The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I am trying to buy a hollow body. I mentioned in this thread Ibanez Hollow Bodies that I was trying an Ibanez af105nt and except for the finish it was nice for me and very playable. More important I started liking the concept of a hollow body and now I am desperately trying to get one. Market here is not favoring this type of guitars so my options are limited. This one appeared today: Muzika i instrumenti : Woshburn j10 orleans 24.07.2020 - ID 98810228 - KupujemProdajem
    I liked the Ibanez because I could get some rockabilly sound out of it and I do play a bit of that, however the Washburn is a bit different conceptually.
    Does anyone have any experience with j10?

    Except these 2 I could get new Epiphone Joe Pass Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Vint. Sunburst Gld Hdwe Vintage Sunburst Gold električna gitara

    Also there are 2 of these Godins: Muzika i instrumenti : Godin kingpin 08.07.2020 - ID 97123466 - KupujemProdajem and by the picture I can tell that this is the finish I prefer.

    I could buy something expensive but I would like to go progressively because I learned that no money can tell me a good guitar that I like. Also, I am trying to buy a guitar that I can try. In the past I bought few from abroad and they were mostly disappointment.

    Any help is welcome and please feel free to search above sites and suggest other options if I'm missing something.

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  3. #2

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    Hi,

    No experience with the J10. I do have a J6 from 1989 and it's a wonderful guitar, although super heavy. It's a two pickup guitar, same body shape as the one you found. Narrow neck but not skinny. A great jazz guitar, great sound and I never had to do anything to her... maybe tighten up the jack a few times Had a few solidbody Washburns and always enjoyed the brand.

    The Godin, I'm sure a lot of guys here will have great things to say. I'm not that familiar with them.

    Good luck!

  4. #3
    There is also this one in the shop. I can probably go and try it: Epiphone Broadway Nat Gld Hdwe Natural Gold električna gitara
    Its around 765 eur. Does select spruce means that it its a solid spruce top?

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by velja
    There is also this one in the shop. I can probably go and try it: Epiphone Broadway Nat Gld Hdwe Natural Gold elektri?na gitara
    Its around 765 eur. Does select spruce means that it its a solid spruce top?
    No. The Broadways have laminated spruce tops. I assume ‘Select’ means nice grain. But it’s still laminate. I have a Broadway and it’s wonderful.

    They and the Joe Pass Emperors are very nice. But, They will need a setup. After a professional setup, I love my Broadway.

    Although it is a wonderful low-cost instrument as-is, the Broadway Is also a good guitar to modify and upgrade. The hardware is of good quality. The pickups and electronics are superior to most other budget archtops. However, I have installed better pickups, pickguard, knobs and tuner buttons. I have expensive Gibson archtop that I cherish, but the Broadway is the one I play the most.

    Washburn J10 and other options-d8e9f572-148d-4f4f-bffe-17873c4bf29f-jpg

  6. #5
    I went to check a beautiful Aria. Beautiful guitar. Its an Aria 2302 but all maple and sunburst. Even the back is flamed maple. I think its observable through F holes on the pictures.

    Washburn J10 and other options-97078314_5eeddb41a261b4-39371559020420121171-jpgWashburn J10 and other options-97078314_5eeddb41a48809-49598692020420121173-jpg

    Unfortunately after realizing that the neck was refinished I found other traces confirming that it was broken at the head-stock. There was some trouble with the setup and the dude didn't let me fix it or further diagnose so I left it there. In fact he was very angry because of my observations. Although this one is my best impression so far I need a guitar that can be played or easily brought to purpose and I am uncertain that truss rod works on this one.
    I will go to check a Broadway today, although I learned that its a 25.5 scale which I wouldn't like on a hollow body. I will check Joe Pass Epiphone in the store too. Someone says that Joe Pass is a bit neck heavy?

    If I don't find something today. I will reconsider buying that af105nt if its not sold. I have better options in surrounding countries (Germany and Austria) but I can't travel because of COVID.

  7. #6

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    The guitars you're listing here are all quite different from each other. It's almost impossible to say which is better than another. What features and characteristics are you looking for? 16 or 17 body? Humbuckers or P90? Strong or deader acoustic sound? Chunky or skinny neck? Fancy or plain? You need to figure some of that out.

    For instance, I've played Epi Broadway's and think they're really nice, but find bigger bodies uncomfortable to play, so I wouldn't buy one. I have a Godin Kingpin because I like its somewhat more acoustic sound and P90, but I also have another guitar with two humbuckers, and if I had to choose between the two, that's what I'd keep. I had a Samick that's essentially the same thing as an Epi JP (Samick made the early JP's), but with a skinnier neck. Nice guitar, but ultimately not right for me. And so on.

    For most of us, this is trial and error. Knowing nothing about you as a player, and just giving generic advice, I'd say the JP is probably the best choice for a first archtop. Well made, sort of "generic" design and features, nice looking. Either that or an Epi 175 Premium (if you can find one), which is the best of the inexpensive 175 wannabes.

    John

  8. #7
    I understand your point. This will be my first hollow-body so I don't know any of that and to make things worse there are 2 used guitars and 6 new below 1k eur that I could try here. I tried 6 guitars and tonight I bough Ibanez af105nt.
    I went to the shop earlier and tried a Broadway. Setup was very bad. Scarf joint neck and one more piece of wood on the neck heel. Fender scale. I couldn't relate to it in any way.
    I also tried 2 Epiphone Emperor Swingsters, because thats what they have in the shop and one of them felt really good and had something in the tone but it was a white/gold + gold dust binding one that looks like its just out from circus. Interesting that it is cheaper than other 2 Swingsters and its really a much better guitar. That's the one: Attachment 74654Washburn J10 and other options-upload_27919_1-jpg

    I need to replace 2 pots on the Ibanez and bridge pickup cover is vibrating. I wan't to clean it a bit and I will post some pictures.
    Last edited by velja; 08-08-2020 at 05:24 PM.

  9. #8
    Hey I am done with the electronics. It went pretty fast. Aside from 2 pots I had to replace the input jack. Here are few pics.


    Fishing


    One note had a noticeable fret buzz. I thought it was due to high fret but after careful examination I figured out that string has been bent just above that fret.



    I only had Dadario 11s flat wound so I replaced with that, both buzz and the tone are gone . Strings that were already on it were noticeably better, so it would be great if anyone can help recognize strings from the below image? Unwound strings were gold plated. I think that gauge is 12.


  10. #9

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    Probably Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Swing 12s. TI JS112 is their nomenclature.

  11. #10

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    I have a Washburn J-10. It's a beautiful instrument and has a wonderful voice for jazz. However, it's a one-pickup instrument and it wouldn't be my choice for anything like rockabilly. I upgraded the pickup and tailpiece on mine, but here it is.

    Washburn J10 and other options-dsc07848-jpg

  12. #11
    Enjoying my Ibanez since then. Beautiful guitar.