Why do Jazz players use Telecaster and not Les Paul?

**Stefan Eff** · 07-02-2021, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

Like most here, I've played hundreds.

Good Telepickups sound warm not harsh, built in a light, resonant body combined with a fat neck and you‘ve got a killer guitar. Dunno if a Baja is comparable.
But to each their own, I‘m not a big friend of Humbuckers…

**L50EF15** · 07-02-2021, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Stefan Eff

Good Telepickups sound warm not harsh, built in a light, resonant body combined with a fat neck and you‘ve got a killer guitar. Dunno if a Baja is comparable.
But to each their own, I‘m not a big friend of Humbuckers…

The original Tele master, Jimmy Bryant, illustrated this point quite well:

**DavidKOS** · 07-02-2021, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by L50EF15

The original Tele master, Jimmy Bryant, illustrated this point quite well:

Thanks for posting one of my faves - maybe he's not considered a "jazz" guitar player like Wes but Jimmy was a fine player with a killer style!

And then there's Speedy

**sgcim** · 07-08-2021, 02:40 AM

I jammed all day and night today with a friend who let me use his Hahn Jazz Tele with two Charlie Christian pickups through his Polytone amp, and it sounded fine for jazz.
The only problem was that my RH kept bumping into the pickup switch.

**eLDi** · 07-08-2021, 01:09 PM

„WHY DO JAZZ PLAYERS USE TELECASTER AND NOT LES PAUL?“

Les Pauls are very fine for jazz. You can do everything on a Les Paul.

But: you cannot play straight and pure rock on an archtop. Every jazz guy playing a Les Paul ends up in playing rock’n’roll. You can‘t avoid it. No chance

. It’s just fun.

That‘s why you don’t hear jazz on Les Pauls.

Lars

**Spook410** · 07-08-2021, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by eLDi

„

But: you cannot play straight and pure rock on an archtop.

Steve Howe and Ted Nugent come to mind but I wouldn't want to fight the feedback in a loud band.

**Bushwackbob** · 07-08-2021, 04:40 PM

I was not familiar with Speedy West. Wow...

**Doctor Jeff** · 07-08-2021, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

Steve Howe and Ted Nugent come to mind but I wouldn't want to fight the feedback in a loud band.

I’d rather listen to loud feedback than Ted Nugent. In fact, how can you tell the difference?

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-08-2021, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

I’d rather listen to loud feedback than Ted Nugent. In fact, how can you tell the difference?

Loud feedback doesn't espouse crazy politics.

**jads57** · 07-09-2021, 04:28 PM

But it creates quite a profitable income stream for a lot of guitar players LOL !

**guavajelly** · 07-11-2021, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by alltunes

Telecaster with bolt on neck is great for bending the neck for a chorus like sound. That subtle chorus technique is great for solo jazz guitar (early Frisell, Lerch, Greene). Bending the neck not recommended for a set neck guitar like a LP. Sure you can bend the neck on a Strat but unless it is a hard-tail it will not be as stable tuning wise as a Tele. Another interesting question might be why a Tele instead of a Strat for jazz?

funny enough Frisell developed that while playing an SG.

**citizenk74** · 08-13-2021, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by eLDi

„WHY DO JAZZ PLAYERS USE TELECASTER AND NOT LES PAUL?“

Les Pauls are very fine for jazz. You can do everything on a Les Paul.

But: you cannot play straight and pure rock on an archtop. Every jazz guy playing a Les Paul ends up in playing rock’n’roll. You can‘t avoid it. No chance

. It’s just fun.

That‘s why you don’t hear jazz on Les Pauls.

Lars

**Cunamara** · 08-13-2021, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

Youth and stupidity are practically joined at the hip. Don't feel alone!

I am not sure that stupidity goes away with age.

Around the time I was graduating from college, a good friend of mine bought a Gibson Johnny Smith; it was used and it was a factory 2nd (although we never did figure out why) and he got it for a ridiculously good price, under $1000. This was circa 1981. He kept the guitar for probably 35 years, not playing it very much because he was mainly a bass player. A few years ago he called me to get the phone number of our mutual old jazz teacher to see if he wanted to buy the JS. I gave him the guy's phone number and stupidly didn't make an offer myself. I think he wanted about $2500 for it!

That GJS was the first really fine guitar I ever played. It was fabulous, although wine red which is my least favorite Gibson finish, but sounded and played fantastically. Around 1986 I bought an Ibanez GB10 from the same guy that sold the JS to my buddy. I still have that guitar and it too is fantastic, so I came out pretty all right. But still.

Even the windshield wipers talk about people like me: dumb guy, dumb guy, dumb guy, dumb guy... this is neither the first nor last of my capers in dumbosity.

**rsclosson** · 08-14-2021, 10:43 AM

I do wish they would reissue the les paul with low impedance pickups. I played an Epiphone Les Paul Signature and loved it!

