Semi Hollow

oldskoolchop · #1 12-26-2011, 04:54 PM

Who uses a semi for there jazz tone? What pups do you have in it, what settings do you use on the guitar? Amp?

I have a semi (Ibanez Artcore As73) and am trying to dial in my tone a little better, and am interested in what others do. Tone seems to be the hardest part for me, because it never seems like I am completely happy with it, just find something that works. It has taken me years to dial in my guitar for rock, which is a Jackson, but I have it where I like it, so I know I can be appeased.

mongrel · #2 12-26-2011, 06:04 PM

Samick JZ 123 with Vintage Vibe HCC's and flatwound Gretsch .012's. Into a POD 2.0 into a DD-3 into an old no-name solid state keyboard amp witgh 15" speaker. Oh, and a Tone Styler tone box between the guitar and POD. Settings on amp are flat and on the POD, bass and mid to 5 o'clock and treble at noon. Favourite amp sim is Deluxe Reverb. No gain and reverb at 9 a.m. Volume on guitar around 70% and tone around 50%.

user45 · #3 12-26-2011, 08:43 PM

Gibson ES-137 here. I get just the tone I had always been looking for out of it. It has the stock PU's and I use flat wound 11's. I just replaced my mid 70's Roland Cube Chorus with a Roland 80XL after the old cube developed a nasty hum that 2 electronic repair shops could not fix. I can't say enough about the excellent playability of the ES-137, great guitar for the money. I prescribe to the belief that 80% of tone comes from the player, but if I had to describe the tone I get it's somewhere between Chris Standring and Matt Otten.

As far as amp settings. I dialed in the tone settings by turning the guitar volume/tone to 10 and then adjusting the amp EQ so each just started to add something to the tone. I add a touch of reverb when playing in smaller rooms but turn it off for larger rooms.

The guitar tone is set to about 6, and with the amp dialed in like I have it I can get what I call a buttery tone, but still clear and very nice in my opinion. I also use a Fender extra heavy pick, looks like a large tear drop shape.

mr. beaumont · #4 12-26-2011, 09:07 PM

I do, Hofner Verythin user.

To my ears, I can get the "plugged in jazz tone" with this guitar as well as any deep jazz box. Currently, I'm in love with archtops for their acoustic tone...give me a semi hollow (or telecaster) for my plugged in jazz tone...

oldskoolchop · #5 12-28-2011, 08:04 PM

for now i have the guitar set at neck pos, when playing single notes like a melody, with the tone just barely even turned to 1, for i feel the guitar is very bright as it is, and add in the bridge, when playing chords, with the tone more around 5 and the volume say at 75% to add a little more twang, because it gets a little to bassy and can sound a little cluttered with certain chords

my amp is a modulating amp made by bheringer, not the best amp but not that bad either. I am using the california clean, which is based off the clean channel on a mesa boogie mark II, with gain at 4 volume 9 bass 4 mid 6 1/2 treb 2 1/2 with rotary at 3 and reverb at 3

i want to change the pups out to a pair of seymour '59's and i think this will help, cause i think the originals are a little bright and i am rolled of the tone more than i would like really but if i add anymore it gets to twangy and looses punch, if that makes any sense at all

kris · #6 12-29-2011, 02:04 AM

I use Ibanez As-200 and Peavey Classic 30 with Eminence Tonker speaker.
GREAT SET!!!

rexi · #7 12-29-2011, 03:51 AM

I use a Gibson Chet atkins tenneseann through a 68´vibrolux or a yorkville 80w tubeamp for some of my playing. Nice guitar and tone although getting a semi with a solid carved top is on my to do list.

carlescountry · #8 12-29-2011, 04:34 AM

Eastman El Rey3 Custom through AI ClarusII+Raezer's Edge and Barber EQ: great sound.

Tom Karol · #9 12-29-2011, 07:44 AM

There's so many good semi-hollows available at good prices. Some need a pickup upgrade to nail the electric jazz tone, some don't. And they're almost as versatile as a Tele! On my Crafter SEG480 strung with roundwound 11's, I use the neck pickup only with the volume and tone both rolled off just a bit. My Henriksen JazzAmp 112 stays pretty close to flat but with a little rolloff on the bottom end and a little boost in the upper mids. I still want to add a full hollow archtop to my arsenal, though.

