Hollow vs. Semihollow Electrics

[Scott Fraser]

The best Asian Epiphones were the older Korean built Samick Sheraton IIs.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I own a '97 Sheraton (Samick built) that looks, plays and sounds like a much more expensive guitar. This excellence was recently enhanced by upgrading the pots and caps and installing a pair of StewMac Parson Street Alnico II humbuckers (thanks, Caevan). She is a joy to play.

 

Do you know about the Guitar Dater Project site?

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx

Just type in your Epiphone serial number & it tells you where & when it was built. I mention it since it may turn out that our favorite Epiphones may be great because they were made by Peerless. I don't know if Peerless was making 335 style Epiphones but the fully hollow archtops from that period were Peerless.

[Caevan O’Shite]

 

All this talk about Epi's and hollow bodies caused me to drag that ES-175 out last night. What a great little guitar to play coming through my little Hot Rod Deluxe 112 tuber! I'm going to change out of those flatwounds and go round wound nickel. I want to bring back some of the unplugged acoustic sound, string squeak and all LOL!

 

I S0O0O0O0O0O0O0 HIGHLY recommend DR Pure Blues for that... I favor their .011" - .050" set for Gibson Les Paul/ES types and scale-lengths. Fuller, more robust mids and low-mids, and they feel great, too!

[Fred_C]

@Scott,

 

I just confirmed that my Sheraton SN#S97074621 was in fact made in the Samick factory in July 1997.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Regards,

 

Fred

 

 

[Larryz]

Thanks Caevan! However, I'm a stickler on having a wound 3rd on all my axes. The DR 11-50's have a plain 3rd and you have to go to 12's in order to get a wound 3rd. 12's are a little too heavy a gauge for my liking. D'Addario makes a set of 11-49 nickel wound with a wound 3rd so I'm going to try them first. I would like a plain 3rd for less squeak and bending but I don't bend more than a 1/4 or so anymore. The plain 3rd just doesn't work for my ear on the open chords. I have liked running 10's and it's easy to find a wound 3rd on electric flatwounds and all acoustic string sets. Round wounds not so easy, if at all, in the 10 gauge electric and very few in the 11's on electrics. I can handle 11's and prefer that gauge on my acoustics so I'm going to try them on the 175 and if they don't feel right, I'll give those DR's a try! Thanks again...

[Scott Fraser]

I S0O0O0O0O0O0O0 HIGHLY recommend DR Pure Blues for that... I favor their .011" - .050" set for Gibson Les Paul/ES types and scale-lengths. Fuller, more robust mids and low-mids, and they feel great, too!

 

I'll agree with that. They just feel so smooth, almost like they're lightly oiled. I wish they had a coated version for less squeak, though.

[Delta]

Little did I realize the wealth of info that would come pouring out when I started this thread. So much to digest. My next question would be; for blues based rock and rock/jazz fusion on a semi hollow, what would you go with as far as a pickup configuration. I know that it would depend on the guitar itself, but I would appreciate some opinions. Thanks in advance.

[Larryz]

@ Delta, I like having two pickups (like my 57 USA Gibson Humbuckers) and a 3way. I like having separate volume controls for blending in the middle position. Many of the overseas jazz guitars are using EPI pickups so they would probably work just as well. Except that on my EPI, they chose to use the Gibsons LOL! Anyway, a good humbucker front and rear will get you by on Jazz, Rock, Country, etc. IMHO.

 

@ Scott and Caevan, I have been waiting for years for someone to come up with some polished recording strings for less squeak. This is what I use on my classical strung nylon guitars. Well I finally found some new ones being put out by Pyramid and they are on the way. They should have a whole lot of less squeak without the dull thump of flatwounds (which are the king of no squeak). I ordered the 11's (which should work out on my ES-175 Epi and I'll keep you posted on how they work out). They do have some lighter gauge 10's which is what I have been using but I'm opting for a little heavier gauge...

[Fred_C]

@Bro. Larry,

 

Strings & Beyond carries D'Addario single wound 3rds in several gauges. You can essentially use any set you want, add the appropriate gauge wound 3rd and you'd be good to go.

 

 

[Larryz]

Thanks Brother Fred, +1 Strings and Beyond is where I found the Pyramids. I'm not sure if the 11's that I ordered have a wound 3rd, but I will soon find out. I'm pretty sure the 10's have a plain 3rd but the main thing I have been looking for is the polished strings. They will be half way between a round wound and a flat wound as far as string squeak and brightness. I have used D'Addario flat wound 10's with a wrapped 3rd for many years and I like them. But, then again if I can get a brighter sound, I have to give the polished Pyramids a try...

