Semi-hollow Guitars

Hasie

Hey,

So I got my first electric guitar because I wanted to play metal. Now I am at the point of just listening to and enjoying metal, but when playing on my electric guitar, I really love a clean sound.

I am going to ask for some advice and or inputs and I know most of will be subjective, but just throw your thoughts at me anyway.

I've heard that semi-hollow guitars give a real warm clean tone.
Some people have mentioned "Strat-ey" goodness in other posts - I don't know if they refer to the clean tone. I haven't played one yet - they are truly ugly to my eyes.

So what are your thought on a guitar for a clean tone: Semi-hoilow vs. Solid body? And although a matter of preference, which guitars you like to use for a clean tone.

I do know that the amp also makes a huge difference, especially the tubes in the power section, but that is a debate for another day.

Please discuss.

Vikster

I have always liked the Gretsch. Perhaps I can afford one someday (Current price R11995).

ezietsman

I think you're barking up the wrong tree, in a way. You currently have a dual humbucker, solidbody guitar right? This one will likely sound very much like most others of that style (Les Pauls, SGs, PRS etc), barring subtle differences due to the style of pickups, mostly. So, your guitar should be able to give you a super nice clean electric sound. If it doesn't, it may be the pickups, it may be your amp, it may be your plectrum or it may well be you and your technique or you don't like the warmth you get from humbuckers.

No one style of guitar will give a better clean sound than any other. They do sound different though and it is up to you to decide what you like.

Semi hollow guitars are supposed to sound mellower and warmer than the solid ones, but they don't always. Some specific examples may well sound more trebly than most Les Pauls, for instance. I've played a super expensive semi-hollow that had this 'feature'. The lesson is, try before you buy, unless its a Japanese Tokai (for some reason they seem to be very consistent).

Anyhoo, I think my point is that before you run out and buy another electric to do a certain job, try and make the one you have make that sound. You can get a surprising amount of variation out of a single guitar by just altering the knobs and switches and the way you pick the strings.

singemonkey

If you have a decent tube amp with a not totally crap loudspeaker, it's capable of producing lush clean sounds. If you can't get good cleans through a rig like this, it's likely the result of the pickups. Poor quality pickups lack complexity and sound dull. An inexpensive change will often make a world of difference.

As EZ said, the differences between the clean tones of guitar types are differences of nature, not quality. A Strat has a nice clean tone, so does a Telecaster, a Les Paul, a 335, a Gretsch, a Rickenbacker, etc.. It comes down to which you prefer.

ezietsman

Here's JD Simo showing some tricks. Starts playing around 3:00. Sound quality isn't that good and the phone was vertical, but hey.

ezietsman

And here he is doing the same sort of thing on a semi-hollow and a solidbody. Notice the lack of amp-tweaking.

studmissile

Vikster wrote: I have always liked the Gretsch. Perhaps I can afford one someday (Current price R11995).

Sorry Vikster, where can I get one in the photo for R12K?

Jayhell

My ES 339 sounds best dirty, but then again I like dirty. The only difference though is the feel of the guitar. it feels to me as if it vibrates more. It feels alive!

ryanblumenow

I absolutely love my Ibanez semi-hollows. They just feel great, alive, tone acoustically as well as through whatever I am playing it through (I usually play clean on my amp). For my money, and for much of what I've read on the internet, they punch so far above their weight it's really a pleasure to play, and they compete with a lot of really expensive items.

Check out: http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?140273-Why-are-Ibanez-artcore-guitars-so-cheap

and

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ibanez-agr73t-hollowbody-electric-guitar

Also look up some youtube demos of the various Artcore models.

In my opinion, they're really excellent.

Vikster

studmissile wrote:
Vikster wrote: I have always liked the Gretsch. Perhaps I can afford one someday (Current price R11995).

Sorry Vikster, where can I get one in the photo for R12K?

Currently Oosthaven's in Pretoria have a special running:

http://oosthavens.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=293&Itemid=74

I bought strings on Tuesday but I was actually looking at accoustic guitars. Didn't look at the Gretsch. I would assume that the one in the picture might be more costly.

I hope I am not overstepping any boundaries by placing that link. I'm in no way affiliated to them.

studmissile

Vikster wrote:
studmissile wrote:
Vikster wrote: I have always liked the Gretsch. Perhaps I can afford one someday (Current price R11995).

Sorry Vikster, where can I get one in the photo for R12K?
Currently Oosthaven's in Pretoria have a special running:

http://oosthavens.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=293&Itemid=74

I bought strings on Tuesday but I was actually looking at accoustic guitars. Didn't look at the Gretsch. I would assume that the one in the picture might be more costly.

I hope I am not overstepping any boundaries by placing that link. I'm in no way affiliated to them.

No, I was just thinking the one in the picture is about 3 to 4 x times that price!