Semi-Hollow On A Budget?

iseverynamegone

The Honda 935 linked prior or an old  Antoria will both work well for under £200. 

Phil_aka_Pip

Legionreturns said:

antifash said:

In my experience, I’ve learned that if you want the 335 sound, only a 335 will get you there (or. Heritage or some such thing). I could be wrong. But it might be worth you saving your pennies for the right beast. 

I'd say that's more true with LPs... I've played loads of really good 335 alikes by a few different makers. It's essentially a box with a solid bit down the middle and some electrics

I have a real ES-335, a Tokai ES-60 (it's dad was a 335), and a Yamaha SA2200 (who's great uncle was probably a 335) ... and they all sound TOTALLY different! Whereas I have a LP Std, and have listened to lots of other people playing LPs and LP_alikes ... and IMO with the right EQ you could make them all sound within a gnat's crotchet of each other.

Neill

mark123 said:

over the years ive had a italia semi (canny) ,hohner se35 semi (canny), thommann semi 335(crap),epiphone Sheraton x3( heavy and cumbersome headstock and too much going on inlays headstock ets) ,

and I am now left with 2 cherry epiphone dots

,the value of these is outstanding ,the Sheratons were too blingy for me and the headstock was huge ,the dot is perfect and looks class with the pickguard off ,get one off e bay for £220 easy ,Budget for a £80 set of tonerider or irongears and there you go still a lot cheaper than a Sheraton (before mods) or any other ,check out the video of how versatile it is and that's with stock pick ups !

Got to agree with this, I've owned several 335 - alikes and I used to borrow a Sheraton off a guy who was in the band once and for me the Dot beats them all.  I admit I have never tried a "real" 335 and they do say the genuine Gibson has a distinct sound but we're talking about sub £500 guitars here. 

What does let the Dot, and no doubt all the cheaper varieties, down is the volume/tone controls which IIRC are a bit all or nothing.  Most people just leave them up full anyway but even replacing the pots wouldn't break the bank.

tampaxboo

i tried one of these about a decade ago and thought they were great little guitars. they were £350ish then but seem to pop up under £200 if you pay attention. OP in this recent post very happy with theirs.
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1724943/#Comment_1724943
well under your budget used. i generally find full size f-hole semis unwearable due to tittage (depending on your build that may or may not be a consideration) but these are easy.

epi dots are much repspected if you want the full size version. they have great tone.

i've tried gretsch duojets and i think the cheaper electromatic lookalikes will probably be similar in general form, albeit aimed at a different pricepoint. you could probably find a nice duojet used for nearer the top of your budget, or the electromatic well within new.

personally, while i love the styling and tone (duojet) the necks are literally fat as f*ck, especially when you get near the neck body join. a real old school c&w 1950s lump. so i found it unplayable. it's just not my style. but if you like chunky necks i would def say try it. duojet has classic tone and even the cheaper electromatic has very decent reviews on yt.

Jez6345789

I will throw my 10 pence.
When I could not afford a full fat Gibson I went
Korean Washburn HB30/35 from 10 years ago.

good hardware well built pick them for well less than 150 2nd hand think mine cost me 120. 

i did did not change anything just a good setup rolled the fingerboard a little to get more played in feel.

in the end it was a test bed for a few humbucker but it always sounded good and had really nice Grovers and solid hardware etc.

very good guitars for no money. New Chinese I have not looked at but the Korean stuff was very good. 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

mark123 said:

over the years ive had a italia semi (canny) ,hohner se35 semi (canny), thommann semi 335(crap),epiphone Sheraton x3( heavy and cumbersome headstock and too much going on inlays headstock ets) ,

and I am now left with 2 cherry epiphone dots

,the value of these is outstanding ,the Sheratons were too blingy for me and the headstock was huge ,the dot is perfect and looks class with the pickguard off ,get one off e bay for £220 easy ,Budget for a £80 set of tonerider or irongears and there you go still a lot cheaper than a Sheraton (before mods) or any other ,check out the video of how versatile it is and that's with stock pick ups !

Thanks for that Mark, useful to know. The Sheraton is definitely off the radar now. However, you were the one who beat me to the punch by about an hour on that Epi Dot with the Oil City pickups on here the other week, so you're off my Christmas card list!   

ThePrettyDamned

SimonC said:

Keep an eye open for a Peavey Rockingham.
They're becoming pretty scarce, but used to be not much more than £100 used.
A real bargain for a real quality guitar. I believe they were actually made by Peerless, but could be wrong.

Yes. Very good guitars! 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

photek said:

Another option is the Hohner SE-35. I found them considerably better that the Epi equivalents at a similar price point. If you can find one around the £200 mark I would go and try it out.

Interesting, that's another that wasn't on my radar before. My next newbie question - are "Hohner" and "Hofner" different companies? I've seen a Hofner Verythin in a local guitar shop - are these SE-35 models from a different company?

mikem8634

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

photek said:

Another option is the Hohner SE-35. I found them considerably better that the Epi equivalents at a similar price point. If you can find one around the £200 mark I would go and try it out.

Interesting, that's another that wasn't on my radar before. My next newbie question - are "Hohner" and "Hofner" different companies? I've seen a Hofner Verythin in a local guitar shop - are these SE-35 models from a different company?

