Question for Jazz Players.....

[Bluzman54]

Do any of you play either/both an H-535 or Prospect?  Any comments on these instruments for playing this style music would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Jim C

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi Bluzman,

I have a 535 /w '59s and a Prospect /w Seths and they are both good for playing in a "jazz" style. They do not sound as good though for jazz tones as the 575 / w'59s.

 

Of the two the 535 has a fuller tone, most likely down to the solid centre block and the fatter tone of the '59s. For maximum jazz tone I use the neck pickup with the tone rolled almost completely off. The body on the 535 is also bigger than the Prospect which maybe gives it more bass end. Acoustically the 535 is also louder and sustains longer than the Prospect.

Not shooting down the Prospect though it has a damn good tone and is a joy to play, and it also does the jazz thing fairly well. It has a floating centre block which is not attached to the back of the guitar, also the Seths have a very clear open sound and so it cuts through more than the 535.

 

Obligatory gratuitous pics ......

 

535

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/gallery2/d/423-5/H535_06.JPG[/img]

 

 

Prospect

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/gallery2/d/442-5/prospect_09_w.JPG[/img]

 

 

Hope this helps.

[unikh550]

So much of the tone is in the amp. I'd recommend an amp that has plenty of headroom, yet is very clean. Fender Twin, Roland JC-77 or the monstrous JC-120. Slightly used 77's are around the $300 mark and are often on ebay and elsewhere. A friend of mine plays Monk, Bird, standards, etc. with an Ibanez AS-200 (John Scofield plays this) through a Polytone 102 and sounds great. He also has a laminated Ibanez copy of an L-5, which only sounds a tad mellower and fuller, though not louder.- Charles

[SouthpawGuy]

Charles,

 

I'm a wannabe jazz player myself, any thoughts on a Fender Blues Jnr or Roland Cube 30 for jazz ?

 

I have both at the moment and I actually prefer the Jnr, it really does sound good with my 575. Mind you I've never had the chance to any of the "boutique" jazz amps like the Jazz Kat or even a Polytone.

 

Regards ..

 

Paul

[Bluzman54]

Charles,

 

I'm a wannabe jazz player myself, any thoughts on a Fender Blues Jnr or Roland Cube 30 for jazz ?

 

I have both at the moment and I actually prefer the Jnr, it really does sound good with my 575. Mind you I've never had the chance to any of the "boutique" jazz amps like the Jazz Kat or even a Polytone.

 

Regards ..

 

Paul

 

Paul,

 

I have a Blues Junior, Deluxe, & Deville 410 (all mid 90's Tweed) and was not happy with their tone for playing jazz........for blues a whole different story.   I really ike the Cube 30' and 60's.   I think they are extremely versatile and certainly deliver the goods for jazz.   The only reason I didn't buy one is that I bought a mint condition (1998) Polytone Mini Brute ll for about the same price of the Cube 60.....I will probably still buy one as I think that they are great.

 

Another great amp for jazz is a Vibrolux Reverb.  Very sweet, warm, clean tones.   I have the blond anniversary edition from 1994/5 (original owner)......I decided not to play it because it is somewhat unique and mint......but make no mistakes a jazz tone monster.

 

My latest quest is to find and try a Fender Jazz King......have yet to find one in a store, but I have been told they are killers.

 

As a point of reference I have gone to playing both a 535 and Prospect for jazz (I just put the 550 away in storage).......the Cubes, Polytone, and Vibrolux Reverb sound great with both of these.

 

JMHO

 

Jim C

[ingeneri]

A 535 should be fine for jazz, I used to play a Les Paul for straight ahead bop stuff and it worked fine.  I switched to archtops because 1) they're cool, and 2) I didn't need to lug a heavy LP arond my neck.  Here's some samples of the tone I got with the LP and a cheap Peavey Bandit: http://www.myspace.com/lincolnparktrio

 

If you're looking for a darker "classic jazz" sound like Wes or Burrell, I suggest you switch to heavier flat wound strings.  Thomastik Infeild Swing series 12s or 13s are the best, though I'm trying out the new Sadowsky strings.  Here's a link to the dealer I use: http://www.jhalemusic.com

 

While far from necessary, you may want to try out some new picks too.  I hit fewer clams after switching to Dunlop Jazz IIs and Jazz IIIs.

 

It sounds like you have more than enough amps.  That said, the Cube 30 is reportedly too soft for playing with a drummer.  For that, you'll need a Cube 60.  For solid state, I'd get a light weight Jazzkat, Henderson, or Fender Jazz Ultralight before ever looking at a Jazz King.  My favorite tube amp is the Fender Deluxe Reverb (I have the 1965 reissue).

 

Of course tone comes from the hands.  Once you're comfortable playing the ii7-V7s, diminished and melodic minor scale chord alterations, and tri-tone subs, check out Tuck Andress' site for a great article on comparitive picking techniques.

[yoslate]

I switched to archtops because 1) they're cool....

 

Of course tone comes from the hands. 

 

                                                  Can I get a witness?  Shout, "Amen!"

