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Jazz Guitar buying guide
Buying your first archtop
First of all let me say that playing Jazz does not necessarily mean you have to play it on an archtop; a lot of very well known Jazz guitarists throughout history have not complied with that rule. The reason I created this little guide is that, in case you do want to get your hands on such a guitar, you will have a place to start.
Personally, it makes a lot of difference to me how the guitar I play looks and feels. If I hadn't taken the step of selling my Fender electric guitar when I started getting more serious about Jazz and getting my current Ibanez archtop, I would probably not have stuck with Jazz for so long. When the guitar I have in my hands "looks Jazz", then it helps me "feel Jazz" and inevitably, play Jazz.
There are thousands of archtop guitars out there, and a very big percentage of them are very expensive instruments. So before you go on, I want to make it absolutely clear that this is by no means a complete list of archtops and that it is intended for someone who wants to get his hands on his first Jazz guitar without spending a fortune; the same position I was in a few years back. I hope this helps.
General tips:
- Always try to actually play on a guitar before buying; even if that is Gibson or a no-name guitar, there are often many differences between two differenent instruments even if they are labelled as the same brand and model.
- I very much support the philosophy that when buying a brand guitar (Gibson, Fender etc.) a lot of the money you pay are actually excused only by the status of the brand and not the actual quality of the instrument; less known brands are generally much better value for money, especially in the lower price range. In general I would advice: unless you have thousands to spend, don't buy a £400 Gibson, buy a £400 AcePro (for example); it will be better.
- A good setup (string height from fretboard, truss-rod adjustments etc.) makes a huge difference on most instruments. Also, try flat-wound strings.
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AcePro AH706 I played on this guitar in my local shop, and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised when I looked at the price-tag. Price: around £190.00 |
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Skylark L5 Style The first thing that occured to me when I got my hands on this guitar was how amazingly comfortable the neck was. It feels as though it is smaller/more compact than other guitars and akes you feel like you are in complete control. The sound ws very decend, but I didn't have a chance to really have a go at it. If you can find this at your local shop, definitely give it a try and see what it does for you. Price: around £240 |
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Ibanez AK86 This is the guitar I personally have, so I can tell you a bit more about it. It has a great action, with a good setup it can go very low, if that's something you like on a guitar. The sound is very warm and Jazzy if played through the right amp; I use a small Kustom amp and it plays like a dream. I had my guitar technician put flat-wound strings on it and they make a world of difference. Overall I think for the price this is one of the best Jazz guitars out there. Price: around £300 |
Note: If you have any more guitar models to suggest, please drop me a line at lambros@thejazzchameleon.com and tell me a bit about it, perhaps send me a couple of photos to include in this guide.