How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
- Thread starter DTrane
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
not prone to microphonic feedback...that is an issue to do with pickup coils vibrating.
Semis are more likely to vibrate from acoustic feedback than a solidbody tho, but that needs to be pretty damn loud before it happens. Semi-hollow devotees actually enjoy the acoustic response because on a good night you can get some beautiful controllable feedback fed infinite sustain on notes. That, and many other attributes make semis very attractive to many players.
not prone to microphonic feedback...that is an issue to do with pickup coils vibrating.
Semis are more likely to vibrate from acoustic feedback than a solidbody tho, but that needs to be pretty damn loud before it happens. Semi-hollow devotees actually enjoy the acoustic response because on a good night you can get some beautiful controllable feedback fed infinite sustain on notes. That, and many other attributes make semis very attractive to many players.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
I wouldn't say mellow but there's something different. More of a 'clonk' sound than 'thrumm' or 'plink' for clean single notes if that makes any sense. I've found that the feedback they get is pretty easy to control by changing your position or the angle of the guitar.
I wouldn't say mellow but there's something different. More of a 'clonk' sound than 'thrumm' or 'plink' for clean single notes if that makes any sense. I've found that the feedback they get is pretty easy to control by changing your position or the angle of the guitar.
chadd
New member
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
Man, thats actually excellent description! I was looking for a way to describe it, and thats as good as anything I've ever heard.
This is totally unrelated, but if you wanna try and get some "clonk' with a Strat, get an Invader! Sure, I'm nuts, but I have a semi hollow Gibby, and a Strat with a Invader, and the Invader loaded Strat gets some of that semi Hollow "clonk" if you will, with the volume knob down playing somewhat clean with volume.
Man, thats actually excellent description! I was looking for a way to describe it, and thats as good as anything I've ever heard.
This is totally unrelated, but if you wanna try and get some "clonk' with a Strat, get an Invader! Sure, I'm nuts, but I have a semi hollow Gibby, and a Strat with a Invader, and the Invader loaded Strat gets some of that semi Hollow "clonk" if you will, with the volume knob down playing somewhat clean with volume.
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Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
What do you mean by "solid body pickup"? Like a magnetic pickup? I'm sure that someone has done that. But semi hollows also use magnetic pickups, which once again leads to the question of what do you mean by "solid body pickup"?
What do you mean by "solid body pickup"? Like a magnetic pickup? I'm sure that someone has done that. But semi hollows also use magnetic pickups, which once again leads to the question of what do you mean by "solid body pickup"?
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
Before the Telecaster hit the market, pretty much every electric guitar was a full hollow.
This one is an example of modern (well....late 50s) pickups in an old acoustic guitar design:
Electric hollow bodies were around long before solidbodies or semi-hollows were invented.
Before the Telecaster hit the market, pretty much every electric guitar was a full hollow.
This one is an example of modern (well....late 50s) pickups in an old acoustic guitar design:
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RorySquier
New member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
I love the sound of my '08 Gibson Les Paul Studio. It's fully chambered and it sure has a unique sound. I guess it can be classified as a semi-hollow body even if it don't look like it. It's a very woody, resonant sound that I find appealing. Compared to my '06 Epiphone LP Standard which weighs under 10 lbs. & it's acoustically louder. Both guitars sound good in their own way, but the chambering gives my LP Studio an airy tone which sounds heavenly. I've played other semi-hollow bodies like an ES-335, etc. but I never owned one.
I think they sound fantastic and I love the natural feedback you get from them. Semi-hollow bodies are very expressive instruments and I think it's an asset to own one. People only think that they are for jazz mostly, but I think the stereotype for these guitars is changing for the better. You can play all styles of music with a semi-hollow body and they can deliver a tone that you sometimes can't get with a regular solid body guitar.
I love the sound of my '08 Gibson Les Paul Studio. It's fully chambered and it sure has a unique sound. I guess it can be classified as a semi-hollow body even if it don't look like it. It's a very woody, resonant sound that I find appealing. Compared to my '06 Epiphone LP Standard which weighs under 10 lbs. & it's acoustically louder. Both guitars sound good in their own way, but the chambering gives my LP Studio an airy tone which sounds heavenly. I've played other semi-hollow bodies like an ES-335, etc. but I never owned one.
I think they sound fantastic and I love the natural feedback you get from them. Semi-hollow bodies are very expressive instruments and I think it's an asset to own one. People only think that they are for jazz mostly, but I think the stereotype for these guitars is changing for the better. You can play all styles of music with a semi-hollow body and they can deliver a tone that you sometimes can't get with a regular solid body guitar.
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ErikH
Well-known member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
To me it mellows out the tone, softens the attack. There's still ways to get a hard attack by making EQ changes but I like the natural tone of a semi-hollow. My only one is a early 2000's Hamer EchoTone with Duncan Designed pickups. An amazing player that I picked up for an insane price. I find it to be a very diverse instrument, from clean jazzy type sounds to blues to all out rock. Just depends on how you work it. Sure, that can be said for quite a few different guitars as the player has to make it work, but a semi-hollow, IMO, does it in a much better manner than others would. I've always liked 335 type guitars. Just wish I had one years ago. Glad I have one now.
