Jazz Box for beginner

[Jeanfi]

Hi to all !

I'm new there and need some help if some of you can help.

First, i'd like to apologize for my bad english as it is not my native language

So, i want to start learning jazz guitar as i 'm a great fan of Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Herb Ellis and many other...

Choosing a good archtop is quite difficult, even more difficult in France where i live because very few retailers have archtop you can try.

I was only able to try an Epiphone Emperor Joe Pass, and feel good with it but not really hooked.

I'm asking you here if you can give me advices about choosing a good archtop. I know that the one who is going to play it is the only that can choose it by trying it, but i would be pleased if some of you can share their experiences about action, easy of use for beginner, quality of construction, jazz sound.. etc of some jazz guitars.

My budget is more or less 1500 $ (archtops are more expensive here !)

Here are some models i heard about :

Washburn HB30 and J6 : ?

Cort LCS 2 : ?

Yamaha AEX 1500 : expensive but seems to be quite good

SAmick JZ 2 or 3 : i'm little affraid with this that seems to be as big as an L5, is that really bulky and difficult to play ? But i rally felt in love with it's design...

Epiphone Broadway or Emperor Joe Pass : -_- ok for me but not really hooked.

Thanks to all that will share some experiences with a newbie...

Best regards,

Jean-Philippe

Edited May 25, 2004 by Jeanfi

[Dan Gould]

Sit tight, Jean-Phillipe, a guy named Jim R. will be along soon (he's in California, so he hasn't awakened yet)-he loves giving opinions about various guitars.

Over to you, Jim ....

[Jeanfi]

Thanks Dan, i'll wait

[Hardbopjazz]

Welcome Jeanfl, you may want to read this thread on arch top guitars. Guitars

[Jeanfi]

Thanks Hardbop,

I just checked the thread but it's about very expensive guitar (you can't imagine the price for a 175 here in France ) By the way it is very interesting and will feed... my dreams.

Thanks again

[Jim R]

Hi Jean-Philippe,

As Dan says, I do love guitars, but I'm not sure I can give you much specific help here in terms of which model(s) to consider. I have never tried any of the instruments you listed, because I no longer go to guitar shops very often.

Anyway, I can offer some general advice. First of all, you should definitely test as many guitars as you can. If it were possible, I would urge you to try some used guitars in addition to the new ones. Archtops very often sound better, feel better, and perform better after they have been played for a considerable amount of time- especially if they have been set up well by skilled repairmen. Secondly, don't "think" too much about action, quality of construction, etc. etc. Find something that feels good (and of course looks good ) to YOU, and comes closest to achieving the sound that you want to make. Find a guitar that you really will look forward to taking out of its case every day. The most important thing is that your guitar helps to inspire you to make music.

I hope this helps.

[Jeanfi]

Thanks Jim for your reply.

I agree with all you say, first and most important thing is to feel good with the guitar. The problem as i said below is that it's quite difficult out there to try jazz boxes (even if it's difficult to say in a 5-10 mn try : that's my guitar !) but i'll keep searchin'.

Thanks all

[Jim Alfredson]

Joe G is playing a Hofner Jazzica that he likes a lot. It is quite expensive, though. I would say that you can't go wrong with the Yamahas. Yamaha makes very fine instruments all around. I would imagine their guitars are just as good as their drumsets and their saxophones and their keyboards and their pianos... etc.

[neveronfriday]

Just to feed your dreams a bit:

Vintage Archtop

Our guitarist plays this one on occasion... yes, he was/is crazy ... The Royale Premiere by Ian Schneller. He says it's the best guitar (I think it's around $8000, or so) he ever played, and he has lots, especially vintage models.

Cheers!

B)

Edit: Oh, and welcome to the board!

Edited May 25, 2004 by deus62

[Jeanfi]

...

[neveronfriday]

The Vintage site, or the Ian Schneller guitar?

[Jim R]

Archtop.com isn't really (just) a "vintage site". He sells a lot of newer instruments as well. Anyway, if I had $8,000 lying around, I'm sure I wouldn't spend it on an instrument by an obscure builder. For that kind of money you could get a nice early Gibson Johnny Smith. B)

I kind of had the same reaction to that Schneller, BTW. ...

[7/4]

Part of looking for a new instrument is going out and trying as many as you can. Even if you don't "need" a new instrument.

I've been on guitar safari many times. Take a day off and hit as many shops as you can. Check out the guitar shows if you can.

Edited May 25, 2004 by 7/4

[neveronfriday]

Archtop.com isn't really (just) a "vintage site". He sells a lot of newer instruments as well. Anyway, if I had $8,000 lying around, I'm sure I wouldn't spend it on an instrument by an obscure builder. For that kind of money you could get a nice early Gibson Johnny Smith. B)

I kind of had the same reaction to that Schneller, BTW. ...

That Schneller guitar has unbelievable sound.

I can only recount what our guitarist has said about this one. The feedback part of it, for him, is the ultimate improvement in a rather antiquated concept. He says that he's gotten a lot more "resonance" and "feeling" to go along with his playing. He says that the Schneller "tells" him right away if something he did was "right" or "wrong", if it had the feeling he was looking for or not. It's an esoteric thing, I know, but he is an excellent guitarist, so I just go with what he tells me.

I don't know.

I play drums.

'Nuff said.

[Jeanfi]

...was for Shneller guitar. It looks like an old chewing-gum

ok, i go out

[Jim R]

...was for Shneller guitar. It looks like an old chewing-gum

I agree... I think that color belongs on a stratocaster.