Recommend me a jazz box, please.

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Onslow

New member
Not that I have the money right now, but thinking about it makes me happy. One of my favorite jazzers, Larry Coryell, plays a Cort. I don't know how large the Cort Yorktown is though. I'd like one that's a little smaller than the traditionally huge box if possible; something like or close to Ibanez AG series size. I don't think I want an Artcore though. I'm not a fan of all-maple. I've now decided I want it to do strictly Jazz. I'm willing to spend 500 to 700 or something like that. Thanks!
 
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Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I just bought the Ibanez Artcore AF75 a few days ago. This is an awesome guitar. Just like all the reviews say, I can't believe what a good guitar this is for such a low price. The model I have is a full-hollow body, and the setup was perfect when I bought it. Ass soon as I brought it home, changed strings, changed tuning, and changed the setup for my preferences, and it handles all of this perfectly.

Before buying this, I tried out many inexpensive hollow and semi-hollow guitars and some more expensive ones, including Epiphone, Gibson, Gretch, and other Ibanez models. The AF75 was the most impressive of the bunch, and it is built really well. The stock pickups sound really good, and they handle clean, overdrive, fuzz, and heavy distortion sounds. My only complaint is that the bridge and tuners feel like plastic, although they are very stable.

I don't have any experience with Cort guitars.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Epiphone has a Joe Pass model Emperor that I think plays very well and they're affordable. As far as playing rock on them, you can play any kind of music with any guitar. Some of it may get lost in translation, but I can tell you stories about playing old country music in an Eagle's Club with my Dean Z or Gibson V back in the 90s. Works just fine.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I love my Epi's. I have an Alleykat and a Sheraton. I have changed pickups, and done other mods (namely a piezo system on the 'Kat), but they were nice out of the box. For jazz/rock (leaning towards the rock side), I'd say the 'Kat gets the nod, as it has a fatter bridge pickup sound and is smaller and has a thicker. maple top (thus being less prone to feedback).
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Hellion said:
Epiphone has a Joe Pass model Emperor that I think plays very well and they're affordable.
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+1. The Joe Pass is a nice guitar & the body isn't quite as deep, which makes it very comfortable to hold standing or sitting. I really like the Ibanex AF105, which has a blonde/white finish, and is also slightly shallower than the full-depth models. I put a pair of '59's in mine & love it. It'll do jazz, blues, and rock. There are various 175 copies, like Washburn's J3 if you want the full 3 1/2" depth.

For thinline hollowbodies, I like the Ibanez AF75 (run around $350 new), and the Epi Casino which has twin P-90s. Both of these have those great acoustic overtones, and a loud unplugged sound, but are as comfortable as a solidbody. Watch where you stand in relation to your amp, and you can rock out with these.

Put in a pair of good low output or PAF-type PU's in any of these and you have a tone that's on a par with guitars costing several times as much.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

IF you want to be able to do Jazz and rock then I would go with a semi hollow guitar. If you want a true jazzer, you need a full hollow. The Ibanez George Benson models, or Epiphone Joe Pass are nice guitars. I have a Tacoma Archtop that is full hollow and has a floating pickup attached to the pick guard. Because of this I can't play real loud with it or it will feed back, but it sounds really good. It came with a plastic pick guard and some HB pickup attached to it. I replaced it with a ebony guard and a Kent Armstrong single coil. Sounds great now.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I work at a guitarstore where we have the complete Epiphone line of hollowbody guitars. We also have some Gibson and Gibson CS stuff, but those prices are just ridiculous.

I'd recommend the Epi Wildkat. We've been selling that one a lot lately, because imo it's just the best Epiphone has to offer. It's a nice and heavy guitar, with a pair of excellent P90's. And, not to sound like a cheap salesman; I have one myself as well. It goes great with everything you throw at it. It won't go feedbacking like crazy, because it's got the sustainblock. Which also makes the sustain real nice, I haven't heard a single Gibson or PRS sustain this long. I use it for pop/rock, also in live situations. I've sold it to people who'll strictly play jazz with it, it's super versatile.

