rugby1970 Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 Need a semi-hollow body guitar and can't afford the usual high profile/price candidates. Thoughts or experiences? Thanks in advance.
HamerCustomEr Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 Most Echotones have 1-5/8 width nuts. If you can live with that, then they are probably great value for the money. I would have taken the plunge myself if not for the narrow nut.
Biz Prof Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 Ibanez Artcore series (AS 70 and up) is an excellent value, although you might prefer different pickups. I got my AS73 loaded with Gibson '57 Classic/Classic+ pickups and OHSC for $270 about four years ago.
BubbaVO Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 Have you checked out the Epi ES- Les Paul? Good reviews. Bang for buck.
Travis Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 How much are you looking to spend? Considered an Epiphone Dot or Sheraton?
Travis Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 6 minutes ago, rugby1970 said: My limit is $700......unfortunately. https://guitarglissando.com/the-best-semi-hollow-body-guitar-under-700/
Jim85IROC Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 I have 3 semi hollows currently. I have an Ibanez AS93 with the stock Super 58 pickups, a Firefly FF338 and an Epi es-335 that I just got done working on today. The Epi and the Ibanez really feel pretty much the same, and going back and forth they seem to sound pretty much the same too. The firefly feels pretty similar, but it's a full pound lighter than the other two, so it hangs nice and light on the strap. The pickups sound great for such cheap pickups, but they're a more modern sounding pickup (hotter, darker) than the other two. Out of the box, the Ibanez had the best setup and playability. Second was the Firefly. The firefly needed a setup including truss rod adjustment, action and intonation. Fretwork was pretty good. The epi needed the fret ends filed, the frets polished and the intonation set. At 1/3 the price if the other 2, the Firefly is hard to beat.
Carl.B Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 Here is a bargain at Dave's for $199. https://www.davesguitar.com/collections/all-products-latest/products/ff-338-recent
HamerCustomEr Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Carl.B said: Here is a bargain at Dave's for $199. https://www.davesguitar.com/collections/all-products-latest/products/ff-338-recent Wow, that price is with a hardshell case! It is almost like you are paying for the case, and getting a free guitar.
Jim85IROC Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 No hard case here, but Guitarsgarden still has a couple 338s in stock: https://guitarsgarden.com/collections/semi-hollow-body-electric-guitars
beezerboy Posted March 19, 2022 Posted March 19, 2022 I have 2 Echotones.... I really like them. both are MIK, both great guitars with quality workmanship. I put real Seymor Duncan PAFs in my first one (about 10 years ago) but the more recently acquired one I have left the original Duncan Design pups in place.... they sound good. the 1st I bought new, and I think it was $450 on sale. the second I paid $400 used, like new condition, with an Epiphone hard shell case. mine are at least as good as any Epiphone I have played. I think they are a heck of a deal. heres the newby...
rugby1970 Posted March 21, 2022 Author Posted March 21, 2022 Thanks to all for their opinions and referrals. I pulled the trigger late this afternoon on an Epiphone ES 339, made in 2013 at the Qingdao factory in China. Candy apple red, excellent condition, very clean, needed a minor set up (lowered the bridge and adjusted the height of the pick ups) and now plays great. I paid $400 cash, it came with a lousy Fender gig bag and was delivered to my door by the seller from 45 miles away. I'll change the strings tomorrow and give it a very thorough going over, adjust the truss rod, polish the frets, etc.
Brooks Posted March 24, 2022 Posted March 24, 2022 My pal Dave had a nice Echotone, I believe it was 25.5" scale. He stuck some GFS pups in it and it was pretty happening. I've had 2 Ibby AG75's (fully hollow, small body), crazy nice for the price, but crappy stock ceramic pups. I've had 2 Epi 339's, wasn't crazy about the neck carve or upper fret accesss. 1st one sounded real good, 2nd one didn't. I got this D'Angelico DC Mini a few weeks back, I really like it; nice neck (I like thin but not Wizard thin), good upper fret access, nice sounding Duncan design pups (Jazz & JB). Dead sexy. I took off the pickguard.
HamerCustomEr Posted March 26, 2022 Posted March 26, 2022 On 3/20/2022 at 5:17 PM, rugby1970 said: Thanks to all for their opinions and referrals. I pulled the trigger late this afternoon on an Epiphone ES 339, made in 2013 at the Qingdao factory in China. Candy apple red, excellent condition, very clean, needed a minor set up (lowered the bridge and adjusted the height of the pick ups) and now plays great. I paid $400 cash, it came with a lousy Fender gig bag and was delivered to my door by the seller from 45 miles away. I'll change the strings tomorrow and give it a very thorough going over, adjust the truss rod, polish the frets, etc. Congratulations! Pics, please!
shankyboy Posted March 26, 2022 Posted March 26, 2022 That's the one guitar I wish Hamer had made a USA version of.
Jim85IROC Posted March 26, 2022 Posted March 26, 2022 On 3/23/2022 at 8:51 PM, Brooks said: My pal Dave had a nice Echotone, I believe it was 25.5" scale. He stuck some GFS pups in it and it was pretty happening. I've had 2 Ibby AG75's (fully hollow, small body), crazy nice for the price, but crappy stock ceramic pups. I've had 2 Epi 339's, wasn't crazy about the neck carve or upper fret accesss. 1st one sounded real good, 2nd one didn't. I got this D'Angelico DC Mini a few weeks back, I really like it; nice neck (I like thin but not Wizard thin), good upper fret access, nice sounding Duncan design pups (Jazz & JB). Dead sexy. I took off the pickguard. My instructor has one of those. It's a fantastic sounding guitar. The JB sounds great in the bridge.
shankyboy Posted March 28, 2022 Posted March 28, 2022 On 3/18/2022 at 9:03 PM, Jim85IROC said: Out of the box, the Ibanez had the best setup and playability. The Art Star series from Ibanez are surprisingly well made guitars. AS180 (Left) from the nineties and an AS153 (Right) that I picked up a couple of years ago. I have yet to find a 335 style guitar of any manufacture that plays as well as either of these guitars.
rugby1970 Posted March 28, 2022 Author Posted March 28, 2022 1 hour ago, scottcald said: Love that blue pickguard! Blue guitars ARE better!!
shankyboy Posted March 28, 2022 Posted March 28, 2022 2 hours ago, scottcald said: Love that blue pickguard! Pretty cool how they matched the grain. It's quite thick so I have to take it off when I am gigging with it cause it is tough to dig in under the strings when I am picking right at the bridge.
Jim85IROC Posted March 28, 2022 Posted March 28, 2022 31 minutes ago, rugby1970 said: Blue guitars ARE better!! Based on how long it took me to sell my blue Firefly FF338 compared to the black one and the green one, I'm going to have to say that the majority disagrees. 😁 I thought it looked nice though, although not anywhere near as nice as that blue Ibanez.
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