I am a beginner and have purchased three guitars: 1) Fender Classic Stratocaster,2)Fender Standard Telecaster,3)Epiphone Les Paul Custom. I've changed the pick-ups in all three. The Fenders I put in the Vintage Noiceless and Seymour Duncan HotRodded in the Les Paul. Have I done the right thing to allow myself the opportunity to get that sweet jazz tone that most jazz players have?

Use the Tele with a Princeton Reverb and you're there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHVG4kDurtY

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i dabble a little in jazz and i use a strat
it works for me.

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sombody get me a doctor!

Strats are one of the most versatile guitars there is. I have heard Bach and Beethoven (Classical Music) played on a Strat and it sounded amazing.
Finding the right amp settings would probably be a BIG help.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

You bet, The Strat is the best all round Guitar There is.

'Play jazz on a Strat often, strung with 11s.

Often middle pup, old Cyber-Twin set on '59 Bassman or '65 Deluxe Reverb or occasionally, '93 Vibro-King or '65 Twin Reverb.

Tweak the amp, turn down the lights, sit back, pour a cup of coffee or Scotch over ice, get mellow and have a splendid time doing Harlem Nocturne and A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square and Moonglow and Tenderly and Summertime and....

Dig it.

I've been practicing some classical with my Strat through a SCXD set on channel 1 and it sounds awesome.

To Chet's point, there is an excellent book/CD "JS Bach For Electric Guitar."

Do not doubt for a moment, if Joey Seb Bach was alive in the early 1960s, he would have stuck a Start in the front of a Dual Showman and played surf for a few years, then plugged that same Strat into a M****all stack and stood with Jimi.

Au contraire, mon frer. I think Old Bach would be MIDI'ed to the hilt, running auto-sequences from a Korg KARMA in Digital Performer and doing what the candy kids called a "Live PA," stacking themes on themes and mixing loopers together like a maniac. Guitar? Not enough notes!

But as to the original topic: I can't speak for the world, but I do know that here in the US, several states have passed laws against using a Strat for jazz. The powerful Pickup Band Lobby is to blame.

The Strat is the most tonally versatile of the 3 guitars that you mentioned. I'd suggest using it to get your jazz tone (try using the neck and middle pickups). Your next step is to chose the right amp and settings for that Jazz tone. pick up a Carvin Bel Air or a Fender Princeton amp and you should do just fine.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

No. this is wrong and you are a very bad man. Shame on you.
The spirit of Jazz will fist you in your sleep.

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72 Custom Tele
50's Strat
Sqiuer Classic Vibe 50's P bass
Blues Junior
DG acoustic
Sparkly Thong

The beginner has more money than good sense it seems. You bought nice stuff, but what if you hate playing guitar?

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

A strat will do fine, and you didn't have to change anything either. Listen to Quentin Warren with Jimmy Smith on YouTube. It's a matter of dialing in the right tone on guitar and amp and developing the right touch with your pick. As a beginner you are probably inclined to think that you need all sorts of special equipment to get a particular sound. I suppose we can thank the internet for that. But don't let yourself fall into that trap.

mthorn00. you be a funny person. That was good for a guffaw.

Another thought; did not Lawrence Welk's guitarist play a Stratocaster way back when?

Sorry - that's a very daft answer!

I guess I'm of the opinion that when you pick up a guitar YOU are an artist and there is no right or wrong - You are inherently correct if you feel what you are doing is correct. There is too much of a 'is a Strat ok for blues mentality?' which is creatively negative. I doubt Picasso was fussed about whether people thought he was using the wrong size brush!

Play jazz on the spoons if it works for you.

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72 Custom Tele
50's Strat
Sqiuer Classic Vibe 50's P bass
Blues Junior
DG acoustic
Sparkly Thong