Recommendations for Semi-Hollow for Shorter Person?

[jazzshrink]

I get it: "the neck is FAT". Sorry, I misread: "The neck is fast" ...couldn't make sense of that (I thought: "why is it a fight if the neck is fast!?")

Those fast necks are a pain when you're trying to play a romantic ballad!

[339 in june]

A lot of good suggestions already done, so I don't have much to add
Anyway, I want to confirm that my Gibson ES-339 has no neck dive
And that a Comins GCS1 or GCS1-ES would be my choice in this situation (ticks all the boxes : body size, scale, neck width, weight, budget, feedback resistance, set bridge, 2 HB's with split, "jazz tone" easily reachable ....)

[SoCal]

Check out also Ibanez AR520HFM or one of the Ibanez AM Series: hollow, yet small/thin body, they have a wide price range, from low cost to high end (AM2000H).
And specs info on each model, on Ibanez website is usually very precise (things like neck thickness, neck width etc.).
P.S. I am short and have small hands and, for me, the Ibanez GB10 has worked out very well. For small hands the shorter "Byrdland" scale length of 23.5" is best, so I've had a luthier build me a hollow body archtop with a GB10 sized body, a slim neck and a 23.5" scale lenght. At some point I've also had a Squier ("Jagmaster" it was called, if I remember...) and a Fender Mustang, solid bodies with a 24" scale lenght.

I’m with you on this. My favorite guitar is my Johnny Marr Jaguar. It has a great feeling neck. I’ve heard some people think it feels cramped. I assume they are taller than I am. for me, it’s very comfortable.

[SoCal]

I myself am also short with small hands. I have a Eastman Romeo LA and the neck is fat. It is a bit harder to play. I do not mind fighting a guitar a little, but it is a fight.

I appreciate this feedback. I was interested in this guitar guitar, but I probably would not want a fat neck either.

[Danny W.]

In the early '60s I had Gibson ES-355 that I thought was a great guitar. Being 5' 5" at the time I found the guitar size to be perfect for me. Over the next forty years that model was my most common choice for stand up (non jazz) gigs--I owned a dozen in that size, not all at once, mostly ES-355s but also a Gibson B.B. King Custom (Lucille), Heritage H-555, and Ibanez 2630. By 2002 I found myself slightly less tall and less inclined to want to spend a few hours standing with that heavy a guitar so when Gibson introduced the CS-356 I bought a couple.

Unlike the laminate w/center block construction of the 3X5 series, the 356 has a solid carved maple top with back and sides carved from one piece of mahogany. It does not sound like a 355. It took me a bit of adjustment to get used to that, but the size and weight overcame any misgivings I'd had at first. I've never played the similarly-styled ES-359, which does have the traditional construction. I've read that it sounds more similar to a 355. There's also the Gibson CS-336, a less blinged-up version of the 356.

Soon after I started with the 356 Gibson announced the Johnny A model, with construction similar to the 356. A big selling point on that was the 25.5" scale length. After meeting with Johnny A at Gibson's 2004 Winter NAMM booth I bought a couple of those too. The scale length makes those my favorites. Still, I go back and forth frequently.

These guitars are priced above the OP's stated budget; however, there's an Epi version of the Johnny A and the Gibson CS-336 that might be more in line, neither of which I've played.

'71 355TDSV:


'83 355TDSV:


'88 B.B. King Custom:


'94 ES-355TDSV:


The blonde 355 in the previous photo was a fabulous guitar that convinced me it was time to try something smaller. The next photo shows the size differences:



Danny W.

[jim777]

How was the neck on that? My Seventy Seven archtop's is fairly chunky, and my impression is that all of their guitars are like that. [I actually like the neck profile a lot, but it might be an issue for the OP.]

It had a big neck, like an R7 or R8 Les Paul. It was not a slim neck

[redwater]

Did anybody mention the FGN Masterfield?

[Christian Miller]

Well my jammy mate once picked up a collings l35 for 2 grand GB… but he is VERY jammy. Smaller bodied than a 335 fwiw

probably squeeze in there for a Gibbon 339 for that?

[SoCal]

That's a beautiful collection, Danny W.

[Amberville]

Another vote for the Ibanez AM range. They look really useful with the coil split switch and get great reviews. D'Angelico DC Mini looks good at a similar price.

Left field - a thinline tele. Lightweight, versatile. You could even get one with a Bigsby.

