Guide to the Best Guitar Gear for Jazz

Jazz is one of the biggest genres around. Boasting a rich musical and cultural history - with roots that can be traced back as far as the late 1800s - jazz dominated popular music throughout the 20th century. However, it's fair to say that you might not immediately associate the electric guitar with the genre.

During the early days, the electric guitar was viewed as more of an accompanying instrument. Brass, woodwind and percussion dominated the jazz scene; guitar was initially used to compliment the brass section, providing a rhythmic structure that allowed these other instruments to shine.

It wasn't until 1923 that we saw one of the first electric guitars dedicated to jazz: the Gibson L5. This trailblazing instrument began to replace the banjo within jazz bands and orchestras thanks to a more versatile and pioneering style. The guitar was still under utilised though, and it would take a few more decades until the instrument rose to prominence.  

Post-WW2 marked the first major change. This period signalled the emergence of the guitar within jazz due to the innovative players of the time. Django Reinhardt set a new precedent for what was possible with the instrument. He completely shifted the perception of the guitar thanks to his cutting-edge tunes like 'Djangology' and 'Minor Swing'.

Progress from then on was swift. The '70s further solidified jazz guitar as its own unique style, with legendary musicians like Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin marking it firmly on the musical map. It's gone from strength to strength ever since, with a strong modern scene developing across the world.

While playing skill remains the focus of jazz guitar, tone comes a close second. And what helps define that tone? Amps of course. To get that clean, transparent sound we've already so often mentioned, you need an amp that's fit for the job. You're looking for something that remains warm and smooth, with excellent dynamic response. In our opinion, a valve combo is more than up to the task.

Valve combos - boasting enough headroom and offering clean volume - make an ideal option for the genre. They're regarded by many in the community as being the best kind of amp for jazz work. They deliver that rich, warm (yet clear) tone, with a level of response that's essential if you really want to nail the jazz sound. They are usually slightly heavier, pricier and require more regular upkeep though.  

However, there are some jazz guitarists who actually prefer solid-state amps. Many deliver an equally good clean channel, with astounding clarity and natural, authentic tone to boot. Ultimately it's all down to your personal preferences, budget, and depends on what you're looking for in your rig.

Pickups are sometimes overlooked when it comes to achieving a desired sound. If you want to really nail a particular style (in this case jazz), then they're absolutely imperative. As you already know, pickups pick up (see what I did there) the vibration of your strings. This is then converted into a signal, which is then transferred to your speaker and turned into sound. Without the right ones, your instrument probably won't suit the genre you're looking to play.  

But which kind are actually good for jazz I hear you cry? Well, you're probably going to want a set of humbucker pickups. The majority of jazz guitarists use humbuckers; they're favoured by current-day players, and were extremely popular with their predecessors too.

But why? Humbuckers are characterised by a warm sound that is a lot warmer than say, a single-coil pickup. They also have an enhanced dynamic range that helps set them apart. Both of these features contribute to that trademark jazz sound. Many benefit your overall clarity too, excelling with the clean tone that's favoured by the genre. There are even plenty available on the market that replicate the iconic designs, builds and sounds of a bygone era - with '50s and '60s sets available from leading brands, depending on your tonal preferences.

Many jazz guitarists recognise that the signature tone attributed to jazz guitar as a whole is rather understated. Ultimately, the playing style itself makes the sound what it is, as opposed to the other way around. However, that isn't to say certain threads don't run through most players' respective tones - those being that it's subtle, clean, warm, simple, mellow and transparent. Within the genre, pedals are used more as musical seasoning; they aren't heavily relied upon, and are instead used to provide your style with additional flavour and emotion when it's needed.

The most common pedals used are compressor, chorus and reverb variants - however many players augment their tone using delay and overdrive pedals too. We've outlined why each effect is important for jazz guitar below...