An Ibanez hollow body or a semi hollow body?

seachto7

So, I am thinking of having an alternative to my jazzmaster. I am considering maybe a hollow body or semi hollow body guitar, just for the difference in tone (I would imagine). It's going to involve a trip to capital city to try some out.
I'm not JUST going for an Ibanez, but would start with the artcores maybe..
That style body even...

Is there much of a difference between a hollow and semi hollow. I played an Ibanez one last week unplugged, and it felt, to me, just like a semi acoustic, but plugged in, I'd imagine it would be different...

Nahguavkire

*cracks knuckles and stretches neck*

Ok so answer us these questions and we'll see what we can come up with for you...

- What style of music do you intend to play with it?

- How big a body were you thinking of going for? (Hollow electric model or jazz style body)

- Singlecoil/ Humbucker/ P90... Preference?

- Colour preferences? ( Classic style or something funky)

- Piezo capability?

- Maple or Rosewood/ Ebony Fingerboard?

- Single cutaway or Double cutaway?

- Brand preferences?


Immediately though I'd recommend a Hagstrom, wonderful hollowbody guitars for the money they are!

seachto7

howdee,

Well, I have a jazzmaster at the mo, so would probably stay away from the P90 pup. Though I'd imagine the tone would still be different on a hollow/semi hollow.

So, I don't really have a pup preference..

I don't think I'd go for one with a tremelo either.

Body style/size: Not too sure. I've played some of the 335 copies here and there, with humbuckers, and didn't notice a huge difference in the sound and feel from , say , a les paul type guitar. Aesthetically, the jazz style looks cooler, but I wouldn't be too bothered. I'm more interested in the type of tone I'd get out of it. The Ibanez I tried last week pretty much felt like a twangy semi acoustic. I didn't plug it in, but will go back and have a go.

single or double cutaway. Again, no major preference here. I'm not bothered by the colour either.

My style would vary. I am listening to quite a bit of Do Make Say Think these days. if you check out some youtube of them live, one of them uses a jazz style guitar (looks cool too!) and seems to get a nice tone out of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd411muNmbg&feature=fvst

if you flick through the footage you'll see some bits of him on clean and dirty guitar.

I would also listen to the likes of Mastodon, Pelican, Mogwai, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, but would rarely be using full on distortion even though the obvious choice here could be a les paul! I'll cover those angles on my jazzmaster..

I'm not too bothered on maple/rosewood, but have always played rosewood necks..

I've seen Thom Yorke play a jazz style guitar on the last tour, but never heard it solo, as it was in a band setting...

Those hagstroms are beauties too, maybe that's the one!

Nahguavkire

I think it's a Hagstrom HL-550 in Matte Natural they have in Musicmaker at the minute, beautiful guitar and reasonably priced, if you want that nice jazz tone you only really need a neck pickup anyway.

Alternatively the high-end Epiphone's are wonderful guitars too, really really nice!

How much are you thinking of spending?

seachto7

not too sure, not a whole lot. I reckon the Jazzmaster will be my main axe...
maybe try and get a 2nd hand one. I'll make sure to check them out in musicmaker for sure...

Nahguavkire

Yeah I'd say an Epiphone, Hagstrom or Gretsch Electromatic would be a good choice...

seachto7

Nahguavkire wrote: »

Yeah I'd say an Epiphone, Hagstrom or Gretsch Electromatic would be a good choice...

yeah, the gretsch is cool. I recall coming across some Aria copies of that in Dublin once...

Nahguavkire

Aria aren't a bad guitar either!

I'd be slightly wary of cheap knock-off hollowbodies though as with acoustics alike it makes a big difference if the guitar is put together well, you don't want necks separating from bodies or tops peeling off mid-solo (well not the top of your guitar anyway

seachto7

I actually had a go of the aria at the time. It was in a small shop just up from musicmaker, near george st arcade..

rcaz

seachto7 wrote: »

Well, I have a jazzmaster at the mo, so would probably stay away from the P90 pup.

Jazzmaster pickups are not P90s, and they aren't like P90s. They're big fat low-output single coils.

