So, I'm playing 4 years up in my highschools 12th grade jazz band as the guitarist, right now i've only got a messed up Squier SE Strat and an Epi G400 for guitars, but i need more of a 'jazz' guitar, but i have no idea what to look for

I hate to say this on a fender forum,but I'd recamend an LP or an SG.next would be a gretsch,ALWAYS USE THE NECK PICKUP!!!!!!

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I LIKE PIE!!!!!

IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID,DON'T SAY A WORD...

Epi Casino re-issue with P90s (later, it can double as a "rock" guitar as well).

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I'm no expert, but based on the name, a "Jazzmaster" seems a good route to go.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

+1

Excellent value too.

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Electric Guitar #1: Fender American Select Mahogany Stratocaster HSS
Electric Guitar #2: Agile Al-3110 Les Paul
Acoustic: Fender CD200SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Amp: Line 6 Spider III 75 75W 1x12 Combo Amp
Piano: Yamaha M450

A Stratocaster set on the neck pickup and use that tone control!

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You dig?

godin makes a guitar called the 5th avenue jazz

http://www.godinguitars.com/godin5thavenuejazzp.htm

I have two Godin 5th Avenues, one with a pickup and one without, and they are well designed and fun instruments, and not expensive! But I still do a LOT of my jazz playing on my Strats. Just add some reverb to a clean amp and away you go!

All the above. I personally get great Jazz tones from my Gibson LP. You could try a better neck pickup in your G400. IMO the Gibson 490R pup is good for Jazz. If you asked about Blues, I would've recommended a Strat or Tele.

alright, so my best bet would be to get my hands on an Epi Casino or upgrade the neck on my G400? Also... I've been wanting to get a new Strat or Tele, would I be able to get away with one of the two? (I play lots of Punk-Rock and Funk outside of Jazz)

Epiphone Casino definately, also some strats with a maple fingerboard, and some teles, I think work very well.

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"reach for the sky and aim for the moon, for if you miss you will end up among the stars"

Zoom MS50G
72 tele dlx RI
2011 standard strat
Blackstar HT-5R
Taylor Big Baby

http://www.youtube.com/user/Almungo/videos?flow=grid&view=0

IMO, yes. The Strat is a bit more versatile than the Tele, again IMO. A good player can make just about anything work.

W/ Jazz, id probably say to stay away from singe coils, whether Fender type of P90's. Jazz these days seems to lean on a tone like having the tone control at 1; I'd suggest a Gibson ES335, or an Epiphone Sheraton II, with a lower output humbucker. Jazz doesnt seem to need the 'cut' of a single coil, or P90's, soapbars, whatever you want to call them. Plus, no hum, which you'll get with P90s or single coils

Yea, anything with a large archtop body and those single coils dogears or soapbars.

Go get one of these.

Special Edition Custom Telecaster® FMT HH

Classy look and the mahogany neck will give you the warmth that'll you'll need to play "under" the horns. Just a great all-around guitar that you'll play outside of jazz band too.

I played a mahogany setneck Dean Evo with a PAF Pro in the neck and a Super Distortion in the bridge in my school jazz band for a year. Worked fine so long as you stayed on the neck with the treble rolled off a bit, plenty of reverb.

That Tele would do the job 10X better.