Cheap hollowbody or archtop recommendations?

[chris32895]

Speaking of Ibanez AF55's...

Just a moment...

[Wrogsprit]

Do you need a big box?

The Epiphone Casino is a laminated top, but no block like a 335.
So it's technically an arched-top and does have P90s...

I see most of them for $550

I have considered one. I don't like the fret access on them. I have also considered the coupe version, but they may not be loud enough acoustically. The washburn had a great acoustic sound, but everything above the cowboy chord range was buzzy or choked out.

[Wrogsprit]

The wooden archtop bridges are typically compensated for a wound G indeed, if you want to use an unwound G it better to use a tunematic bridge as pictured (with nylon saddles they can sound a bit darker and take away some metal ‘zzzing’).

I never notch my wooden bridges, I just push down the string a little bit in the right place and that’s already enough to keep it in place. But I use fairly heavy strings (.012 for 24.75” scale guitars).

I currently have this bridge on the AF55 and with a wound G intonation is almost perfect:

The washburn I had came with a similar bridge. It had roundwounds on with an unwound G, so that was the only string that was not intonated perfectly.

[Wrogsprit]

Also, seconding at least checking out the cheap Gretsch models (without bigsby). I owned one for a while and it was a great instrument. Pretty much every time I go into Guitar Center I see a couple 2420's or some similar model and I'm always struck by how good the acoustic voice is on them.

That, or honestly get a secondhand Ibanez, preferably one of the newer models with the ebony fingerboards and Super 58 pickups. I imagine if you are patient you could probably find an AF95 or something similar for around $500. A while back I got lucky and got a PM35 for about $550 shipped and played that for a long time - it was a really good guitar.

I have a gretsch rat rod. I don't like the weight of it. I also almost never use the bigsby. I'm a little nitpicky about the 22 frets too. I feel like 20 frets might be closer to the sound I'm looking for because it allows the pickup to sit closer to the neck.

[garybaldy]

And here is my modded AF55 (mine is the older model with different soundholes and headstock inlay):



There’s an elaborate thread on the AF55 somewhere here on the forum, let me look it up for you.

EDIT found it, here it is:
Ibanez AF55

Mine has the same headstock inlay. What years did they use it? I hadn't noticed the f holes had change.

[dconeill]

... I am looking for something cheap, preferably $500 or under. ...

Under US$500? A Tele with a neck humbucker. Archtops at this price range are not worth having IMO.

[Little Jay]

Mine has the same headstock inlay. What years did they use it? I hadn't noticed the f holes had change.

A few years ago they changed, not sure exactly when…..

[Little Jay]

Under US$500? A Tele with a neck humbucker. Archtops at this price range are not worth having IMO.

A tele with a humbucker is a great guitar but there are great archtops under $500! Just consider them for what they are: pressed laminated archtops and don’t expect them to sound as a solid handcarved archtop….

[EllenGtrGrl]

Speaking of Ibanez AF55's...

Just a moment...

Ooh! Soooooo tempting - but I just bought my AS95 Artcore Expressionist, to satisfy the fusion beast in me a few weeks ago, and I have a very nice 2005 Gretsch Country Club (I don't care for Bigsbys, but I'm kind of hesitant to get rid of the Bigs). I'm also limited for space (I live in an apartment, and not only have 2 electrics, but also 4 acoustics).

My other concern is neck thickness. I don't care for thin necks. It doesn't have to be baseball bat thick, but at least a Medium C please? While Ibanez Artist solidbodies, and Ibanez hollow and semi-hollow guitars don't have that what is to me, ridiculously thin, "feels like I'm fretting a 2 by 4" Wizard neck profile that so many Ibbys have, they do ride the lower limit for what I will put up with for neck thickness. As a result, many have still felt too thin neck-wise for my playing preference. My AS95 Artcore Expressionist was the first Ibanez hollow or semi-hollow one I've tried in a while, that had a decently thick neck for me (and just barely at that). I don't know if the AF55 will fall in the same category for its neck as my AS95, or if it will end up being like the AF95 I owned for a short time a few years ago - just a bit too thin necked for my tastes. It doesn't help that I can't find much information about the necks AF55s have.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Ooh! Soooooo tempting - but I just bought my AS95 Artcore Expressionist, to satisfy the fusion beast in me a few weeks ago, and I have a very nice 2005 Gretsch Country Club (I don't care for Bigsbys, but I'm kind of hesitant to get rid of the Bigs). I'm also limited for space (I live in an apartment, and not only have 2 electrics, but also 4 acoustics).

My other concern is neck thickness. I don't care for thin necks. It doesn't have to be baseball bat thick, but at least a Medium C please? While Ibanez Artist solidbodies, and Ibanez hollow and semi-hollow guitars don't have that what is to me, ridiculously thin, "feels like I'm fretting a 2 by 4" Wizard neck profile that so many Ibbys have, they do ride the lower limit for what I will put up with for neck thickness. As a result, many have still felt too thin neck-wise for my playing preference. My AS95 Artcore Expressionist was the first Ibanez hollow or semi-hollow one I've tried in a while, that had a decently thick neck for me (and just barely at that). I don't know if the AF55 will fall in the same category for its neck as my AS95, or if it will end up being like the AF95 I owned for a short time a few years ago - just a bit too thin necked for my tastes. It doesn't help that I can't find much information about the necks AF55s have.

Just out of curiosity, what is the neck like on the AF55?

[jazzshrink]

It depends on the year. AF Artcore necks by year, scale length, width at nut, width at last fret, thickness at 1st fret, thickness at 12th fret, radius:

2004	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	58.5mm	21.5mm	26.5mm	305mmR/ 12"
2017–2018	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	56mm	21mm	24mm	305mmR/ 12"
2019–2025	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	56.3mm	21mm	24mm	305mmR/ 12"

[EllenGtrGrl]

It depends on the year. AF Artcore necks by year, scale length, width at nut, width at last fret, thickness at 1st fret, thickness at 12th fret, radius:

2004	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	58.5mm	21.5mm	26.5mm	305mmR/ 12"
2017–2018	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	56mm	21mm	24mm	305mmR/ 12"
2019–2025	628mm/ 24¾"	43mm	56.3mm	21mm	24mm	305mmR/ 12"

Thanks for the info. It looks like it's very much a "try before you buy" thing. I'm beginning to think that the only reason my AS95 Artcore Expressionist worked for me, is due to it's neck profile being listed as being different than the typical Ibanez hollow, and semi-hollowbody neck profile.