Best Electric for Acoustic player?

[Duff]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

I just bought an Epiphone Ultra 339, and I think this is going to be my go-to electric. The body size is extremely comfortable, smaller than the 335. I'm 5'6" tall and the 335 felt too big for me, less comfortable than my larger bodied acoustics, especially when sitting. And, the Epi Ultra 339 has a Nanomag pickup for acoustic sounds. You can blend the acoustic and the electric tones so you get something totally different as well. And, you can split the signal, sending the acoustic tones to a PA or acoustic amp and the mag pickups to another amp and make it sound like more guitars. It retails for $799, but shouldn't be a problem to get it for 15% off of that.

Dude, if that new Epiphone sounds anything like my Schecter C-1 electric/acoustic semi hollow super strat type guitar with a heavy mahogany body and swamp ash thick, quarter inch, top and the Seymour Duncan '59 neck covered and JB bridge covered, and the acoustic modeling string saddles, you are going to be happy.

Yeah, it's a different type of guitar, but Schecter did it right compared to my Peavey hybrid tele. No comparison. The Schecter sounds great with even just the acoustic channel played thru a regular guitar tube amp, and really great thru my acoustic amp, even better played stereo.

Let us know how you like the guitar now that you have had it a while. That would be interesting.

[ronbo]

Definitely some great suggestions here for hollow bodies, ES-335 (or any ES's), Godin 5th Ave and Eastman AR series are really nice and affordable. Epi Casinos, Sheratons or the Joe Pass are very nice players, as well as good old Gretsch, both the 61 and 51 series have great sounding and playing models. Newer, non-traditionas mfgs not mentioned are offerings from The Loar and Reverend (the PA-1 is what I decided upon). For solid bodies, of course Tele's are fun and have a great tone, some with a little wider neck and Strats/LP's/SG's in all their configurations are tried and true for rock players. As you can see in my sig, I've recently focused on Reverend and also a new company called Hell Guitars, really well made tone monsters for great prices. Best thing to do is to decide what style of music you want to play most and then get out there and try a bunch of makers and models. It was surprising to me after years of Gretsch/Gibson/Fenders to try some of the newer makers and realize there is a whole new world out there. Good time to be a guitar player....

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by Duff

Dude, if that new Epiphone sounds anything like my Schecter C-1 electric/acoustic semi hollow super strat type guitar with a heavy mahogany body and swamp ash thick, quarter inch, top and the Seymour Duncan '59 neck covered and JB bridge covered, and the acoustic modeling string saddles, you are going to be happy.

Yeah, it's a different type of guitar, but Schecter did it right compared to my Peavey hybrid tele. No comparison. The Schecter sounds great with even just the acoustic channel played thru a regular guitar tube amp, and really great thru my acoustic amp, even better played stereo.

Let us know how you like the guitar now that you have had it a while. That would be interesting.

Well, long story short...had the guitar for a bit, was buzzing, brought it back and it needed a fret levelling. GC didn't want to do that, so they returned it and got me another. This also needed a leveling, and they did it, but the acoustic nanomag pickup sounded dead. I returned it. Stepping waaaaaay up to either a PRS P22 or a custom Brian Moore DC1. We'll see!

[Duff]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Well, long story short...had the guitar for a bit, was buzzing, brought it back and it needed a fret levelling. GC didn't want to do that, so they returned it and got me another. This also needed a leveling, and they did it, but the acoustic nanomag pickup sounded dead. I returned it. Stepping waaaaaay up to either a PRS P22 or a custom Brian Moore DC1. We'll see!

Yeah, that's part of the problem. It can even happen with a Gibson though. I recently sent back a Gibson LP I bought that had major QC problems that definitely should have been noticed. I got a nice Fender instead. The Fender MIM '72 Custom was perfect.

They don't make that Schecter C-1 electric accoustic superstrat I bought that cost about 900 dollars. It is a really well done hybrid guitar.

I'd say that you would not regret getting that PRS. I have read a lot of things about it and it sounds like they definitely did it right.

The Epiphone Masterbilt acoustic electric also has had notable problems with the electronics in the nanomag circuit and the pickup. I have been told about this by several owners; some of them sent back the guitar and got another one with the same problem, etc. It is really too bad because it is a really nice all solid wood acoustic electric guitar. Those Epi's like you had are nice looking guitars as well, but what does it matter when you basically get junk, not once but twice?

[clinchriver]

A month ago I would have said Telecaster no question. I have a 1997 B-Bender that Joe Glaser, Nashvilled and its been my Couch guitar for years. However I just traded into a Gibson Les Paul, Joe Bonamassa Studio model and its giving the old Tele a run for its money. Almost as much acoustic sound as my 335 reissue, nice big neck and its got some real mojo. Plugged into an amp its the best Les Paul I've ever played (This one is #4 and its a keeper)

[bbrunskill]

For me the most 'acoustic' feeling electric I've played is a Gibson 335 with fairly heavy strings. That gives it the heft and chunky feeling that I'm used to.

I can't stand the 'shred' guitars with light strings and a thin neck!

On any electric, 11-52 strings will give it some more response from the strings, and often a bit more sustain too.