What about a Gretsch?

[SoCal]

Another vote for the Ibanez AM range. They look really useful with the coil split switch and get great reviews. D'Angelico DC Mini looks good at a similar price.

Left field - a thinline tele. Lightweight, versatile. You could even get one with a Bigsby.

What about a Gretsch?

Yep. I’m also considering the Broadkaster Jr.

[Cavalier]

Ibanez AGS83 and it's current equivalents is a nice guitar. Single cut, not as small as a Les Paul, good balance with the hardwood center block, affordable these days.

Smaller single cut Gretsch Electromatic would be another good choice. You'd want a Bigsby for the balance of course.

[EastwoodMike]

Another vote for the EPI “inspired by Gibson” series 339. No neck dive on ours. You could also get whatever awesome pickup or other hardware changes done and still be miles under your top budget. Pau Ferro fingerboard (I think…) if that matters to you but to be honest if colour is the concern I have seen ebony finger boards lighter in hue. Bang for buck you get so much on that one.

as an earlier poster noted, it will not sound like a hollow body acoustic and will sustain a bit more, But I guess you knew that already when asking for a semihollow.

the headstock on the newer Epiphones is smaller than their older design. This limits neckdive on newer models.

careful with neckdive on the Romeos- I think the laminated blue one with the trem bar counterbalanced better than the carved wood ones.

EMike

[Litterick]

The Godin Montreal Premiere is compact and bijou; light as well.

[Christian Miller]

Ah Godin! I knew I’d forgotten one. This could go for the other compact jazz guitar thread as well.

aren’t they ‘fully hollow’* though?

*see pet peeves

[frabarmus]

Ibanez AGS83 and it's current equivalents is a nice guitar. Single cut, not as small as a Les Paul, good balance with the hardwood center block, affordable these days.

Yes, I think that's the one Jake Reichbart uses. Body shape and size is the same as a GB10, the neck profile might be slightly chunkier than on a GB10, though... (check Ibanez website for that)

[frabarmus]

I have an ES 339 and CS 356 , both are delightful , NO neck dive issues. The 339 is a bit better suited for Jazz as it has an inherently warmer tone.

Within that category of downsized 335s, the one I'm most attracted to is the CS 336 (with its slim taper neck and the Classic 57 pickups). Though I think the sound might be closer to a Les Paul than to a 335. Has anyone got one?

[Litterick]

Ah Godin! I knew I’d forgotten one. This could go for the other compact jazz guitar thread as well.

aren’t they ‘fully hollow’* though?

*see pet peeves

The Montreal Premiere has what Godin describes as 'an innovative and unique “breathe-through” carved cedar core, which gives the body of the Montreal Premiere an astounding resonance unlike any other guitar in its class.'

[Herbie]

I bought an Epiphone ES-339 Pro P-90 about a year ago snd I was astonished, what a guitar! I got it without pickups and had to wait some months to find used Gibson P90s. Another mod I made was to change the bridge yo ABM, a mod that usually makes any Gibson a better guitar. But after some weeks I tried the original one back and it sounded better!

The sound is absolutely more semiacoustic than Les Paul.

I have five Gibsons (3 LPs and 2 ES175s) and sometimes I wonder that how this cheapo Epi beats them all. (Although I have not had flats in it, only .010 ”rock strings”.)

Only thing that bothers me is the colour. I think that this should be Cherry Red.

[SoCal]

The Montreal Premiere has what Godin describes as 'an innovative and unique “breathe-through” carved cedar core, which gives the body of the Montreal Premiere an astounding resonance unlike any other guitar in its class.'

I am very interested in the Montreal model.

[Jim Soloway]

I am very interested in the Montreal model.

I had one for a while and enjoyed it a lot.

[Average Joe]

Did anybody mention the FGN Masterfield?

What are the necks like on those? They look interesting, similar in concept to a CS-336, but I have never seen one in the wild

[frabarmus]

[QUOTE=redwater;1265627]Did anybody mention the FGN Masterfield?[/QUOTE
Thanks! I was not aware of them. They must be good... Fujigen is where top notch Ibanez archtops are built.

[Litterick]

I had one for a while and enjoyed it a lot.

I have a client at McGill, who will be paying me soon. I am tempted to ask her to buy me a guitar.

[DougB]

I had one for a while and enjoyed it a lot.

Is it fairly light weight Jim?
Compared to a 335 type?

Thanks

Doug