hollowdan Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Just back to the forum and having sold my Epiphones (I was nursing a serious case of mandolin acquisition syndrome, and would like to get an Epiphone hollow body). A few new models have come on the scene and I would appreciate recommendations. I am a blues player, playing traditional styles such as Albert King and Muddy Waters, so I am open to hollow or semi hollow electrics. Occasionally, I will use in my weekly church gig. I am down to one electric, a nice MIM Deluxe Lonestar Fender Strat. What say thee? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 woa lots a choices here. I've got a few Epi hollows that are in the ball park, (a Broadway and a Swingster White Royale, like both of them quite a lot) The Swingster's a pretty versatile guitar, you can do a lot with those, and they're a ton of fun to play. great sounding pickups with push/pull for in phase / out of phase tones, and a Bigsby,, Nice ride!. same size as the Joe Pass Emporer II which is also a cool guitar. The Broadway is a straight up two pickup full bodied Jazz box. Can't forget the Epi ES-175 Premium, those look quite nice.. If you are looking fro a smaller (thin) hollow bodied semi, then you're taking Casino or a Rivera. both are popular items with the guys on this board. For Semi's you're into the DOT, 339, B.B. King's Lucille territory. given the names you've dropped, (Muddy, King) this could be your zone. A little more specifics one what sort of music you're most inclined to use this for and what you're looking to invest could help. welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I know folks sometimes think I'm a bit odd for always harping on this, but to me the "feel" of an instrument is more important than anything else. There have been excellent reviews on the new Epi 175 premium. Personally I love the 175 shape and geometry more than any other. The Joe Pass and the newer Swingsters are the same basic size. When I say "geometry" it's a matter of how the player and the instrument interact. As for music style... my only "board" guitar is a Guild S100c - pretty much the same thing as an SG. It sounds great playing about anything, even with 8-38 strings. That's pretty much the beauty of an electric - you easily can mess with the tone. That Guild sounds fine doing fingerstyle jazz to country-rock. An acoustic that "feels right" can do plenty of jazz or whatever, and an AE even more. But... does the guitar seem to help you play whatever? To me, that's the criterion. I like the 335-style guitar and the concept, but... it just feels longer-necked and narrower nut and "big" for playing. It's great for some material, but I'm really more comfortable with the 175. Others will find that's not the case for them and frankly, my hope is that each of us find the guitar shape/geometry that works best for them. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 woa lots a choices here. I've got a few Epi hollows that are in the ball park, (a Broadway and a Swingster White Royale, like both of them quite a lot) The Swingster's a pretty versatile guitar, you can do a lot with those, and they're a ton of fun to play. great sounding pickups with push/pull for in phase / out of phase tones, and a Bigsby,, Nice ride!. same size as the Joe Pass Emporer II which is also a cool guitar. The Broadway is a straight up two pickup full bodied Jazz box. Can't forget the Epi ES-175 Premium, those look quite nice.. If you are looking fro a smaller (thin) hollow bodied semi, then you're taking Casino or a Rivera. both are popular items with the guys on this board. For Semi's you're into the DOT, 339, B.B. King's Lucille territory. given the names you've dropped, (Muddy, King) this could be your zone. A little more specifics one what sort of music you're most inclined to use this for and what you're looking to invest could help. welcome back! Hi, I sure appreciated these great suggestions. It seems I should go and shop around-- preferably in person but in the meantime I will look online at these various options. I had the Riviera and could kick myself for selling. I am inclined to try for a Casino-- my budget is $600 for now. I would like to play the full sized jazz boxes you talked about. I am intrigued by the ES-175. Thank you! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 I know folks sometimes think I'm a bit odd for always harping on this, but to me the "feel" of an instrument is more important than anything else. There have been excellent reviews on the new Epi 175 premium. Personally I love the 175 shape and geometry more than any other. The Joe Pass and the newer Swingsters are the same basic size. When I say "geometry" it's a matter of how the player and the instrument interact. As for music style... my only "board" guitar is a Guild S100c - pretty much the same thing as an SG. It sounds great playing about anything, even with 8-38 strings. That's pretty much the beauty of an electric - you easily can mess with the tone. That Guild sounds fine doing fingerstyle jazz to country-rock. An acoustic that "feels right" can do plenty of jazz or whatever, and an AE even more. But... does the guitar seem to help you play whatever? To me, that's the criterion. I like the 335-style guitar and the concept, but... it just feels longer-necked and narrower nut and "big" for playing. It's great for some material, but I'm really more comfortable with the 175. Others will find that's not the case for them and frankly, my hope is that each of us find the guitar shape/geometry that works best for them. m I like the sound of your Guild "SG" version. I am an old Guild enthusiast. My main guitar since '76 is my Guild D55 and it is an incredible instrument. I love the idea of checking out the Epi 175 premium. And I will! Thanks, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Actually the 175 and Pass/swingster are 16" lower bout with the 24 3/4 scale. A bit smaller than the bigger archtops that are 17" lower bout and feel different overall. I'm awfully comfortable with the smaller box. Others with the bigger box. But a whole lot of music has come from folks playing any of 'em. I think part of my feeling on the 335/Dot is that the narrower body depth changes the geometry with the player to the neck - and that doesn't fit me so well. Yup, each to his/her own. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Thanks Milod. I found the 339 sized guitars and thought that shape might be quite comfortable. I like the traditional ES-335 shape as I am tall and have big hands. I think a Casino would work well for me, but the 335 not the 339. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 IMHO that's the right way to decide... I have short arms on a medium altitude bod, medium size hands. My 5" wife has longer arm reach. