Ok, I apologize because I posted this in the Tele section of this website too, but I feel like this "general" section gets more readers and comments.

So I went to New Orleans. There I saw a Tele on nearly every stage playing jazz. Not semi-hollow bodies either. Regular old solid body, single coil equipped teles.

How does one achieve that smooth jazz tone with a Tele? Basically roll off all of the treble and make it a bit bass and mids heavy and use the neck pup? I've seen players playing jazz on a Tele with various kinds of amps.

Thanks.

The Tele is a pretty versatile instrument.

I think you answered most of your question.

I can get very Jazz tones from my Tele using the Neck position on the switch w/ the tone control turned all the way down, using a clean channel amp AND a Jazz pick.



This Xmas, I got a 6-pack of Dunlop Jazz III Carbon Fiber picks as a stocking stuffer (Mrs. Lightnin MN didn't know the difference when she bought them). They are maybe 1/3 smaller than a standard pick and much thicker.

These really 'mute' the tone, maybe a poor choice of words... they take away the twanginess.

While the tone is Jazzy, I think different pups, or a hollow body would give even better results.

cheers!

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Chromeface beat me to the punch,I was going to mention Canada's own Ed Bickert,who is recognized as being not only one of Canada's top jazz guitarist but he also has a worldwide reputation for his incredible fretboard skill.He has used that Tele throughout his whole career and gets more smooth jazz tones from it than most guys get on their own Gibson,Epi,D'Angelico etc. jazz boxes.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.