[Mark Schmieder]

I've been thinking about trying the Pyramids on my Hagstrom Viking Baritone thin body. Then I saw an ad this month for LaBella's new "Pyramid Gold" wannabe's at half the price. But as I hate the new LaBella nickel plated bass strings I tried recently, I'm not terribly confident in their recent branching out into a bunch of new strings vs. their traditional flat wound bass strings ("Deep Talkin' Bass").

[Larryz]

@ Mark, I used to use Thomastik-infeld flatwounds but now they are way overpriced at $26 a set. La Bella Jazz Flats run $20 a set. I've been using D'Addario Chromes at $11 a set. These new Pyramid Nickel Classic Hand Polished 11-50's run $14 a set (10-46 are $11 a set). I'm not familiar with the bass strings by La Bella or Pyramid. Pyramid Gold Flatwounds for guitar run $22 a set. I didn't know La Bella made a "Pyramid Gold" and it sounds like La Bella is using the same name if the ad is correct...I wonder if they are the same company?

[Fred_C]

I've been using DA EPN115 (11-48 Pure Nickel) on all three of my Hollow bodies and DA EXL115w (11-49 wound third) on my semi-hollow Sheraton. I used the EXL115w set on all my guitars for many years before switching to pure Nickel on the hollow bodies for the added warmth a few years ago.

 

Both sets are well under $10.

 

[Fred_C]

Afterthought:

 

Maybe I'll take my own advice, buy a few single wound thirds and make a custom set of Pure Nickels. I bet they would sound nice.

[Larryz]

Brother Fred, I was doing the wound 3rd trick in my old country rock band from 79 through about 83 or so by ordering singles. I had a Les Paul and really enjoyed the sound of a wound 3rd when playing open chords and leads using the open 3rd string. The smallest gauge I could find was a 18w. I had a whole bunch of plain 3rds in a box. I gave all of them to my fishing buddy who made lures out of them LOL! Later in life D'Addario made a blues/jazz set in 10's with a wound 3rd. It's easy to find the heavy 12's, Flatwound 10's and acoustic 10's with wound 3rd sets. I'm trying to beef up to 11's as it gets a little easier. +1 in your recommendation though of making your own custom sets as singles are much easier to order these days!

[DocPate]

+1 Fred on the singles... Only way to go as far as I'm concerned.

 

Beats heck out of those old black diamond sets of finger killers that was us rural folks only choice.

[Fred_C]

@Doc Pate.

 

I recall using Black Diamond strings during my first year playimg (1964). They were crap strings.

[Larryz]

The hand polished Pyramids came in and they are 11, 14, 20W 30 42 50. I haven't put them on yet, but I am a very happy camper with the string gauge with a wound 3rd. I'll update again later on how they work on the Epiphone ES-175. I used the guitar for the 1st time at a gig last night and was very happy with it. The flatwounds worked fine but I'm hoping to get some brighter sound with more sustain using the round core nickel wrapped hand polished strings. Hopefully they will also squeak less than regular strings...

[CEB]

+1 Fred on the singles... Only way to go as far as I'm concerned.

 

Beats heck out of those old black diamond sets of finger killers that was us rural folks only choice.

 

That is what I started on. The local drug store sold them when I was a boy.

[DocPate]

One thing about Black Diamond, widespread distribution. I even found them at gas stations.

I remember when I got my first set of med. Martin nickel strings.. Lived in Sparta TN at the time and the music outlet kept them in stock for Lester Flatt.

 

Not that any of this affects hollow body vs semi.

 

[Larryz]

I think string gauges get a little heavier on Hollow and SemiHollow electrics than they do on solid bodies like Strats and LP's. I remember the days when Black Diamond strings could be found anywhere to include drugstores. They would do in a pinch until you could get to a music store somewhere.

 

Speaking of heavier strings (i.e. 11-50 with the wrapped 3rd), I just threw the Pyramid Hand Polished strings on my ES-175 and they are going to work out fine! The round cores help with tone and sustain. I did have to increase the volume levels a bit, but I think I've found my favorite string for electric hollow bodies. The intonation stayed very close so I may wait till the strings break in before trying any adjustments. Maybe just a very little tad sharp at the 12th fret, but using harmonics at he 12th, they are dead on. I may just put them on my other guitars (to include trying them on an acoustic/electric). Little or no squeak, not as stiff or as dull as flatwounds, which makes me a very happy camper!!

