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Most semi hollow oder full hollow guitars are a bit too mellow sounding for my taste. I ´m thinking of a blend of a Epiphone Casino / Gibson Es-330 and maybe a Telecaster soundwise. A Thinline Telecaster did not do it for me. The ´60 Casino and Es-330 have a bit of what i´m looking for, but it´s just a tat and they are also a bit too expensive.
Ideas anybody?
Thanks!
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11-03-2013 07:47 AM
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When I was looking for an es-175 type guitar I found that every guitar sounded differently, some even vastly so. Even from the same type and brand. I reckon that's the same for es-330/Casino type guitars? There might be one that's exactly right...
Also a Tele is a great platform for experimentation (and also one of the cheapest, depending how far you take it of course). A tele with p90's perhaps? Or with a Charlie Christian pup? Or with TV Jones'? Different bridge or neck material? Different strings? A combi of all those things?
If you like the body shape but the sound leaves something to be desired, there's so many parameters to tinker with...
That said, I put flats on my Ibanez jsm100 (Scofield model) to mellow it out a little. Perhaps with rounds something like that might be what you're looking for?Last edited by Pukka-J; 11-03-2013 at 08:07 AM.
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The Gibson Midtown series have a fast attack, especially the Standard with Bigsby. The construction is similar to a thinline Tele, but has a more chambered body. I get a very Johnny A type tone. It does not seem to enjoy a lot of popularity, but I like mine very well.
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A few suggestions to try:
Godin Montreal Premiere (I have one: https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...honeymoon.html);
Comins GCS-1;
PRS SE Semi-Hollow;
G&L ASAT Bluesboy Semi-Hollow.Last edited by Tom Karol; 11-03-2013 at 09:19 AM.
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I'm not sure if this guitar is in the league you're looking for but we just had a discussion about the Epiphone Sorrento. The general consensus was that this guitar is a little brighter and crisper sounding than most full hollow archtops due to the mini-buckers.
Jazz tones from an Epiphone Sorrento ?
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I found my Ibanez AS153 was quite bright at first -until I got used to it. The ebony finger board and maple centerblock add to the brightness. It means that with the bridge tone control wide open, the neck dialled back to 4 and the selector in the middle position, I can get anything I want between mellow jazz tone and much brighter spankier tones for other styles. Its also good value compared to most of the other excellent suggestions above.
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Peerless Songbird. A 330 in all but name, likely to be much better value.
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Peerless makes the higher-end Epiphone Casinos so this is exactly that.
Originally Posted by mangotango
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Gretsch guitars would fit the bill. 6120s, Country club, country gentlemen, ....
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I'd recommend a used German-made Verythin Standard or Verythin Classic. Originally Posted by Anika
Longer scale (25 1/4") provides lots of snap and articulation, minihumbuckers are brighter than full-sized ones, and they have spruce blocks that are pretty good at preventing feedback, make them light and contribute to the overall "crisp" sound.
Or a newer Verythin Special, Custom or Singlecut w/Bigsby - quite similar in many respects to the older Classic and the Standard but with a 24 3/4" scale. Still bright due to the spruce block and mini-humbuckers.Last edited by Hammertone; 11-04-2013 at 06:08 PM.
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Check out the new Guilds. Not enough popularity yet. It's a shame. But they are beautiful guitars, and affordable.
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Older Gibson ES-225? A bit like the ES-330; great neck; thin line, full hollow-body; one or two P-90s; less of classic than the ES-330, and hence usually much cheaper on the used market. Just a thought.
I've got a single-pickup 1957. The P90 and the thin hollow body give it just a little edge that might cut through the mellow in a way you like. Who knows?
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i'd also recommend something mini humbucker'd or filtertron'd. the sorrento should work, but the sheratons are a neat idea if you want a little more versatility. a casino never hurt anyone, either. perhaps a guild starfire, model and vintage depending on whether you want semi or full hollow.
here are some examples of what a casino would sound like with different pups:
with magnatrons- the brightest, single coily-est of the tv joneses
with classics
another idea would be a casino with a stainless steel bridge (or some other alloy) to add that crispiness. a callaham or tru arc would be my suggestion in that case. easier and faster than a pup swap, and just as dramatic, sonicallyLast edited by feet; 11-04-2013 at 03:00 AM.
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You might try an Eastman T185MX. Solid woods, not laminates. Small bridge block. Should offer more acoustic snap than the alternatives even without a trapeze bridge.
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Thanks for so many great suggestions so far.
Now i have to do a lot of research... .
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Forum member Jim Soloway's guitars:
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Guild Starfire series, especially the hollow bodies with two pups. My '62 Starfire III with a Bigsby and DeArmond pups can run the gamut from Grant Green's rich but singing ES-330 on the jazz side (neck pickup) to a hide-skinning country lead (bridge pickup) that makes my telecaster hide in the closet. Really underrated and relatively cheap guitars, imho.
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A Fret King Elise
I tried one the other day and loved it's sounds and playability. I may well go back in to town this week and pick it up.
It has a variable coil tap which is interesting as you have humbucking and single coil sounds and anything in between. The mid way giving a P90-ish tone.
The other thing I noted was that the strings had a nice snap to them which you would normally associate with a longer scale length like a Fender. The Fret King has a 24.75 scale and 12" radius fingerboard.
The only problem is locating one to try.Last edited by Sean65; 11-04-2013 at 03:19 PM. Reason: Spelling
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Originally Posted by fep
This really might come close. As far as i can decide on a yt video.... .Last edited by Anika; 11-04-2013 at 02:57 PM.
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Scot63 is absolutely right on the money. For not to much money, I bought a 1961 SF III. The mahogany body is light and rich with tone, not your usual plywood sounding guitar - it just rings. Totally hollow so its deep sounding and resonant , this guitar "talks" to me. And the p/ups ......... some of the best, and yer right about the bridge p/u ! Attitude and bite, but very musical. And when you back off the tone control, it's very useable, not muddy or dead.
Gorgeous to look at, and the neck is my favorite of all the guitars owned or played.
Go get one, they are made to be played, and kept, for a long time.
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I'll pile on regarding the Guild Starfire. I have a '98 or '99 SF II, no Bigsby, full hollow, that sounds and plays great. All PU positions are usable. The PU's on these late Rhode Island re-issues are Duncan SH-1, which I like a lot, but they are still not quite as cool as the originals.
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I'll second the German verythin...check out "someday my prince will come" on my site for a sound sample. I've seen them used for just over $1,200...
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Jim Soloway's longer scale guitars sure would do it. I had a 27" swan with lollar minihums ... felt and sounded like a piano in the low end. Unusual clarity in that guitar.
The longer scale really makes a difference. Playing a Washburn J-9 right now, has TV Jones Classics instead of the stock, rather generic humbuckers. That plus the 25.5" scale are really making it something different. Warm and woody but with some twang in there. And due to the small black (otherwise fully hollow), more sustain than I suspected. Doesn't sound like anything else I'm playing. A bit of Gretsch in there.
MD
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Gretsch and Guild DeArmond also get the nod from me.
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I have to second the ES-225 comment, I have a 1956 that is near perfect condition that I picked up for $1500 and it is one sweet guitar with lots of old wood sound. I also think Guilds offer a lot of guitar for a small investment. Even the new import line offers amazing deals.
Thanks John
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