per unit.