Post by jerzypeter on Aug 2, 2009 18:19:02 GMT -5
I have just bought Ibanez PM 35 (Pat Metheny Signature, $1000). This is my first jazz guitar. The guitar is very comfortable. After playing for couple of days I found that I cannot play some chords, e.g.: Dominant 9 with b5 in high positions.
Let's use Eb9b5:
x65665 (fingers: x21341 (bare on the 5th fret))
This is not a problem. But when I move this shape up to the 9th-10th fret to play G9b5 my fingers don't fit and I can't play this chord. Not to mention Bb9b5 at the 12-13 fret. And I have small fingers!!!
What I found this guitar has 24.75" scale. I have three other guitars: Fender, Ovation and Burswood acoustic guitar and all of them have them have 25.5" scale. On those guitars I can play the mentioned chords above including Bb9b5 at 12-13 fret without any problem. Of course the frets on Ibanez are spaced more closely comparing to 25.5' scale length and that’s the problem.
The salesman in the store told me that all jazz guitars have short scale length and I have to use some other inversions of the chords unless I buy custom Gibson for 3000$ that has longer scale (25.5").
I really was shocked. Is it true that jazz guitar have shorter scale length? I don't know what to do. Live with guitar use other inversions of chords for those that cannot be played, or buy another guitar???
Can anybody give me some advice? I would really appreciate and help any comments.
Jerzy
Let's use Eb9b5:
x65665 (fingers: x21341 (bare on the 5th fret))
This is not a problem. But when I move this shape up to the 9th-10th fret to play G9b5 my fingers don't fit and I can't play this chord. Not to mention Bb9b5 at the 12-13 fret. And I have small fingers!!!
What I found this guitar has 24.75" scale. I have three other guitars: Fender, Ovation and Burswood acoustic guitar and all of them have them have 25.5" scale. On those guitars I can play the mentioned chords above including Bb9b5 at 12-13 fret without any problem. Of course the frets on Ibanez are spaced more closely comparing to 25.5' scale length and that’s the problem.
The salesman in the store told me that all jazz guitars have short scale length and I have to use some other inversions of the chords unless I buy custom Gibson for 3000$ that has longer scale (25.5").
I really was shocked. Is it true that jazz guitar have shorter scale length? I don't know what to do. Live with guitar use other inversions of chords for those that cannot be played, or buy another guitar???
Can anybody give me some advice? I would really appreciate and help any comments.
Jerzy