The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Let me start out by saying that one of the reasons I love jazz guitar is that I love old things. I love archtops. I love old black and white movies. I think music died the day the Beetles appeared on Ed Sullivan. I am very much a traditionalist in almost every way. Because of this, I had pretty much abandoned solid body and even semi-hollow guitars and have exclusively been playing archtops for several years.

    Recently, on a whim and a bit of a "play like Allan Holdsworth" fantasy, I ordered one of the new Ibanez headless guitars, which I had never played. I HATE to admit that I absolutely love this thing! The single biggest reason is that it is almost effortless to play and I don't have to constantly reach around a 17" archtop. My practice time has increased dramatically because of the elimination of fatigue.

    I feel like I'm cheating-1-png


    I might have to look into the Strandberg Jazz next. Nothing will ever beat an L5, but for practice this thing is a godsend!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I would not assume that a Strandberg is any better then your Ibanez. I have come across a number of expensive Standberg with some problems. I would hope that Ibanez has continued with their high quality control.

    (I have mixed feelings with the Standberg neck shape, however I think I like the fanned frets. I would love to try the Ibanez, and probably (given a price point) probably prefer it over the other headless guitars I have played. I did get a chance to play an official Carvin Holdsworth. It was pretty nice).

  4. #3

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    It takes courage to realize that an instrument is in its simplest form, a way to translate your ideas, from your fingers to the air. I have a friend who went through a life long evolution of guitars. The better he got, the less he cared what the individual instrument was and the more he searched for the minimal medium to get his ideas out.
    While he was on tour in Europe, he found a Hohner headless guitar, feather light and so tiny it fit in an overhead, so cheap ($90) he didn't worry. He recognized it as an instrument that gave him freedom to move, freedom from associated pain in arm contortions and every night, he and his stick guitar made music.
    Later he discovered the Klein, kidney on a stick. I was incredulous but he asked me to set it up for him. I was AMAZED at how comfortable it was. Those, I believe, were the grandparents of modern headless guitars and yeah, if you know how to play jazz, there's nothing in the guitars Mick played that got in the way. His fingers played the music and the instrument put it out there.
    I've worked on Strandbergs, and no, I couldn't get used to the peaked neck. But the body, yeah it approached being invisible.
    The Klein, on the other hand, felt like a contoured interface that held the neck stable and had no parts or pieces that were unnecessary. Looked scary freaky. Played like an extension of my body.
    I'm very curious about the Ibanez.
    I do know too, that it's REALLY cheap to get a headless guitar from China, no name. Now when they make a 7 string headless, I'll need to try one of THOSE out.

  5. #4

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    I have to say that looks really cool. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to guitar design, but that design just works. Even the color and the rounded edges and the fretboard.

    Would love to try one out sometime.

  6. #5

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    Nice!

    Tempted by Kiesel HH2 myself. Tried the Steinberger Spirit (paddle), but the body won't sit on the lap. Strandbergs have a controversial neck profile, recommend trying first. Wish there were good quality headless hollow thinline or semi-hollows under 1k.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by burchyk
    Nice!

    Tempted by Kiesel HH2 myself. Tried the Steinberger Spirit (paddle), but the body won't sit on the lap. Strandbergs have a controversial neck profile, recommend trying first. Wish there were good quality headless hollow thinline or semi-hollows under 1k.
    They have these guitars, quite sound in the construction and so far as I've seen (I've ordered a few to ascertain whether they're worthy of import. I've been surprised).
    They go for $239 from China and for that price, one can put any electronics in there yourself and still come out with a bargain.
    I feel like I'm cheating-screen-shot-2022-08-18-7-34-25-pm-png
    This one is $199
    I feel like I'm cheating-screen-shot-2022-08-18-7-40-51-pm-png
    Both have fan frets. And the truth is, some of these guitar factories are the same ones that build instruments for the big names.
    Just putting it out there, not affiliated with any of those guys although as I said, I've sampled guitars from one of them, even had my company's name put on it and like many Chinese guitars, if you know their hardware cut corners, you replace those and it can be a fine instrument.

  8. #7

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    What is the brand on those?

  9. #8

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    it is written in the middle of the last pic: it is a big john guitar.

    google will find them for you.


    I do not want anything like it ever, thank you.

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by JazzWhiteBelt
    What is the brand on those?
    I go to Ebay and search "headless semi hollowbody" and there will be several offerings. All around the $200 range, about $100 shipping. You can find normal frets too, with maple or black fingerboards. Options on a hog body, a little lighter. And you can also try to Low ball them too. What's a Chinese market bargain if you didn't earn it by haggling?
    I feel like I'm cheating-screen-shot-2022-08-19-12-59-33-am-png
    It's funny because nameless brand Chinese guitars can have a cheapness stigma attached to them but it can be from these very same factories that the Ibanez came from. You just don't know.
    The construction of these guitars is very straight forward once you're tooled up. It takes a ridiculously short time to pop out one of these, or any factory guitar but especially solid bodies. While at Ibanez, I watched as Hoshino would 'shop' factories and sometimes switch factories in the middle of the year's production because they found a better deal.
    The big well known factories would be making PRS, Epiphone, Ibanez, all side by side with Samick or Cort guitars. The big names would have their own hardware built in and of course, the logo, which is where the real price increase is. It's the marketing magic of convincing you that their guitar is a good buy after the 400% markup-that's the magic.

