Chamber electric guitars
- Thread starter Wayne27
- Start date
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Re: Chamber electric guitars
Most are
My Gibson is "weight relieved"
It has several small chambers inside
Some versions of the Gibson Supreme doesnt have F holes
But has the thicker acoustic body
Two of my LP like guitars are chambered with F holes
My latest build has no F holes and is super lightweight
Most are
My Gibson is "weight relieved"
It has several small chambers inside
Some versions of the Gibson Supreme doesnt have F holes
But has the thicker acoustic body
Two of my LP like guitars are chambered with F holes
My latest build has no F holes and is super lightweight
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
They’re still considered solid bodies. But depending on the size of the chambers, they can sound like a hollow body with the F holes plugged.
They’re still considered solid bodies. But depending on the size of the chambers, they can sound like a hollow body with the F holes plugged.
SirJackdeFuzz II
Active member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
I always wondered about this very question myself.
1) Gibson & Epiphone BB King ES-335. (semi withOUT f-holes.)
Are they seen as solid, or semi hollows ?
2) Brain May's 'big red', the mas produced ones that we can buy.
They are heavily chambered, almost a semi-hollow, with a solid top.
I s'pose they are being sold as ''solid body' guitars ?
3) G&L ASAT Classic Custom & Blues Boy.
Available with ''voice chambers'' and no f-holes.
4) Gretsch Country Gentlemen with painted f-holes.
I believe this is a full hollow, ala Epi Casino, with no f-holes.
Are these regarded as semi hollows . . . or solid body guitars ?
I always wondered about this very question myself.
1) Gibson & Epiphone BB King ES-335. (semi withOUT f-holes.)
Are they seen as solid, or semi hollows ?
2) Brain May's 'big red', the mas produced ones that we can buy.
They are heavily chambered, almost a semi-hollow, with a solid top.
I s'pose they are being sold as ''solid body' guitars ?
3) G&L ASAT Classic Custom & Blues Boy.
Available with ''voice chambers'' and no f-holes.
4) Gretsch Country Gentlemen with painted f-holes.
I believe this is a full hollow, ala Epi Casino, with no f-holes.
Are these regarded as semi hollows . . . or solid body guitars ?
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Chamber electric guitars
If its constructed like a hollow body acoustic, where its sides, top and back are separate sheets of wood, but no f holes, it’s still a hollowbidy. If it’s a solid body routed out to be chambered, that’s a solid body guitar.
1 and 4 are hollow bodies. 2 is a chambered solid body, though it’s construction almost borders on a semi hollow body. I don’t own a 3 so I don’t know that one.
If its constructed like a hollow body acoustic, where its sides, top and back are separate sheets of wood, but no f holes, it’s still a hollowbidy. If it’s a solid body routed out to be chambered, that’s a solid body guitar.
1 and 4 are hollow bodies. 2 is a chambered solid body, though it’s construction almost borders on a semi hollow body. I don’t own a 3 so I don’t know that one.
Erlend_G
New member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
My Epi Wildkat is a semi-hollow;
It's hollow with the exception of a "tone block" that sits under the bridge and tailpiece.
I ordered it unseen, thought it was a full hollow
But I don't think the design is a bad thing. The bridge pickup sounds more like a solid body,
and the neck pickup got that hollow "jazz box" ish sound.
-Erl
My Epi Wildkat is a semi-hollow;
It's hollow with the exception of a "tone block" that sits under the bridge and tailpiece.
I ordered it unseen, thought it was a full hollow
But I don't think the design is a bad thing. The bridge pickup sounds more like a solid body,
and the neck pickup got that hollow "jazz box" ish sound.
-Erl
Re: Chamber electric guitars
It's a broad category. Technically the thin line Tele is chambered too.....even with an f-hole.
The most controversial chambered guitars are the Les Paul's from 2006 and after. Certainly solid guitars, although the tone is a bit different on average to the weight relieved version.
Once you get to the laminate style construction of the ES les Paul you are in semihollow terrain.
It's a broad category. Technically the thin line Tele is chambered too.....even with an f-hole.
