15" Semi-Hollow Choices?

[Tom Karol]

I have 3 electric guitars. I like each of them. But I've decided (actually just toying with the idea) that a 15" wide semi-hollow is the guitar for me. So, I'm thinking of pursuing either a Heritage Prospect Std. or an Eastman T185x. Not interested in a 339; can't afford a Collings or a Sadowsky. Anything else I should consider ($2K maximum)?

[mongrel]

Howard Roberts Fusion III? Or if you've got the cash and the guy really needs to sell, a Pat Martino?

[NSJ]

Heritage Prospect STD! I really regret selling mine (bought used for 800, sold for 900). loved the neck pup tone for jazz, great sustain. a Rich, dense and complex tone.

[Harleyboy]

Sadowskys are a heck of a semi..A bit more money than you want to pay but may be worth it in the long run.

[mr. beaumont]

Familiar with Wolfgang Muthspiel?

Check him out and you'll be GASSING for that Heritage...

I also recently played a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion and was VERY impressed.

[NiAg]

Another vote for the Howard Roberts Fusion.

I can not get along with modern Gibson sticky finishes, but for those who can, this is a really fine guitar. Unfortunately they had a pretty big increase in the new price 2 or 3 years back. But since they are under-appreciated guitars, the used price is usually workable. Balsa center block. The "fingers" tailpiece doers nothing, but it looks cool. And hey, it does nothing on the Le Grand as well - so there you go.

EDIT: The HR Fusion had an asymmetrical body design for a while, with the cutaway extended out away from the body. This made it extremely comfortable to play seated. Now it is symmetrical and the cutaway matches the upper bout curve on the other side of the body.

[msr13]

Heritage Prospect STD! I really regret selling mine (bought used for 800, sold for 900). loved the neck pup tone for jazz, great sustain. a Rich, dense and complex tone.

I finally got to try one of these. It was wonderful, and very comfortable.

[mr. beaumont]

The "fingers" tailpiece doers nothing, but it looks cool. .

Acually, I had the owner demo that for me, and while the difference wasn't night and day, he definitely did get a little more of a solid body-ish sustain with the fingers cranked down and a little more of an "archtoppy" plunk with the fingers up (less string angle over bridge)

Kinda like the difference in tone between a 335 with a trapeze and a stop bar...not a whole lot there, but there is a difference...

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

A little different: the Godin Montreal:

[mr. beaumont]

I've posted this about the Montreal before, but I will again--

definitely worth checking out--one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played (and I played it through a newish Peavey Bandit, which I HATED with any other guitar plugged into it--it was the studio amp where I teach until it gleefully went up in smoke 2 years ago) --great neck, great feel, but the damn thing kept sliding off my lap.

The guy who bought it still comes in the shop every now and then and it's still his #1, and I'm pretty sure this cat owns a LOT of nice axes...

[NiAg]

Regarding the adjustments in a "fingers" tailpiece.

[Mr. Beaumont] >> not a whole lot there, but there is a difference...

Yeah, I understand, and certainly different people come away from an experience with different perceptions.

That sort of tailpiece was designed for a banjo - on which it can somewhat effectively be used with the very critical transfer of vibration that you have on a banjo.

On the HR Fusion, we just disagree a little.

[Tom Karol]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good suggestions. I think I'm going to be casually on the lookout locally for a used Prospect Standard. (Almond Sunburst would be nice!) Hopefully, I can trade a guitar or two for it if I find an amenable owner/seller.

[Hammertone]

Another one to find used, discontinued in 1999, and usually pretty cheap:

Hofner Nightingale Special
- laminated thinline semi (usually birds-eye maple)
- ebony board, 24 frets
- solid spruce block
- stereo wiring
- coil tap on one of the pickups
- master volume
- Schaller PAF-syle humbuckers
- Schaller gold hardware

They also did a few other versions - Nightingale Standard, Anniversary, Custom,

[helios]

Hello,
Have you checked out the offerings from Carvin lately? There's the Frank Gambale FG1, SH645, SH445, and the SH550. I've never been crazy about their pickups, but their workmanship is second to none.
CarvinWorld.com - Guitars, Amplifiers & Pro Audio

[Elias Graves]

A little different: the Godin Montreal:

Amazing guitars. Worth checking out.

EG

[Steve Z]

The Benedetto Bambino is a semihollow with no f-hole 14in body that you may want to consider. They can be found used within your budget.

http://benedettoguitars.com/guitars/...bino%E2%84%A2/

...I think I'm going to be casually on the lookout locally for a used Prospect Standard. (Almond Sunburst would be nice!) ...

One thing to consider about the Heritage Prospect model is that it seems the resale is not very good. I have seen many Prospects on eBay and several on The Gear Page that go unsold and appear to have little interest. Many of the comments I have read are that the Prospect horns look too much like Mickey Mouse ears. Just something to consider in case you think you may sell later. That stated, it is likely a great guitar.

Since you are searching for a Prospect, here is one that I found on Craigslist... Heritage Prospect


Cheers,
Steve

[mr. beaumont]

whoops, I got my info wrong...what's Muthspiel's Heritage called?

Anyhoo--I still like that Prospect.

