Thoughts on semi-hollow archtops

[Cagey]

She's a beauty. Who made it?

 

[bagman67]

If you want to go higher-end (but still not Gibson-priced), consider the Yamaha SA-2000, SA-2100, SA-2200 line.  I had one of those for a few years and it was mighty nice.  Regrettably, I had to pay tuition one semester and that guitar was the easiest cash to come by, so out the door it went.

Otherwise,I was very happy with the Ibanez AS73 I had and would buy another.

Peace

Bagman

 

[Jusatele]

I am going have to get a Mollenhauer when I go for a 335 clone

I have played both of his, the regular model and the upgrade.

http://www.mollenhauerguitars.com/catalog/item/6898274/6860515.htm

 

[vtpcnk]

used guitar options:

for around a grand you can get a guild starfire 4.

for around $600 you can get an 80s ibanez as-50. (its size is supposed to be between a 335 and 339).

older washburn hb-35s are a good deal as well - one just went very cheap : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190471271490&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

you should also consider older epiphone sheratons and rivieras.

 

[reluctant-builder]

I bought a used Heritage H-535 earlier this year.  It is very well made, and plays beautifully, but they are pricey new.

Hear, hear. I bought my Heritage right after Irene blew through town. She wasn't cheap (though I'm sure some of you have spent more on custom builds at Warmoth), but I sure didn't pay the price most people seem to want for one, either.

I'm necro-posting because this thread has no resolution. Tim, did you ever buy a semi-hollow?

 

[hannaugh]

I vote for Ibanez if you're going cheap, and Heritage if you wanna spend some real cash.  Someday I would love to have a Heritage jazz box.  Those things are beautiful. 

 

[big bob]

I vote for Ibanez if you're going cheap, and Heritage if you wanna spend some real cash.  Someday I would love to have a Heritage jazz box.  Those things are beautiful. 

yes they are..

the solid bodies are nice too..

 

[nexrex]

I have a Dot and am very happy with it:

So do I, (same as in the pic) they really are a well constructed guitar. The cheap electronics are the let down. I threw a new wiring kit and some TV Jones Powertrons into mine and it rocks.

 

[tfarny]

Uh yeah - I bought an Ibanez as103 in natural flame about 9 months ago, but it hasn't attached itself to me. It's hard to fault the guitar itself, other than the sloppy tuners, it sounds really very great. Looks nice too. I'm probably gonna sell it to finance the lap steel I just had made for me (pics to come).

 

[DangerousR6]

I'd still love to find one of these old Silvertone Espanada's, absolutely love this thing....

 

[hannaugh]

Whoa, that looks rad!  I'd play that. 

 

[erogenousjones17]

I feel like I'd have to dress up to play that thing, even though the binding looks like the metal edging around my grandma's formica table.  :laughing7:

 

[kboman]

You haven't really played music until you've done it in a tuxedo! Worn t-shirt + washed out jeans is for amateurs.

 

[dNA]

I'm more of a fan of jazz-styled archtops than the rockabilly/country kind of look. Not that I don't like em, but given the options, I'd go for something like these, which are all different thinline designs:
http://www.eastmanguitars.com/t146sm/

http://www.eastmanguitars.com/t185mx/

http://www.eastmanguitars.com/er3/

 

[stubhead]

Oh cmon it's all the same company, probably the same factory, they just have the younger kids doing the Rondo / SX and the teenagers working on the Agiles.

Here's the issue: as touched on by hbom, there are Epiphones, Ibani, Gibsons and Fenders, and any and all sorts of different brands made in - whatever factory the maker has contracted with for the best price. China, Philippines, Korea, Japan... The Epiphone 'dots' have been made in at least three different countries, who knows how many factories within each one. There is no "Michael Kelly" working at "Micheal Kelly" guitars, they just want you to picture Mike down in the basement tap-tuning yer top...

Stories are rife throughout guitarland of a particular run or factory version of a certain guitar being really fab, then when they got popular the maker had to move it to a crappier factory/production line/country/continent. Like, the Japanese Fenders of the 1980's were better than American Fender of the 70's or early 90's... If you mind the tiny banjo frets the Japanese put on the "classic" Teles and Strats, they were making some cool shred Fenders too. The Matsomoku factory in Japan was famous for certain great Vantages, Westburys, Arias, Ibeni, Epiphones and others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsumoku

Just recently, the "Vintage Vibe" series of Fender Squiers were getting great press, but "the word" now is that they changed factories so, sigh, "the old ones are better." I have had two great guitars that were made in Korea in 1999, and from some similarites in how the serial number was affixed and bindings and stuff, they could've been made by the same person - one was a "DeArmond" which was a Guild imprint that Fender closed down (after they used up the bodies in a run of "Squier Select" guitars) and the other was a Schecter C-7+. And I have seem awful, and OK, recent Epiphones, Ibeni, and Squiers.

The point is - you don't know by the name or model exactly where anything was made, unless you do some basic research and do it in a way that "internet facts" don't overwhelm you. And if a guitar is good, it's good, and if it's not it isn't, and some factories will do a really good job with the frets but they're spec'd for crappy cheap tuners; hey, gee - are some pickups better than others? What I do know about Agile is that the owner of the company spends time on the seven string forum garnering desires and then goes over and makes what people ask him to, and he apparently administers quite good quality control over there too. But I don't want a 21mm imitation-Wizard neck*, especially on a hollowbody. Schecter seems to have pretty consistent oversight, Ibanez and Epiphone, less so. Which doesn't mean there aren't some great ones made somewhere, sometime - but the "Brand" is almost meaningless. You have to remember that the people making these things have never played a note in their life, and next week they may be making vacuum cleaners or snow globes or assault rifles. THEY DON'T CARE.... factory oversight and parts-quality sourcing are everything.

*(And, Doodleschnitz, STRAIGHT STRING PULL is an IMPROVEMENT - I don't CARE if big-doofus Gretch headstocks are "traditional", they SUCK. I would buy a semi-hollow, if somebody would make an intelligent one. Doodleschnitz.)

 

[hannaugh]

My tech guy CB makes these, all hand-carved.  The guy is super old-school. 

I've seen them in person, the photos do not even do them justice.  They're really really expensive though. I don't think he wants to part with them. 

 

[bagman67]

Mmmm, Carvin:

 

[reluctant-builder]

:icon_thumright:

 

[kboman]

Wow. That is a fantastic looking guitar.

 

[jackthehack]

You can occasionally find one of these on eBay, but it's going to cost more than the Epi Casino if in decent shape; had one of these once and the Patent Pending # sticker on the back of the Fender Tele Deluxe looking HBs had the same number as Gibson PAFs...  http://64.19.142.12/www.vintagesilvertones.com/guitar/harmony_1446L/silvertone_1446_oct2006.jpg