GuyB · #10 12-29-2011, 08:06 AM

Godin FlatFive X and Ibanez AM-50 (original, bought new in 1983-84). Both can give very warm "jazzy tone"; settings depend on the amp used, the environment, etc. And both are very versatile (blues, rock, etc.)

mike g · #11 12-29-2011, 08:33 AM

Hi oldskoolchop
What strings are you using?

oldskoolchop · #12 12-29-2011, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike g

Hi oldskoolchop
What strings are you using?

DR flatwound 13's

oldskoolchop · #13 12-29-2011, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

I still want to add a full hollow archtop to my arsenal, though.

i agree and i like beaumonts sound on the white christmas he did

Jazzman301 · #14 12-31-2011, 03:19 PM

Not sure if I qualify but I use a Dearmond M75 with the Dearmond USA gold pickups with Pat Martinos thinner strings(its pretty much a set of flat wound 12s with a 15 and I think a 17 for E and B strings). With its chambered body and arched top it can really give you a nice warm even jazz tone with just a touch of sparkle. It plays great and they can be had for fairly cheap money, well under $500 usually.

I am playing through an Ampeg Revererocket GS12 R with a touch of echo(reverb) and the bass and treble just about even at right about the 7-8 O'clock position OR through my Cube 80XL on the JC120 channel with spring reverb, though I do dig the plate reverb as well, treble and mids about noon and the bass about 8 or so. Though I will sometimes play around with the treble and dial that back to about 8 or 9 when the mood strikes me. The tone knob on the guitar at about half way or so.

Honestly I play with the knobs until I like the tone. I try not to pay attention to dial positions. If it sounds good I go with it. I listen with my ears and not my eyes. I like setting my guitar tone knob at about half way so I can go from REALLY dark to somewhat bright with an easy twist of a knob. I also play with my thumb and play right up at the bottom of the neck even right over the last fret or two at times.

'Mike

bborzell · #15 01-01-2012, 09:57 AM

I have been grabbing my Cort M-Custom quite often of late. It offers a nice balanced tone that sounds like jazz to me.

mambosun · #16 01-01-2012, 12:44 PM

Ibanez semi Hollow AS120, Damico custom Pu's, roundwound Dean Markley 11/ 52 strings, plugged straight in a SF Twin reverb.

Doc Music · #17 01-05-2012, 04:54 PM

I am happy to join you guys as this is my first post here. For Jazz, I use my Gibson 137 Custom with the varitone and just got a Fender Junior III tube amp. Until yesterday I used a Crate 65 W transistor amp.), just getting used to it. I actually get some acceptable jazz tones with my Gibson SG 61 Reissue ( seems hard to believe but true)

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #18 01-05-2012, 04:59 PM

I've had a '70s Gibson ES-335 since the, uh, '70s. I gave it to my nephew this Christmas.

FrankLearns · #19 01-06-2012, 12:18 AM

Godin Montreal with TI bebop 11 string. Soundsincredibly nice, dark, jazzy to me on the neck pickup. Tone rolled off to about 75%. Amps Henricksen 112 or. Cube 80xl. Can add a little of the piezo for more bite. The nice thing is that with that guitar one can also do fusion or rock. It has a fat, warm, dark tone and plays wonderfully.

EinarG · #20 01-06-2012, 04:09 AM

I use both an old Ibanez AS-200 and a 335. Running through a Twin or my roland cube 80. This is how I get the tone in my head. I really need a center block to get that fat tone with a lot of sustain.

0zoro · #21 01-06-2012, 04:32 AM

I too use a Godin Montreal. Great guitar with a wonderful tone.

Subfeeder · #22 01-06-2012, 05:02 AM

See:
Ibanez AS73 and AS103 guitars rather bright
last post.
I should point out that I ended up with a tele and put a HB in the neck (SD Alnico Pro 2) which has worked out pretty well for a jazz tone, so a darker pickup in your AS73 should get you close to the jazz tone you want.

mangotango · #23 01-06-2012, 08:18 AM

oldskoolchop,

I have exactly the same model, everything stock, and nowadays I have it set up as my rock/blues guitar. However, when I was using it for a more jazzy sound, the only thing that I did was to put TI Swings on it and adjust the amp that I was using (in those days, a Roland Cube 60 or a Vox Valvetronix depending on how my back was doing.......) for more lows and mids.

However, I'm about to swap out the pickups and replace with those from a Les Paul Studio. Those currently reisde in my Epi JP, but I have some kent Armstrong P90's to go into that - which is another story!