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Hi everyone,
New to the forum and new to the jazz guitar scene. I have been wanting a hollow body guitar for a while now and not much has popped up in my local used market for the last two months within my budget, but a The Loar LH-309 came up and sat for sale for a while and after a few price drops I pulled the trigger at $500CAD with a nice case. I have to say I am new to the archtop world but this guitar plays awesome! Love the 1.75" nut, the thick V neck, and after some fret dressing, flatwounds, and a setup it plays great. But after I bought it, 3 hollow bodies popped up for sale
. I missed out on a Epiphone ES-175 for $400CAD which hit me pretty hard. But theres an Ibanez AF-75 for $450CAD and a Greg Bennett JZ-4 for $380CAD for sale. I know trying them out says it all but I won't be able to until the weekend, so I figured I'd get some opinions on the guitars in the meantime.
Im not terribly picky on features, but for the value-to-quality what would you say is the best? I play mostly 40s to 60s jazz stuff.
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05-31-2022 03:25 PM
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They are pretty different guitars so I think personal preference will be a big part of how you`d rank them. I have read good accounts on the quality of older korean jz4s. If the epi was premium then thats probably the most desirable of them, but since you missed out on that anyway.
But, considering that you seem very content with the loar, none of the other guitars will be close to it in terms of neck profile etc, and you have already had it setup to your liking…
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The JZ-4 is from 2004, Korean made. From what I've read they are the better ones compared to the newer models. I believe the Epi was a premium, it was actually posted while I was out trying out The Loar, but when I saw it later in the day it was already sold.
I guess the trouble I am having is the lack of bridge pickup and cutaway on the Loar, but I do enjoy the neck on it and the acoustic sound of it. I know people have said the larger body of the JZ-4 can be an issue for some, and I find the Ibanez's have a slightly thinner neck then I'd care for. Anyone have experience with the neck on the JZ-4?
Slightly off topic but has anyone fitted a JZ-4 with a dogear or humbucker?
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Never bonded with my Jz4. Very orange and tonally pretty dead. I think the MIK Epiphone Broadway is about the same quality but nicer looking.
Most Korean guitars from that era play really well but they do have quite thin necks.
If you can get a Dearmond, I think they are pretty well made and probably the best sounding for the money.
This is a random example.
DeArmond X155 Hollow Body Guild Electric Guitar w Case | eBay
I would also go with one that has a humbucker. Those cheap floaters never sounded good to me but it is personal.
Good Luck!
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I feared the JZ-4 would have a thin neck. I'll still try it out but my hopes aren't too high. The one for sale is a natural finish with a nice quilted maple back. Those Dearmonds are quite nice but out of my budget unfortunately. I'm always on the fence with floating pickups, sometimes they sound great, sometimes thin and too hi-fi.
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I played a JZ-2 in a shop many years ago, and I thought it had a good neck. Not really thin, but not too thick either.
Adding pickups to an instrument like a JZ-4 which only has a floating pickup can be done. I'd get a luthier to do this. I'd check the bracing, I presume the bracing would be the same as the JZ-2, but if that's in the way of where the pickups will go, it's probably not worth doing from a cost/effort point of view.
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That's good to know, I would imagine the bodies would be the same, since the bodies are the same dimensions. I'm only looking at pickup routing as an option if I really like the feel and sound of the guitar.
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Btw, the epi es 175 premium has a really skinny neck
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Since you're new to hollowbodies I wouldn't second guess yourself, especially since you seem to really dig the Loar. Play it for a few months/years and it might tell you where you want to go next as far as guitars. An archtop is a different instrument from solidbodies and flattop guitars and it takes a while to learn it's idiosyncracies.
But yeah, buyer's remorse can drive me crazy as well!
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I have a couple of cheap floaters. One on a Loar 700 and another on a Fenix FAE8. I find that the volume for those needs to be set at almost 50% otherwise they sound very honky/boxy.
Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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You got a guitar you like, be happy and satisfied. A different or another guitar is not going to do anything for you except take you away from what you should be focused on, which is of course playing your guitar (the one you already own and like). You will be better served by this forum by asking questions about technique, harmony and music theory as you get deeper into playing said nice guitar.
You're good to go man, go for it.
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Originally Posted by Trimshaw
Hi everyone,
New to the forum and new to the jazz guitar scene. I have been wanting a hollow body guitar for a while now and not much has popped up in my local used market for the last two months within my budget, but a The Loar LH-309 came up and sat for sale for a while and after a few price drops I pulled the trigger at $500CAD with a nice case. I have to say I am new to the archtop world but this guitar plays awesome! Love the 1.75" nut, the thick V neck, and after some fret dressing, flatwounds, and a setup it plays great. But after I bought it, 3 hollow bodies popped up for sale. I missed out on a Epiphone ES-175 for $400CAD which hit me pretty hard. But theres an Ibanez AF-75 for $450CAD and a Greg Bennett JZ-4 for $380CAD for sale. I know trying them out says it all but I won't be able to until the weekend, so I figured I'd get some opinions on the guitars in the meantime.
Im not terribly picky on features, but for the value-to-quality what would you say is the best? I play mostly 40s to 60s jazz stuff.
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If you dig 40's to 60's jazz, and the guitar you bought (the Loar) plays and sounds good to you, then you made the right choice.
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As the others said! I don't know this particular Loar model but if it's got a carved top it will take a while to really break in too. In other words, the acoustic sound should get (even) better.
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I love my JZ4. After about ten years, I swapped in a Lollar Johnny Smith. Very happy customer nearly two decades later…
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My experience exactly. Quality build, but a heavy build with little resonance. Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Wow thanks for all the replies everyone! Sorry I haven't been more active with my replies, got incredibly busy at work and this post slipped my mind. I really appreciate everyone's input, I am not usually one to dwell on recent purchases, but the only reason why I was second guessing myself was there was nothing for sale for so long then suddenly 3 great options all got posted within 36hrs from when I bought The Loar. The Ibanez got sold before I could go see it (thankfully) and I decided not to see the JZ-4 as I am not the biggest fan on floating pickups. Im just going to tell myself that the Epi had an ultra thin neck and it was good that I didn't get to try it out haha.
The Loar does have a carved spruce top, even with flatwounds it has a great tone and I find it quite loud acoustically. Full disclaimer I am not an acoustic guitar aficionado, my only acoustic is a low-to-mid level Washburn, so I have limited experience in that realm.
Thank you again everyone!
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