To me it mellows out the tone, softens the attack. There's still ways to get a hard attack by making EQ changes but I like the natural tone of a semi-hollow. My only one is a early 2000's Hamer EchoTone with Duncan Designed pickups. An amazing player that I picked up for an insane price. I find it to be a very diverse instrument, from clean jazzy type sounds to blues to all out rock. Just depends on how you work it. Sure, that can be said for quite a few different guitars as the player has to make it work, but a semi-hollow, IMO, does it in a much better manner than others would. I've always liked 335 type guitars. Just wish I had one years ago. Glad I have one now.
treyhaislip
New member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
Hmm, I am in the process of building a semi-hollow strat (well, my luthier is building and I'm just handing over $'s) and it sounded a little louder and more full than my Fender Strat USA with Fat 50's. I've always thought of semi-hollows as having a richer more full sound. But the wood selection and choice of pickup will play a lot into the sound...just my thoughts.
Hmm, I am in the process of building a semi-hollow strat (well, my luthier is building and I'm just handing over $'s) and it sounded a little louder and more full than my Fender Strat USA with Fat 50's. I've always thought of semi-hollows as having a richer more full sound. But the wood selection and choice of pickup will play a lot into the sound...just my thoughts.
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
This is why I like them, among other reasons. You can turn around to face a bit closer to the amp, and the note you're on will take on a life of it's own.
The main reason I like semi hollow guitars, though, is that they simply do naturally what I have to make other guitar designs do to some extent or the other.
This is why I like them, among other reasons. You can turn around to face a bit closer to the amp, and the note you're on will take on a life of it's own.
The main reason I like semi hollow guitars, though, is that they simply do naturally what I have to make other guitar designs do to some extent or the other.
DTrane
New member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
I mean not a piezo pickup or whatever they use for semi acoustics. I mean like a strat single coil or Gibson humbucker.
I know you can get full acoustics with pickups but theyre very expensive and impossible to find left-handed. Always wanted one.
I was just curious, cuz I saw an old video of bluesman Big Joe Williams. He had an acoustic with a pickup duct-taped in the hole.
I mean not a piezo pickup or whatever they use for semi acoustics. I mean like a strat single coil or Gibson humbucker.
I know you can get full acoustics with pickups but theyre very expensive and impossible to find left-handed. Always wanted one.
I was just curious, cuz I saw an old video of bluesman Big Joe Williams. He had an acoustic with a pickup duct-taped in the hole.
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
+1. Echotones are nice, especially the early ones. They had Standards in red, brown sunburst, and Aztec gold (flame top), along with a Custom in red with block inlays, gold hardware, and a trapeze tailpiece. An Echotone was my first 335 also. That got me hooked. 335's just always seem to sound nice.
+1. Echotones are nice, especially the early ones. They had Standards in red, brown sunburst, and Aztec gold (flame top), along with a Custom in red with block inlays, gold hardware, and a trapeze tailpiece. An Echotone was my first 335 also. That got me hooked. 335's just always seem to sound nice.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
i screwed a single coil pickup into the soundhole of an old flat top acoustic a while back. It sounded really cool and ballsy thru a marshall. I no longer have that guitar tho.
I cut a hole in this resonator with an angle grinder and installed a PAF too. This is a nice sounding axe when its amplified.
The only thing ive noticed about acoustic instruments and regular electric pickups is that the bronze strings are not as loud or as clear when amplified as nickel or steel electric guitar strings - probably something to do with the magnetic qualities of the string.
Shoehorning magnetic pickups into acoustics of all shapes and sizes is very common and has been happening for as long as pickups were invented. Have a look at NIrvana's "unplugged" set for a good example of a flat top with a pickup - he even uses some fuzz on a couple songs.
i screwed a single coil pickup into the soundhole of an old flat top acoustic a while back. It sounded really cool and ballsy thru a marshall. I no longer have that guitar tho.
I cut a hole in this resonator with an angle grinder and installed a PAF too. This is a nice sounding axe when its amplified.
The only thing ive noticed about acoustic instruments and regular electric pickups is that the bronze strings are not as loud or as clear when amplified as nickel or steel electric guitar strings - probably something to do with the magnetic qualities of the string.
Diminished Triad
New member
Re: How Does Semi-Hollow Body Affect Tone?
The Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms guitar? Great stuff!Shoehorning magnetic pickups into acoustics of all shapes and sizes is very common and has been happening for as long as pickups were invented. Have a look at NIrvana's "unplugged" set for a good example of a flat top with a pickup - he even uses some fuzz on a couple songs.
i screwed a single coil pickup into the soundhole of an old flat top acoustic a while back. It sounded really cool and ballsy thru a marshall. I no longer have that guitar tho.
I cut a hole in this resonator with an angle grinder and installed a PAF too. This is a nice sounding axe when its amplified.
The only thing ive noticed about acoustic instruments and regular electric pickups is that the bronze strings are not as loud or as clear when amplified as nickel or steel electric guitar strings - probably something to do with the magnetic qualities of the string.