The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    A while ago, I was playing at a club with a band, and a father brought his kid to the club, and they started talking to me about Joe Jesselli, and what great guitars he made. I never heard of him, so I chased the kid away, and went back to plinking my strings.

    Yesterday, as I was reading about a guitar boutique store that opened up just before the pandemic (so I never checked it out) they listed JJ as one of the luthiers they repped at their guitar store. Now I've read claims that he worked with D'Aquisto for a few years, then someone else said six years, then another source said ten years, but there was an interview with JJ and he said he had a conflict with Jimmy about using intricate cosmetic designs in his guitars and they parted ways.

    Anyway, I couldn't find any archtops that he makes, but he does make hollow body guitars (some special type of chambering) and Keith Richards has some of them.. One of KR's techs has one for sale on Reverb. I heard some demos on YT, but the guys that played them played other styles than jazz, so I was wondering if anyone here has heard them used as jazz guitars.
    Jesselli Guitars Modernaire Circa 1989-1990 Natural Walnut & | Reverb

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  3. #2

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    I've seen some of his guitars behind glass, known about them for maybe 20 years but since he makes so few of them and they're pretty much all different and unique builds for collectors it's not surprising that they are not heard very often. They are VERY expensive, custom ordered, more design pieces than "built-for-purpose" guitars ... I like some of the design details but as with many of these types of builds (Michi Matsuda comes to mind) they are too precious and valuable to be of any deeper interest to me as a player.

  4. #3

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    Looks like their copywriter should have been paid time and a half. Just tell me about the dang guitar - not how wonderful YOU think it is or who owned it. I'm always wary of glowing descriptions of anything - usually it ends up being BS with some flowery adjectives to make it smell better. Personally, I think it's ugly although YMMV. If it's so great why isn't Keef using it on stage and telling the world how wonderful it is?

    Not trying to be a 'Debbie Downer' but there's a gazillion independent one man shops out there who build these kinds of things and you just never hear about them or see them being played. They seem more concerned with using stupidly expensive wood and oddball electronics than worrying about the way the things sound. Look at Alembic - they IMHO make some of the prettiest guitars out there in their niche, but you don't see them being used. Pretty expensive, too and not being used by the local corner blues band. I guess some one must buy them, though.

  5. #4

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    I’m sure this guitar is a great player, but I don’t think its utility as a musical instrument matters much.
    This is a work of art and advanced craftsmanship that just happens to be in the shape of a guitar. When you think of it that way, it kind of makes sense.
    I’m not into extremely ornate guitars, but that tailpiece is about the prettiest I’ve ever seen.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by gitman
    I've seen some of his guitars behind glass, known about them for maybe 20 years but since he makes so few of them and they're pretty much all different and unique builds for collectors it's not surprising that they are not heard very often. They are VERY expensive, custom ordered, more design pieces than "built-for-purpose" guitars ... I like some of the design details but as with many of these types of builds (Michi Matsuda comes to mind) they are too precious and valuable to be of any deeper interest to me as a player.
    Yes, the luthier himself describes them as not just guitars as much as works of art. The one on Reverb is 34 years old and was going for 20K!

    The only reason I had any interest at all was his connection with D'Aquisto.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgcim
    Yes, the luthier himself describes them as not just guitars as much as works of art. The one on Reverb is 34 years old and was going for 20K!

    The only reason I had any interest at all was his connection with D'Aquisto.
    Something about the ebony used being from Jimmy’s stash.

    Although salesmen of used goods aren’t always the most reliable