Semi hollow body guitars

[tytlfamily]

So I suppose there was probably a big thread staring me in the face on this subject, but wondered about what are the most prevalent/favored guitars everyone is playing. I assume traditional hollow body jazz boxes are the preferred.

Are there many who are using any semi hollow's i.e Gibson/Epiphone 335 type of guitars? If so, what kind of string are you using? do .12's/ .13's play well on a 335 type guitar, or is it just a matter of personal preference?

I am liking the Ibanez AF 75 I have, but honestly my Epi 335 seems more comfortable to play, maybe just because I have had it longer. I guess I am "really" asking.......how much of achieving that desired jazz tone is the guitar/strings.....and how much the player and the finger?


tytlfamily

[kris]

I use Ibanez As-200/1982/ and Thomastic 12' flatwound"Swing" strings.
Great semi-hollow guitar!!!

[DaveAB]

I use an ebony Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III as my main guitar. I bought it second hand for £800 - it is a brilliant guitar and an absolute bargain at that price - a much "under the radar" & under rated Gibson in my and my Luthier's opinion. It is strung with Elixir 10s. The one reservation I have about it is the bridge pickup - which I find just a bit too bright for my liking. It is a semi hollow, but unlike the 335. it uses Chromyte (Gibson speak for balsa wood?) as the internal center block.

[Jake Hanlon]

My main guitar is a Gibson 335 and have been using Gibson 335 style guitars or an Epiphone 335 style since I got interested in Jazz around 15yrs ago. My other electric is a vintage Gibson 225, which is a thin line hollowboy, same sort of shape as a 175 but the same depth as the 335.

to compare them it's easy, the 335 has more sustain and a more electric sound, the 225 has more wood in the sound and lacks the sustain, they both have very different pick ups as well, it's a choice I get to make every day but even between those two different guitars I can still get a sound that I identify with as 'my sound'.

The 335 is my preferred guitar for a lot of reasons, though lately I've been playing the 225 a lot because I love the sound of it, the 335 is easier to play for me in the sounds I am after, which also gives me easier access to the higher range of the instrument.

I don't think there needs to be a preference, sterotypes of Jazz players with big jazz boxes is outdated. Guitars can be sort of like tools, you can't screw a flathead screw in with a philips screwdriver for example... but you can hammer a nail into wood with a wrench. In the end many guitars can wear many hats, and that in choosing an instrument I would never say that 'because it's funk rock, i have to have a strat' or 'I have a big band gig, i need a full hollow archtop guitar'.

I don't think I'd ever buy a big Jazz box. I used to own one, I liked it for about a month and then realized that my old epiphone 335 fake was the superior instrument for the sound and playing style I wanted to get. I also find those big guitars uncomfortable to play.

As for strings, I put thomastik roundwound .13s on both of my guitars.

[NSJ]

What I love about my ES-339 (even though I should never have sold my Heritage Prospect STD)

--ease of play--the easiest guitar to play that I have ever played
--nice sustain--notes don't die and decay immediately
--I can fit it in a Tele gig bag
--I swapped out the neck pup (the 57 classic) and put a Lollar CC for HB route, and the clarity of the individual strings rings out much more nicely
--other mods --strap locks
Strings--Thomastik Infeld Roundwounds (14-55)

[kris]

Originally Posted by Jake Hanlon

My main guitar is a Gibson 335 and have been using Gibson 335 style guitars or an Epiphone 335 style since I got interested in Jazz around 15yrs ago. My other electric is a vintage Gibson 225, which is a thin line hollowboy, same sort of shape as a 175 but the same depth as the 335.

to compare them it's easy, the 335 has more sustain and a more electric sound, the 225 has more wood in the sound and lacks the sustain, they both have very different pick ups as well, it's a choice I get to make every day but even between those two different guitars I can still get a sound that I identify with as 'my sound'.

The 335 is my preferred guitar for a lot of reasons, though lately I've been playing the 225 a lot because I love the sound of it, the 335 is easier to play for me in the sounds I am after, which also gives me easier access to the higher range of the instrument.

I don't think there needs to be a preference, sterotypes of Jazz players with big jazz boxes is outdated. Guitars can be sort of like tools, you can't screw a flathead screw in with a philips screwdriver for example... but you can hammer a nail into wood with a wrench. In the end many guitars can wear many hats, and that in choosing an instrument I would never say that 'because it's funk rock, i have to have a strat' or 'I have a big band gig, i need a full hollow archtop guitar'.