The most controversial chambered guitars are the Les Paul's from 2006 and after. Certainly solid guitars, although the tone is a bit different on average to the weight relieved version.
Once you get to the laminate style construction of the ES les Paul you are in semihollow terrain.
Re: Chamber electric guitars
335 is either semi hollow or semi solid. Depends on if you are a pessimist or an optimist. Half full/half empty. My Brian Moore and Warmoth are chambered, with either a honeycomb pattern of holes (Warmoth) or bigger chambers (Brian Moore). They sound and behave more like solidbodies than anything The biggest advantage by far, is weight reduction.
335 is either semi hollow or semi solid. Depends on if you are a pessimist or an optimist. Half full/half empty. My Brian Moore and Warmoth are chambered, with either a honeycomb pattern of holes (Warmoth) or bigger chambers (Brian Moore). They sound and behave more like solidbodies than anything The biggest advantage by far, is weight reduction.
vinta9e
New member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
"Chambered solid bodies" is one category, "semi hollow sans f-holes is another" in my view. Maybe the former should be called semi-solid so as to highlight how a swiss cheesed Les Paul is different from most ES designs. There's world of nuance in the details.
"Chambered solid bodies" is one category, "semi hollow sans f-holes is another" in my view. Maybe the former should be called semi-solid so as to highlight how a swiss cheesed Les Paul is different from most ES designs. There's world of nuance in the details.
dzdandcunfsd
New member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
I have a chambered gretsch that is always, I think, wrongly labeled solid body.......for a "solid" sure does have some great acoustics
semi-hollow I'd call it.
I think most Gibsons/clones that are "weight relieved" would still count as solid bodied, just a lot of semantics though, but isn't that what guitar players are all about I think you'd just have to go with how it sounds.
I have a chambered gretsch that is always, I think, wrongly labeled solid body.......for a "solid" sure does have some great acoustics
semi-hollow I'd call it.
I think most Gibsons/clones that are "weight relieved" would still count as solid bodied, just a lot of semantics though, but isn't that what guitar players are all about
I think you'd just have to go with how it sounds.
Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
Re: Chamber electric guitars
This pretty much sums it up without getting into semantics.
About 20 years ago, I was one of the confused ones. I always referred to a chambered guitar as a hollow. I would go around telling everybody about my hollow body guitar. One day, one of the best players I knew at the time clarified my statement for me. Today, all of my guitars are chambered except for two of them. I do not own any hollow bodies. I used to think I did though...
It turns out I am just another idiot who plays a guitar.
This pretty much sums it up without getting into semantics.
About 20 years ago, I was one of the confused ones. I always referred to a chambered guitar as a hollow. I would go around telling everybody about my hollow body guitar. One day, one of the best players I knew at the time clarified my statement for me. Today, all of my guitars are chambered except for two of them. I do not own any hollow bodies. I used to think I did though...
It turns out I am just another idiot who plays a guitar.
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
That is the post of a thinking man.
That is the post of a thinking man.
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
I think of a chambered guitar as being a solid body chambered to enhance the acoustic quality or resonance of the guitar.
I think of a weight relieved guitar as being a solid body guitar designed with wood removed to make it lighter in weight...not to make it more resonant.
Two different intentions.
A real semi-hollow body has a separate top, back and sides. Like an ES-335. Different intention than chambered or weight relieved and an entirely different design.
I think of a chambered guitar as being a solid body chambered to enhance the acoustic quality or resonance of the guitar.
I think of a weight relieved guitar as being a solid body guitar designed with wood removed to make it lighter in weight...not to make it more resonant.
Two different intentions.
A real semi-hollow body has a separate top, back and sides. Like an ES-335. Different intention than chambered or weight relieved and an entirely different design.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Chamber electric guitars
Chambering doesn’t make it semi hollow. Chambers are routed out of a solid block. Semi hollow is separate back, side and top. Swimming pool route is just a cavity for electronics, not non-functional chambers for sound purposes.
Chambering doesn’t make it semi hollow. Chambers are routed out of a solid block. Semi hollow is separate back, side and top. Swimming pool route is just a cavity for electronics, not non-functional chambers for sound purposes.
