canon_mutant Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Well, love playing blues on my Strat or my TL60T Carvin [Tele-kinda-sorta-type guitar but with a solid walnut body and custom electronics = not really in a good way] but to me you just cannot beat a semi-hollow for blues warmth. And if I ever have a semi-hollow with P90s I'll probably like that even better. But, bottom line, the sound in your head is what matters. Not mine. A-B as many guitars as you can on the same amp [iMPORTANT!] and enjoy every minute of it . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I'm gonna put one more plug in for an Epi semi or 175. Here's why, and tone ain't really where I'm going because "we" may care, but almost any guitar will get you into blues and almost any electric will play loud stuff with roughly similar tone. It's the shape itself that will change your head. You will play a semi differently even if you try not to - because of the shape. Ditto the thicker 175 or even up into a big archtop. A solidbody is a solidbody. With the same neck and basically the same body geometry for the picker, you'll do very similar pickin' whether it's a tele or a strat. The sound is a bit different, but... Then if you get into HB solidbodies, it's more or less the same thing, although some like this shape or that. Although the semi may not seem that much thicker than the solidbody, especially the full size Gibbies and Epis and the copies thereof, bring a different body geometry. For example, I would have sworn that the Dot had a narrower nut than it's supposed to be. Nope, the ruler said that ain't so. It was my body geometry because of the shape of the guitar body. Look at BB on Youtube, an old or new vid, and you'll see a different physical presence compared to the solidbody picker. Clapton on strat for example or Roy Buchanan on tele set up with a different physical geometry. At your age you have two choices: Work to get a solidbody technique improvement or diversify and see how the hollow or semi will bring out a different perspective on technique. Even the Epi recent necks and shallower radius will bring technical change that, if you keep your thoughts on what's easier and what's different and how you might consider a bit different technique... Heck, I'm old enough to be your grandfather and I'm still looking at different ways to do the different kinds of music I like to play - on different types of guitars. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I think MILOD actually has a good point about the semi-hollow. Mainly, you seem to be stretching and searching, and the semi-hollow is one guitar you don't have. There seems to be something "missing" about what you have the does not seem "bluesy" enough. Perhaps it is in the 335 style? Having said that, depending on what TYPE of blues you are looking to do, ALL of the guitars mentioned will do great blues in one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
This_Dying_Soul Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have to agree with Milod and Stein. If you don't have a semi or full hollowbody model yet, this will bring about a different way playing because of the other ways that you'd have to compensate for the body. It's a different feel compared to a solidbody - the tone is somewhat different, but there's also having to adapt to a body size that is going to be much different from what you're used to. I've been going through a similar dilema over the past few years. I'd gotten my dream guitar, allowing me to get all sorts of tones I'd been chasing for years, except for one particular sound that I was close to - despite having the guitar most people associate with the group the tone eluded me (I was close but no cigar). My next guitar was a Gretsch hollowbody - BINGO! I'd found the secret to AC/DC's tone... it wasn't just the SG, but the way that the SG and the Gretsch tones blended together. Malcom doesn't use a hollowbody very much, and he uses different pickups than the G6120 has, but the trademark Gretsch sound was there. Still I was not happy... because after all that, there were several tones I was after that still eluded me. My next 2 guitars were the often imitated and never quite duplicated Gibson Les Paul and Fender Strat. Sure lots of guitars attempt to recreate these 2 guitar's characters, and many come close, but not quite. Now, some may say that I'm not quite there yet, but I feel I've got all the electric guitar's needed to get any tone I desire from an electric. The American Deluxe Strat even produces tones that remind me of a tele when you turn on the S1 switch. My next guitar purchase is likely to be some sort of acoustic - not sure exactly what yet... always liked the look and sound of resonator guitars, but feel I might be better served to start off with a dreadnaught or some other more traditional acoustic. I like to think I'd prefer a cutaway model, but after I start to explore this area of guitar, I may decide it's not necessary. But for now, I feel that if I expect to do any sort of guitar solos on an acoustic the cutaway would be a handy feature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I'd try some semi hollow bodies. I was going to say an ES 339, killer for blues, jazz and will rock your socks off but they are not in your budget. You might find a used one for a little more. Can you trim your food and alcohol budget? