Hollow Body Guitar

TheMarlin

GuyBoden said:

Hollow body guitars with laminate tops sound totally different than hollow body guitars with carved tops, but the laminate tops are less prone to feedback.

I'll say this again for the unaware:

Feedback is the problem when using hollow body guitars at gig level volume.

Brian Setzer manages it just fine. I’ve seen tonnes of live bands play hollow bodies, all managed fine. 

Just follow some sensible rules, not a problem. 

guitarjack66

Basher said:

guitarjack66 said:

Do any of these hollow bodies or semi acoustic type guitars (which I love look of BTW) have wider nuts than these 43mm models? 44mm or 44.5mm and above at least.

The newer Eastman T64s have got a 1.72" nut (43.7mm) which mine has. 
This model originally had a 1.75" nut (44.5mm) so I'm assuming that would be more to your liking.

Personally, I held out for one with the slightly narrower nut width. I'd actually prefer a narrower-still, standard 1 11/16" Gibson width but the 1.72" (sorry to mix measurements from fractions to decimals but that's what I know them as), while fairly wide, feels ok to me.

I only know that 1 and 3/4 is about 45mm therefore I tend to look for that measurement,if possible.

susbemol

Playing hollowbody guitars live is absolutely fine provided you learn how to control (when wanted) or avoid (when not wanted) feedback. It's pretty straightforward, generally speaking.

It's been done for decades and that includes artists playing massive venues with very loud stage levels, as previously mentioned.

mburekenge

I've gigged with a white falcon pretty much exclusively all year.

Although there is a learning curve with feedback, it doesn't take long tbh. 

There's something so fun and alive about a big, hollow body guitar.

OilCityPickups

mburekenge said:

I've gigged with a white falcon pretty much exclusively all year.

Although there is a learning curve with feedback, it doesn't take long tbh. 

There's something so fun and alive about a big, hollow body guitar.

Exactly this ... My Gretsch is quite happy with my Peavey Classic 30 run LOUD provided I watch where I stand and turn down between numbers - the master volume on the bottom horn is handy for that.

GuyBoden

susbemol said:

Playing hollowbody guitars live is absolutely fine provided you learn how to control (when wanted) or avoid (when not wanted) feedback. It's pretty straightforward, generally speaking.

It's been done for decades and that includes artists playing massive venues with very loud stage levels, as previously mentioned.

I was informing players who are new to hollow body guitars about the feedback problems.

At gigs, don't stand in front of your amp with a hollow body guitar, stand at the side. 

Or in cramped settings, have only the neck in front of the amp, not the guitar's body.

ICBM

GuyBoden said:

At gigs, don't stand in front of your amp with a hollow body guitar, stand at the side. 

Or in cramped settings, have only the neck in front of the amp, not the guitar's body.

It’s also the one time it’s probably better to have the amp on the floor pointing at the back of your legs than tilted or raised so it’s pointing at where the guitar is.

Turning the amp sideways - especially if it’s open-back, so the guitar is roughly at the null point between the sounds coming from the front and back of the amp (they’re theoretically out of phase, so there will be cancellation especially of low frequencies) can also help.

Basher

GuyBoden said:

That's nice

Thanks. It's an AKJV95, apparently.

I wanted a cheap-ish "jazzbox" (despite having no jazz chops). Read that the Ibanez' are good value and really like the natural colour - a nice change from the typical sunburst. Nice "thunky" sound too.

I'm under no illusions that it's as good as an ES-175, Guild jazzer or suchlike but decent value at around £500.