This Bass Guitar Jazz was first discovered in 1960.This guitar was named as Bass Guitar Jazz because of designing in its neck and narrow and it is more rounded than that of other type of Bass, which appeal good to the musicians. Jazz bass has double coil pickups with two pole arrangement for each string, which gives bass a strong midway sound so that musician will get more melody music. This Jazz Bass neck was very much narrower at neck than that of other Precision Bass neck. The original Jazz Bass has two knobs with separate volume and tone controlling for each pick ups.These original instruments with its simple configuration is more valued in today’s guitar market. In 1961 a new Jazz Guitar comes into existence which has three knobs, two of them are used for controlling the volume and one for controlling the overall tone of the instrument.
There are lot of changes occurred when one of the company called CBS company purchased this Bass Jazz making companies. There is also push button control is also available in some of the American made Bass Jazz which occurred in the year middle of 2003 to 2008.This type of guitar are known as S1 switch and this type of configuration allow the pick ups to operate in standard type of wiring, in parallel type of wiring, in series type of wiring when the switch is depressed. In this type of Guitars both the pick ups are functioning as a single volume control that gives the Jazz guitar same sound as that of other type of Bass. Both the pick ups are located opposite from each other both in magnetic field and also in electric field so that when we are hearing the sound with clarity. In the year 2008 some of the American standard Guitar came which are much more differ from that of firstly produced guitar models which are produced in the year 1994.This type of American standard guitar which come into existence in 2008 are having the same type of the neck which is rolled with highly enlarged nut, it also has rounded shapes which has round body radius.
Some of the American standard guitars produced in the year between 1994 to 1999 have a single pole arrangement. This type of Guitars are designed by John Sohr.The standard Bass Guitar Jazz was sanded, painted and assembled in California along with other type of standard guitars.Some of the other characteristics of this type of Guitar is two bipolar single pick ups with an arrangement to black control knobs. The models produced before the 2003 came into existence for some period with black Stratocaster control knobs.
This Bass Guitar Jazz is giving the bright sound, with high ends than that of other type of Bass. This arrangement makes it ideal for slap playing and also for finger style players.
By: Or Kynan
You really enjoy those smooth driving rhythms and tasty solo riffs of the jazz guitar. The guitar is an incredibly diverse instrument that can serve as an accompaniment or solo role, and it produces a wide range of sounds. Good jazz guitarists have a completely unique sound, and trained ears can identify players by their signatures tone and technique. So what is a good jazz guitar?
The Arch Top
The arch-top guitar is a distinctive guitar that is a jazz classic. With its f-holes, it can often resemble a stringed instrument, like a violin. The f-holes and arched design are intended to allow for maximum sound production and resonance. Before the days of amplification, big bands of the swing era wanted their guitarists to have big sounds, hence the large body style that can be found in some jazz guitar models. Typically, arch-top guitars do not provide a great deal of sustain. They are designed to speak with a strong and forward voice, and that voice is not meant to last like the driving and distorted sounds that are commonly heard in rock guitars.
Remember that all arch-top guitars are not the same. Their tones can change with the method of construction and the type of wood used to make them – not to mention the fact that any hardware like machine heads, bridges, and pickups will also contribute to the sound. In general, however, the arch-top construction is preferable for a good jazz guitar. Some notable makers include Eastman, Hofner, and Gibson.
Solid Body Electrics
While the arch-top guitar represents the historical sound of jazz, it can also be played on a solid body electric as well. One of the most popular and affordable options for a good solid body jazz guitar is the Fender Telecaster. Professional musicians sometimes fit a humbucker in the neck of their instrument to produce a tone more characteristic of jazz. Other companies like Ibanez and Yamaha also make solid body guitars that are appropriate and popular in jazz music. If you are opting for a solid body, make sure to experiment with the sound of the instrument at a lower volume than you might for heavier music styles. One characteristic of jazz guitar is that it is generally played at a more controlled volume, and therefore the instrument needs to produce a clear, consistent, and resonant tone when it is played moderately.
Acoustics
Acoustic guitars can also have their place in jazz music. Jazz greats like Django Reinhardt and Charlie Byrd popularized the appearance of standard flat-top acoustic guitars in jazz. Again, look for something that produces a crisp, clear tone, and if you choose to amplify, you’ll want to make sure that the instrument does not produce a great deal of feedback or distortion. Ovation makes quite a few flat-top acoustics that perform well as good jazz guitars.
Spend some time listening to jazz recordings and make note of the characteristic guitar tones that you hear. Make sure you choose an instrument that produces a pure and clean tone, and you can’t go wrong.
By: David Smithe