Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

ratherdashing said:
Any time I saw a lefty semi-hollow in a store I would try it out. Over the years I've tried many different Gibsons, Epiphones, and Ibanezes. Nearly all of them were a disappointment. I once played a Casino that sounded amazing, but I didn't have the cash at the time. I had also played a really great Sheraton but disliked the gold and bling so much I refused to buy the guitar. Oddly enough, I've never played a Gibson 335 that made me want it.

This summer, I happened upon a lefty semi-hollow in the L&M near my new home. I played it. It was perfect - exactly what I had in my head when I thought "335 tone". I bought it then and there. It's a Chinese-made Epiphone Dot.

The frets could use a good polish, and I of course replaced the pickups and pots, but fundamentally it's a great guitar. It gives me something I don't get from any of my solid body guitars. The notes have this sweet bloom to them. I would say it sounds more "three-dimensional" if that weren't so clichéd. Perhaps most surprising is that it does heavy stuff really well, and is very versatile in general.

The only real mod I made was a push-push that flips the phase of the neck pickup. This gives me an almost Stratty tone in the middle position. It's a very useful mod.
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That's awesome. Same experience. When I went off to college I thought about blowing my savings to get myself a Gibson Semi-Hollow. I liked the idea of that little bit of extra "unplugged" volume as well. I played all the styles of Gibby I could find. I found they were all "good" guitars but never found the one I wanted. The one I finally found and couldn't do without:

Pic stolen from internet. Mine has an uncovered PG+ bridge and nickel '59 neck :D

ibanez%20afs75tDSCN9058.jpg
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

blueman335 said:
When I see a band live, if the guitarist has a 335, it's a good bet that he's an above-average player and will have great, rich tones (this is in contrast to Fenders, which are a 50/50 shot of me being in for some ear-piercing treble).
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Your idol:

View attachment 41493



If anything I found the LP in the beginning too bright. The tele was great.

You really need to lose that mentality that Fenders are inferior. They're only different, and how dare someone else have a different taste.
 
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Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

I think it depends on the guitars size. I have a 359 which is a smaller version of a 355, and I have a 335. For me my 335 can do everything I need for a humbucker guitar. The 359 is also a great guitar but to ally I think it is more like a Les Paul then the 335. I think the size adds something to it. My 335 as with most I have played has this unique "honk" that you just can't get with the smaller versions of these guitars(336,339,359 etc). So I would look at a 335 or a Shereaton before I wrote the semis off
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Myaccount876 said:
You really need to lose that mentality that Fenders are inferior. They're only different, and how dare someone else have a different taste.
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You need to read closer. I did not say Fenders are inferior. I've posted dozens of times that some of my favorite players use(d) Strats and Teles (Hendrix, Blackmore, Healey, Trower, Schofield, Montoya, etc).

At the blues/classic rock venues and festivals I go to on the west coast of Florida, Fenders dominate. You'll have 6 bands at an all-day blues festival, and out of 10 guitarists, sometimes 8 of them will have Strats. Some guys get great tones from theirs. Many don't, they just have no idea how bright and thin they have them EQ'd. To me it seems like some players get a Strat just 'because everyone else has one' and don't put a lot of thought in the decision. I hear some songs live, on satellite radio, and on CD, that are basically ruined by a schreechy Strat, just ear-piercing. I'll say 'You know, if that guy would have been playing a Gibson instead of a Strat, that solo would really sound nice. As it is, I can't stand to listen to it again.' Like nails on a chalkboard. It's not the instrument itself, as there's plenty of guys that sound wonderful with them. It's the average guy that lets the treble get out of control, and is oblivious to what he's inflicting on listeners. A clean Strat tone, with a single coil in the bridge and the amp EQ'd bright, can get dogs howling.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Don't forget to add the sound engineer to the equation. If it's too bright, he should then re-eq at the board to compensate through the PA.

Why don't you say something to those local cats then? Show them how to use their EQ.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

phil_104 said:
Same with mine. I had played a bunch of them, and some 335s, and had never been impressed, until I picked up mine and bought it on the spot.

Sometimes you just need the right guitar, regardless of construction.
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I've never found my 339 to be anything like a les paul, and yet I read reviews all the time where people describe the tone as "80% lp/20% 335" that make me scratch my head. And my les paul is one of the heavily chambered 2008 models, so if any lp was to sound close to a semi hollow, it would be mine.

