A Good Budget Jazz Guitar

[silverfoxx]

Welcome Ellen,
as Joe DeNisco and others have said already ,you are among friends on this Forum,
you are also an experienced player, not a noob. Whatever you want to know you
will get helpful answers. You will learn much from the plethora of very intelligent and
extraordinarily good players only too pleased to offer advice. Don't fear either
that some of us are old codgers, been round the block once or twice ,but keen as
mustard on our much loved music, and the acquisition of the best guitars available
a lot of fun and information can be gleaned here.

[bananafist]

Hi Ellen,
I've read your posts on other forums so I know you are real! Just a thought, but if you know and like your Country Club, and you've had the frets, etc., changed as you need, maybe its worth spending $30-40 on an EQ pedal to tweak the frequencies from your filtertrons? I've got an old Anniversary with a PAF filtertron and can get a nice (to me) jazz sound through a Princeton. Or maybe TV Jones could custom wind you a darker sounding filtertron with alnico 2 magnets?
Still a less costly option than the new guitar route, but maybe ya just hanker after a new guitar!
Good luck anyway.

[lawson-stone]

Nope, I don't practice 20 hours a day, and unfortunately, being 52 years old, and a little on the chunky side, I'm not exactly "hot babe" material.

Yours truly with back in 2008, after a long summer day at work, with an Ibanez AS-120 Artstar I foolishly sold a few years ago


I realize we're kind of rare on the ground yet, but women guitar players do exist.

F.Y.I. - I know it seems like I've posted hardly any replies, but I've actually posted several. Being a noob, my posts are moderated, and until a moderator releases them, they're in limbo (I'm surprised that this one and another post-OP one have even posted on the thread). I'm a moderator on a Yahoo group, so I'm familiar with this. Still, it feels kind of weird from the other (person posting) end. But, it is the weekend, and many people (including mods) are away from their computers, so moderator action can be kind of slow. BTW, you've all given me some great ideas.

Thank you so much for definitively answering my question!

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry we've not been able to see your other replies. While "hot" might describe some of the playing some of the musicians here do, there are not many of us whose appearance would be called "hot" so I wouldn't worry about that.

In answer to your initial question, nobody has mentioned the Loar LH650. I have one. It's got a carved spuce top, carved maple back, solid maple sides. One-piece neck (no scarf joint). It's a 16" lower bout guitar, same shape and size as the ES175 or L4c. It comes with a Kent Armstrong licensed (not hand-wound) floating pickup.

Mine needed some set-up attention, but once I did that, it has been a really fun guitar. It has the sweetness and clarity you want from a carved-top guitar with a floater, but it can also snarl a little when you "dig in."

I now have much nicer guitars and I keep thinking I should sell the Loar, but then I sit down and play it, and, well, I keep deciding it's a fun guitar to have.

[lawson-stone]

Here's my Loar LH650. Note I've added a tone control to the guitar and replaced the stock pickup with a Kent Armstrong hand-wound 12-pole pickup.

[JSanta]

Welcome to the forum! May I suggest this lovely Eastman 7 string for sale in the classifieds?

You've got a very healthy budget, and I don't have much to add to what's already been spoken about. An Ibanez Artcore is probably your best bang for your buck if you're looking for a laminate instrument. Eastman and Loar (both used) are great values for carved models, and of course used Heritage and Gibson's are excellent options.

[travisty]

I think it may come down to what you want in terms of acoustic/amplified sound balance. And if more amplified, what pup sound you want. If more acoustic-y, ask for advice on that more specifically. If amplified with interesting tone possibilities and OK acoustic sound, I love the Guild Savoy 150 suggest above. Great sound. Available well below your budget.

[Matt Cushman]

It seems if you must refret any guitar you buy, you should look for a suitable used guitar that is already in need of a refret if you can find one or perhaps a custom build with your preferred fretwire.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Hi Ellen,
I've read your posts on other forums so I know you are real! Just a thought, but if you know and like your Country Club, and you've had the frets, etc., changed as you need, maybe its worth spending $30-40 on an EQ pedal to tweak the frequencies from your filtertrons? I've got an old Anniversary with a PAF filtertron and can get a nice (to me) jazz sound through a Princeton. Or maybe TV Jones could custom wind you a darker sounding filtertron with alnico 2 magnets?
Still a less costly option than the new guitar route, but maybe ya just hanker after a new guitar!
Good luck anyway.

Yeah, I know what you mean, and I do like my 'Clubs (still wishing I hadn't had to sell my '54 Country Club to pay for dental work in 2015). So, I'm feeling kind of torn. I just don't know if I can get that dry, warm, jazz sound I like (my '54 Club sure seemed like it could - those 1953 or '54 Dynasonics in it sure were overwound compared to the ones made today!). I feel torn. I do like some sparkle in my sound, but I don't like bright, and you know as well as I do, that FilterTrons can get kind of bright sounding (though I will admit, that I keep the treble setting on my amp around 5 or so, when I play Gretsches). Still, Gretsches are cool. Hmmmm, must think about this. The D'Angelico EXL-1 sure looks like it would be the business, but the neck specs out as being thin, and I just don't care for thin necks. Maybe I should forego the Country Club, and tell Cream City Music to hang onto my layaway, until something like a 50s Corsair, etc., shows up for sale.

To everybody else, thanks for all of the suggestions.

Even More Befuddled Than Before,
Ellen

[Jim Soloway]

Want to go on a roadtrip? There have this good looker at Dave's in La Crosse (or at least it's listed on his website) for $1795.

Eagle '00 - Dave's Guitar Shop

[Headshot]

Ellen, when I play my guitars that are Gretschy( is that even a word?) I set my amp at Treble=3 Middle=5 Bass=7. It gives a little extra boom yet still allows a nice high that isn't shrill or twangy.