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-14-2021, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by sgcim

I jammed all day and night today with a friend who let me use his Hahn Jazz Tele with two Charlie Christian pickups through his Polytone amp, and it sounded fine for jazz.
The only problem was that my RH kept bumping into the pickup switch.

I’ve turned the control plate 180 degrees on every Tele I’ve had. Not only does this get the switch out of the way, but it also moves the volume knob to a great position for swells. I’ve added push-push pots to a couple for coil splitting and dropped mini toggles between the pots for phase switching, too. I don’t think I used anything but the neck pickup in normal configuration more than a dozen times - but the mods were fun to do and I learned a lot.

My current Tele is a Raines Tele7 (Duncan 59 neck, Bare Knuckles 61-PAF style bridge) with the switch in the top, below and between the pots. With a Hipshot bridge (added by me) and meticulous setup, it’s my default gigging guitar and covers all but those dates that require (or just make me want to bring) an archtop.

To address the OP, I also have an Epi LP 7 that I bought new from Sam Ash in the ‘90s. The hardware and electronics were cheap cr@p, so I swapped in 7 Gotohs from a 12 string set I got cheap, plus an EMG neck pup and pots. I removed the bridge pup, filled the rout and control holes, and finished the repairs so it looks great beyond about 10 feet. It weighs about 1 1/2 pounds more than my Teles, which is one reason that we “mature” jazz players prefer humbucking Teles to LPs. I use it on some blues gigs from time to time, but I just did the frets again and it’s going to need new ones next time around. So it’s basically a backup now.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-14-2021, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by rsclosson

I do wish they would reissue the les paul with low impedance pickups. I played an Epiphone Les Paul Signature and loved it!

The original production low impedance LP was the “Recording” model, introduced about 50 years ago as I recall. It was not a big seller because it had limited visual appeal as well as the unique low impedance electronics. They did a RI about 20 years ago, but I never got to try one and have no idea how good they were. You can probably find one on the web if you really want it.

**maxiim** · 08-15-2021, 08:04 AM

telecaster are more comfortable to play and have that heavenly sound

**Litterick** · 08-15-2021, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit

The original production low impedance LP was the “Recording” model, introduced about 50 years ago as I recall. It was not a big seller because it had limited visual appeal as well as the unique low impedance electronics. They did a RI about 20 years ago, but I never got to try one and have no idea how good they were. You can probably find one on the web if you really want it.

A contemporary Ibanez copy has come up for sale in my part of the world. It seems to be in perfect condition. I am struggling with temptation.

**GNAPPI** · 08-15-2021, 10:10 AM

Marty got it... Cheaper and lighter. It doesn't hurt that if a drunk knocks it off the stand and breaks the neck it's an easy fix :-)

**lammie200** · 08-15-2021, 11:04 AM

I think that Teles present a perfect paradox with the guitar being a tool for the music. Teles are so basic that a good one will disappear in your hands like no other guitar can. They can be the perfect vehicle for making music. But us guitar players know that it is there so we obsess over it.

Another part of the paradox is that a lot of players were probably initially drawn to a Tele's simplicity and then went ape sh*t crazy modding the crap out of one to get it to be what they really wanted. Steve Morse's Tele, for example. I had to close my eyes a few times when I saw him play in the '80s because between seeing this and his spandex I got nauseous.

Why do Jazz players use Telecaster and not Les Paul?-87655abcffcd47bd14097dd2b352b842-jpg

**jim777** · 08-18-2021, 09:02 AM

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (though I might have missed it) is that you can get a very nice MIM Fender Telecaster fairly cheaply and it will be a very well built guitar. My Baja has Callaham saddles and a hard case and cost me $700. Obviously, if you get a non-Fender boutique Tele, like a Suhr, it will also be extremely well made. Gibson's Les Pauls though are very hit and miss quality wise. I've run my hand down the necks of Les Pauls hanging on the wall in stores and cut my fingers on frets. That has nothing to do with the mahogany slabs, weight relieved or not, or the scale, or the pickups - and everything to do with a nearly complete lack of consistency on Gibson's part.

I have a great Les Paul, but it says Tokai on the headstock and was made in '15. It was $1400 new, and when I had it about a week a friend brought over his '12 G0 (same as an R0, a $4000 Gibson) to compare to my "copy", he offered to trade me his for mine after about 10 minutes. There is a reason you saw tons of 70's rock bands playing Gibson solid bodies, and almost all of the new ones playing Ibanez, Jackson, etc, and it is because of Gibson's lack of quality and consistency in their solid body lineup that very few other brands (and ZERO Japanese brands) have. I'm not saying you can't get a good one from Gibson but I would never consider getting one off Reverb or someplace without playing it, and I'd do that for a Tele with no hesitancy at all. I'd also do that for a Tokai, Momose, Crews, Navigator, or any of another half dozen Japanese brands that make Les Pauls.

**Gabor** · 08-18-2021, 09:18 AM

Maybe Ed Bickert has something to do with this.
He clearly proved, it is possible, so no more confirmation was needed, just doing it. The progress then fortified themself, more and more guitarist picked the Tele, and so on.