What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

F

Frantic_Rock

FragleRockologist
Hey guys.
Does anyone own any jazzboxes
I'm looking to buy one (because i'm finding myself gravitating to jazz more and more)

I think the Wes Montgomery signature model is the most beautiful thing in the world but its 6000 US.
http://www.music123.com/item/?itemno=127531&match=1

I'm looking for huge rich full sound and preferably with two humbuckers.

Also an awesome looking top would be great!

I'm willing to invest up to 1000 - 1500 US dollars for one...


Are jazzboxes loud unplugged (since they're hollow bodies...)

Does anyone play jazz in the style of Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Smith, etc...

Could someone recommend a jazzbox?

Thanks in advance.
Alex.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

I've used that guitar and man it sounded as good as it looks. Go ahead and laugh, but the Ibanez AS-73 is a good sounding guitar as long as you change the pickups.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

find a nice ibanez george benson model if you can ...even used they hold up very nicely ... very very sweet axe with the silky flatwound strings

i think they sound best plugged in, but some are very nice even unplugged

cheers,
t4d
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

I'm with Frantic. However, is there a more "smallish" body out there. Those jazz boxes look huge!
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

Thanks guys so far !

Any more?

I don't mind the huge size !! I'm pretty big myself !!

But i'm really starting to play jazz more and more. If I could get an ibanez or gibson with two humbuckers (maybe put in a pair of antiquities or seths), I'd be very happy. Fret access is also something I'd like to have. (Like the big cuts on those gibson ES135 and ES137s)

This ES137s are almost EXACTLY what i want !
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...tar/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/517196/

Les paul style bridge, 2 buckers, full fretboard access, and BIG BIG BIG body baby!!! I hope they also rule unplugged...

If i can only find one moderately cheap... Anyone have experience with them?
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

I'll second the Ibanez boxes. They're very good(Metheny, Sco, Pass, Benson, and many others agree). I'd look for a Japanese model. The older one's are some of the best guitars out there.

I'll also second Heritage. They make better guitars than Gibson(well, maybe as good)for way less money. I'd probably play Heritage if I wasn't such a huge fan of Ibanez necks.

I don't think 137s sound anything like a real archtop. I like semi's as much as the next guy, but if you want traditional jazz tone there is no substitute for the real thing. That said, many guys don't care and do fine without it.

Mike
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

Oh okay thats an eye-opener... Yes I want as traditional a jazz tone as i can get.

These heritage ones look fantastic. The H-575 Classic and the H-575 Mahogany. Do you know how much are they new? and where I can buy them.
 
Last edited:
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

I'm not sure exactly how much they are, but I had a 575 for awhile I got for about $1100 on ebay. What an axe. Like I said, I didn't like the big ole neck on the thing, but I'm waaaay in the minority on that. Sounded amazing and was beautiful. I sold it to a guy in Germany and he absolutely flipped over it. New ones are probably like $1500. A maple or spruce topped one would be the most traditional.

Jay Wolfe(www.wolfeguitars.com I think)is probably THE dealer for Heritage. Super nice guy, huge selection, and might have some good used offerings.

I'm heavy into jazz and hang out with a gob of jazz guitarists(I'm a master's student in Jazz at USC), so I've seen or played almost any concievable jazz guitar, so feel free to ask anything you'd like(gear or otherwise).

Mike
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

i played a samick le salle one a while back, and gave it a 10 out of 10. if im ever going to get a jazz box, this rates right up there with $1000 + guitars. it really feels amazing and sounds sick. do check out.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

msawitzke said:
I'm not sure exactly how much they are, but I had a 575 for awhile I got for about $1100 on ebay. What an axe. Like I said, I didn't like the big ole neck on the thing, but I'm waaaay in the minority on that. Sounded amazing and was beautiful. I sold it to a guy in Germany and he absolutely flipped over it. New ones are probably like $1500. A maple or spruce topped one would be the most traditional.

