Seventy Seven Hawk Jazz clips (added comparison)

**jzucker** · 10-29-2017, 09:26 PM

I'm going to post my seventy seven hawk jazz clips on this thread. I'll get around to doing a comparison video soon between my '89 175, the hawk standard and the hawk jazz...

The 2nd video contrasts my '89 gibson 175 with the jazz hawk and then the hawk standard.

[edit - i posted this in another forum but thought i'd share my thoughts here too]

Originally Posted by jackzucker-from-tgp

The tone of the the AX8 preset was developed actually with my '63 Barney Kessel and then EQ'd with a pair of Alto TS210A speakers. The in the room sound is warmer and has a bit more bottom. Something I have not spent much time thinking about is that I need to insert a virtual 30 band EQ at the end of my virtual effect chain to make studio monitors and headphones sound more close to what the room sound is like. And of course yes, the EQ and amp settings need to be tweaked for each instrument. I actually created a setting specifically for the blonde hawk but I didn't have one for the sunburst one and didn't want to be changing amp settings.

Despite the way the guitars sound to a guitar player, if you take a step back, I think you can say that the seventy seven guitars nail the 175 sound. The '89 175s have a nasally midrange component to them that I like and that is missing from the seventy seven but the seventy sevens are more clear and natural sounding. The Hawk Jazz is probably my favorite followed by the hawk standard which - due to it's single pickup - has a more acoustic vibe to the tone and the 175 is my least favorite. I have considered selling the 175 but it was made the year my younger son was born and has some sentimental value to me so unless I get in a situation where I need to sell it, I'm keeping it for now.

**kris** · 10-30-2017, 03:27 AM

Guitar sounds fantastic.I like this sound very much.Is it all wooden bridge?
Great playing!
Congrats.
Best
Kris

**helios** · 10-30-2017, 03:58 AM

Very Gibson 175'ish tone to my ears--real nice! You were really flogging that guitar to put it in line!
How are the workmanship and playability?

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 08:49 AM

no, it has a metal bridge. There may be a wooden one in the case

Originally Posted by kris

Guitar sounds fantastic.I like this sound very much.Is it all wooden bridge?
Great playing!
Congrats.
Best
Kris

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by helios

Very Gibson 175'ish tone to my ears--real nice! You were really flogging that guitar to put it in line!
How are the workmanship and playability?

Thanks!

Playbility is very good. The factory setup is quite good on these. fret leveling and so forth seems to be an order of magnitude better than what gibson does. The quality is incredible. I have never seen a gibson other than maybe the high end custom shop pieces like L5s and Johnny Smiths with this level of quality control. It seems that the high end japanese shops have eclipsed any of the american factory made guitars in terms of QC...

**jads57** · 10-30-2017, 11:50 AM

Well you've nailed that Pat Martino tone you've mentioned in other posts.

**Eric Rowland** · 10-30-2017, 11:59 AM

Yeah man...reminds me of "The Visit" on Footprints.

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by jads57

Well you've nailed that Pat Martino tone you've mentioned in other posts.

Thanks Brotha, we should stick together!

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Eric Rowland

Yeah man...reminds me of "The Visit" on Footprints.

Thanks!

**JCM** · 10-30-2017, 04:47 PM

Sounds great! What amp are you using?

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by JCM

Sounds great! What amp are you using?

Fractal AX8 modeler using the vibroverb amp model through a virtual 2x12 EV12L cab and then direct into my focusrite preamp.

**johnnyjazz** · 10-30-2017, 05:01 PM

Man thats was great, i swear i heard Joe Pass in there after about 1 minute.

**Rhythmisking** · 10-30-2017, 05:19 PM

Screw the guitar, I just want Jack's pinky on MY left hand...

**jzucker** · 10-30-2017, 06:49 PM

thanks guys. But you don't want my pinky, you want adam rogers' pinky!

**jzucker** · 10-31-2017, 09:50 PM

bump for adding a comparison video

**jorgemg1984** · 11-01-2017, 08:38 AM

Jack, this setup is giving your best sound ever, imo. Don't sell anything!!

**Robertkoa** · 11-01-2017, 09:49 AM

There's some Great Playing on here....

You have some great picking dynamics on the Jazz Hawk in the Video ...there's point where you are doing some very soft fast picking ( start 1:48 ) on some uptempo lines- and the 'chirp ' disappears (in a good way) but it' s well articulated - very cool suggests that the Jazz Hawk can be used for more Legato type stuff ghost notes etc. despite the Maple Neck / Ebony Fingerboard.

I like the Tones on all of these...and the Playing is fun to listen to .

Isn't it impressive that the new Jazz Hawk is
quite close to the aged 175 ?

Also a great Demo for how good the AX 8 can sound Direct in the right hands.

Is the Guitar Tone knob turned down slightly on these Demos ?

Also that simple signal chain with the AX 8
sounds great - I hear more differences between Hawk Standard than the other two...but they all sound great.

I hear how the Notes stay at full volume longer on Jazz Fat Hawk than on Fat Hawk Standard .

Standard might sound 'prettier' .

Thanks for the Demos.