I don't think I'd ever buy a big Jazz box. I used to own one, I liked it for about a month and then realized that my old epiphone 335 fake was the superior instrument for the sound and playing style I wanted to get. I also find those big guitars uncomfortable to play.

As for strings, I put thomastik roundwound .13s on both of my guitars.

I like very much my big box jazz guitar also.
Korean D'Aquisto copy has different sound than semi-hollow Ibanez As-200 but is also comfortable to play...:-)

[tytlfamily]

One of the things I've come to like about my Epi 335 is the classic/vintage style neck they call it. It is a very thick 50's style neck, feels like a baseball bat, but that has become very comfortable. It seems to offer a lot of sustain with that girth off the wood.

[Subfeeder]

How much difference between an Epi 335 and a Gibson 335, apart from over a grand? With upgraded pickups, how close can an Epi 335 get?

[RoyaleT]

I use D'Addario Chrome 12's on my Epi Dot which has been modified with SD SH-4, SH2 p/u's. Sounds good to me and the guys I play with.

[joshatatlasstands]

Originally Posted by Subfeeder

How much difference between an Epi 335 and a Gibson 335, apart from over a grand? With upgraded pickups, how close can an Epi 335 get?

There is a youtube video that taste tests the Epi Dot against the real Gibson Dot. After watching and listening closely the answer for me is:

Extremely close, but due to the quality of materials used such as wood and glue, and due to the attention to details like minute changes in soundboard thicknesses etc, never exactly the same sound.

This being said, if you didn't have two in the same room doing battle it would not be easy to tell that one sounds better.

I wouldn't hesitate to get an Epi to hold me over until I could trade up. I have 2 Epiphones already and I love them both, an SG and a sheraton 2.

Hope this helps,
Josh

[mr. beaumont]

I too, use a semi-hollow as my main jazz guitar.

I enjoy recording with instruments with more "acoustic" properties, but for live playing the convenience of a semi-hollow is tops...It gets the sound I want, without feedback, and it sounds the same in pretty much every environment.


As for he Epi's getting close to a Gibson with upgrades...you can get the exact pickups. You can upgrade the hardware (tuners would be high on the list) and get yourself a good setup and you'll have a very good, gig ready instrument.

With a Gibson, you will get more attention to detail, better looking wood, a thinner, less "plasticy" finish, and the Gibson name on the headstock. For some folks, that's the rason they buy one...for others, they buy a more expensive guitar because they want a guitar that's ready to go "out of the box," not something you have to tinker with.

I've taken both roads in my life, and gained satisfaction from both. The only problem with tinkering is knowing when to stop. As much as I enjoyed piece-ing together the perfect telecaster, I also like the simplicity of my Hofner--I bought it, changed the strings, lowered two polepieces on the neck pickup, and could have gigged with it that night.

[max chill]

Originally Posted by tytlfamily

So I suppose there was probably a big thread staring me in the face on this subject

The Jazz Guitar Forum - Search Results

[woyvel]

I have an AFS75, which is slimmer than the AF and is a semi-hollow. It's lighter than a 335. I'd say it's probably a bit brighter than a 335 also, but I love the way it plays. I use .012's flats on it.

[jzucker]

have you seen http://www.sheetsofsound.net/semihollow.htm ?

[hans halmackenreuter]

i play a yamaha sa 2000s and i love this guitar. don't let you fool by the brand, since nearly 30 years ago, they made good products especialy the sa2000s not sa2000 was a well made guitar. i play d'addario chromes 13.
the sustain of this guitar is beautiful and besides it proofs that you don't have to spent like 2000 or 3000 bugs for good sounding guitar es 335. but you'll have to get it vintage.

[jzucker]

had a bad quality experience with an SA2000 a few years back. Bridge pickup was misaligned with the strings.

[lpdeluxe]

I had an Epiphone Sheraton II that I installed new electronics and Seymour Duncan pickups on. People will tell you that Epis are equivalent to Gibsons but it just ain't so. I've owned several Epiphones and, while each one was nicely made, there was always something missing. With the Sheraton, it drove to drop $1750 on a used Gibson 335, which is better in every way: wood selection, quality of the inlays and binding, sturdiness of the pickguard, and, most importantly, sound. In addition, the Epiphone just sort of sat in my lap; when I play the Gibson I feel like I have my arms around it.

Pics: http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p...g?t=1305578137
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p...g?t=1305578172

[jzucker]

OTOH, the epi 335 guitars have a jazzier tone than the 335 IMO. Paul Bollenback and Randy Johnston used them for years before they got endorsement deals.