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 dying soul... You might try an inexpensive solution to a flattop that kinda shocked me when I got one: the Epi PR5e. It's AE, a relatively small body, Florentine cutaway like some of the old Gibbie flattops... Frankly I found it exceptionally easy to play with my light picking style and Zebra 9-42 strings. But I didn't think it was all that marvelous sounding as an acoustic. Not even electrified. Then I got some feedback I respected from a Brit video crew, including a couple of guys who do music vids and such. They knew I was trying out a new guitar. I hadn't said if it was expensive or a cheapie, just that I was trying a new one. The word was "It sounded marvelous." It was plugged into the PA direct. It was under $400 US with a nicely fitting hard case. $300 from MF without. It may need setup; I lowered the action a bit and messed with the neck a little. It's not a dread to pound on for bluegrass, but... I found the playability to be excellent. I think it would do quite nicely for old fingerpicked blues or light flatpicking for about anything and it's not expensive. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aster1 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Krock, Don't know why I didn't suggest it, but have you tried a Casino? Just love them myself. I have just average fingers for length (not short or long) and the thin neck does it for me. Love the sound of the Single coil pups & the hollow body. I agree with T.D. soul about a Gretsch as well. A Duo-Jet is way out of the price but I have a Electromatic ProJet and a G-5122DC ( kind of like a Country Gent) looks, plays & sounds too. Not single coils on that but nice, really nice. Put GFS pups in the ProJet and it's sounding great. Like the Duo-Jet better but not getting ride of the Pro-Jet if that tells you something. PJet is a heavy git however, well like a tele. Aster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 A used Gibby 339, or, Epi has a couple of 339s now....several models.....Or, get an Epi "Wildcat"......They're monsters, and cheap !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 A Studio with p90's. +1 Epis are great but a few quid over £600 will get you a LP Studio or SG tribute with P90s from Thomann. Both would be fantastic for blues either clean or gritty. For what you want to play there's no need for a lesser quality Semi, IMHO. Get yourself a Gibby, mate. You won't regret it. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lespaulj45 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Im looking to buy my 4th guitar. Ive got my MK guitar with buckers that I use as my raw gibby sort of sound but I wanted something that was better suited to blues. What would you suggest? A strat? A tele? Any suggestions are welcome. My budget is around £600. I cant really afford to go over by much because, being a student, I should actually be spending this money on food and alcohol. Thanks in advance. Krock After collecting guitars for a number of years the only guitar I actually lust after at this point would be a 1957 Gretsch Country Gentleman-awesome guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Im looking to buy my 4th guitar. Ive got my MK guitar with buckers that I use as my raw gibby sort of sound but I wanted something that was better suited to blues. What would you suggest? A strat? A tele? Any suggestions are welcome. My budget is around £600. I cant really afford to go over by much because, being a student, I should actually be spending this money on food and alcohol. Thanks in advance. Krock Owning and playing both strat and tele, you can't go wrong with either playing blues or whatever. Most of the tone is from you [tongue] By bluesguitar65 at 2011-10-04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Epi is building some good stuff, check out the Epi Nighthawk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buliwyf Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 How about a EPI Sheraton not very expensive,especially used and the semi hollow body gives you a big open blues tone.I had a dark sunburst one years ago and it just dripped the blues,too bad I was playing mostly metal so I sold it.I'm leaning toward a semi or hollow sound for the blues,cant hurt to try one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 How about a EPI Sheraton not very expensive,especially used and the semi hollow body gives you a big open blues tone.I had a dark sunburst one years ago and it just dripped the blues,too bad I was playing mostly metal so I sold it.I'm leaning toward a semi or hollow sound for the blues,cant hurt to try one. I'd been thinking about posting this......Sheratons are affordable, and better looking than Epi dots......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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