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Hey!
Im planning on getting a new guitar and I love jazz but I dont really want an archtop
Ive recently fell in love with telecasters but im a bit scared that it wont fit the jazz genre, Im afraid that the tele will sound a bit too thin but im not sure honestly
I was planning on getting a Humbucker telecaster, a shawbucker or a thinline telecaster
You guys have any thoughts on telecasters for playing jazz? any other recommendations?
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10-01-2020 05:24 PM
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You'll find a lot of information, examples and advice here :
Telecaster Love Thread, No Archtops Allowed
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Welcome to the Forum, and yes, please check out the "sticky" thread on teles mentioned above.
Marc
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Look up Ed Bickert. He got a wonderful jazz sound out of an alder Telecaster, both with the original Tele neck pickup, and later with a neck humbucker.
Also look up Ted Greene, who frequently used a Tele.
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I tried one this week; it was like playing a barn door.
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I have a pretty much stock Telecaster, a recent acquisition, and with a set of flats on it I love it for jazz, standard pickup and all. I mainly play archtops, but I always enjoy picking up the Tele. I also recently got a Jazzmaster, and I'm finding it to be loads of fun.
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Thinline -- I don't find the sound any "jazzier".
Single coil versus humbucker -- a matter of taste. I like the less muddy sound of a single coil (ducks behind couch). You can EQ (existing knobs or EQ pedal) to push more mids for a fatter sound.
Some pluses for a Telecaster is the lack of feedback (my other main guitar is an acoustic L-5 that had a floating pup mounted on it, so it is a feedback monster!) and the upper fret access. Plus, it's a tank! I worry about people damaging my archtop. With a Tele, you can go out and buy another the next day if you need to. It's a tool.
Flat wound strings -- make a big difference. Even if you don't use them otherwise, give them a try on a Tele.
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Wait... there's another kind of guitar?!
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One more thing: cost. A well setup Made In Mexico Tele is definitely a giggable guitar.
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My tele tends to disappear when I play it. I think that it is kind of the nature of a tele. No real frills and nothing for distraction. Personally, I wouldn't underestimate that characteristic.
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Telecasters work very well for jazz. It's simply a matter of dialing in the right (for you) tone - flatwound strings amy help (my '66 Custom Telecaster came stock with flats) - as might some judicious knob twirling. Archtops are great for jazz (and other genres) but not an absolute necessity. Have fun!
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It's really more a solid body vs archtop thing. They both work well for jazz. What I hear as differences are:
- Solid bodies have more sustain, more immediate attack and perhaps a bit more clarity.
- Archtops have a soft, woody attack, quick decay but most importantly more dynamics.
If a solid body and an archtop guitar had the same pickups, the archtop would be quieter in the same settings. That's because the body resonance take some of the energy from the strings. But the advantage that brings is more potential volume available for the pick attack. So it's almost like the power is reserved to be released with dynamics. If you turn the amp up a bit, it's really easy to get cooking with an archtop.
Solidbodies in turn respond better to light touch. Definition is never an issue and you get a dreamy sustain.
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My PartsCaster with a Lollar Charlie Christian pickup is becoming my favorite jazz guitar. I like the extra sustain for chord melody that a Tele offers. The CC pickup is great as well. Also check out Tim Lerch’s playing on YouTube. Tim is also a member here.
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I love my Nash lite relic with two Lawler Imperial med wind humbuckers! You can try one risk free from Humbucker Music. Lorn Lufsky is another really good solid body jazzer.
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telecasters or archtops? Both of course!
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Humbucker Tele:
Originally Posted by Dess
Single coil Tele:
Those are the same guitar and the same player for your comparison.
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[QUOTE=Cunamara;1065482]Humbucker Tele:
Single coil Tele:
There are some excellent Ed Bickert transcriptions available on YT to unlock the Great voicings!
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Ted Greene really sold me on the Tele neck single coils.
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As so many above attested, Tele’s can make excellent jazz guitars. When playing one in the store it will probably not sound its “jazziest”. Flat wound, nickel and or heavier gauge strings than stock make a big difference. Lowering the neck pup also rounds out the tone.
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This might be a good resource for you as well:
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And a showcase for versatility:
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