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by jzucker

OTOH, the epi 335 guitars have a jazzier tone than the 335 IMO.

With all respect, this bears no resemblance to my experience. I never got a usable sound out of the Epi; with the 335, a playing partner of nearly 40 years told me I had found my "signature" sound. Given the not-subtle differences in quality, I felt I had overpaid for the Epiphone. The Gibson, on the other hand, was a bargain ($200+trades vs. $1750).

[jzucker]

with all due respect, I we'll have to agree to disagree and Paul Bollenback and Randy Johnston might say otherwise. Have you ever checked them out?

[lpdeluxe]

I said nothing about them. I simply said my experience was very different.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

I said nothing about them. I simply said my experience was very different.

So your argument is that you're not arguing?

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by jzucker

OTOH, the epi 335 guitars have a jazzier tone than the 335 IMO. Paul Bollenback and Randy Johnston used them for years before they got endorsement deals.

Do you think they used them because they had a jazzier tone, or because they were working musicians who didn't have the time to worry about a 3k guitar while they were taking the subway to a gig?

I ask this, because blindfolded, I'm not sure I could tell the difference (unless somebody put some really hot pickups in either and played through a tube amp)

I also ask this, because cats like Adam Rogers, Jean Oh, and Jake Hanlon don't seem to have any problems getting a nice jazzy tone out of their 335's. But I guess you can get a jazzy tone out of anything with some tweaking, whereas some guitars are just "plug and play."

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Do you think they used them because they had a jazzier tone, or because they were working musicians who didn't have the time to worry about a 3k guitar while they were taking the subway to a gig?

I don't think it was the latter because both guys ended up getting endorsements from guild and using x500/x700 guitars.

I think cost was a factor but I also know that they felt the tone was a little more open compared to the 335. i.e. if you want to play blues and fusion , the 335 is way superior but for clean jazz, the epiphone (at least in the '80s) was actually a better guitar.

I ask this, because blindfolded, I'm not sure I could tell the difference (unless somebody put some really hot pickups in either and played through a tube amp)

I also ask this, because cats like Adam Rogers, Jean Oh, and Jake Hanlon don't seem to have any problems getting a nice jazzy tone out of their 335's. But I guess you can get a jazzy tone out of anything with some tweaking, whereas some guitars are just "plug and play."

True but those guys are going for a more modern tone. Bollenback and Johnston were going for the bright, clean organ trio tone...

[mr. beaumont]

What kind of pickups was Epiphone using back then? I do know the older, Korean made Epi's are pretty damn nice guitars for the money.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

What kind of pickups was Epiphone using back then? I do know the older, Korean made Epi's are pretty damn nice guitars for the money.

they were paf copies. I played an '80s epi sheraton in guitar center a few weeks ago. It had a 3pc maple neck and ebony board which was rock solid. Sounded great for jazz. They wanted $375 for it. I should have bought it.

[lpdeluxe]

I'm sure there are nice sounding Epiphones out there. I am a little skeptical about the assertion that "Epiphones are better jazz guitars than Gibsons." My 335 is a gem; my Sheraton was far from a gem. Guitars of the same make and model, and just not low end instruments, can differ widely. I have two Fender Standard Precision basses. Each one has had a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickup and Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flat strings installed. One sounds better than any other bass I've ever played. The other one is so-so. These are two bass guitars made within a few months of each other in the same factory using the same materials, and, you'll note, both are solid bodied, which minimizes the effect of the timber. Blanket statements about guitars rarely apply.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

Blanket statements about guitars rarely apply.

i agree but isn't that exactly what you're saying in expressing that epiphones are lower quality and tone?

[thenoviceguitarist]

I'm a 335 owner, but I think Gibson puts out just as many dogs as Epi or some of the less expensive lines-especially in recent years. I think that sort of inconsistency is relevant for a lot of the larger manufacturers. Both Epi and Gibson can put out good stuff. Chances are if you find a good one (a gem) then you either got lucky or you knew what you were doing/ (or looking for) when you demo'd the guitar.

[EinarG]

I also have an old Ibanez AS-200, mine is from 1980.
I've got it strung up roundwounded 13s. FAT tone, with great clarity.
It can't replace my archtop guitars, but I prefer it for jazz because of the piano like sustain and bell like tones.
It's my main gigging guitar, and I use it for fat vintage jazz tones, and modern stuff.