[DocPate]

Adding a bit to the "HOLLOW BODY" thoughts, I've found over the years the more an acoustic guitar is played, the easier it is to get the soundboard (top) moving, ergo better sustain, tone, resonance, whatever that magical sound is called. When my old J45 Gibson was new, it took pretty heavy strings to get a good tone to my old brass ears. As it aged and was played heavily, I found I could move down a couple of gauges to get the same ring and thump!

[Mark Schmieder]

I'm thinking of getting D'addario EXL 10.5's for my new Eastman T486-RB semi-hollow thinline guitar.

 

The strings it came with are truly awful. Not sure what they are.

 

This guitar likely would not be happy with flat-wound strings. It is not a bright guitar, which makes me quite happy as Epi's are always too bright for me.

 

A wound third would be a big problem on this particular guitar, technically. I'll have to be careful to avoid such sets.

[Larryz]

My new go to strings are the "Hand Polished" Pyramid 11-50's nickel round wound with a wrapped 3rd. They make them in 10's with a plain 3rd. The wrapped strings are on a round core instead of hex so they bend easier than flat wounds. They do not squeak and are very similar to running flats but they are a little brighter. The 10's run about $11 bucks a set at Strings and Beyond .com. Great recording and jazz strings...

[Mark Schmieder]

The new D'angelico strings are a similar concept. I wouldn't try them on a 335, but maybe on my EXL-1.

[Larryz]

I looked for hand polished D'Angelico new strings and couldn't find them on JustStrings or Strings and Beyond. They only have the new strings D'Angelico in several gauges (wound or plain 3rds) zinc infused EXP coated strings that are made by D'Addario...maybe there are more new ones coming, but I could not find them.

 

The Pyramid hand polished strings are pure nickel and are not coated. The D'Angelico will most likely be brighter but they will squeak more than the Pyramids. I'm trying to get away from coated strings. My buddy tried the hand polished on his new jazz box and he's sold. I just ordered 4 more sets of the 11-50's yesterday as I prefer a wound 3rd. The 10's come with a plain 3rd. Anyway Mark, hope you find the set that works best for you on your new baby!

 

[Mark Schmieder]

Larry, I had trouble finding full specs on the D'angelico and had read a misleading review at some magazine (maybe Premier Guitar), so apologize for the incorrect comparison. I didn't think they were coated!

 

There are several Pyramid sets I've been waiting to try on bass, guitar, and folk instruments. I have specific matches I want to try though, and don't yet own the bass I want to try them on (Hofner Verythin Bass). I want to try their Octave Mandolin strings as well, but am not sure I want flats on it.

[Larryz]

No worries Mark, I have fun researching strings. Those two sites JustStrings and Strings and Beyond, are great places to find just about any brand and type of string and they have good prices too! The shipping and handling is a bit steep if you only buy a set or two...

[Mark Schmieder]

Surprisingly though, their information is not always complete. Sometimes I find good info at manufacturer sites -- especially D'addario, who recently re-did their site and have useful tension comparison charts.

[Larryz]

+1 on the actual manufacture sites. http://www.daddario.com/DaddarioHome.Page?ActiveID=2626&sid=fcc37670-4ce1-4b8c-bb87-50439ccfb346 <---- D'Addario is a good one...

[Mark Schmieder]

I picked up the top-end Epiphone De Luxe Masterbilt 17" solid-spruce f-hole arch-top hollowbody acoustic guitar today, and am blown away by the workmanship, artistry, and purity of sound.

 

So warm and even, up and down the neck, and very projective. I didn't even bother plugging it in yet. It has a sound all of its own, but may make my D'angelico EXL-1 redundant; we'll see.

 

Really nice-playing "Rounded C" neck shape, even if narrow at the nut (1.69" like an Ibanez vs. 1.84" like D'angelico).

 

Ebony fingerboard, which I always prefer to rosewood when available.

 

No bag or case; I don't mind spending on the case but it could be a long wait. I'll see if my Gator jumbo case (for my Alvarez baritone) fits it when I get home. Or I'll order the Epi case.

 

Honey finish, satin vs. gloss, and flame maple sides/back. Not as much arch overall as the more typical later-styled electro-acoustic models.

 

This one has a piezo under the bridge. Reviews rave about it. I only played it acoustically, and found it's even good for rockabilly and early rock'n'roll (50's/60's/70's).

 

I'll definitely be sticking to rounds on this one vs. flats, but do prefer flats on my Ibanez Pat Metheny maple-top jazzer (which is short scale and 16" wide).