Jazz on a Classical?

[BobD]

This may be a stupid question but I have a Takamine C132s classical guitar and I'm wondering if it would be ok or appropriate to learn how to play Jazz on? It has such a wide neck I'm wondering if that might make it more difficult to play chords.

[jazzalta]

I play jazz on my classical all the time. To avoid the squeaks from sliding a lot I use Thomastic Infeld classicals that are flatwound. It gives a more steel string sound but they're excellent for jazz.

[BobD]

Do you mean the Classic S series strings?

[Professor1]

jazzalta2 said:

To avoid the squeaks from sliding a lot I use..........

Avoiding the squeaks is really a technique issue. Sure, it's not a problem with flatwound strings, but If you release the pressure when you shift hand positions, you will not produce that noise.

[mahayana]

Regarding your original question, I prefer narrow necks, low action, cut-outs. Classicals are a little harder to chord on, if you have small hands like me.

Where classicals shine is the tone you can get out of them. Nylon strings don't hurt your fingers, are easy to bend. Anyway, you can learn jazz on most any instrument, I'd advise sitting in a guitar store, playing the same song/lesson/riff on every guitar in there until you find one you love.

P.S.(there is an MTV spot that suggests you don't do "Stairway To Heaven"

[Professor1]

mahayana said:

P.S.(there is an MTV spot that suggests you don't do "Stairway To Heaven"

Naw! If you can do it, do it! Just make sure you do a really good job.

Just like when the drunks yell, "FREEEEE Biiirrdd!" Most people ignore them, but if you're gonna play Free Bird, you better do a smokin' version.


....but then, you could always just do a 5 minute version of the guitar riff from Sweet Child Of Mine.

[jazzalta]

Professor said:

Avoiding the squeaks is really a technique issue...

Not to cause contraversy here, but I think it is very difficult to avoid squeaks resulting from a slide on a round wound string, generally speaking. Particularly on an acoustic instrument with new strings. I've heard of pros sanding down their callouses on their fingers to try and avoid this. But if you listen to a lot of acoustic recordings, even the seasoned pros emit the odd squeak here and there. I don't think it is much of an issue unless it is extremely prevalant.

[mahayana]

Have you heard the song "Underwear" by Sugarcult? Some people do the string squeak noises on purpose.

"By Your Side" by Sade is another example; most of "Lovers Rock" makes the extraneous guitar sounds fit right in.

[Professor1]

jazzalta2 said:

Not to cause contraversy here, but I think it is very difficult to avoid squeaks resulting from a slide on a round wound string, generally speaking. Particularly on an acoustic instrument with new strings. I've heard of pros sanding down their callouses on their fingers to try and avoid this. But if you listen to a lot of acoustic recordings, even the seasoned pros emit the odd squeak here and there. I don't think it is much of an issue unless it is extremely prevalant.

Actually, it is a technique issue, and it is possible to not have squeaking 99% of the time. Like I said, it's something you have to practice, but it's far from unavaiodable. Just like young violinists have to learn not to make the bow squeak, and brass and wind players have to learn not to have the reed squeak.

FYI, I've studied classical guitar at the college level, so it's not like I'm making this up.