    If you wanted choice woods and an extra attention to custom electronics, the Chinese factory could put anything out there to shame, but they're used because you CAN get cut corners (generic hardware) and poly and prices close to nothing over actual production costs.
    If you find the right factory, and you know how to buy, install and set up a guitar, you can get a lot of guitar for the cost of going to a ball game.
    I'm putting together a beautiful 7 string tele with Duncan 59 and Custom bridge pickup for under $500. I'm not proud or a collector, I'm a player. I know what I want and the money issue aside, it's nice to get custom sound and feel and never worry about how I treat the workhorse.
    Take it as you will.
    Last edited by Jimmy blue note; 08-19-2022 at 01:23 AM.

  11. #10

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    If that's cheating, guess I've been cheating for 35 years.

    I feel like I'm cheating-top-view-jpg

  12. #11

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    The Ibanez looks like it might have a very thin neck, just a guess? My best friend told me for years " you need a Les Paul". When I finally got one my beloved Eastman ar805ce became my acoustic only guitar.
    People who've made a career out of cheating will tell you "it's only cheating if you get caught". That said, I live to watch Lance Armstrong die in a fire.

  13. #12

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    If you want to check out a second headless guitar I would recommend the Kiesel Delos HD. As far as I can tell it's pretty much the only headless guitar that you can get with 22 frets and the traditional neck pickup placement. I've owned and since sold two Strandbergs. The Kiesel just sounds fatter and the neck shape with the ticker neck option is really nice.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by whiskey02

    The Ibanez looks like it might have a very thin neck, just a guess?
    It is actually chunkier than I expected. Keep in mind that this particular one is a signature model and it appears that other Ibanez Quest models do have thin necks. This one is like a Fender D or even a Les Paul 50's. I really like the profile.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
    It takes courage to realize that an instrument is in its simplest form, a way to translate your ideas, from your fingers to the air. I have a friend who went through a life long evolution of guitars. The better he got, the less he cared what the individual instrument was and the more he searched for the minimal medium to get his ideas out.
    While he was on tour in Europe, he found a Hohner headless guitar, feather light and so tiny it fit in an overhead, so cheap ($90) he didn't worry. He recognized it as an instrument that gave him freedom to move, freedom from associated pain in arm contortions and every night, he and his stick guitar made music.
    I've been thinking a lot about this post and it has had a big impact on me. I am a guitar hoarder. We joke a lot about GAS around here, but it can be a real problem. This Ibanez is not the best guitar in the world, or even close to the best that I own. But there is something about it that has allowed me to strip away the irrelevancies and concentrate on the music. I guess that I have always been "all hat, no cattle" or "all guitars, no ability". This whole experience has really begun to shift my way of thinking and my focus.

  16. #15

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    Think I just spotted my birthday present. Off to GC to play before buy. These are inexpensive enough to be classified as discretionary in our house. Thanks, I guess. The video at Sweetwater that showed how easy it is to change strings was the closer. Wasn’t at all interested when I thought it was one of those Floyd Rose abominations.

  17. #16

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    I like everything about headless guitars except tuning with the right hand, really gets in my way somehow.

    I’d still go for a klein if it fell in my lap of course

  18. #17

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    While I’m a happy Strandberg owner I really miss having the neck pickup in the 24th fret spot.

    It took me 15 minutes to get used to the neck and I go back and forth between that, a Fender and Gibson.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
    Both have fan frets. And the truth is, some of these guitar factories are the same ones that build instruments for the big names.
    Just putting it out there, not affiliated with any of those guys although as I said, I've sampled guitars from one of them, even had my company's name put on it and like many Chinese guitars, if you know their hardware cut corners, you replace those and it can be a fine instrument.

    Nice. It looks like a very "conservative" fanning. Mostly at the lower register.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    Nice. It looks like a very "conservative" fanning. Mostly at the lower register.
    The frets look straight to me

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by JazzWhiteBelt
    Let me start out by saying that one of the reasons I love jazz guitar is that I love old things. I love archtops. I love old black and white movies. I think music died the day the Beetles appeared on Ed Sullivan. I am very much a traditionalist in almost every way. Because of this, I had pretty much abandoned solid body and even semi-hollow guitars and have exclusively been playing archtops for several years.

    Recently, on a whim and a bit of a "play like Allan Holdsworth" fantasy, I ordered one of the new Ibanez headless guitars, which I had never played. I HATE to admit that I absolutely love this thing! The single biggest reason is that it is almost effortless to play and I don't have to constantly reach around a 17" archtop. My practice time has increased dramatically because of the elimination of fatigue.

    I feel like I'm cheating-1-png


    I might have to look into the Strandberg Jazz next. Nothing will ever beat an L5, but for practice this thing is a godsend!
    Which specific Ibanez model is this?