Best Jazz Guitars — Complete Hollow Body Guide
Jazz guitar tone is built on warmth and roundness rather than cut or aggression — the opposite priorities from rock or metal guitar design. Body construction and pickup choice both matter enormously here.
Hollow Body vs Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
A fully hollow archtop (Gibson ES-175, L-5) gives the deepest acoustic resonance and the warmest, most traditional jazz tone — but is prone to feedback at higher stage volumes. A semi-hollow (ES-335-style) retains much of that resonance with a solid centre block that resists feedback, making it the more practical choice for most working players. Solid-body guitars (a Les Paul rolled back to the neck pickup) can produce a workable jazz tone in a pinch, but lack the natural air of a hollow instrument.
Pickups: PAF Humbuckers and P-90s
PAF-style humbuckers (or Gibson P-90 single-coils) are warm, rounded, and slightly dark — precisely what jazz calls for. Avoid high-output or bright single-coil pickups, which push in the opposite tonal direction.
Strings
Traditional jazz players use .012-.013 flatwound strings — warm, dark, with none of the string squeak roundwound strings produce during position shifts. More contemporary players sometimes use .011 roundwound for a brighter, more versatile tone.
Recommended Guitars
- Ibanez AS73/AS53 (~£300-400) — outstanding value semi-hollow with quality humbuckers, the practical entry point.
- Epiphone Casino (~£500) — fully hollow, P-90 pickups, more vintage/rock-adjacent voicing that still works beautifully for jazz.
- Gibson ES-175 (~£2,500+) — the reference archtop jazz guitar, on more classic jazz recordings than any other model.
FAQ
Do I need a hollow body for jazz? Traditionally yes — but semi-hollow (ES-335) and even solid-body guitars (Les Paul neck pickup) can produce workable jazz tones.
What pickups for jazz? PAF-style humbuckers or Gibson P-90s — warm, rounded, slightly dark. Stay away from high-output or bright single-coil pickups.
What string gauge for jazz? .012–.013 flatwound strings are traditional — warm, dark, no string squeak. .011 roundwound is more contemporary and versatile.
What is the best affordable jazz guitar? Ibanez AS53 or AS73 — excellent value semi-hollow guitars with quality humbuckers around £300-£400.