When I play electric, it's usually my G&L ASAT semi-hollow, but I have a Strat too.

[Hotraman]

Taylor T5.

[Davis Webb]

I still don't get the original question. Why would one play an electric to get an acoustic kind of sound? You are either going to do the Doug Young thing on yer acoustic or the Mark Knopfler thing on the electric. He plays a strat.

[mikealpine]

"I still don't get the original question. Why would one play an electric to get an acoustic kind of sound? You are either going to do the Doug Young thing on yer acoustic or the Mark Knopfler thing on the electric. He plays a strat. "


For me, I just don't want to carrry two guitars to play with the band or on gigs. Having a nice electric with an acoustic pickup built in is incredibly handy and really versatile.

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by Duff

They don't make that Schecter C-1 electric accoustic superstrat I bought that cost about 900 dollars. It is a really well done hybrid guitar.

They make the Hellraiser in E/A and that sells for about $1000, but I don't have any locally for me to try the neck, and I perceive Schecter to be more of a "shredder's guitar." I like a little chunkier neck. I have an Agile 3200 (Les Paul copy) that I recently put Porter custom pickups in, and would love to add an acoustic bridge, but I tore a bicep tendon in my left arm and had shoulder surgery in my right shoulder last year, and that guitar is quite heavy, so I'm going to be selling it. Otherwise, I would send that to Brian Moore for the acoustic, USB and midi retrofit.

[Long813]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

"I still don't get the original question. Why would one play an electric to get an acoustic kind of sound? You are either going to do the Doug Young thing on yer acoustic or the Mark Knopfler thing on the electric. He plays a strat. "


For me, I just don't want to carrry two guitars to play with the band or on gigs. Having a nice electric with an acoustic pickup built in is incredibly handy and really versatile.

You'll never get a real acoustic sound though. You'll approximate it the best the piezo can, but that's about it.


Me, I'm still looking for an electric that will suit my needs. I have found that I really don't like my LP's neck, so I'm going to search around.

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Hotraman

Taylor T5.

One of the more ignored guitars of all time. I have one and love it. Probably one of my best playing guitars and it's not a custom shop model.

If you ever mention it at TGP there is one specific poster who will ALWAYS mention how much it sucks.

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by Long813

You'll never get a real acoustic sound though. You'll approximate it the best the piezo can, but that's about it.

Agreed, but for most performances with a band, it will be more than good enough. The RMC sounded very rich and vibrant, and not all that different than my Taylor with the ES. I have a Fender Power Strat with a Peizo, and that sounds very nice too. What is also very interesting is when you blend the tones, putting a light overdrive on the mags and having the acoustic sounds behind it. It opens up a lot of tonal possibilities.

As far as the T5, I just didn't feel as comfortable on it. It sounded good, but not a great fit for my hand.

[Long813]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Agreed, but for most performances with a band, it will be more than good enough. The RMC sounded very rich and vibrant, and not all that different than my Taylor with the ES. I have a Fender Power Strat with a Peizo, and that sounds very nice too. What is also very interesting is when you blend the tones, putting a light overdrive on the mags and having the acoustic sounds behind it. It opens up a lot of tonal possibilities.

As far as the T5, I just didn't feel as comfortable on it. It sounded good, but not a great fit for my hand.

I'm finding that fit is almost everything for electrics. You can, with a cheaper electric mod it like crazy to make it sound like what you want. Pick up position, after playing around with it, is one of the most important aspects for it's tonal quality. Make a LP sound like a tele? copy the tele bridge position. You'll be surprised on the similarities!

Some explanation to what I mean,
http://www.frudua.com/pickups_placement.htm

[Duff]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

They make the Hellraiser in E/A and that sells for about $1000, but I don't have any locally for me to try the neck, and I perceive Schecter to be more of a "shredder's guitar." I like a little chunkier neck. I have an Agile 3200 (Les Paul copy) that I recently put Porter custom pickups in, and would love to add an acoustic bridge, but I tore a bicep tendon in my left arm and had shoulder surgery in my right shoulder last year, and that guitar is quite heavy, so I'm going to be selling it. Otherwise, I would send that to Brian Moore for the acoustic, USB and midi retrofit.

That is probably the exact one that I have. I thought they discontinued it. Is it a superstrat body style with an "f" holes and split fretboard inlays?

Mine doesn't have a shredders neck. It is very nice, not an ibanez type neck at all.

Also, with these hybrid guitars I have found that the sound quality has a lot to do with how the manufacturer goes about making the guitar. I haven't found one that does better than my Schecter C-1 E/A superstrat as far as the acoustic sound goes. It has a very nice acoustic simulated sound. Just playing the acoustic channel thru an electric amp really produces a nice clear, clean sound; then you switch to the Seymour Duncan JB or '59 in mine and you get a totally different sound, which is cool.

I would expect that a lot of people would appreciate the acoustic sound of the Schecter, but I would definitely be sure to try the other brands that claim to have hybrid guitars producing a "so called" acoustic simulated sound. My Peavey tele hybrid, for instance, doesn't come close to the Schecter and is really in a different solar system.

Are you sure that the Hellraiser E/A is still available?