[tulk1]

Prospect

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/gallery2/d/442-5/prospect_09_w.JPG[/img]

 

 

Love that Prospect, whether it can get down jazzy enough or not. Even with it being !sdrawkcab backwards! :wink: 

[SouthpawGuy]

Love that Prospect, whether it can get down jazzy enough or not. Even with it being !sdrawkcab backwards! :wink: 

 

Thanks, it sure is a beauty, it only looks backwards if you think it is.

 

 

 

 

;D

[cosmikdebriis]

I believe Jazz is generally played backwards... Certainly sounds that way to me... :wink:

 

So Southpaw should be a virtuoso in no time... ;D

[zydecosoultrain]

Hi Jim C,

 

Well I play a H-535 with a view to keeping it for jazz.  I have taken a weekly jazz lesson for years now and since I've had the H-535 I've found it easier to play and much nicer to listen to than the Ibanez AS80 I used before.  Don't get me wrong, the Ibanez is a great guitar now it has a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and it makes a pretty good backup - but you can't, in all fairness, compare it to the Heritage.

 

I have a Seymour Duncan jazz in the neck of the H-535 and a SD JB in the bridge.  I play through a Fender Hotrod deluxe and I never, never get tired of the tone that this guitar produces.  It has a wonderful resonance like a good quality acoustic. I've never played a Heritage H-575 but I want to ....  That might take a while given the state of teh Aussie dollar recently.

 

Anyway, I coundn't recommend the H-535 more highly, I'll be playing it for the rest of my life.

 

Good luck and have fun choosing a great guitar.

[unikh550]

Paul, agree with ingeneri, except would recommend .011-.050 D'Addario flatwounds instead of the mediums. The 6th string won't sound muddy. Used Polytones are about the price of a new Cube 30 or Jr Twin. See them all the time for $350-500, depending on the model and condition, and they're not complicated to have repaired. Use these strings on my H-550, and have not lost much bite, but have removed a lot of fretting noise. Sorry did not get back sooner; forgot I had posted.We need more jazz guitarists!- Charles

[SouthpawGuy]

Paul, agree with ingeneri, except would recommend .011-.050 D'Addario flatwounds instead of the mediums. The 6th string won't sound muddy. Used Polytones are about the price of a new Cube 30 or Jr Twin. See them all the time for $350-500, depending on the model and condition, and they're not complicated to have repaired. Use these strings on my H-550, and have not lost much bite, but have removed a lot of fretting noise. Sorry did not get back sooner; forgot I had posted.We need more jazz guitarists!- Charles

 

Charles ....

 

I'm in Ireland, I've never come across a new or used Polytone  :undecided:

 

I was actually lucky to get the Blues Jnr, the Tweed version. My local shop of all places had one in stock, but not on display, from 2006. I checked UK online stores and Thomann (German site) and was told they were no longer available.

One up for the local family owned store !

 

I would like to try flatwound 11's on a guitar, probably the 575, but I'm afraid of loosing the ability to bend strings.

 

I guess I will just have to keep a look out for a lefty 550 or a Sweet 16 to try them on ....  :angel:

[unikh550]

Paul, bending is no problem w/.011-.050 flatwounds, and you only lose a little brightness, not a lot like you would with anything thicker. Most jazz guitarists that I've idolized don't bend or pick that much anyway. They smear, use triads, and double stop for the most part. Ex: Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery. Phrasing is everything. It seems that they form phrases of 6-9 notes as a theme, then build from there. The most important thing is to not sound like elevator music or too hokey by favoring one or two licks too much, such as glissandos. Remembering how you've played in a set builds and releases tension in the audience. YouTube has all these guitarists; EBay, and probably Craigslist has used Polytones all the time for half to three-quarter of retail. Am learning how to put samples of music on sites, as well as pics of my guitar, but am still trying...- Charles

[SouthpawGuy]

Paul, bending is no problem w/.011-.050 flatwounds, and you only lose a little brightness, not a lot like you would with anything thicker. Most jazz guitarists that I've idolized don't bend or pick that much anyway. They smear, use triads, and double stop for the most part. Ex: Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery. Phrasing is everything. It seems that they form phrases of 6-9 notes as a theme, then build from there. The most important thing is to not sound like elevator music or too hokey by favoring one or two licks too much, such as glissandos. Remembering how you've played in a set builds and releases tension in the audience. YouTube has all these guitarists; EBay, and probably Craigslist has used Polytones all the time for half to three-quarter of retail. Am learning how to put samples of music on sites, as well as pics of my guitar, but am still trying...- Charles

 

Charles ...

 

Thanks for the info, I might try out some flatwounds on my 575, maybe even my Millie.

 

If you need some info on posting pics you might want to check out this thread, written by some Irish guy  :wink:

 

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...opic,777.0.html

[Bluzman54]

Charles ...

 

Thanks for the info, I might try out some flatwounds on my 575, maybe even my Millie.

 

If you need some info on posting pics you might want to check out this thread, written by some Irish guy  :wink:

 

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...opic,777.0.html

 

I am actually going to try some FW 10's (D'Addario Chromes) on my 535 the next time I change strings......should be interesting.  Hadn't thought of putting them on my Prospect, but may try it.

 

Jim C