[newsense]

A little different: the Godin Montreal:

+1 for the Montreal - I tried once once and fell in love. But as often happens in life, my love was in vain due to a lack of the necessary £s at that time. However, I was able to steal its forerunner, the Flat Five, from ebay for a ridiculously low price and have never looked back (except for a change of pickups). Hopefully its interpretation of Bright Size Life will be appearing in a thread near you soon.

[Flyin' Brian]

I have a Heritage Prospect and love the guitar. It sounds sweet for jazz with the neck pickup but is very versatile. They're available with both a full center block and a partial center block that doesn't touch the back of the body, so check that detail. Mine is a partial. Additionally if you're squeezed financially and who isn't, you can usually find a used one for around $1200

[Flat]

whoops, I got my info wrong...what's Muthspiel's Heritage called?

Anyhoo--I still like that Prospect.

Hey Mr. B! I'm fairly sure Wolfgang's guitar is a 2000 Heritage Millenium Eagle, and I love that thing too! (Have you seen the WM Friendly Travelers DVD with Brian Blade? There are some clips on youtube. Maybe that's what caught your eye?)

Grain of salt please, but it might interest some players to note that the Millenium Eagles are built a little differently than a lot of semi-hollows, like a 335 or HR Fusion, for example, or the Heritage 535, which, as you surely know, are typically hollow but with a big block of wood running internally the length of the body.

I think (but I'm not sure) the Milleniums start with a solid block of maple that is carved out, more like a chambering process, so that back and sides are all of one piece. There is a block underneath the bridge but they are hollow beneath the pickups. And the top is carved from solid spruce; not a laminate like a 335. In either case you end up with a semi-hollow, I suppose, but I mention the construction differences just for the sake of chat. Fantastic guitar, I think. I've got a Heritage 535 (and a 575) but I sometimes think of swapping out the 535 for a Millenium Eagle.

(I've also got a Sadowsky Jim Hall and I think if I could only have one guitar it would be a Sadowsky Semi-hollow, but it's about double the OP's target price.)

Regarding the HR Fusion, I wonder what Howard would have thought of the fingers tailpiece? The original HR Fusion that I believe Howard designed had a stop tailpiece--although maybe he requested the fingers but Gibson chose to use a stop tail early on for some reason? I've always been afraid I would drop a finger onto the top when changing strings. (I'm not sure...are the fingers "floating"? Do they drop onto the top if unattached to a string under tension?) I'm also curious about the idea behind the design--do the fingers allow for some type of individual string adjustment? Or are they just to improve or affect resonance in some way? Intriguing design, though.)

Either of those guitars would make an absolutely fantastic jazz+ semi-hollow, imho. My own taste would lean toward the Heritage Millenium Eagle, but it would be hard to go wrong either way.

-Flat

[Tom Karol]

It's funny that no one asked why I'm not interested in a 339. It's simple: 14" is too small (and 16" is too big); 15" is just right! If I had unlimited funds, I'd go after a Collings Soco Deluxe and/or a Sadowsky Semi Hollow. But they're both way out of my range for the foreseeable future. The good news is - and this is the way it's always happened so far - if I do nothing for a few weeks, I'll go back to thinking that I'd rather keep what I already have anyway (I hope).

[ejwhite09]

I have 3 electric guitars. I like each of them. But I've decided (actually just toying with the idea) that a 15" wide semi-hollow is the guitar for me. So, I'm thinking of pursuing either a Heritage Prospect Std. or an Eastman T185x. Not interested in a 339; can't afford a Collings or a Sadowsky. Anything else I should consider ($2K maximum)?

Honestly if you're not going for the 339, I'd get the Eastman. You could probably pick one up for 1200 in a good shop, thats' the price the guy quoted me and that was without any bargaining or even geniune interest in purchase, on a floor model, so I'm sure I could have got him down to a grand.

I've been jonsing for a 339 for a hot minute, thinking of getting rid of my lp standard(I try to keep myself to one guitar in one guitar out). But the Eastman is awesome and its in 14 15 and 16 inches.

[cosmic gumbo]

Carvin

[lpdeluxe]

I'll say it for Tom: he participated in a group evaluation of the Carvin SH550, so he's more than familiar with it. I personally loved it, and my current playing partner bought the review instrument and it has become his number one, being played on everything including material he used to change over to acoustic on. I'd contemplate getting one myself, but I've got a lovely blonde 335 that keeps me happy.

[Tom Karol]

Actually, I wasn't part of the Carvin review team. (I did the ZT amp tests prior to that though.) Anyway, the key is I'm focused on a 15" wide body; I believe the Carvin is only 14" wide. Again, 14" is too small; 16" is too big; 15" is just right. (That's the size of my Crafter SA.) So I'll casually look for a Prospect Std. or a T185mx locally. To be honest, I've never played either one, and I'm not at all sure I'd want to give up my Hamer T-51 (great Tele clone) and my Crafter SEG480 (great 335 clone) in order to get either one - and that's what I'd have to do to. So for now, I guess it's really just aimless musing on my part. (Anyone see a pattern here?!)

Oh by the way, I tried a 339 briefly yesterday. It's 14" wide - too small - I'm stickin' with 15".