The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Posts 1 to 25 of 32
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Which one do you like best?
    1. $400 Yamaha (mic' ed) ?
    2. $9K Gibson (mic'ed)?
    3. $6K carved top Andersen with a pickup (mic and pickup blend) ?
    4. $2k D'Aquisto Laminate (pickup only)

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    My favorite nr.1 and nr.4

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    My vote for #3…

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    4 by a mile.
    1 does have some folksy charm to it.
    Last edited by Tal_175; 07-10-2021 at 07:55 AM.

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    I cannot believe #3 was meant to sound like that. #4 was a blessed relief.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    I agree with Tal

    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    4 by a mile.
    1 does have some folksy charm to it.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    #4 was the least interesting tone to me!

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    I vote for Tim Lerch. Very nice.

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    mic only, amp only?
    Am I right to assume that by "amp only" you mean the recorded signal is from a magnetic pickup, no acoustics? and that "mic only" means there is no magnetic pickup, so what we hear is the recorded acoustic sound?

    It's like comparing apples and oranges...

    -But where did the mic go? Into the same amp as the guitar with the magnetic pickup? Same amp settings?

    Question then becomes do I prefer an acoustic sound, an amplified sound of a magnetic pickup or a mix?

    For what it's worth, In your example I prefer the pure magnetic pickup sound, no acoustics. (#4 "amp only" I guess).

    #1 is nylon strings, that's also nice, but again apples and oranges.
    But I think I get your point and I agree with you #1 and #4

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    Fascinating! Despite their disparities in construction, the instruments sound more alike that you might think - tone is in the hands, after all - and yet there are enough subtle differences that the individuality of the instruments is manifest. The Yamaha has more "pluck," as might be expected from a flat-top. The Gibson has the rich fullness you might expect from a hand-carved guitar older than me (!). The Anderson was smooth and lovely and I'll take two, thank you! But the D'AQ!! That sound! From a laminate's pickup!?! Jimmy knew what he was doing, didn't he?

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    My sweet spot is the combination of a little amplification via magnetic pickup and some direct acoustic sound in the hands of a great player with a fine instrument. Nothing can beat that.


  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    I like #1 the best

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    Well, that old L5 was the "liveliest" of all, to me, but that little D'A had a very smooth, warm jazz tone.

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    That L5 is the stuff dreams are made of. Mine anyway.

  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    1&3

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Bflat
    1&3
    Agree.

  18. #17

    User Info Menu

    I'd like the Gibson L-5, please. Unless I could get the Yamaha and the $8600 differential in cash. That thing was sweet, especially for the money, imho. I could survive on a desert island with that.

    Great video, Tim. Thanks.
    Last edited by Flat; 07-10-2021 at 03:46 PM.

  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    My sweet spot is the combination of a little amplification via magnetic pickup and some direct acoustic sound in the hands of a great player with a fine instrument. Nothing can beat that.

    Kevin Sorbo sure can play!

  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    They're all fine, just slightly different. Yes, the pickup sound is different from the pure acoustic mic'd sound, but I think that misses the point. They're all sounds, and all very good. I can't say that I really like one better than another.

  21. #20

    User Info Menu

    4, then 1.

  22. #21

    User Info Menu

    4 then 2 but 4 is the only one I’d want for a whole song/set/gig. Interesting comparison for sure and thanks for posting

  23. #22

    User Info Menu

    The comments here uphold my beliefs about jazz guitar players (many of them).
    I went to a guitar show in Philly a few years back. Previous to that, A buddy told me to check out the guitars made by a new luthier who had some outstanding archtops. I found his booth, the luthier was pleased at the recommendation and he suited me up with a guitar that fit my liking. It was great!
    He said "plug it in" to a borrowed amp (from a well known amp builder/cab maker who's booth was right next to his). I was digging the guitar, and its tone when the owner/builder of the amp came over and....to my shock and horror.... tweaked the dials on the amp!!!!!! He turned down the tone and Presence and HE was happy when it sounded like MUD. I was shy then but disgusted, at this lack of (I don't know what else to politely call it) open mindedness. It sounded like MUD. I put the guitar down. The guy lost a potential sale.
    Today, I would scream and ream that amp owner. What a dick! Then I would find a Fender amp with some tone.

    In the video, I liked 1,2 and 3 for their real guitar tone.

  24. #23

    User Info Menu

    This discussion is interesting!

    We are listening to the same phrase played solo on four different guitars.
    We cannot compare the feel of the guitars. We cannot compare any other phrase and we cannot compare the guitars in a band mix. We don't know how the recording was made, what amp was used or its settings. And we cannot compare the acoustic loudness of the guitars or their projection.

    But we do listen with our eyes, our wallets and our prejudices. So obviously it's a bit deceptive. But if we are able to put all these things aside for a moment and confess our preferences, we can learn things about tone and the history of jazz guitar.

    Note: We are not comparing guitars, we are comparing amplification and recording techniques.

    It should be obvious, that a nylon string guitar cannot be amplified with a magnetic pickup and that a guitar without any pickup can only be recorded using a conventional microphone. The recorded tone however is the result of whatever equipment and filters used in the studio.

    (I voted in my previous post)

  25. #24

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave70
    #4 was the least interesting tone to me!
    Was there any tone? I must have missed it....

  26. #25

    User Info Menu

    To me this is kind of asking do I prefer the tone of Charlie Byrd, Eddie Lang, Martin Taylor, or Pat Martino. IMHO the un-amplified L5 serves the music best, but more because it’s an acoustic steel string rather than it’s an $8000 guitar. To me they’re just different sounds that can all work depending on the context of the player.