
However they’re constructed, archtop guitars are usually more expensive then semi-acoustic and solid bodied guitars – often significantly so. Alternatively, a laminated sheet can be heat-pressed into the required shape. The arched front of an archtop guitar is formed in one of two ways the most time-intensive (and therefore most expensive) way is to carve the curve from a solid piece of wood. The lack of a center block gives them a more natural acoustic sound, but makes them prone to feedback when amplified at high volume.īecause the majority of jazz guitarists use only the warmer neck pickup, several archtops lack the more trebly bridge pickup. Most archtops have f-holes instead of a central sound hole, reflecting the influence of the violin family of instruments on their original design.Īrchtops usually have fully-hollow bodies, with no feedback-reducing center block such as that found in semi-hollow guitars such as the Gibson ES-335. The archtop is the most common type of guitar on the list of best jazz guitars further down the page. Archtop guitars are sometimes called ‘jazz boxes’. These big, hollow-bodied guitars have characteristic curved – or ‘arched’ fronts (and often backs).

With that being said, every type of guitar has its advantages and disadvantages for playing jazz. Classical guitars, acoustic guitars, solid-bodied electric guitars and semi-acoustic / semi-hollow guitars all can be – and have been – used by jazz guitarists. More Jazz Guitar Articles On Guitar CommandĪny type of guitar can be used to play jazz.
