Suggestions for an electric (Yes, I know this is an acoustic forum.)

[Athens]

First, let me say that I have dabbled with electrics over the years and have never found one that speaks to me the way acoustics do.

I would be looking for a used semi or hollow body electric with 1 3/4" or wider nut width and wider saddle spacing? Preferably non tremolo bar, but I'm open to suggestions.

I've checked the used racks at every store I've wandered into and never seem one with a wider nut.

I don't intend to get into tons of peddles and effects, I'm just looking for something for a little change of pace.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[BoneDigger]

Moved to the electric guitar section where you will get plenty of great responses

[robj144]

There are a lot of choices and will you get a lot of suggestions.

I just want to mention that with electrics, the whole chain is important. Meaning your amp and pedals make a huge difference too.

[personatech]

You'll probably have better luck looking at electric archtops than solid bodies for a wider nut. The Godin 5th Avenue series, for instance, has a 1.72" nut. You might also find some suggestions in this older AGF thread: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=465242

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Athens

...I would be looking for a used semi or hollow body electric with 1 3/4" or wider nut width and wider saddle spacing. Preferably non-tremolo bar, but I'm open to suggestions.

I've checked the used racks at every store I've wandered into and never seem one with a wider nut.

I don't intend to get into tons of pedals and effects, I'm just looking for something for a little change of pace...

Don't know how much you're looking to spend, but I'd start checking the new racks first; there's some really good stuff out there under $1K - some suggestions:

• Godin CW II: same neck/scale length/body size/weight as a Seagull cutaway mini-jumbo, two P-90's/volume & tone/PU selector, ~$1K street but can be had for less (got mine for just a little over $600 from one of those unannounced Amazon specials); everything you need and nothing you don't - Tony Bennett's guitarist has been using one on tour for several years, and I'd tend to think both he and his boss know a little something about tone...
• Eastman T386: the classic ES-335 semi-hollow formula with a dose of Eastman acoustic DNA thrown in (1.75" nut, "classic" finish option) and all the quality the brand is known for, compares well to instruments at two and three times the $900 street price...
• Eastman AR372CE/403CE: latter-day incarnations of the classic 1950's Gibson ES-175 and Epiphone Zephyr Regent respectively, same features as the aforementioned T386 and competitive with the Godin CW II @ $1K each, but very different tonally with their humbucking pickups and heavier construction (more of the classic jazzbox midrange "thump" and short sustain, compared to the CW II's lighter, airier, Gretsch-like tone)...
• Godin Kingpin/Eastman AR405E: two modern takes on the classic postwar Gibson ES-125 non-cutaway/single P-90 (and its Epiphone Zephyr counterpart) guitars that served yeoman teaching-studio/small-club duty well into the rock era, these can serve as true dual-purpose instruments with the proper setup (13's and higher action); same differences as their twin-pickup cousins, and if price is the primary consideration the Kingpin can be had for around $600 on Coupon/Holiday Sale days at your friendly local bog-box store...
• Loar LH-309: another single P-90/non-cut 16-incher, but this one's modeled after some extremely rare ES-125's built on the L-50 platform with a solid carved top; competitive with the Godin Kingpin in the $600 bracket but the jury's still out on whether the solid top makes a significant difference in tone, and the similar Gretsch New Yorker sells for $100 less...

Finally, if you can work with a more-traditional-for-electric 1-11/16" nut the Korean-made Gretsch Electromatic 5400/5600 Series hollows and semis sell for well under $1K new, and IME have some of the best QC/playability I've seen in any mass-produced guitar (far exceeding the Brooklyn originals more often than not) - I recommend them to any player making the transition from acoustic, and I figure if their ancestors were good enough for Chet, well...

[Bob Womack]

We'd need to know your price range to dial in and give a good suggestion but the Gibson ES-335 is a classic:



This one is the centerpiece of my session kit.

(2009 - note changed knobs)

Bob

[gwlee7]

Bob, we have similar tastes. Here’s mine I “accidentally” won in an eBay auction a little over a year ago. Edited to add it is a 2008:

[ghostnote]

Hey Bob, that red Strat in the background in post #6 looks just like mine, even the case. What is it? Mine's an '89 Am Standard that I bought new. Still have it, and it's a great player.

Edited to say - I also have one of those old first-gen PODs like the one on your table - I still find it useful sometimes.

[GHS]

As some others suggested, Gibson ES is cool but.....For about four hundred dollars Epiphone DOT...outstanding quality guitars. Are you going to be playing the garden anytime soon? If not the DOT is a great choice. Of course if your budget can do it, hey go for it. But my teacher ( I refer to him a lot because he has a lifetime of experience and knows his stuff). love the DOT. Yes, he owns an ES but he plays jazz clubs in NYC where the best of best perform so I get it. Oh, and the DOT will leave you with enough cash left to buy the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster, ( in butter scotch with the Alnico V's in it). This guitar rocks. Dont let the corksniffers laugh at you, its a great guitar that plays and sounds awesome. Now you have both..jazz/blues guitar and classic country, all for under 1000.

[perttime]

What kind of a budget do you have?

Eastman clearly know what they are doing.
Gibson ES, in your choice of size, would be cool.
Ibanez has a number of good options.
Personally, for a more or less hollow guitar, the B&G Guitars 'Little Sister', or the slightly more budget version 'Little Sister Crossroads', looks really tempting.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QEeQhMr33E

... and yes. Your amp, and any effect pedals that you might have, are half your sound. I happen to enjoy plugging straight into an amp.

[Arthur Slowhand]

What's your budget? All pie-in-the-sky until anyone knows what you intend to spend.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by ghostnote

Hey Bob, that red Strat in the background in post #6 looks just like mine, even the case. What is it? Mine's an '89 Am Standard that I bought new. Still have it, and it's a great player.

That is a G&L S-500 that I love. The Wilkinson Trem is so smooth.

Edited to say - I also have one of those old first-gen PODs like the one on your table - I still find it useful sometimes.

I've got mine in the gig bag hanging in my closet. I've got the floorboard too. There's something that the first gen with floorboard do naturally that the others have to work at: If you are in a model with long, pronounced echoes, if you kick in the wah and place your foot across both the adjacent wah and volume pedals, you can fade notes with wah into the echo field, which is really lonely and plaintive.


Bob

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

Bob, we have similar tastes. Here’s mine I “accidentally” won in an eBay auction a little over a year ago. Edited to add it is a 2008:

Beautiful! Mine is a 2005.


Bob

[FrankHudson]

You're going to have a heck of a time looking for 1.75 inch nuts on an electric. The 1.69 or even 1.72 width is about as wide as you'll find in most stores. Different playing styles common for electric players lead to different market preferences, though I too wish there was more choice there in the electric realm.

[DukeX]

I'm another Epi Dot fan. Modded mine with a vintage wiring kit and SD Antiquities, but the original pickups were nice. For around $400 new these are wonderful guitars.