Recommend me a jazz acoustic!

[Scott K]

What's a really good "bang for your buck" acoustic guitar for playing jazz. Please keep the recommendations under $1000. I'd like solid wood, not laminated wood.

 

...possibly something with a cutaway. I was already recommended mahogany as the wood.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks!

[EvilTwin]

For under a grand, with all-solid wood, your choices are limited.

 

The most inexpensive traditional archtop I can think of is The Loar:

http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/LH500N.htm

(You can get them in a sunburst finish, too.)

 

You may be able to find an Eastman for under a grand:

http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastmanguitars/models/uptown.html

 

If you branch out to gypsy jazz archtops, you can find better deals (because they are technically "dome top" guitars, not carved archtops). Saga's Gitane brand and Cordoba's Gitano guitars are great.

 

Checking eBay may be a good bet, too. Deals for archtops are getting harder and harder to come by, but they're still out there.

 

Of course, you can always make like Gabor Szabo.

 

 

A certain style of guitar can bring you closer to what is thought of as conventional jazz tone, but the phrasing and feel for the style/genre isn't limited to one style of guitar.

[Scott K]

 

For under a grand, with all-solid wood, your choices are limited. The most inexpensive traditional archtop I can think of is The Loar: http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/LH500N.htm (You can get them in a sunburst finish, too.) You may be able to find an Eastman for under a grand: http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastmanguitars/models/uptown.html If you branch out to gypsy jazz archtops, you can find better deals (because they are technically "dome top" guitars, not carved archtops). Saga's Gitane brand and Cordoba's Gitano guitars are great.

 

 

 

Those look like some excellent guitars. I would be willing to check out some Gypsy jazz stuff, too. I love Django!

 

I would be willing to buy used also, so if you put that into consideration, it may open up more options.

 

Also, let's raise the price to $1500 max.

 

Thanks again.

[EvilTwin]

Those look like some excellent guitars. I would be willing to check out some Gypsy jazz stuff, too. I love Django! I would be willing to buy used also, so if you put that into consideration, it may open up more options. Also, let's raise the price to $1500 max. Thanks again.

 

The best deal you're likely to get on Django-type guitars are these:

 

http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/GJ10.htm

http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/GJ15.htm

 

The Cordoba Gitano's are just a bit more, and you do get a gloss finish. I love mine. (Can't tell I'm biased, can you? )

 

For the extreme budget:

http://www.rondomusic.com/djg1.html

 

But if you're willing to spend $1500, you can get a really nice Gitane (maybe even a John Jorgenson signature model), or maybe a used Dell'Arte.

[moctzal]

Eastman.

Cheapest solid wood carved archtops that you'll ever find.

[min7b5]

 

What's a really good "bang for your buck" acoustic guitar for playing jazz. Please keep the recommendations under $1000...I was already recommended mahogany as the wood....

 

 

If it doesn

[mikeSF]

you could find a good Eastman used for $1500 i'd say. hand carved arched tops and very nice acoustic jazz tones.

[guitarist21]

What kind of jazz do you want to play?? Gypsy? More bluesy stuff? Basic swing? I feel like this is a fairly important element of your question that's missing. Because you could get a Django-esque guitar that would do you no good if the sound you really wanted was an Eastman archtop. Very different guitars.

 

Ellen

[Pascal]

Nylon strings work great too, for jazz.

[Tony Burns]

I think this is something you need to visit a larger retailer for to play a wide variety of makes , models and types of guitars -- Ive got GAS for an Archtop as well - One of my favorites is the Gretsch G400 Jimmie Vaughan , but its fishman pickup system makes it sound more like a standard Acoustic than an Archtop - I also love a decent classical for jazz- and yes i think OM's are a great Jazz instrument as well , some of the early Martin jazz guitars were based on the OM body but with an arch top-- My Larry OMv60 with its bracing system sounds alot like a cross between an Archtop and a Flattop - probably why I like its sound so much---- Eastmans are also a fantastic guitar for the money - ARIA also makes the D'aguisto line of Archtops which seem nice ( havent played one ) but they list upwards of 4500.

[Stackabones]

What kind of jazz do you want to play??

 

I think that's an important question, but not an essential one.

 

It's important because it feels good to have an instrument that was built for a particular genre (or a genre within the genre). And it looks better to have a Django-box at a gypsy jazz gig than to have a regular old flat top. Of course, there are some sonic considerations as well.

 

Ulitimately, it's not an essential question. Jazz isn't an instrument; it's a music.

 

*

 

Ok, it's time for me to put down my philosopher's pipe and get back to pickin'.