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H555 able to get fat dark jazz tones?


jazzalicious

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Hi

On the fence about getting an h555

Can't seem to try one in Montreal

So

Need your experience and insights...

Can it get that quintessential dark, warm jazz tone?

Most youtube clips highlight the bright punchiness which I like too, but anyone able to tweak their tone knobs and amp settings to fatten and darken it up?

Thanks

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I'm sure the 555 would sound very nice for jazz, as it would for just about anything. Still, semi-hallows can't quite measure up to full hollows if you want to sound like Wes.

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Yeah, the great ones will make a "Hannah Montana" guitar sound really good.

Excactly!!! Jimmy Bruno showed how by rolling the volume and tone knobs on a cheap Tele he could get very good jazz tones.

 

I think the problem you are going to have Jazzalicious, is that any clips posted won't be be done with your strings, your pick, your amp, or your hands. Until you play a 555 yourself, you are never going to get the real answers you want. But if you have played a Gibson 335, then a 535 will be very very close to that tone, if not the same.

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Hi

On the fence about getting an h555

Can't seem to try one in Montreal

So

Need your experience and insights...

Can it get that quintessential dark, warm jazz tone?

Most youtube clips highlight the bright punchiness which I like too, but anyone able to tweak their tone knobs and amp settings to fatten and darken it up?

Thanks

 

 

Yes. Do a YouTube search on Heritage jazz guitarist, Rodney Jones. He slings either a custom 555 or 535 and gets a great jazz tone.

 

You won't get a FAT jazz tone exactly like a full hollow archtop, but with high gauge flat wounds (12's or 13's) and a proper set-up, you'll come close, especially in a live band situation.

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Thanks

Have listened to/seen these as well.

But specifically wondering about a 555, not a 535

Know the 535 sound due to rosewood board is different .

There's a nice few by this guy

 

Just highlights more of a brighter tone than I prefer, so was wondering about rolling off tone etc...

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Are you looking for the Jim Hall type of sound?

 

 

A lot will depend on the amp you use. Plugged into my Marshall, there's no way I can seem to find a jazz tone, even with the 525. The Classic 30 gets closer, the Patriot can nail it, Plugging into my old National, it gets nice old school dark jazz easily. The 10 inch speaker doesn't have the heavy bass or the bright highs. Thats all with the 535, but the 555 won't be all that far off. The pickup will also change what you hear. My Schallers have a lot more "sparkle" than my Seths.

 

If you really want that Wes Montgomery sound, you also have to throw your pick in the case. Technique is a BIG chunk of the sound.

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I'm able to get tones I'm happy with with my 525 and 575 mahogany (which I might sell to afford the 555)

I play either with my acoustic image Corus or Henriksen 112ER

both great amps for jazz

I just got an eastman t486 and it's great but find it too stiff so that's why I'm hunting for an h555.

Just was worried about stiffness in playing because if I sell my 575 and am not happy feel wise with the 555....I'm out a 575

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Not looking for Jim hall or Wes...

Can do with my 525 and amps

Looking for fat dark and punchy with sustain like Kurt Rosenwinkel

 

With your very specific requirements, you might benefit from a test drive before purchasing a 555.

 

On another (guitar) note, I get the exact tone you describe from another semi-hollow...Comins GCS-1. Compared to my 555, the Comins can get very dark, smokey, fat and punchy. Another one to test drive. :icon_smile:

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Montreal is a dead zone gear wise...

Besides gibson and fender, ibanez ....the usual stuff, there's no decent jazz guitars and amps.

I actually started a business selling acoustic imAge, Henriksen, raezers edge, redstone audio (now closed) and eastman guitars because there's nothing.

3 universities with jazz programs and 3 pre university schools as well.....

There's no test driving options here...

I'll either have to take a chance and try selling my 575 or wait...

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I did a quick little recording to the best of my abilities. I am by no means an engineer so take that as you will. This is essentially the purest recorded tone I could muster; I utilized the neck pickup (seymour duncan '59) with the tone knob rolled down all the way, into the clean channel of my Hughes & Kettner Switchblade 50 combo. I used an SM57 into a Focusrite Saffire interface, into Garageband. No post-processing of any kind. I hope this will help.

 

 

 

-Alec

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by a fat jazz tone, do you mean like Wes Montgomery? then whatever equivalent Heritage makes to the Gib. L-5, and play with your thumb! :)

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