Telecaster for jazz

[Wylie]

I am looking for a new guitar to continue my instruction in playing jazz, and wondering if a Telecaster might be the way to go. If you look at YouTube, there seems to be loads of jazz players favoring Telecasters over hollow-body or semi-hollow-body guitars.

Any thoughts on Telecasters for jazz? Any and all thoughts, reminiscences, complaints, advice or warnings are welcome. I'm also curious about players' experiences with Teles equipped with humbuckers as opposed to single-coils.

Thanks!

Wylie

[ezbass]

Mike Stern and Robben Ford are both jazz playing, Tele users. That’s a pretty solid endorsement in my book. I’m a Tele lover, so I’m biased, but I think it is a wonderfully versatile guitar with a design that makes pickup changing (and, therefore, tone) a breeze. Ultimately, you can play any genre on any guitar really, it’s just a matter of how you want to sound.

[Danuman]

I’ll add John Scofield to that list.
 

Go for it. Unless you want a traditional type jazz tone, of course. But in addition to being nearly indestructible, a good Tele is almost never out of place.

[Lozz196]

On 16/11/2019 at 00:00, Wylie said:

I'm also curious about players' experiences with Teles equipped with humbuckers as opposed to single-coils.

Thanks!

Wylie

I use a Telecaster Custom Deluxe, has 2 Fender Wide Range Humbuckers, each with independent volume & tone, 3-way pickup selection . I play punk and rock on it mind, so not the music stated, but the ‘buckers certainly warm up the Tele, the sound is still in a similar area tho, not as rich as a Gibson. Given that many jazz guitarists use those big hollow bodied guitars with humbuckers I’d reckon my Tele would be fine for jazz - not that I’m likely to do so, far too complicated for me.

[Wylie]

Thanks, Lozz.

[EdwardMarlowe]

As long as a guitar feels good and has a good clean sound, imo that's all you need to play jazz. The only reason to get caught up in what is "right" is if you're playing out to audiences that require the right "look".... A lot of hardcore rockabillies, for example, won't go and see a band that plays very modern look equipment as they won't have the right look - very much part of the package. Happens all over the musical spectrum - audiences expect the look as much as anything. Branding / marketing aside, I say use whatever you like. Sometimes some resl creativity can spirng from using the "wrong" guitar...