The semi-hollow that gets closest to the big-box sound? - Page 2

jorgemg1984 · #31 11-15-2011, 03:20 PM

Never tried one! Actually I never saw one... vintage archtops are a rarity here, maybe you can find a 175 or a L5 sometimes. So it was not even a choice... I had to buy that Guild and mod it to my perspective of a true archtop!

I understand the idea of a collector but when you are a musician I really don't get it. My BK sound so much better than the stock mini buckers.. Why have a guitar that I love with bad pickups? Because its true to the original? And what if you have a Fender amp you love but you would like to tame the top end - you shouldn't do nothing because Leo Fender designed its tone stack for archtop players in 2011? I dont get it... Its a capacitor! And what if I want a middle button? For musicians all gear is a tool to achieve your sound and you can and should change it according to your taste - vintage or not!

AlohaJoe · #32 11-15-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

I understand the idea of a collector but when you are a musician I really don't get it. My BK sound so much better than the stock mini buckers.. Why have a guitar that I love with bad pickups? Because its true to the original? And what if you have a Fender amp you love but you would like to tame the top end - you shouldn't do nothing because Leo Fender designed its tone stack for archtop players in 2011? I dont get it... Its a capacitor! And what if I want a middle button? For musicians all gear is a tool to achieve your sound and you can and should change it according to your taste - vintage or not!

I understand the situation may be different where you are or you may have plenty of money to spend and plan to never sell. That's cool with me, it's your gear. No offense was intended.

I like the Guild mini-buckers but everybody has differing taste. I hope you kept them, they've recently become very collectible over here and now command quite a high price.

jorgemg1984 · #33 11-15-2011, 05:30 PM

Sorry didn't mean to sound rude! If I did it was with no intention. Just trying to say if you are a musician you shouldn't treat your gear as museum pieces - but everyone is free to disagree. A lot of my favorite players modded old fender amps which might sound crazy to a lot of guys but not to them - I bet they liked post-modded amps much better.

To me it was not a matter of a lot of money to spend - I loved the guitar and hated the pickups. And it was impossible to find a similar guitar with humbuckers so it seemed logical to buy it and mod it because I wanted the best guitar for me not something true to the original - eventually more valuable but unsuited for my playing. I actually played with the original guitar for a lot of time until I realized I had to change it - and am I happy with that archtop now!

I have kept the original pickups and I will sell them for anyone who wants them. Bare Knuckles will be collectible in 40 years probably..

cjm · #34 11-15-2011, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Just trying to say if you are a musician you shouldn't treat your gear as museum pieces...

There is a certain irony to all this, isn't there? Now I, for one, feel collectors have had a positive effect on the guitar market from the perspective of a guitar player and non-collector...but a lot of people don't share that view.

So anyhow, we worry about keeping old guitars "correct" and "original," and for what?

To maintain their market value to collectors...

jorgemg1984 · #35 11-15-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjm

So anyhow, we worry about keeping old guitars "correct" and "original," and for what?

To maintain their market value to collectors...

Exactly you shouldn't... I never looked at my guitar as an investment. Of course I cant predict the future and one day I might have to sell it but I can assure you it would be the last piece of my gear to leave the house - just after my jazzmaster ultralight.

I changed pickups, bridge, tailpiece, all the electronics, tuners, finish, frets and the neck was removed and put back again at the correct angle. What I know is that I have a MUCH better guitar now than before. I never cared about guitar value - I wanted a better guitar for my playing. And if I have to sell it one day I would rather sell it to a musician - who would pay much more for the guitar as it is now than how it was in the beginning.

cmajor9 · #36 11-16-2011, 02:21 AM

Sorry, I'm late to the party... I certainly haven't tried all possible semi-hollows, but I can vouch that, if you can afford it, the Sadowsky gives you a terrific 'jazz guitar' sound, and has the versatility to cover some other parts of the spectrum as well.

I don't recall if anyone mentioned it above, but Jack Zucker has a very useful comparison of semi-hollow guitars on his Sheets of Sound website.

eddy b. · #37 11-16-2011, 12:43 PM

You might want to check out an ES 137 with flat wounds it gets a pretty convincing "jazz" tone...it will never have the "thunk" of my Heritage H575 but it is "woolier" and more "complex" than my Tele with a humbucker in the neck solid slab wish I was Ed Bickert era guitar...But I agree with all that say a semi never quite gets that Archtop Tone/Sound that is the trademark of "Jazz" guitar...

Keira Witherkay · #38 11-17-2011, 06:37 PM

just recently i replaced my trusted 60's aria ES175 copy with a german made Hofner 4572 thin hollow body (which is the hofner version of a Gibson ES330) the Hofner is also from the same era as the Aria ('68 - '72) ....... and it has a decidedly rich jazz tone ....maybe not quite archtop sounding ........ but tone is so open to personal perspective............and the best was it was not too expensive ...and is still 40 odd years old .........so this guitars feels and plays like the vintage guitar it is ..... it has huge hofner 511 pick ups which are single coils which are great sounding ......... and the guitar has a decidedly 'vintage tone" not anything like a modern 335 copy sounds of the ibanez /cort/ect .........

http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx240/keira_witherkay/IMG-

20111107-00011.jpg

woyvel · #39 11-17-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman931

Fully hollow, thinner depth, 2 pickups, Bigsby = Ibanez AFS75. Can do jazz, blues, rock, country, gospel, @ $399. Love mine. The deal for me is sealed by the fact that it is very lightweight and easy on the shoulders.

I love my AFS75 but I wouldn't call its tone similar to a full-size hollow body like an ES-175, Broadway, L-5, etc. Good for jazz, but nobody's going to mistake it for an L-5 - plugged or unplugged.

AlohaJoe · #40 11-18-2011, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keira Witherkay

just recently i replaced my trusted 60's aria ES175 copy with a german made Hofner 4572 thin hollow body (which is the hofner version of a Gibson ES330)........ and the guitar has a decidedly 'vintage tone"

When you can find a vintage Hofner the prices are often reasonable.. and there's something very cool about them. Good catch!