I love the sound of a semi hollow with just a touch of gain/overdrive. I think that is one of the best sounds an electric guitar can make.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

ErikH said:
Why don't you say something to those local cats then? Show them how to use their EQ.
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I should, I like to talk to the guitarists between sets. But when they have shrill Strats, I usually don't stay around very long.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

It may sound perfectly fine and a lot warmer on stage and they don't know what it's like out front. I remember back early when I was teaching my wife how to run the board, I went out front and my guitar was a lot brighter than what I was hearing on stage. Easily fixed with EQ adjustments on the board. So, it's not always the player or the guitar.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

I don't think the lack of tonal understanding is limited to Strats, but they're less forgiving if you get it wrong...
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

stevie_bees said:
I don't think the lack of tonal understanding is limited to Strats, but they're less forgiving if you get it wrong...
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Thank you. You summed it up better than I did. Every model of guitar is subject to being poorly EQ'd in some form or fashion, or buried in effects. It's just that I tend to be treble-sensitive and Strats really can stick out.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

ErikH said:
It may sound perfectly fine and a lot warmer on stage and they don't know what it's like out front. I remember back early when I was teaching my wife how to run the board, I went out front and my guitar was a lot brighter than what I was hearing on stage. Easily fixed with EQ adjustments on the board. So, it's not always the player or the guitar.
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True, especially at festivals. But at most local venues there's no board and the band members wing it themselves on volumes and EQ's. Around here, it's very common to see local bands, where you don't hear an instrument or two.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Ha- I've played at a lot of these festivals, too! They look at me pretty strange if I show up with my Music Man or Steinbergers. There will always be people who do it that way 'because it has always been done that way'.

BTW, I used to have a semi-hollow Gibson Howard Roberts, which was maple & balsa (yes, balsa). It sounded thinner than my Strat.
 
Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

I have 3 semi hollows - a Rickenbacker 360, a 335, and a Gibson Midtown Standard (Bigsby). I love all three. No guitar on earth sounds like a hollowbody Rickenbacker and it is still my absolute favorite guitar ever. The 335 is woody and honky, I am still trying to figure out how to get the most out of it but it is amazing for lead tone. The Midtown is an extremely versatile, great sounding guitar I have gigged with a lot lately.

+1 for me on the 339 sounding more like a solid body, although it had this... something else, really nice harmonic high end and responsiveness.

But I had my heart set on a 335, because I wanted one since I was a kid and saw Alex Lifeson's(a 355 actually). They are beautiful guitars and honestly that's as much of why I love them as the sound.
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Semi hollows have been my primary guitar of choice for well over 40 years. I think it's accurate to say that the differences between a semi hollow and a solid body guitar are subtle. With a solid block of wood running the length of a laminated, fairly rigid, and thin body it's a bit optimistic to expect a whole lot of resonance to be going on. However, I also think that there is enough additional resonance to make a distinction between the two. That subtle difference is an important thing because if you know how to use it and take advantage of it there is a place that exists between the world of the solid body and the Jazz box (subtle as it may be) where the semi hollows live and perform very well indeed. And, once again, I'll say that I agree that the difference is subtle. I think it was described best when I once heard someone say, "I can't explain it, but I know it when I hear it."







 
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Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

kilphody said:
My best friend of 45 years bought a used 1970 335 in 71 for $275. Natural walnut nitro finish. Beautiful guitar. Incredible tone and playability. I recently offered him 10 grand for it and got a big laugh in return.
So, yeah I guess I do have a thing for semi's.
PC
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If you have that kind of cash, contact Collings.

http://www.collingsguitars.com/Instruments/?ID=36

You can have this masterpiece for A LOT LESS for what you're willing to give for your friend's.

HTH,
 
Re: Reflections upon the semi-hollow guitar

Aceman said:
So, I've always wanted a semi-hollow guitar. They look classy. They feel nice. They are awesome for jazz/blues. That is until....

I spent some quality time with BTMN's Hamer. Let me be the first to say that guitar was built with love. Looks amazing, feels amazing, sounds amazing. But after playing the bejeebers out of it for a couple of weeks, I reralized something.

I jsut didn't dig it. There was nothing that thing was doing for me that one of my other guitars couldn't, either playability or tone wise. MAybe if I put some flatwounds and went all up in the jazz, sure. But at the end of the day, my illusions were dispelled. The reality was, It just didn't do anything for me except possible add a different shaped instrument to the lineup.
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It's OK, Ace.

Semi-hollows are not for everybody. If you don't "get it", it means they're just not for you.

In studio work, semi-hollows are the second most used guitars, being the Telecaster THE absolutely most used in general.

Don't ask me why, it just does. ;)
 
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