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteWilson Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I must add my vote for the ES-175 Premium. I have one, and love it. But, having said that, I also have an ES-335 Pro, and a Riviera P93, which I also love. If I had to go with only one, for the style of music you have said, it would have to be the ES-175 Premium. YMMV. Play Well, Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Casino Coupe looks enticing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweed2 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The Casino is the first guitar that comes to mind when anybody asks me to recommend a first electric or "all around" electric. Great guitar for the money and one of my go-to guitars. A little louder (and lighter) than most semi-hollows, unplugged, due to it's "hollowbody" build. And P-90s are veratile, for a single coil. I will say that I was blown away by the quality of the '62 Reissue Sheraton and it's my most played guitar at the moment. I've never played one with the Gibson mini-humbuckers as mine was a refurbished guitar that came with Seymour Duncans, instead. But I swapped those out for some custom wound firebird PUs and it now plays anywhere from sweet, to beastly. Or, if you can find one, a Zephyr Blues Deluxe is another great "blues" Epi. But they are getting scarce and expensive. Love mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Sheraton or Riviera P93 or Broadway....or.....lol There really are too many Epiphone "original designed" electric guitars to choose from. Emperor Swingster Royale, Wildkat Royale....decisions, decisions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Casino Coupe looks enticing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 ES 339 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 :mellow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I do believe the name you have chosen for yourself, here, is the correct answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 just as an aside, played around with a 339 at the store my grand kid takes drum lessons at. (not sure what variant name it was, had push pull volume pots.) for the money, I was pretty impressed. Needed a setup of course, action was quite high, the neck was rail straight and it sounded fantastic through the DRRI amp it was plugged into. if I was in the market, would have had a hard to putting it back on the rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Great suggestions, all. I am excited to go to a guitar store and give several of these a whirl. Last I checked, Sam Ash had a bit more of a selection than did GC. I will set aside a few hours and get over there. In the meantime, mandolin number three has bids on Ebay, so I am going to have the cash Sunday. I will be ready for anything up to $600. Either a used something on Ebay or Reverb, or a new Dot or 339 with case. That is why it seems best to buy online after trying one don't you think-- avoid the tax? Thanks-- missed it here. Mandolins had me in a spin. I am staying with it though, having invested in several and keeping just two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Great suggestions, all. I am excited to go to a guitar store and give several of these a whirl. Last I checked, Sam Ash had a bit more of a selection than did GC. I will set aside a few hours and get over there. In the meantime, mandolin number three has bids on Ebay, so I am going to have the cash Sunday. I will be ready for anything up to $600. Either a used something on Ebay or Reverb, or a new Dot or 339 with case. That is why it seems best to buy online after trying one don't you think-- avoid the tax? Thanks-- missed it here. Mandolins had me in a spin. I am staying with it though, having invested in several and keeping just two. for online purchase Checkout SWEETWATER! they are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I know folks sometimes think I'm a bit odd for always harping on this, but to me the "feel" of an instrument is more important than anything else. There have been excellent reviews on the new Epi 175 premium. Personally I love the 175 shape and geometry more than any other. The Joe Pass and the newer Swingsters are the same basic size. When I say "geometry" it's a matter of how the player and the instrument interact. As for music style... my only "board" guitar is a Guild S100c - pretty much the same thing as an SG. It sounds great playing about anything, even with 8-38 strings. That's pretty much the beauty of an electric - you easily can mess with the tone. That Guild sounds fine doing fingerstyle jazz to country-rock. An acoustic that "feels right" can do plenty of jazz or whatever, and an AE even more. But... does the guitar seem to help you play whatever? To me, that's the criterion. I like the 335-style guitar and the concept, but... it just feels longer-necked and narrower nut and "big" for playing. It's great for some material, but I'm really more comfortable with the 175. Others will find that's not the case for them and frankly, my hope is that each of us find the guitar shape/geometry that works best for them. m "Being odd" is usually pretty subjective...one man's logic may be another man's folly. I happen to agree with your assessment of feeling...if it don't 'speak' to me, I go on until I find one that does... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 "Being odd" is usually pretty subjective...one man's logic may be another man's folly. I happen to agree with your assessment of feeling...if it don't 'speak' to me, I go on until I find one that does... Absolutely. A guitar's match to the player is certainly as subjective to the likes and needs of the player as it is in balance with the specific features that are appealing in the guitar. I agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 I have changed my screename to hollowdan (formerly I was RivieraLEP93). I no longer have the Riviera I had previously. It became a mandolin. How does the Wildcat stack up with the 339, the Coupe or the LP Florentine? I would tend to think that with these smaller bodied Epiphones that there are distinct differences. I am more the ES335 shape and size, though the Casino's lightness is very appealing. That is enough rambling for now. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for the time and ideas you might share.--hollowdan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 I have narrowed my ideas to the ES 335 Pro, Dot, Sheraton, Casino, and possibly an Ibanez along the same lines. I am limited to about $500. Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 If it was me, probably be leaning towards a Sheraton II Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollowdan Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 If it was me, probably be leaning towards a Sheraton II They certainly do play nicely. I am impressed with the fit and finish-- the f holes are bound, among other things. The neck is a bit chunkier, but I am comfortable with a larger neck. Do you have one Kidblast? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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