Since I have this guitar, my Gibson Flying V hasn't been touched, except for high gain situations.

The Sheraton is also a real nice option, it's pretty heavy too, and has humbuckers, which make it even more suitable for pure round mellow jazz tones. It also has the sustainblock, so the feedback is manageable, and the bridge humbucker makes styles other than jazz pretty possible.

If you really want a guitar that's concentrated on jazz, look at the Emperor Regent or the Broadway. Those are huge jazzboxes, nicely built and they have the nicest inlays and bindings.
 
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Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I have an old ES-175 with a lone P-90 in the neck that I love for jazzier stuff. That said, I'm sure I could cherrypick an Epiphone or Ibanez that I would probably like better.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I started searching for a jazzy guitar with the intention of putting some SD 59s in it eventually, but the stock pickups in the AF75 are awesome. I was never worried about the feedback issue, since I play with a lot of distortion, and all of my solid guitars can feed back under certain conditions also.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Wow, thanks for the all the thoughtful replies already!
 
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Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Maybe go for a used Ibanez AS-200...it's the model John Scofield plays, and has kick ass pickups already. Bit more money than these others in here, but worth it.

likny

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Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Howdy,

Yamaha has an impressive single cutaway Jazz/Blues guitar called the AES 1500. It comes stock with DiMarzio mini-hums. It's around $1600 new, but consider searching for a used one for less. Comes in a Pearl/ White and translucent Orange, with lovely flame.
I wouldn't mind having one of these babies myself. Good luck!

Eggman

PS: Keep your eyes open for a used MIJ Epi ES-335, too.
 
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Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I tried a $600 Gretsch the other day I found delightful. Very good at not feeding back like the other hollows I tried. And extremely warm, sweet sound.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Jazz + Rock

You just defined the 335, my friend!

I got a cheaper-than-cheap Epiphone Dot Studio earlier this year that I really like. It sounds very JAZZ with the tone rolled back, vol rolled back, and it rocks like Joe Perry's Les Paul with both up and on the bridge pickup...

I have lots of other guitars but I gig with this cheapo because (cliche) it's so versatile.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

Onslow said:
Wow, thanks for the all the thoughtful replies already! Do semi-hollows have relatively large necks? I'm cursed with small hands and I especially have trouble with the jumbo frets on Strats.
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Most 335's have nice necks, not too fat. If you're considering one of those, you'll have more versatility than a full-hollowbody. They can do just about every kind of music, and do it well.

My favorite mid-priced 335's are an Epi Sheraton & a Dot Deluxe. Both of these have gold hardware & really look classy. If you want low-maintence chrome, the standard Dot is nice. Hamer's Echotone is a good choice too. There's good prices on all of these used on eBay. Feedback's not an issue with these unless you play at ridiculous volumes.

For PU's you can go the PAF route, or get a medium output bridge (DiMarzio "Fred") or high output bridge (C5). Another option is a Phat Cat in the neck position. You can do a lot with 335's.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

I tried out an Epiphone Dot Studio and a Dot Deluxe Flametop, Among others. A lot of the imported models are made well, and they would make great platforms for upgrades. I just liked how the AF75 was fatter and hollower.
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

i played an Eastman Archtop Acoustic with a Jazz mini humbucker with flatwounds, and i fell in love... they also make a sweet normal jazz archtop, but for some reason i love that one with the sound hole and for 900 bucks i would take it used for a hand carved guitar... cant find a pic but here is the link to the site http://www.eastmanguitars.com/models/models.html
 
Re: Recommend me a jazz box, please.

IbanezArtcoreAF85.jpg

IbanezArtcoreAF852.jpg



Ibanez AF-85 VLS -12-01. No longer made with flame top, but you might be able to score one on ebay. They also might make this similar guitar in a gorgeous burled maple top now. If not, and you want to buy brand new, settle for the AF-75.
 
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