Jay Wolfe(www.wolfeguitars.com I think)is probably THE dealer for Heritage. Super nice guy, huge selection, and might have some good used offerings.

I'm heavy into jazz and hang out with a gob of jazz guitarists(I'm a master's student in Jazz at USC), so I've seen or played almost any concievable jazz guitar, so feel free to ask anything you'd like(gear or otherwise).

Mike
Click to expand...


Okay then its settled!! Towards the end of the year i'm getting either the 575 Classic, Custom, or the Mahogany with 1 hb in blue burst!! I hope you'll still be around man! There are even dealers right in Ontario, where i live, so i can just drive to another little town from here and look at their selection!

Thanks a lot for the help.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

gibson_martino_signature_030614.jpg


:)

Marin
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

Archtop guitars are acoustic first, and then have pups to amplify them. The best sounding and playing IMO are D'aquisto, and D'Angelicos. Judging that you balked at 6000 for the Wes model these models are way out of reach for you. They run cosistantly over 25000 and thats conservative.
For the Money I would recommend a Gibson 175. This is a laminated guitar which will minimize "howling" or feedback which can become a problem with High volume or High gain. If you are interested in a real vintage guitar from the 40's and 50's consider the Gibson budget models. The Gibson L50, The L7, and L12 are all really nice guitars, and can be bought for around 2000-3000. Some will have cutaways and some won't. The ones that don't have a cutaway will be less money. If you can buy an old one they just sound better, and have been played for so long... The Vibe is soooooo Cool!!!
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

You can't beat Heritage, IMO, if you don't mind losing a little more than, say, Gibson if you decide to resell. I've NEVER played a better neck than my Heritage.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

Yes, i have a Martino concert. He plays a red one like that through 2 Roland jazz chorus amps chained together (!!!!! - that amp sucks IMO !!!) Maybe that amp is good for jazz... who knows....

That guitar though is semi-hollow, not fully hollow accoustic...

So far i've decided upon heritage 575 Classic and Mahogany. There are 2 dealers in Ontario, so I will eventually take a drive and check them all out :)
Thank you all for the advice.

If i can't find one for a reasonable price (give or take 1500US), i might just go with a Les Paul classic with a 60s neck and a pair of crome Antiquities.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

The price range you're talking about would get into a system that I've been mildy day-dreaming about of late. Imagine this:

One of the Ibanez Artcore's, rip out all the electronics. Put in a set of Benedetto A6's, wired direct to two output jacks.
Run two cords to two D-TAR Equinox parametric eq's, and the output of those into a D-TAR Solstice preamp/mixer.

That would have to sound amazing, with a great deal of versatility.
And all for less than 2 grand. ;)
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

Its not an Ibanez I get tell you that forsure. Its an Gibson ES335.
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

ArtieToo said:
The price range you're talking about would get into a system that I've been mildy day-dreaming about of late. Imagine this:

One of the Ibanez Artcore's, rip out all the electronics. Put in a set of Benedetto A6's, wired direct to two output jacks.
Run two cords to two D-TAR Equinox parametric eq's, and the output of those into a D-TAR Solstice preamp/mixer.

That would have to sound amazing, with a great deal of versatility.
And all for less than 2 grand. ;)
Click to expand...


sounds pretty sweet Artie ... but no volume / tone / pickup switch controls on board?

also, you could get around the clumsy 'two cord' thing with a stereo jack and a splitter before the Para EQs

cheers,
t4d
 
Re: What is the best Jazz hollowbody guitar?

check out carl robelli's jazz box's. there top 3 or so models (400, 400 and 600) are amazing. I like the one that is like a guild starfire. we a/b'd them, and they are damn damn close. i think with pups the robelli could take the guild. I know carl robelli isnt synonimous with great stuff, but play one at ur local samash, they are pretty good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
The best $500 amp for blues, jazz, classic rock?
Replies
12
Views
4K
SirJackdeFuzz
SirJackdeFuzz
Back
Top