It's pretty hard to describe what you play, or hear concisely. People can seem to be in disagreement when they are saying the same thing, or when the are simply describing two different things, and just don't realize it.

John's point about guitars is a case in point. Though they were featured as rhythm instruments in swing bands,they didn't generally work well as solo instruments till they became electrified. Charlie Christian's work with Benny Goodman being the turning point(and that is on the far edge of swing and borders bebop

In fact, the electrified Hawaiian steel guitar, which Frank mentioned above, became a featured solo instrument in dance bands before the regular guitar did--Roy Smeck and Alvino Rey's recordings paving the way not only for the western swing bands, but also inspiring Les Paul to develop the electric guitar style that dominated jazz from the 50's on.

Still though, there was Django, and it's hard to claim that that wasn't swing, and he wasn't electrified. I am listening right now to Bireli Lagrene, who seems to be Django and Grappelli roled into one, And he doesn't need the electronics to come across.