I'm planning on picking up an Ibanez semi hollow body Artcore guitar, just because I've always thought the 335 style guitars were cool looking and out of all the guitars I've owned, I've never had a semi hollow body.
As such, I don't really know anything about them, "them" being any maple laminate body semi hollow body guitar basically.
Generally speaking what type of sonic properties do these guitars have ? Lots of mids ? Thick warm lows ? etc
Point of all this is to help pick up the right pickups for it as everything I've heard say the stock pickups, be it an Epi, an Ibanez etc are all quite poor.
Perhaps buying a more expensive guitar would help but at this point, I figure I'll just get something lower end, maybe $400-500 range and see what its all about. No point buying a $1500 axe only to find that I never play it.
Now jass isn't my thing so I'm not looking for any traditional "jazz box" styles. I'm not going to put 12's on the thing, I'm not going for a Scofield (sp?) tone or anything like that.
I sort of see this guitar as being used for some pyschodelic rock styles, 80's synth pop stuff etc. I like a 335 just fits that "look" so well and yes I know the look of a guitar doesnt dictate what you can play, but a little bit of image can go a long way at a gig.
We can make it easy and say the overly generic "Cure" sounds from the Wish era. Maybe some Pixies type stuff etc.
So thats one aspect I'd be looking for, ideally with a neck PU, something lower output, warm and lush, but with really good string defination for some big chords.
Then for the bridge, a bit of a different direction with a really raw rock/punk style. Big thick raw classic tones like Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rancid etc. you get the idea. Doesnt have to match with the bridge at all either.
Maybe even a P-90 style Phat Cat ? It would have to be a standard humbucker sized pup though as mounting woudl be an issue otherwise.
Problem I'm having though is not knowing anything about 335 style guitars, I don't know what would match well with the guitar sonically.
Would a JB for example sound like a dentist drill/ice pick in that maple laminate or would its peaky mids actually really open up the guitar ?
Would a A5 mag pickup like a C5 with its huge bottom become way to boomy or would it give the thighness and defination the guitar sorely needs ?
So basically long post short (meaing to say that know if you've read this far huh ?) is I need a bit of 335 style guitar 101.
Also while your at it, any suggestions for axes to check out would be nice as well. Some of the Epi's look nice like the Dot line. Hear good thing about those for the money, though the Artcore has a bit more style and some really cool colors.
One axe that I really liked the looks of the AS73B, its rather entry level at only $299 but its done up in flat black with a faint white binding. Looks very very cool.
http://www.ibanez.com/hollow/guitar.aspx?m=AS73B
Given I love vintage hotrods, and not those $200K "boyd rods" that totally miss the point, I totally love the flat black.
Do a couple of red nice tone/volume knobs and it would be a sweet looking guitar, though how it would play......???
As such, I don't really know anything about them, "them" being any maple laminate body semi hollow body guitar basically.
Generally speaking what type of sonic properties do these guitars have ? Lots of mids ? Thick warm lows ? etc
Point of all this is to help pick up the right pickups for it as everything I've heard say the stock pickups, be it an Epi, an Ibanez etc are all quite poor.
Perhaps buying a more expensive guitar would help but at this point, I figure I'll just get something lower end, maybe $400-500 range and see what its all about. No point buying a $1500 axe only to find that I never play it.
Now jass isn't my thing so I'm not looking for any traditional "jazz box" styles. I'm not going to put 12's on the thing, I'm not going for a Scofield (sp?) tone or anything like that.
I sort of see this guitar as being used for some pyschodelic rock styles, 80's synth pop stuff etc. I like a 335 just fits that "look" so well and yes I know the look of a guitar doesnt dictate what you can play, but a little bit of image can go a long way at a gig.
We can make it easy and say the overly generic "Cure" sounds from the Wish era. Maybe some Pixies type stuff etc.
So thats one aspect I'd be looking for, ideally with a neck PU, something lower output, warm and lush, but with really good string defination for some big chords.
Then for the bridge, a bit of a different direction with a really raw rock/punk style. Big thick raw classic tones like Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rancid etc. you get the idea. Doesnt have to match with the bridge at all either.
Maybe even a P-90 style Phat Cat ? It would have to be a standard humbucker sized pup though as mounting woudl be an issue otherwise.
Problem I'm having though is not knowing anything about 335 style guitars, I don't know what would match well with the guitar sonically.
Would a JB for example sound like a dentist drill/ice pick in that maple laminate or would its peaky mids actually really open up the guitar ?
Would a A5 mag pickup like a C5 with its huge bottom become way to boomy or would it give the thighness and defination the guitar sorely needs ?
So basically long post short (meaing to say that know if you've read this far huh ?) is I need a bit of 335 style guitar 101.
Also while your at it, any suggestions for axes to check out would be nice as well. Some of the Epi's look nice like the Dot line. Hear good thing about those for the money, though the Artcore has a bit more style and some really cool colors.
One axe that I really liked the looks of the AS73B, its rather entry level at only $299 but its done up in flat black with a faint white binding. Looks very very cool.
http://www.ibanez.com/hollow/guitar.aspx?m=AS73B
Given I love vintage hotrods, and not those $200K "boyd rods" that totally miss the point, I totally love the flat black.
Do a couple of red nice tone/volume knobs and it would be a sweet looking guitar, though how it would play......???