**jzucker** · 11-01-2017, 10:22 AM

Thanks for your comments.

Yeah, as I mentioned in the intro - The 175 has a mid range honk/thunk to it that neither of the seventy seven guitars have. I happen to like it because it reminds me of the dead flatwound sound that joe pass got back in the "joy spring" era but it seems to be very pronounced on those mahogany builds of the late '80s. I've had two and they both sounded the same but an '85 I had sounded nothing like it. I've also owned and played 175s from a bunch of different eras and none had that tone. I recently compared a '63/'64 to my '89 and I thought the '89 smoked it.

Neither of the seventy seven guitars have that honky-midrange quality. However, they both have a sweeter, more rounded tone than the 175. The mid range honk of the 175 works against you if you are trying to get a simple beautiful singing tone IMO. It's sort of a 1 trick pony whereas both 77 guitars have a much more natural tone to them. The blonde one has a more acoustic tone due to the single pickup and is more delicate. It also buzzes a bit more due to slightly lighter strings on it. It's got a set of thomastik .011 flats on there in which i swapped out the top two strings with a .012 and .016. The other two guitars have thomastik .012 flats.

My conclusion is that these guitars are better constructed than gibson with better fret work, attention to detail arguably sound better. To me at least.

One thing about the jazz hawk (guitar #2) is that it's really versatile with the maple / ebony neck. It covers a wide swath of tones, not just straight ahead jazz. And it has really great sustain. Much better than the other two.

Originally Posted by Robertkoa

There's some Great Playing on here....

You have some great picking dynamics on the Jazz Hawk in the Video ...there's point where you are doing some very soft fast picking on some uptempo lines- and the 'chirp ' disappears (in a good way) but it' s well articulated - very cool suggests that the Jazz Hawk can be used for more Legato type stuff ghost notes etc. despite the Maple/ Ebony front end attack...

I like the Tones on all of these...and the Playing is fun to listen to .

Isn't it impressive that the new Jazz Hawk is
quite close to the aged 175 ?

Also a great Demo for how good the AX 8 can sound Direct in the right hands ...

Also that simple signal chain with the AX 8
sounds great - I hear more differences between Hawk Standard than the other two...but they all sound great.

Tip- watch the Headstock for the switch from ES 175 to Jazz Hawk..

**jzucker** · 11-01-2017, 10:00 PM

another clip added...

**2bornot2bop** · 11-04-2017, 09:41 PM

I'm a sucker for a great ballad. That's some superb soulful playing there Jack. I'd been dying to hear your treatment of a ballad. Thanks! Great sounding guitars those 77's!

**feet** · 11-05-2017, 06:48 AM

of the three, based on that video and that video only, i preferred the tone of the second one. the 1st as a little plummy and cutting, the third seemed softer and darker in comparison. the second struck a middle ground where the low end was a little full but it still had balls and came through the mix. i didn't hate the last one it sounded a little squishy next to the other two. somehow more "traditional" while the other two were a little more "modern". the 1st had a sort of drier snappyness to it the others lacked. middy, as you noted.

you could appropriate either for whatever you're trying to and compensate with amp settings and eq and whatnot, but that's what came through to me when you lined them up like that.

but since i hardly play single notes, the comp didn't help me much

**Robertkoa** · 11-05-2017, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

thanks guys. But you don't want my pinky, you want adam rogers' pinky!

I could use some of your Creativity ...

Which Finger is that in ?
Don't answer that...

I can see how the Fat Jazz Hawk with coil cut switches would be very versatile and inspiring to Play ...and great to Record with.

**jzucker** · 11-05-2017, 05:40 PM

Thanks brotha. I'd love to hear the thinner version of this guitar with roundwound 11s and a plain 3rd. I bet it'd be a killer, versatile cross-over guitar for any style you'd throw at it. The maple neck really makes it versatile.

Originally Posted by Robertkoa

I could use some of your Creativity ...

Which Finger is that in ?
Don't answer that...

I can actually hear the the thunk on the 175 sometimes on the low strings.

I can see how the Fat Jazz Hawk with coil cut switches would be crazy versatile and fun .

I listen to this Demo a lot lol.

**jzucker** · 11-05-2017, 06:01 PM

i agree !

Originally Posted by feet

of the three, based on that video and that video only, i preferred the tone of the second one. the 1st as a little plummy and cutting, the third seemed softer and darker in comparison. the second struck a middle ground where the low end was a little full but it still had balls and came through the mix. i didn't hate the last one it sounded a little squishy next to the other two. somehow more "traditional" while the other two were a little more "modern". the 1st had a sort of drier snappyness to it the others lacked. middy, as you noted.

you could appropriate either for whatever you're trying to and compensate with amp settings and eq and whatnot, but that's what came through to me when you lined them up like that.

but since i hardly play single notes, the comp didn't help me much

**jzucker** · 11-05-2017, 06:02 PM

Thanks, it always means a lot to me when you comment. I'll do another ballad soon. Been busy trying to get my legato ii book finished.

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

I'm a sucker for a great ballad. That's some superb soulful playing there Jack. I'd been dying to hear your treatment of a ballad. Thanks! Great sounding guitars those 77's!