[Bluedawg]

Want to go on a roadtrip? There have this good looker at Dave's in La Crosse (or at least it's listed on his website) for $1795.

Eagle '00 - Dave's Guitar Shop

Yup .... a Heritage Eagle would be one of my first choices with your budget

[jazz.fred]

I agree! Assuming it's in good shape, a Heritage Eagle for $1795 would be an excellent v choice.

In November, I found a Heritage H575 Custom in MINT condition for $1900 and I'm very happy with it.

[snoskier63]

A 1970's Guild X-175 is a 17" hollowbody with a spruce top and maple back and sides. It is a very high quality guitar that can be had mint for $1700-$1800.

[rio]

I had a starfire II and it was a nice guitar with a good sound. Nice looker too and that price is good (the first link, the blonde)

[Archie]

I had a starfire II and it was a nice guitar with a good sound. Nice looker too and that price is good (the first link, the blonde)

Yeh they have a great early benson sound and that Guild playability. For $1000 you cant go wrong!

[jazz.fred]

I agree! Assuming it's in good shape, a Heritage Eagle for $1795 would be an excellent v choice.

In November, I found a Heritage H575 Custom in MINT condition for $1900 and I'm very happy with it.

Addendum to previous post:

I just took a look at the Eagle. It had a crack in the body and a crack in the pickguard -also repaired.

I thought $1795 seemed a little low for an Eagle.

CAVEAT EMPTOR.

Make sure you have a return option.

[fws6]

Hi Ellen nice to see you here from the Gretsch pages

Electric sound, big neck, USA made, jazz archtop that with some negotiation maybe could fall in your budget :

https://reverb.com/item/1634734-mort...ing-2002-black

[Cavalier]

Hi Ellen,
What did you think of the Howard Roberts Fusion? I've always admired those guitars but never played one.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Hi Ellen,
What did you think of the Howard Roberts Fusion? I've always admired those guitars but never played one.

LOVED it! Mine may have weighed a ton compared to the later ones (the later version Mark IIIs, were made a little differently from my Mk I, and the Mk IIs), but it sounded killer, both clean and dirty. Believe or not, I wouldn't mind having another one. I had to sell mine in early 2000, to pay some bills, and it needed a re-fret (due to wear at the time), that I couldn't really afford on top of all of my bills. That thing could both rock out, and jazz out bigtime! In retrospect, it was probably the best sounding guitar for jazz that I ever owned, and one of the best sounding guitars in general I've ever had in 37 years of playing. I'm listening to both Pat Martino, and John Schofield go to town bigtime playing Sunny together, on YouTube, and once again, I'm reminded that semi-hollows are also great sounding guitars.

Here's Mr. Roberts himself going to town on his namesake guitar

Jim (Soloway) - you mentioned making the haj, to Dave's - I actually bought my Howard Roberts Fusion at Dave's back in late 1992/early 1993. Sure it was (and still is) A 500 plus mile round trip, but at the time (and to a large extent today), they had some of the coolest gear in the state, and the midwest. My Howie was a 1980 tobacco sunburst, that I got at a great price, due it having a headstock repair. The repair was done so well, that I never had a problem with that guitar, and you had to look closely to even see the headstock repair (it might have been a Gibson factory repair).
Aw maaan! This is getting harder by the day! I've had a hankering for some time to get another Howard Roberts Fusion. Maybe I should go that route. Ugh!

[Cavalier]

Those are versatile guitars, Alex Lifeson still uses his on some Rush songs live, they handle the gain well.

Howard's son Jay gave me my crash course in Reggae onstage in Seattle in the 80s, lots of fun!. Like his dad he is a good teacher. The Fusions are on my list for one day.

[citizenk74]

Ellen, welcome to the forum. You're getting lots of great advice. Good luck in your quest. I hope you find the guitar that is right for you!

[MaxTwang]

Ellen,

If you like Heritage then keep your eyes open for an Eagle Classic. Depending on features and condition they've been running $1,500 - $2,000+ used, but there haven't been many around lately. The lower priced ones tend to be mahogany back & sides which was a lower priced model that has been discontinued, but certainly is no slouch. There have been some pretty beat-up Eagles down to $1,100 in the past year.

Closer to $2,000 should get you a spruce top with maple back & sides. The $2,000 and less Heritages I have seen have been a mix of floating pickup and set-in pickup(s).

The archtop market has been in a funk lately and sellers seem to have stopped listing as it has been a real buyer's market. Be patient and enjoy your Country Club while waiting.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Ellen,

If you like Heritage then keep your eyes open for an Eagle Classic. Depending on features and condition they've been running $1,500 - $2,000+ used, but there haven't been many around lately. The lower priced ones tend to be mahogany back & sides which was a lower priced model that has been discontinued, but certainly is no slouch. There have been some pretty beat-up Eagles down to $1,100 in the past year.

Closer to $2,000 should get you a spruce top with maple back & sides. The $2,000 and less Heritages I have seen have been a mix of floating pickup and set-in pickup(s).

The archtop market has been in a funk lately and sellers seem to have stopped listing as it has been a real buyer's market. Be patient and enjoy your Country Club while waiting.

Yeah Max, it's looking like I might end up doing just that, unless another guitar wows me so much, that it (figuratively speaking) hits me between the eyes.

[snoskier63]

A 1970's Guild X-175 is a 17" hollowbody with a spruce top and maple back and sides. It is a very high quality guitar that can be had mint for $1700-$1800.

Here is one very clean looking example of an X-175. No affiliation.

Guild X-175 Manhatten 1969 Sunburst https://reverb.com/item/1499147-guil...ce=android-app

[Cunamara]

Dry, dark, a little sparkle... Sounds like you are describing a Tal Farlow!