Yep, entirely different.

marktheharp

Hofner and hohner are different companies as far as I know....
The hofner verythin are pretty good but tend to hold their value more than epi dots. 
I used to have an 1988 epiphone by Gibson ' headstock sheraton(stupidly swapped it). Had a lovely 2005 chinese dot in cherry with upgraded pixkups .really great guitar with a nice chunky neck.(again stupidly swapped it)
Now have an epi sheraton in natural chinese ,slim taper D neck. Really nice guitar ,will maybe upgrade bridge humbucker and wiring.
I would say go for a epi dot or one of the new epi 335  pro ,coil tap pickups etc.... the ice T sunburst version is a lovely finish if you can find one.. or the  older Pelham blue version with bigsby(hard to find!)
Good luck with your search 

mark123

p90fool said:

photek said:

Another option is the Hohner SE-35. I found them considerably better that the Epi equivalents at a similar price point. If you can find one around the £200 mark I would go and try it out.

Wis'd I had one, and it was a great guitar, with loads of lovely little quality details, like beautifully screened pickup cavities and perfect fretwork. 

Way above Epi Dot quality, and probably pretty expensive when new. I put a Varitone in mine and Goldtopped it, but it was great as standard, really ringing out Freddie King style with no dead spots or ugly overtones. 

http://i61.tinypic.com/23vb72f.jpg

sorry but ive had the se35 and i found the dot to be better all round ,
one mans meat is another mans veg 

EricTheWeary

ThePrettyDamned said:

SimonC said:

Keep an eye open for a Peavey Rockingham.
They're becoming pretty scarce, but used to be not much more than £100 used.
A real bargain for a real quality guitar. I believe they were actually made by Peerless, but could be wrong.

Yes. Very good guitars! 

Two versions, IIRC, as well as with or without a Bigsby style wiggle bar. The early ones had a fatter body and the later ones more slimline. Or vice versa - but there were definitely two generations of them. 
It was a rebranded Peerless Gigmaster for the most part which was itself a version of a Gretsch Electromatic Streamliner.
I know later Rockinghams were made in China, I'm guessing that the early ones were made by Peerless in Korea . Obviously the Gigmaster was made in  Korea and Google says the early Electromatics  were too. They sold in the European market only ( due to the tie in with Darrell Higham who would be unknown in the USA, although I think he heavily modified his). They're a long way off a 335 but kinda cool and cheap. 

p90fool

I don't doubt at all that your experience is the opposite to mine @mark123, it's a bit of a moving target tbh. 

Epi Dots and probably Hohners have been made in lots of different factories in half a dozen different countries, so comparing like with like is nigh on impossible.

It's one of the reasons I don't bother with brands like Tokai any more, you really haven't a clue what you'll end up with. 

Countless people have told me I'm a mug for buying Gibsons and Tokai/Greco/Burny etc are better and cheaper, but I really can't be arsed to wade through all their crap. 

I did rate the Hohner pretty highly, but I still gave it away for nothing. 
 

Ro_S

What era Hohner SE35 is being talked about here in this thread?     

My first guitar was a Hohner SE35, made in Korea, circa 1991.

p90fool

Ro_S said:

What era Hohner SE35 is being talked about here in this thread?     

My first guitar was a Hohner SE35, made in Korea, circa 1991.

Mine was about that age too. 

Ro_S

p90fool said:

Ro_S said:

What era Hohner SE35 is being talked about here in this thread?     

My first guitar was a Hohner SE35, made in Korea, circa 1991.

Mine was about that age too. 

mine had real f-holes.  i bought it new.   your one doesn't?  

EDIT: ignore that - i thought you said above you had screen printed f holes ( like on some gretsch).  i misread. 

grayn

A bit of a side step but I totally recommend the Epiphone Riviera P93. I've had one for a while and it's a glorious instrument. https://c1.zzounds.com/media/fit,2018by3200/quality,85/1_Full_Straight_Front_NA-d620fddd206677d390ea601dc1723226.jpg

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Thanks for all the sage advice on here from all and sundry, it's much appreciated and I've learnt a fair bit! 

I'm edging towards a decent nick Epi Dot, ideally with a few mods if I can find one.

On the maybe pile at the minute are... 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/182947146088

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/142622203760

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/epiphone-dot-semi-acoustic-guitar/1279314083

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/b-stock/product/398461/b-stock-tokai-ues68-vintage-natural-semi-acoustic-guitar

The one I really want is @noirleblanc 's Riviera mentioned in the first reply, but it's really pushing the budget!

I think I might see how sensible (or otherwise!) I am with the pennies over the Xmas period and see if I can stretch the budget and get myself a belated Xmas present to myself! 

darthed1981

I've got an Epi Dot, recently polished up and restrung it and it is playing very nicely.  I sort of feel the pickups could be better and I believe for not much more money Epi do a 335 Pro which has their much better Probucker pickups in it.

I tried and really liked a Gretsch Streamliner, damn near perfect for the money, actually I've tried two, one semi-hollow and one full hollowbody, both were excellent.

midlifecrisis

I recently bought off ebay an epiphone 339.  new these things are about £400 but you can pick them up used for about half that. Tbh i was blown away bu the quality and the epiphone has coil splitting on the pickups which opens up whole new tones. Iv e gigged it in the band twice now and it covers all the bases from funk , reggae and heavy rock. ive not tried the gibson one as its out of my price range.