Question for Guitar Builders

[wixomwhat]

Hey i'm wondering how hard it is to build a semi Hallow body guitar?

Something like a Gretsch or a Gibson ES series guitar etc, etc.

I know it would be easier just to buy a semi hallow but i had a good time building my telecaster so i figured it was worth asking.

please! nobody recomend me any cheap guitars, its not that I couldn't afford to buy a semi hallow or save for one its just that i might try doing it my self.

 

[beandip]

Re: Question for Guitar Builders

pretty hard. Well, you could do it, but it's pretty hard to make 'em sound good. You might find it kinda hard to mount the sides all the way around. Wait till John pops in here or something.

 

[MikeRocker]

Re: Question for Guitar Builders

To my knowledge, no company makes semi-hollow guitar parts (along the lines of Gretsch or Gibson). I looked into this a few years ago, before I got my 6120, and even called Vintage Guitar magazine, but they didn't know of any company that made the parts. Hence, you'd have to cut and shape the wood yourself. An alternative is USA Custom or Warmoth have semi-hollow bodies, but they're bolt-on and Fender styled, not like a Gretsch or 335.
P.S. - I used to live in West Bloomfield....how is the ol' Westside doing?

 

[Curly]

Re: Question for Guitar Builders

as an alternative, you might look into Warmoth and USA Customs' hollow option

USA Custom also offers a carved hollow option

 

[Blueline]

Re: Question for Guitar Builders

its pretty hard considering that the gibsons usually have a thin, laminate top that is molded into its belly-like shape via a press of some sort (which you prob don't have and to make would be a real pain)
further - just wiring one of those gibbies, with just the bridge pickup and puppet strings is a disaster

i've done semihollows, but they're usually flat tops

 

[wixomwhat]

Re: Question for Guitar Builders

Yo Mike- Go to here from someone from Michigan! I go to school with a lot of kids from Westbloomfield here ar Walled Lake Western. Everything here is pretty good.

Thanks to everbody with the info. A tele thinline is now a consideration, warmoth.

thanks