Hollow-body guitars

James · Post by **James** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:38 pm

I'm looking at getting a fully hollow guitar but thin like an ES-335 rather than deep like an ES-175. What are some options for this? I know of the Gibson ES-330, Epi Casino and Fender Coronado but I'm sure there are lots more.

I'm not too fussed about the spec at the moment because I'm at the stage of just considering what's available but so far I'm thinking two pickups, at least one cutaway and preferably a long tailpiece setup (rather than something like a TOM or wraparound). It's potentially not very important but it'd be nice to get something in a solid colour rather than sunburst, though also not SG style cherry.

My budget is quite wide-ranging because I'd happily spend more on a nice enough guitar but I'd also be ok with something quite cheap if it was good enough to last a while. So I guess I'd say Â£200-1,500 but I'm probably most likely to buy one in the Â£500-1,000 range. Having that wide a budget is actually part of the problem. Too many options.

For what it's worth I absolutely love these (the gretsch isn't that thin and only has one pickup but it looks nice) -

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hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:01 pm

i have no info for you, chap, as i thought of only the coronado as being the only thinline hollow i knew of.

i thought casinos and 330's were semi-hollow.

i think the gretsch 5122(?) double cuts are hollow thins, though.

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like $700 i think, so probably at the low end of your budget spectrum. anywho, good luck. i can't wait to see what you find along your journey.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:08 pm

I'm not really too worried about the budget part of it. I'll spend the money on a LPB coronado if I find one not at silly dealer prices but I don't mind buying something considerably cheaper to do the same job.

If I manage to find something it will mean the sale of my ES-175 copy, so I want it to be at least as nice as that.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:11 pm

the gibson es-120t or the epiphone granada are hollow body thinline guitars and are virtually identical. The only guff would be that they don't have a cutaway. Gorgeous guitars though, they fetch nicely for a vintage guitar. Definitely something I've been looking at picking up.

Adding a t to the end of a guitar label, such as the es-120 or the es-125 will produce some thinline results, no clue how many of the es models were also made thinline though.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:15 pm

what about tim's hagstrom viking? aren't those fully hollow?

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:15 pm

epiphone les paul sig

[youtube][/youtube]

mine with p90's installed, there is only a small block of wood for the TOM/Bridge

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:34 pm

I don't think you can afford a decent es330 for less than Â£1500 ish, so that's right at the top of your budget.

60s Hagstrom Vikings are hollow yes, and probably the prettiest guitars of this type, but they're an aquired taste- the pickups are hot single coils, which if you get the metal-based bridge results in much more treble response than these other guitars. The necks are also quite skinny and narrow.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:38 pm

I'd get a 339 if i had gobs of cash laying around

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:40 pm

Haze wrote:I'd get a 339 if i had gobs of cash laying around

That's an semi-hollow guitar- it has a solid block o wood running down the middle.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:46 pm

Inspired by John Lennon Casino? Or a used Elitist Casino? Honestly, there's not much better until you get into Eastmans and such.

Or get this:

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hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:48 pm

what a distorted, ugly hunk of crap.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:50 pm

hotrodperlmutter wrote:what a distorted, ugly hunk of crap.

Ahahaha. TRUE!

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:59 pm

This is currently my favorite guitar. I paid $200 for mine and another $300 to do structural repair to the neck pocket area since it had serious issues....well worth it. Mine is the deluxe model with brass hardware, but you can find original base models for under $700 on a regular basis. Same thing with less bling. I've never played a Coronado, but they're pretty similar guitars in a similar price range. Only thing is, I've seen others like mine with neck joint issues. They're amazing guitars if you get a solid one, but I would never buy one from someone who didn't know guitars.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:02 pm

Get thee to the 'Coronadoes at Elderly' thread and buy that VI.

Not the XII, though: I'd rock a seven string before I lowered myself to a poxy twelve string...

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:14 pm

I still use that Westfield 335, it sounds and plays great. Snobs might not like the decal but im past that shit, its a working guitar which is what i need. One day i might buy a proper hollow body and polish every day after rubbing my wang on it.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:17 pm

Fran wrote:One day i might buy a proper hollow body and polish every day after rubbing my wang on it.

do you has a greasy wang, fran?

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:18 pm

That Eastman is amazing looking, but I'm not sure about the colour.

I'm quite sure Aria Pro II made something like this that was nice. Here's an informative webpage with the Aria Pro II model name followed by the Gibson guitar in brackets:

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/hollow.html

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:33 pm

benecol wrote:Get thee to the 'Coronadoes at Elderly' thread and buy that VI.

Not the XII, though: I'd rock a seven string before I lowered myself to a poxy twelve string...

why no xii love?

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 12:28 am

smurfstock

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:08 am

timhulio wrote:
hotrodperlmutter wrote:what a distorted, ugly hunk of crap.
Ahahaha. TRUE!

Seriously? I think it's marvelous. I'd grab it in a second if I had the cash - those Eastmans have an amazing feel.