Jazz on a Taylor

[fuman]

I'm not much of a jazz player, but I have a Taylor GSCE Maple and it sounds really good in that mode. One issue I have with the ES1.2 pickup is that if you run it through an unbalanced cable, as they suggest, it can sound a little TOO much like an electric archtop. So you might look at the mid-2000 maple Taylors and see what you think. Unplugged, my guitar has a real strong fundamental and great balance, with a good strong bass tone. Perfect for jazz.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by Jim

Taylor used to make a flat top jazz guitar in the late 1980s. It was called their J series. I haven't seen one around in a while, but then there weren't too many of them made as they didn't sell well.

This is an old thread, but anybody have a picture of one of these?

As for jazz on a Taylor, why not? I play jazz on any guitar I pick up.

[jwayne]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

This is an old thread, but anybody have a picture of one of these?

As for jazz on a Taylor, why not? I play jazz on any guitar I pick up.

Heh heh, I actually referred to you indirectly in the jazzguitar.be link that I just mentioned!

[Birdbrain]

Or the Jazz Police will think you're a folksinger and haul you off to the nearest hootenanny. ; >

Seriously, I applaud your daring in playing non-standard instruments in a new context. But that really is going to confuse a lot of people. "People listen with their eyes," said Les Paul when his original "plank" electric was first played out. Then he glued on old parts to give it a bout and a cutaway so it looked more familiar, and history was made.

Guitars of any kind are only marginally in a genre that brands itself visually with a saxophone, a dapper suit, and sunglasses. When you see an acoustic guitar, the laymen's first impression is "country music." That's just the way folks are - they judge before they listen. But please don't let that hold you back.

If there's a practical reason that flattops haven't been used much in jazz, it's probably that their sustain and overtones get muddied up in fast, virtuosic passages. Funny how that doesn't stop Bluegrass pickers from being fast and virtuosic, too. But they give the audience the sound they came expecting to hear, so there's no problem.

[JGinNJ]

I've tried the Taylor GA's like the 814, they have a full, well-balanced sound, and are pretty playable up the neck. I did find the inlays and uneven fretboard finish distracting & confusing.
Most flat-tops make you work too much if you're playing more than a few jazz tunes or if playing a lot of complex chords. Tone-wise, you won't get the smooth, dark sound of an archtop, but maybe that's not what you're going for, anyway.
I like practicing at home on my Martins, and the light weight is a break from the weight of a big 17" electric archtop.

[cotten]

I didn't notice at first that this thread began back when we were still the Taylor Guitar Forum! I was still in my first year of membership. Love it. What caught my eye was when I saw a post by my friend Folkstrum Norm. He graduated this life a number of years ago, and I still miss him. Those were good times, as are these!

My takeaway from threads like this is that though many things change over time, some things do not. We are still interested in many of the same topics we were discussing a long time ago. As it should be.

cotten

[JohnW63]

I'd throw some flatwound strings on a flattop guitar and give it a try for the Jazz sound. Yes, a lighter tension electric guitar makes some of the changes easier, but not all Jazz guys have to play electric.