The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    It peeves the f out of me how if people use a solid body to play jazz, it has to be a Tele! Oooooooooookkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

    It made me feel a little better thinking how it comes stock with a hardtail and a suitable neck pickup.

    But so does the Les Paul!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Tradition dies hard, if it ever even does.

  4. #3

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    Is the Telecaster now a "tradition" for jazz guitarists? Maybe a sneaky one, anyway, that has crept in over time. I think that cost is a factor, being that you can buy about three Teles for the cost of one Les Paul.

  5. #4

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    ^ Of course it is! Every time. Solid body for jazz? Tele. Solid body for jazz? Tele.

    It also kinda peeves me that now, everyone has gone to a super, mega, ultra detailed, awesomely acoustic, bright, sharp jazz tone.

  6. #5

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    I think these would make great jazz guitars. Maybe better then a tele, (and I have a tele) especially with humbuckers:
    Gibson Les Paul Doublecut - Wikipedia

  7. #6

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    I bet that would be great. My first guitar was a cheap, flat, Epi LP and I loved it.

  8. #7

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    I like how the bridge pickup sounds when the tone knob is at 0. Soft but shiny the same time.

  9. #8

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    You ever seen the thread here ‘for tele’s only’? It’s fricken huge! 76 pages and over 300k views!

    Telecaster Love Thread, No Archtops Allowed

    I wonder how many of these people even own an archtop.

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
    You ever seen the thread here ‘for tele’s only’? It’s fricken huge! 76 pages and over 300k views!

    Telecaster Love Thread, No Archtops Allowed

    I wonder how many of these people even own an archtop.
    Speaking for my self alone, I have (and treasure) several archtops, and have owned several more. And just one Fender Custom Telecaster from 1966, with a beautiful rosewood board and the hang tags, and enough wear and tear since I got it to move it out of the case queen category well and truly. It is presently having its switching system refurbished, and I look forward to having it back. The Tele is an exemplar of the "form follows function" school of design, and its ubiquity is evidence of its utility. Tastes vary, as do gig requirements, and Tele non-appreciation is cool, as is its opposite. it's a wide, wonderful world, and plenty of room for all sorts of stuff.

  11. #10

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    Odd thing to care about.

  12. #11

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    Clint seems peeved over stuff like tone and instrument choice. Perhaps we should all play jazz on the Les Paul, the most uncomfortable and heavy guitar commonly available, with zero rhythm guitar attributes. Perhaps the Telecaster is chosen by jazzers because it's light, reasonably priced, much more comfortable to sit with than a Les Paul, and manages to sound really good in the hands of most who utilize them. As far as the bright tone chosen by more modern or younger players, it strikes me that Johnny Smith had a bright, detailed, awesomely acoustic sound much admired by the public and lots of producers. The dark, compressed, almost muddy sound of most of the beboppers was the result of using PAF pickups to attempt to sound like a horn, generally tenor sax. Nowadays, there seems to be a bit of an interest in the guitar sounding like a guitar, which I think is nice. In fact, during the 14-month pandemic layoff, I switched to Gretsch guitars because of their clarity and tonal range, and it almost instantly made me play better, in terms of dynamics and phrasing, because to me, the sound was more musical. Now that we are gigging again, I have been rewarded with praise from my bandmates and employers because of this clarity and richness on the top end. Archtops, mind you, and a wonderful thing in the autumn of a 5-decade career. I'm thinking that tradition really doesn't belong in jazz, at least not as a limiting aspect.

  13. #12

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    ^ I can't really deal with the tone all the way off sound all the time. I understand how that's not in fashion anymore.

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    Odd thing to care about.
    That's the definition of a pet peeve.

  14. #13

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    Are they that popular though? Who are the current big name young guns who are playing teles?

    I think they're popular to an extent, but I still see a trend towards smaller hollowbodies among bigger names...

    Probably all of these guys have a tele, in case they need it. But I'm a firm beleiver every guitar player should have a tele.

  15. #14

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    In the title and op I said if it's a solid body, not complaining about ubiquitous use overall.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Clint 55
    In the title and op I said if it's a solid body, not complaining about ubiquitous use overall.
    What do you call a Gibson 335?

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by jameslovestal
    What do you call a Gibson 335?
    A great guitar.

    Also a semi-hollow

  18. #17

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    I like a Les Paul for jazz

  19. #18

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    A Les Paul is kind of a fat Tele anyway

  20. #19

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    Jimmy Page used a Tele on Stairway (and almost everything prior), so lots of people can't tell the difference between a recorded Tele or a Les Paul (in a rock setting) anyway.
    Personally I own 2 archtops and 2 Teles. And while I love my Les Paul, I rarely play it because I have archtops and Teles. I sold my fancy Strat, and just kept the beater Strat as well..
    I keep my archtops by my amps, I move the teles around the house so a guitar is usually close at hand

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Are they that popular though? Who are the current big name young guns who are playing teles?

    I think they're popular to an extent, but I still see a trend towards smaller hollowbodies among bigger names...

    Probably all of these guys have a tele, in case they need it. But I'm a firm believer every guitar player should have a tele.
    Julian Lage comes to mind.

    i'm not a big name young gun, but i play jazz on teles. Also on strats, various .strandberg* guitars, and even a PRS McCarty Model from time to time.
    Once in a while i pull out the Epi Joe Pass, and i also have a single pickup Eastman El Rey, but i haven't played it in a bit. Maybe i need to...
    Last edited by dogletnoir; 10-13-2021 at 08:16 AM.

  22. #21

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    my take..

    what is a "jazz" guitar?..but first..what is jazz?

    leaving the harmonic structures of standards..Kind of Blue became my starting point..model/fusion..labels fade

    with today's vast electronic/computer enhanced sounds you can emulate acoustic/electric/hollow/solid/keyboard/fretboard from the same instrument

    I think its more image than function .. an L5 is very nice..sounds great .. but its not for Hendrix/van Halen style playing..

    the Fender Strat Ultra is..and with today's tech wonders can sound L5ish/fusion/rock and country with tone/pick up/amp/foot pedal adjustments

    the Beatles tune In My Life..has a solo break many may say is a harpsichord..nope..its a piano slightly tape speeded up

    Jimi Hendrix tune..Cross Town Traffic..(had arguments over this) Keyboards were used and Jimi played a Kazoo!!

    back when I did a studio session for a singer..on the play back some asked me what amp I used..it sounded great they said !..well it should..my $49..6" speaker Crate practice amp and Les Paul Classic no F/X

  23. #22

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    Julian Lage also plays a Les Paul.

    I've played the same Les Paul for 53 years, my Tele for 11, love them both but the Tele is a more forgiving instrument. I like the fact that I can easily swap out the pickups and electronics to coincide with the tone/sound I'm seeking.

    I have two archtops too, they are my preferred instruments.

  24. #23

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    Tele's are great

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lobomov
    Yeah, but that LP is loaded with P90s, which basically makes it a tele
    That made me laugh

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lobomov
    Yeah, but that LP is loaded with P90s, which basically makes it a tele
    A very very heavy Tele with a shorter scale...