Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post - A heathenous question - thoughts/advice on semi-hollows?

wooderson · January 2nd, 2008, 10:52 PM

When I decided to try learning again, I was pretty set on a Telecaster, but I'm starting to waver a little...

Went to Guitar Center again today to do some browsing, tried to get a feel for how different necks might feel. (Can't really 'play' them.)

Just didn't care for the Standard Teles they had - no '50s or '60s Classics or Highway 1s to try those necks.

There was a Gibson Vintage Mahogany Les Paul I liked, and an SG Classic w/ P-90s. Both were a bit of above my pay grade for now, though.

However, there were three guitars that really felt good in my hands were an Epiphone Casino, Dot and an Ibanez Artcore I didn't catch the model on. Seemed like all three fell somewhere in between the Les Pauls and Fenders in size, and were smoother than the Fenders.

I'm not going to be jumping in front a crowd any time soon, and I listen to everything, but my main interests are primarily indie-rock (the noisy and rockin' vein - 50 Ft. Wave, Sleater-Kinney, Fugazi, Pixies, Mazzy Star) to old punk and some alt-country ala Whiskeytown/Uncle Tupelo/Old 97's.

So I think the questions are - any reason a good semi-hollow body (Dot/Casino/Sheraton/Rivieraa or an Artcore) would be inappropriate for a learner?

Are the Epiphones pretty solid in the quality department? Eager to learn how to do setups and basic care, but I don't think I'm ready to brave any major surgery or fixing frets while learning.

Aside from the Epis and Artcores, are there other semi-hollows I should look at in the sub-$700 vein?

Still hoping to try out a few more Teles (good enough for Joe Strummer, good enough for me), but I think I really fell for the archtop feel.

January 2nd, 2008, 10:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
wooderson Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: DFW, TX Age: 27 Posts: 177	A heathenous question - thoughts/advice on semi-hollows? When I decided to try learning again, I was pretty set on a Telecaster, but I'm starting to waver a little... Went to Guitar Center again today to do some browsing, tried to get a feel for how different necks might feel. (Can't really 'play' them.) Just didn't care for the Standard Teles they had - no '50s or '60s Classics or Highway 1s to try those necks. There was a Gibson Vintage Mahogany Les Paul I liked, and an SG Classic w/ P-90s. Both were a bit of above my pay grade for now, though. However, there were three guitars that really felt good in my hands were an Epiphone Casino, Dot and an Ibanez Artcore I didn't catch the model on. Seemed like all three fell somewhere in between the Les Pauls and Fenders in size, and were smoother than the Fenders. I'm not going to be jumping in front a crowd any time soon, and I listen to everything, but my main interests are primarily indie-rock (the noisy and rockin' vein - 50 Ft. Wave, Sleater-Kinney, Fugazi, Pixies, Mazzy Star) to old punk and some alt-country ala Whiskeytown/Uncle Tupelo/Old 97's. So I think the questions are - any reason a good semi-hollow body (Dot/Casino/Sheraton/Rivieraa or an Artcore) would be inappropriate for a learner? Are the Epiphones pretty solid in the quality department? Eager to learn how to do setups and basic care, but I don't think I'm ready to brave any major surgery or fixing frets while learning. Aside from the Epis and Artcores, are there other semi-hollows I should look at in the sub-$700 vein? Still hoping to try out a few more Teles (good enough for Joe Strummer, good enough for me), but I think I really fell for the archtop feel.