Semi-hollow suggestions

[EinarG]

Hi all!

I'm looking for a new guitar. I seem to gravitate towards semi-hollow guitars, but my Gibson ES-335 nor my Ibanez AS-200 nails the the tone I hear in my head. I need a little bit more air to the tone, but I also need the fat sustain I get from my 335. I've been looking at the Sadowsky Semi hollow, Marchione semi (pricey) and the D'angelico NYSS-3 Vestax, but these guitars are very difficult to come by.

I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions of other semi-hollows that might suit my needs? Single cutaway would be cool, but it's not a dealbreaker!

/Einar

[cosmic gumbo]

If you have those guitars and they don't get the sound, maybe you need some p-90s or a new amp.

[jazzbow]

Check the link, I put this up last year. Only sold in Japan

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...azzmaster.html

[marcwhy]

Do you have a budget? You're in Norway -- do you want a European builder, American, or what?

[Double 07]

Originally Posted by jazzbow

Check the link, I put this up last year. Only sold in Japan

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...azzmaster.html

OH WOW hollow Jaguars and Jazzmasters with an f-hole. Very nice How bout a different inlay too? Like a pearl line going across the frets at a 45 degree angle. Way cool guitars.

[mr. beaumont]

It's a doublecut, but I know you're a hofner hound already, so I reccomend the verythin...granted, you'll have to go used as they don't make 'em in germany anymore.

I cannot express how good mine is...better than any 335 I found on my semi hollow hunt, and the minibuckers deliver a brighter, more articulate tone (the 25.5 inch scale contributes t9o that as well)

Just a biased (very biased) verythin owner chiming in...

[Hammertone]

I think mr. beaumont is a wise man indeed. And so handsome as well.
The Verythin Classic or Verythin Standard should fit the bill.
The new Verythin Special and Verythin Singlecut with Bigsby are also nice (and considerably less expensive), but they have 24 3/4" scale.

[EinarG]

I almost considered pulling the trigger on a verythin before. Only thing that kept me back was the 25,5" scale length. I love me some gibson scale
But I'll consider it. I love the Jazzica, same scale length.

My budget is at around 3000 max, but I could stretch to about 4000 if the particular guitar is fantastic. I'm calling my local Sadowsky dealer today to see what a new semi hollow might cost.

I'm interested in both european and american builders.

[Hammertone]

For that kind of budget, you could also look for a Hofner Thin President:
- 1 3/4" deep
- 16th fret body joint
- solid spruce block connecting the top to the back
- laminated top, back, rims
- trapeze tailpiece
- long scale, like the Jazzica

These are really nice guitars - the Sadowsky is similar.

Here's one:
Höfner Thin President E2

Looks like this:

[EinarG]

That's indeed a beautiful looking guitar, but if I'm going to spend that amount of money, I think I want the 24,75" scale length.

Currently waiting for an answer from my local sadowsky dealer. Hope it's not too pricey, because I think it would be perfect.

[Soco]

I have played the Sadowsky and it is nice, it was on the same level as my PRS hollowbody(different sound though). Later when I played my first Collings I was sold. The first collings I played was an I-35 deluxe and I was blown away.
I ended up getting a soco deluxe(singlecut semi) and liked it better than the I-35, but I would have been happy with either. Now they make a laminated version of the I-35 called I 35 lc that some people really like(I haven't tried it yet). It is different sounding than the regular I-35.
Collings are pricey but I am really happy I got mine, it is a guitar for life. I have no interest in other semi's anymore.
If you sell your 335 and as200 you could probably almost finance at least one of their more scaled-down models.
There a Collings dealer in Krisriansund Norway
Collings Elektrisk
The I-35 lc(laminated) is 28 900 norwegian kroner.

[Rmcali2]

A Hagtrom Viking or Viking deluxe is a great buy used; but you definitely have to change out the tone pots to CTS. The stock pots just don't swell correctly.

[EinarG]

Godlyd here in Norway only carries the Sadowsky metro basses now, so if I want a semi, I have to order from sadowsky himself.

The Collings Soco is a sweet axe. Does it get a nice hollowbody type tone?
A bit more air than a 335?

Hagström is OK, but I'm upgrading from a 335 and a AS-200. Not exactly bad guitars, so I want high end stuff.

[David B]

The 3-4000 range gives you a LOT of choices. The Sadowsky archtops and semi-hollow are now only available directly from Sadowsky.

If you can handle an 18 month waiting list, 3-4000 would get you a beautiful Moffa Lorraine. www.moffaguitars.it

[Jazzpunk]

The semi hollow offerings from Viktor Baker are intriguing as well:

http://www.victorbakerguitars.com/index2.php#/featured/

Going with a custom builder you could get the exact specs that you wanted.

[EinarG]

Yeah, the moffas are great. Been drooling over a lorraine since 2009, but 18 months is just to much.

I sent Victor Baker an email just now. If the price is right I would love to buy one of his guitars. They seem to be both great sounding and beautiful. I know Gilad Hekselman sounds good with his at least.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by EinarG

Yeah, the moffas are great. Been drooling over a lorraine since 2009, but 18 months is just to much.

I sent Victor Baker an email just now. If the price is right I would love to buy one of his guitars. They seem to be both great sounding and beautiful. I know Gilad Hekselman sounds good with his at least.

Cool, let us know what you end getting!

Check this Baker out as well. Didn't see it on his site but stumbled upon it on youtube (might be the same body shape but with different f hole design):

YouTube Video

[EinarG]

I just paid a 2000 $ deposit on a Sadowsky Semi-hollow guitar! It's on hold util I get this months pay.



I can't wait!

[HighSpeedSpoon]

Congratulations Einar. Jack Zucker, the "Sheets of Sound" guy, reviewed several semi-hollows here and gave the Sadowsky nice marks. His description sounds like the kind of semi-hollow I would be looking for if I had that kind of cash. (Maybe someday I will! )

[kris]

Originally Posted by EinarG

I just paid a 2000 $ deposit on a Sadowsky Semi-hollow guitar! It's on hold util I get this months pay.



I can't wait!

Good luck!
Sadowsky make great laminate jazz boxes.

[DesertDave]

That's beautifull!