Unless you have a CIJ Jazzmaster and haven't changed the pickups, then they're just strat-esque pickups in big empty boxes.

boycey

If you're gonna try out a few in the shops seachto dont go all shy and play unplugged or even at low volume, especially where the full hollowbodies are concerned. Try them out at decent volume, clean and then ramp up the dirt bit by bit and see how they behave. A lot of the hollowbodies in particular will howl like a whale on heat at stage volume or even with moderate gain, regardless of brand or price tag. Its something to bear in mind if your gonna be playing loud.
One last thing - dont write off the P90s!! I have a small bodied Hamer Artist semi with P90's - its a thing of beauty played clean and able to handle surprising amounts of gain, even at window rattling volume. Then again I do seem to have developed some sort of P90 fetish .

Anyway, good hunting and dont forget the pics!!

Seziertisch

If I was in your position I would go about upgrading your Jazzmaster. A set of good replacement pickups (such as Novak or something) and a Mastery bridge would be a serious upgrade.

seachto7

El Pr0n wrote: »

Jazzmaster pickups are not P90s, and they aren't like P90s. They're big fat low-output single coils.

Unless you have a CIJ Jazzmaster and haven't changed the pickups, then they're just strat-esque pickups in big empty boxes.

I stand corrected. Yeah I have a CIJ Jazzmaster with Novak pups. A beauty it is too. I thought the p90s wouldn't be too far off it though.

Kenny_D

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=25&print=1&keys2=ikebukuro%40ishibashi.co.jp&tid=list3

population

Have played one of these Ibanez and was veeeeeery impressed

seachto7

hubba hubba!!

Kenny_D

That one looks really nice. About €600 ish incl delivery and tax I reckon. You'd have to be quick. Nice stuff doesn't last long on the ubox

seachto7

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1327/707442033_b588c4d822.jpg

Grolschevik

boycey wrote: »

A lot of the hollowbodies in particular will howl like a whale on heat at stage volume or even with moderate gain, regardless of brand or price tag.

Yep. I used to have a beautiful-looking hollow Tanglewood that had a lovely clean tone and sounded great with higher gain at low volumes, but I couldn't control it at all with gain at rehearsal volumes. I figured that if Ted Nugent could manage it, I'd be able to. Wrong!

seachto7

http://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/products/default.asp?cID=66460718

must try out some of these styles tomorrow...

Seziertisch

seachto7 wrote: »

I stand corrected. Yeah I have a CIJ Jazzmaster with Novak pups. A beauty it is too. I thought the p90s wouldn't be too far off it though.

I think Jazzmaster pickups have magnet polepieces while P-90s are bar magnets with screw poles.

Definitely consider the Mastery bridge. It should make quite a profound difference to the playability and sound of the your Jazzmaster.

Otherwise check this out http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=146585&cat=all

seachto7

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/79417

thinking of going for something like this.

I played a cheapo Freshman last week (http://www.freshmanguitars.co.uk/FJ2.asp), and it sounded ok. I played it plugged in. Nice distinct sound off it. As I mentioned, my jazzmaster will be guitar number 1, this will be a nice alternative (hopefully...)

Organeer

Have you tried an Epiphone Sheraton. I have had one for years & it really is a great guitar. The tuners are the smoothest I have ever used. Should be available from Waltons or any good guitar store. Look on the web for a shop near you, then you can try before you buy.

seachto7

yeah, im going to be up in dublin next week, so will have a go. I like the jazz style big body hollows....though I'll have a go of a sheraton too...

the epi joe pass is a cool looking machine...

Ash.J.Williams

http://www.thomann.de/ie/ibanez_as73iv.htm
i like the look of this!!

Can someone tell me about the diffferences between a jazz guitar and a normal hollowbody....

it's just i was advised that jazz guitars are not great for playing rock or high gain music.

Ravelleman

First of all, this thread is two years old.

Second of all, it´s all an illusion - few hollowbodies are made exclusively for the jazz market. The thing that makes a hollowbodt a jazz guitar is playing style and the type of strings you use. Try some flatwounds on an Epi Casino and it´ll sound pretty jazzy alright.