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  • New to semi hollow guitars

    I notice that some semi hollow electric guitars mention that they have a center block while others don’t? For the ones that don’t have a block, what are they using to make the guitar semi solid?

    Also does the ibanez artcore vibrante as63 have a center block?

  • #2
    Re: New to semi hollow guitars

    If there’s no center block, it’s a hollow body.

    If it has a center block or is routed out with chambers to nearly hollow, it’s semi-hollow.

    If it just has a few routes for weight relief, then it’s just weight relieved, though some companies push weight relief almost into the territory of semi-hollow.

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    • #3
      Re: New to semi hollow guitars

      a chambered body isnt really a semi hollow

      semi hollow is the bent plywood top and back attached to a center frame



      the full hollow are usually thicker and more like an acoustic with F holes

      semi hollow has a center block on the same kind of frame

      a chambered body is more like the thin line tele with the solid wood body with chambers under an F hole
      EHD
      Just here surfing Guitar Pron
      RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
      SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
      Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
      Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
      Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
      Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
      GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

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      • #4
        Re: New to semi hollow guitars

        Originally posted by ehdwuld View Post
        a chambered body isnt really a semi hollow

        semi hollow is the bent plywood top and back attached to a center frame



        the full hollow are usually thicker and more like an acoustic with F holes

        semi hollow has a center block on the same kind of frame

        a chambered body is more like the thin line tele with the solid wood body with chambers under an F hole
        A fully chambered guitar most certainly is a semi-hollow guitar, though I agree that it sounds different than a traditionally layered semi-hollow. Chambered guitars will generally sound closer to a solid body and reject feedback much better than a traditionally constructed semi-hollow. My chambered Schecters have carved tops to reject feedback, but still ring out much more than a solid body, like a Gibson Midtown.

        Also, calling the traditional construction method "plywood" is misleading. While Gibson uses three layers to construct their semi-hollow guitars, it's very different than what is commonly referred to as "plywood".

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        • #5
          Re: New to semi hollow guitars

          If you play with distortion, you don't want a full hollow body. I plugged a full hollow body into a 5150 lbx for fun and I could get controlled feedback at normal talking volume. It would be uncontrollable with any normal kind of volume.

          A chambered guitar, where the top, back and sides are thicker than a semi hollow but where it still has a single large chamber on either side of the center block, is the ideal guitar IMO. It has more volume unplugged than a solid body electric so it's great for practicing unplugged, but it can also handle high gain at gig volumes.

          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Re: New to semi hollow guitars

            Yeah, chambered guitars and semi-hollow guitars don't really sound the same but can look the same from the front. The standard 335-type can be made either way and will feel and sound different depending on which construction method is used. Generally, solid wood, chambered versions would be more expensive, but that doesn't mean they sound better, just different.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

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            • #7
              Re: New to semi hollow guitars

              My Epi Wildkat has a block just under the bridge; i'd call it a "semi hollow".

              Sounds excellent, the bridge pickup got that "plank guitar" attack, while the neck pickup got a "hollow body" sound.

              -Erl
              If somethings important- send a PM. I might be offline for long periods. Rock on!!!

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              • #8
                Re: New to semi hollow guitars

                my Epi Florentine and Ehdwuld Branded Chinese build are carved out bodies
                my Dean is bent Plywood construction like a 335

                and just because its used in guitar building doesn't make it "not" plywood

                its poplar and maple veneer glued together together then heated and bent
                EHD
                Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: New to semi hollow guitars

                  Yeah, layers of wood glued together is 'plywood' no matter how you try to spin it. But that isn't to say it is bad. A solid plywood solidbody is not good, but a 335 or 175 is great.
                  Administrator of the SDUGF

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                  • #10
                    Re: New to semi hollow guitars

                    Originally posted by Mincer View Post
                    Yeah, layers of wood glued together is 'plywood' no matter how you try to spin it. But that isn't to say it is bad. A solid plywood solidbody is not good, but a 335 or 175 is great.
                    >>> if AceBob were here he would post this

                    as long as it sounds good it is good
                    and thats whats important
                    EHD
                    Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                    RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                    SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                    Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                    Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                    Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                    Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                    GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: New to semi hollow guitars

                      Originally posted by Mincer View Post
                      Yeah, layers of wood glued together is 'plywood' no matter how you try to spin it. But that isn't to say it is bad. A solid plywood solidbody is not good, but a 335 or 175 is great.
                      That's pretty much my point. When the vast majority of people hear plywood, they think of those low end junk guitars. That's why manufacturers use "laminated" for acoustics, hollows and semi-hollows.

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