Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
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Gibson ES-335 One of the most ubiquitous guitars in blues and rock is also one of the best guitars for jazz.
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Read More »The best jazz guitar is the one that you can play comfortably, with the most expression and dynamics. As such, players’ personal preferences will play a huge part. However, we’ve taken a look at what’s on offer right now to bring you our list of the best guitars for jazz available to buy, keeping in mind what jazz players will need from their instrument. Jazz music encompasses a wide range of styles and sub-genres, and the guitars in this list reflect that. However, what they’re all going to have in common is the ability to deliver a superb clean tone, sound great with a touch of drive, allow for dynamics and shine when playing complex chord voicings. We've included some more in-depth buying advice at the end of this guide if you'd like to read more. If you'd rather get straight to our top picks, keep scrolling.
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Read More »A Tele might not seem an obvious choice for jazz - the legendary solidbody as about far away from a hollowbody as you can get. That said, a good Tele is very capable of producing some incredible jazz tones, as proven by the likes of Ed Bickert and Mike Stern. A Tele also means you can turn it up, and add some gain to your tone without having to worry about the guitar feeding back. The Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum is a superb choice if you’re looking for a versatile jazz guitar. The humbucker in the neck position gives you lots of warmth and depth, however, it’s armed with a push-pull tone pot that essentially turns it into a single coil, without a drop in volume. The bridge pickup gives you some classic Tele tang which can be nice for lead work, and the two pickups combined gives a beautiful, smooth tone. The Greasebucket tone circuit also allows you to take out some of the high frequencies that you might not want, without muddying your existing tone, or adding more bass frequencies. 5. Gibson ES-335 One of the best all-rounders for jazz, blues, rock and more Specifications Launch price: $2,999/£2,599 Body Construction: Semi-hollow, 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple Neck: Mahogany Pickups: Calibrated T-Type Humbuckers Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone Frets: 22 Neck Profile: Rounded C Today's Best Deals View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Great pickups + Semi-hollow body helps fight feedback + Timeless design Reasons to avoid - Not as warm as fully hollow guitars One of the most ubiquitous guitars in blues and rock is also one of the best guitars for jazz. The semi-hollow body gives it a great resonance, but you won’t be quite as prone to feedback if you’re playing really loud or with gain. There’s a really nice bite to the bridge pickup that’s handy for cutting through a mix when playing solos - roll off a little on the tone knob and you can tame it instantly. Gibson really are making some of the best guitars that they have ever built. There’s no doubt that you’re playing a premium instrument, with superb playability and clarity all over the neck. The medium C isn’t a slim profile, but it’s not quite as thick as some of Gibson’s late 50s-style profiles. Gibson’s ES-335 body shape is one of the all-time classic guitar shapes. It’s big enough to resonate really well, but it’s still comfortable to play for most players out there; still one of the best jazz guitars today. 6. PRS SE Hollowbody Standard A mid-range hollowbody featuring classic PRS craftsmanship Specifications Launch price: $1,029/£899 Body Construction: Hollowbody, Mahogany Neck: Mahogany Pickups: 58/15 ’S' Controls: Master Volume, Tone Frets: 22 Neck Profile: Wide Fat Today's Best Deals View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Vintage voiced pickups + Solid build quality + Great value for money Reasons to avoid - Single volume and tone controls This could be one of the best guitars for experienced players migrating to the world of jazz. The PRS body shape will be familiar to many already (though technically, this model is very slightly bigger than a regular PRS), and the Wide Fat neck profile provides a nice late-50s Gibson-esque feel for the fretting hand. The combination of the all-mahogany body construction and 58/15 ’S’ pickups leads to a great jazz tone. The pickups are nice and clear, and are inspired by those all-hallowed PAFs meaning it can handle blues and rock too. The body lends it some nice resonance and warmth without sounding too bright. It’s fitted with a single volume and tone knob, and a three-way pickup selector - while some may find that this limits them a little, others will love the simplicity. 7. Gretsch G6120T-59 Vintage Select ’59 Chet Atkins This country classic makes for an incredible jazz guitar Specifications Launch price: $3,499/£2,899 Body Construction: Hollowbody, Maple Neck: Maple Pickups: TV Jones Classic Controls: Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Master Volume, 3-Way Tone Switch Frets: 22 Neck Profile: Vintage V Today's Best Deals View at Andertons (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Unique pickups + Clear and articulate + Superb playability Reasons to avoid - Bold look not for everyone While Chet Atkins is sometimes accused of being ‘too country’ by jazz fans, and ‘too jazz’ by country fans, there’s no denying that his signature Gretsch models are some of the best jazz guitars out there. The hollow body provides great resonance as well as warmth and richness. The TV Jones Classics are incredibly clear and articulate, and they’ve got a character to them that you don’t hear in other pickups. If you want a strong picking attack for single note leads, that’s no problem on the bridge pickup, but, should you want to mellow it out, the neck pickup can do so perfectly. Whilst you don’t have a tone knob, you do get a three-way tone switch which can help you shape your sound how you want. The build quality is excellent and let’s not forget how classy the guitar looks too! While country and swing players love it, the Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120T-59 is also a great guitar for jazz. 8. Godin 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II A jazzy P90-equipped hollowbody for under a grand Specifications Launch price: $915/£949 Body Construction: Hollowbody, Canadian Wild Cherry Neck: Silver Leaf Maple Pickups: P90 Single Coil Controls: Master Volume, Tone Frets: 21 Neck Profile: Godin Today's Best Deals View at Bax-shop UK (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Great for brighter jazz tones + Dynamic pickups + Traditional look Reasons to avoid - Lacks the punch of humbuckers
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Read More »This Godin archtop hollow body provides a nice alternative to humbucking pickups in the form of two P90 single coils. These are great if you’re playing gyspy jazz, though they’re punchy enough in the low mids for more traditional jazz too. The sound will be a little thinner than with humbuckers, but that can really work sometimes. The neck pickup with a little tone rolled back is beautiful - not too dark, but great for rhythms. The pickups are also nice and dynamic so they’ll react to the fine nuances of your playing. These guitars are built really well in Canada and they look and feel fantastic - what you get for your money is very impressive. Also, if you imagine the guitar without its bridge pickup, it’s not a million miles from a Gibson ES-125, except it’s a lot easier to source! 9. Suhr Modern Plus Possibly the best guitar out there for modern jazz rock and fusion Specifications Launch price: $3,299/£2,999 Body Construction: Solidbody, Basswood Neck: Roasted Maple Pickups: SSH+, V60LP, SSV (HSH) Controls: Master Volume, Tone (Push/Pull Coil Split) Frets: 24 Neck Profile: Modern Elliptical Today's Best Deals View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Versatile pickup configuration + Wide range of tones + Incredible build quality Reasons to avoid - It’s not cheap - Not for the jazz purists Some players want to cover as many bases as possible with one guitar. You might be playing a set that’s predominantly jazz, but with some rocky or even metal parts thrown in too. The Suhr Modern Plus is the perfect tool for guitarists that need to cover the whole spectrum. It’s got a trio of pickups - a high output humbucker in the bridge, a 60s-inspired Strat-style single coil in the middle and a vintage voiced humbucker with extra clarity in the neck position. Chord inversions and lead lines ring through incredibly clear in all positions, but the neck pickup on its own does have a beautiful vintage character to it, and the bridge is perfect for cutting through a mix. The Suhr Modern Plus is a top-spec, high performance guitar; whilst it might not be the one for traditionalists, for jazz players that need tonal options to cover fusion and more, it’s perfect.
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