Guitar for jazz without inlays tips (~1500$)

[Wallenberg]

Hi! First post by a longtime lurker!

I've been playing my LP and Stratocaster for the last 5 years but i've dived deeper and deeper into jazz lately, looking to buy my first "jazz-guitar".

I am incredibly inspired by the simplicity of Pat martino's black Benedetto. But i also want a more traditional jazz-guitar to start out with.

Basically i want to find a guitar with a sweet, mellow and warm tone somewhere in the 1500$ area. Preferably no inlays, simple, beautiful design. Archtop/Hollowbody. Not a fan of the flashy gold/silver details and pickups but that´s less important. Preferably with two pickups as i like to switch tone often, but one is okay.

I've been looking at the Eastman guitars but from what i've heard they sound very bright and tinny. Was also looking at the LGB30. Is it possible to get a warmer sound with the Eastman guitars without too much hassle? Any other recommendations?

[medblues]

Godin 5th Avenue Jazz or Kingpin models may fit your descriptions and price.

Peerless also has guitars with no inlays this one is $2200: Peerless Imperial Sangria Archtop Guitar #PE0902149 - Used

[John A.]

Hi! First post by a longtime lurker!

I've been playing my LP and Stratocaster for the last 5 years but i've dived deeper and deeper into jazz lately, looking to buy my first "jazz-guitar".

I am incredibly inspired by the simplicity of Pat martino's black Benedetto. But i also want a more traditional jazz-guitar to start out with.

Basically i want to find a guitar with a sweet, mellow and warm tone somewhere in the 1500$ area. Preferably no inlays, simple, beautiful design. Archtop/Hollowbody. Not a fan of the flashy gold/silver details and pickups but that´s less important. Preferably with two pickups as i like to switch tone often, but one is okay.

I've been looking at the Eastman guitars but from what i've heard they sound very bright and tinny. Was also looking at the LGB30. Is it possible to get a warmer sound with the Eastman guitars without too much hassle? Any other recommendations?

+1 on the Godin Kingpin (and others in the 5th Ave series). "No inlays" is going to be tough. At that price point, Eastman is pretty much it. If you're flexible about that, consider:

- Peerless Gigmaster Jazz ($1200 new, same bling level as an Eastman ar372 or an ES-175)
- Epiphone ES-175 Premium (only available used, usually around $800)
- D'Angelico EXL-1

Regarding Eastman brightness, one man's "bright and tinny" is another's "articulate and woody." You have to sort out for yourself what sounds you like by trying a bunch of different guitars. You can't go by other people's words, So keep an open mind, and make sure you buy from someone who allows returns. Maybe consider an ar403ce or one of the Pisano models, which are all a bit less bright than the carved top models.

Also, don't limit yourself to new guitars. Go to Reverb.com and do a search for used hollow body electric guitars between, say, $1100 and $1900 to get an idea of what's available, and ask questions about specific models you see there. Right now I see quite a bit, even more if you consider cheaper guitars (e.g., most of the Ibanez and Epiphone models are under $1000).

All that said, there's nothing wrong with a Les Paul as a jazz guitar, and a strat can be fine as well. Any guitar with a neck pickup is a jazz guitar.

[citizenk74]

[skykomishone]

The Eastman Pisano 680 has mahogany neck, back, and sides. It produces a warmer, richer, less bright tone than it's maple 880 sister, or brother if you prefer. It is a John Pisano also. Mine arrived with flat wounds and was the opposite of 'tinny' sounding. I'm a round wound kind of guy, so I changed them and it still has a great sound.

[Wallenberg]

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

That Peerless Imperial is as close as it gets to my dream guitar! (Looks) Can't really afford it at the moment though.

Strongly considering the AR380CE John Pisano or AR503CE (Because of availability in Sweden) and maybe switching pickups later.

[Wallenberg]

Other options are the Ibanez LGB30 and PM2-AA, they sound a bit more "electric" than the Eastman guitars but it´s hard to judge from youtube recordings. The Eastmans are mostly recorded with camera sound which blends more with the sound form the guitar. Sadly can´t try them any place nearby.

[EastwoodMike]

I have the 380 Pisano. For what it’s worth I don’t find it Tinny. Not the opposite, but not tinny.
then again a lot of that may be the room I normally play in and the Amp (& volume) I use. I also have replaced the stock round wounds with TI swing 12s

There are bright and Dark sounding amps. I’ve always felt the guitar/amp/speaker combination should compliment each other. I never pay too much attention to the bright/dark comments without also knowing about the rest of that signal chain. The amp by the way is a Matchless SC-mini which is a darker version of a Vox circuit in this case.
if you want to play acoustically however all of the above is moot.

[Wallenberg]

I have the 380 Pisano. For what it’s worth I don’t find it Tinny. Not the opposite, but not tinny.
then again a lot of that may be the room I normally play in and the Amp (& volume) I use. I also have replaced the stock round wounds with TI swing 12s

There are bright and Dark sounding amps. I’ve always felt the guitar/amp/speaker combination should compliment each other. I never pay too much attention to the bright/dark comments without also knowing about the rest of that signal chain. The amp by the way is a Matchless SC-mini which is a darker version of a Vox circuit in this case.
if you want to play acoustically however all of the above is moot.

Well said. I currently have my amp in my studio so i actually have been practising at home on my LP without amp, i guess anything is a step-up from there haha!

[EastwoodMike]

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[jim777]

You could look for member Hammertone's old posts on German and European guitars as well; there are guitars you may be able to find and try locally that we don't see much of at all here in the US. Brands like Hoyer and Hofner, for example.

[Hammertone]

You could look for member Hammertone's old posts on German and European guitars as well; there are guitars you may be able to find and try locally that we don't see much of at all here in the US. Brands like Hoyer and Hofner, for example.

Most German builders used fretboard inlays of some sort. Over the last decade, Hofner did make (literally) a handful of New President models with no fretboard inlays, most of which are essentially one-offs. For example:
-Serial #M05311-6/6 - no inlays
-Serial #Q1111H004 - no inlays
-Hutchins Buckingham (2012) - Hofner made a few New Presidents for Gary under the Hutchins label, with slightly different cosmetics - these have no fretboard inlays

Lovely guitars, hard to find specific examples.