[slejhamer]

Anyone using these or know anything about them?

I'm trying to find something that will give me the classic jangly sound of Rickenbacker, but I can't afford the Rick pricetag. I also want a hollow or semi-hollow body for playing unamped at night.

My wife said I can get a new guitar for Christmas, but my budget is going to be in the US$300 range.

Looking around the web, I keep finding positive reviews for this series. What do you think? Any other low-priced hollow bodies to consider?

[slejhamer]

Thinking about this orange semi-hollow:

[Petographer]

Hey Mitch, you do music? Or are you just starting?

[Rufus]

http://www.soundtech.co.uk/washburn/HB30

http://www.guvnor.com/guvnor/StoreItemDe...%20Limited

http://www.guvnor.com/guvnor/StoreItemDe...es%20Music

http://www.axlusa.com/Html/product.html (aeg12)



Or EBAY!

HTH

[slejhamer]

Hey Mitch, you do music? Or are you just starting?

Heh heh ... well, I've been "starting" guitar since about age 8 ...

Took lessons for a while in classical guitar, got VERY bored with it (I blame the teacher!); played in a band during high school; studied some in college; tried teaching myself classical again 5 or 6 years ago ... now my girls sit in the playroom strumming (really bashing) the guitar and it got me inspired to pick it up again.

Then today in church (contemporary service) my wife commented on one of the guitars being so nice, and I said I was thinking about getting one ... first she laughed, but then she said, "for Christmas." Whoo hoo!

[slejhamer]

Rufus, thanks for those links! I will check them out.

I did see one very interesting model on Ebay too.

Lots of opportunities in this price range!

[de_axeman]

Hi slej, don't have any experience playing with hollow-bodies..... yet, but I hear the Epiphone Dot is a nice axe... I think adam has one - care to comment adam?

[slejhamer]

Thanks Axeman!

From what I've seen the Epi is a little pricey against the comparable Ibanez and Washburn.

I'm convinced these $300 guitars all come from the same factory in China, so it may just be a matter of finding the best deal for the given features.

Okay Adam, what do you say?

[de_axeman]

Ooo.. yes, the Epi is a little out of the price range you stated.

Have you tested out any of them yet? Perhaps just doing that will help you make a decision....

[slejhamer]

Not yet; I'll try to head over to Guitar Center next weekend.

I need to practice a couple riffs first, so I don't look like an idiot when I'm testing out the gear.

[de_axeman]

Hehehe.. yes - I'm sure the the salesfolk at Guitar Centre will go postal if they hear another "Voodoo Child" or "Purple Haze" intro...

[shuttertalk]

I need to practice a couple riffs first, so I don't look like an idiot when I'm testing out the gear.

Haha, so that's what you're supposed to do. Everytime I step into a guitar shop, I feel really stupid when they hand me the guitar and I'm like... err... strumming some G and D chords....


I'm thinking of getting an electric too actually, as I want to learn to become more versatile in church music. Currently I just play rhythm on an accoustic... "Christmas" eh?


By the way, I'm like you Mitch - I started off doing classical from about 10 up until the end of high school and got fed up of it.

[slejhamer]

I started off doing classical from about 10 up until the end of high school and got fed up of it.

Yeah, the funny thing is I like playing baroque-style guitar (though I'm pretty terrible at it!) I really think if I'd had a better teacher I'd have stuck with it longer.

Anyway, I'm having second thoughts about the hollow body electric. Last night I was in the basement plucking away at my little Epi classical guitar (the sound of which can best be described as "subdued,") when my wife yells down that I'm being too loud. I asked her to shut the basement door, but she said it was already shut ... :o

So now I'm thinking that I need something more quiet - like a solid-body that I can listen to on headphones. I still want a jangly/indy sound, so that probably puts me in the telecaster camp. Unfortunately, I'm not finding much that interests me in the under-$300 range. Any suggestions?

[Rufus]

Change wives.

[slejhamer]

Bad dog! Bad!

[de_axeman]

Heheh - nice one slej....

If volume is your issue, perhaps you can look at changing other things in your rig, rather than your guitar?

What sort of an amp are you using? If you're using a 100-watt amp, perhaps a change of amp would suit you better? Something like a 10-30 watt practice amp might be more suitable?

I know some amps only sound good when you crank it up, but if you go down to a smaller amp, you can crank it up and not have it blow the neighbourhood away?

Alternatively, there are other gadgets out there that let you get great tone at reasonable volumes like attenuators (THD Hotplate, etc), or the Korg Pandora, which you can plug your axe into and listen through earphones...

[Rufus]

Bad dog! Bad!

[shuttertalk]

So now I'm thinking that I need something more quiet - like a solid-body that I can listen to on headphones. I still want a jangly/indy sound, so that probably puts me in the telecaster camp. Unfortunately, I'm not finding much that interests me in the under-$300 range. Any suggestions?

Maybe some "imitation" ones that come from China/Korea? Evertime I go to the guitar shop, this salesman raves on and on about how good quality they are (I think they're called "Legend" brand, but there may be others) for the money... *shrug*

Samick have a "Greg Bennett" line as well...

[slejhamer]

Axeman - thank you for the suggestions; I should have been more clear though: My wife was complaining about my mellow classical acoustic guitar being too loud.

So my concern is that a hollow body electric, which is more-or-less an acoustic with pickups, will also be too loud even unamped. A solid body, on the other hand, would not generate the same acoustic sound and should thus be more acceptable to my wife and the sleeping kids.

And no, changing the "spousal gear" is not an option, Rufus!

ST, in this price range, they're pretty much all imitations from China or Korea, unless they are really low end which seem to come from Indonesia. I am familiar with Samick - they make a lot of models for other companies, and I'll be sure to check out their goods when I get to the guitar shop. Thanks!

[de_axeman]

Mellow acoustic guitar being too loud??!?!?! :o

Oh dear... yes well a solidbody will be as quiet as you can go, and if you use that through a Pandora, or similar, then you and your wife can get the best of both worlds.

[shuttertalk]

Or you can just play some "air guitar" ...

[slejhamer]

if you use that through a Pandora, or similar, then you and your wife can get the best of both worlds.

A pandora - would I still need an amp, or can I just plug 'phones into the Pandora? I assume you mean the Korg PX- models?

Or you can just play some "air guitar" ...

But I am already a monster air guitar player!

[de_axeman]

Yes, you can just plug straight into a Pandora - no need for an amp. I've never tried one though, so I can't tell you what it sounds like, but you can test it out at the store before you buy I guess?

[slejhamer]

Cool; thanks! There are a few for sale on ebay; the older model PX3 looks inexpensive. I'll see if I can play with one at the shop.