Suggestions for smaller semi- or hollowbody guitar

[perttime]

For smaller semi-hollows....

B&G Guitars Little Sister. There's also the more affordable Little Sister Crossroads: https://bngguitars.com/electric/litt...ter-crossroads
I haven't played one but it has great reviews and sounds good on the videos that I can find.

Ibanez Artist Series AR520H: https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/...20h_4l_01.html Those pickups are great and it is way lighter than the solid body Artist series guitars that I have tried.

[29er]

I just picked up a PRS SE series hollow body and it's a very nice guitar. Lightweight, balanced, great pickups and even the SE series PRS build quality is superb. The PRS look isn't for everybody (heck, I don't really love it myself) but it's worth checking out. They are not hard to find.

[acoustigoat]

Wow, thanks so much for all the helpful replies. Let me take these a few at a time.

Originally Posted by Mark L

As you’ll hear sooner or later, jazz is about the music and its conception/production. Yes, true, but the instrument must also play a role.

Were you planning on fingerstyle or flatpick? Is your music more about swing, bebop, Gypsy, Herbie, Ellington Latin/Brazilian?

Do you want to improvise after stating the “head” a time or 2, or are you wanting to play Over the Rainbow and A Train just for the sheer fun of producing the harmonized melody?

I definitely want to play fingerstyle in the chord melody style of playing and what you would call The Great American Songbook types of songs than anything like gypsy jazz or such. Could I play what I like on my Tele? Absolutely, but it would be nice to have another option for tonal variety.

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

The Country Gent is built on a 17" platform - think Gibson J-200 or Guild F-50 with a thinner body...

The full-size Gretsch Electromatic 5400-Series full-hollowbodies are built on a 16" platform - with the slim body depth they handle more like a 000/OM acoustic than a dread/small-jumbo, and they're probably at least a pound or so lighter than your Tele...

If you're serious about the jazz-tinged thing, a Korean-made Gretsch Electromatic 5420/5422 hollowbody (IME the Chinese stuff - including the current E-matic 5655 Juniors, of which I've played a couple - don't measure up in tone or QC) with a set of flatwound 11's/12's will provide a clean, articulate sound through the neck pickup - while still allowing you to explore your rockabilly side should you so desire...

BTW speaking as a former Tele owner you can get some jazzier tones, while still retaining the classic pickup combinations, by rewiring with a 5-way switch and the proper caps (and, of course, the aforementioned flatwounds); my own late-CBS '52 RI had the following setup:

Thanks for the clarification on the Gretsch numbering and which ones are made in Korea. I do like the idea of having the Bigsby to play around with to have added versatility. I am more looking "jazz-tinged" than dead serious jazz playing.

Although I am okay with DIY and such, I think for now I will leave my Tele as-is, but those wiring ideas are intriguing!

[acoustigoat]

It looks like lots of votes for the Epi 339. Since my tele has a humbucker I do think I would look for a different style of pickup.

Originally Posted by raysachs

Well, Epiphone has the full size (still smaller than the Gretsch you played) ES-335 types and the smaller ES-339 models. I had an ES-339 with P90s for a while and there wasn't a single thing wrong with that guitar. Also, Ibanez makes fantastic semi-hollows. The full size AS models and the smaller AM models. I've had both in the past and if I wanted a semi-hollow with humbuckers (I really prefer P90s), I'd still be playing one of those. Definitely worth checking out...

-Ray

Very helpful notes here on the Ibanez sizes. Thansk!

Originally Posted by fwphoto

I love my Epiphone ES339. Its body is smaller than the 335-size like the Dot or Sheraton models. Mine is the humbucker version but, I think, there might be a P90 version available, too. If I had the $s I'd probably gotten the Gibson ES339, but that said, the Epiphone seems to hold its own pretty well.

Frank

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

I would also vote 339.

When I owned an ES-335 in the late 70s/early 80s, I would have killed for a 339 instead (difficult to find then). Perfect size for me.

Originally Posted by Golffishny

If you're looking for a smaller size Epiphone has the Casino Coupe and the ES-390. Prs SE series has semi-hollow Customs and Hollowbody Standard and Hollowbody II. Also a new hollowbody with piezo pickup. Plenty of reviews on YouTube.

Thanks for the recommendation on the Casino Coupe. That looks like a real possibility!

[acoustigoat]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

These look interesting. Thinner than the G5420Ts:

https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/...sby/2506831505

I believe they are made in Korea, so the quality should be similar to that of the Korean-built G5420Ts.

I imagine Steve will react to this opinion, but I don't love these colors.

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

I have owned the Epi Wildkat and it was a fun guitar. I found it very dark sounding though.

Good to know about the dark sound. Thank you!

Originally Posted by 29er

I just picked up a PRS SE series hollow body and it's a very nice guitar. Lightweight, balanced, great pickups and even the SE series PRS build quality is superb. The PRS look isn't for everybody (heck, I don't really love it myself) but it's worth checking out. They are not hard to find.

I like this out of the box idea. Keep 'em coming.

I realize I didn't give a price range, but a Collings or the B&G are a bit more than the budget will allow at this point.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by acoustigoat

I imagine Steve will react to this opinion, but I don't love these colors...

That's cool - I've often said that Gretsch guitars aren't for everybody (and were never meant to be) - but the white/gold Tri-Five shouldn't be too hard to live with visually, drawing from the more conservative side of the Gretsch color palette (sort of a latter-day rendition of the ultra-rare 6118 Bamboo Ivory/Jaguar Tan Double Anniversary), and I think the white-top Filter'Trons look classier in this context than the usual Baldwin-style blacktop FT's (or the Hi-lo'Trons featured on the Brooklyn original). Frankly, I'm surprised I had forgotten about this one: the thin lightweight body should be right up your alley, you already like the idea of the Bigsby, you can get the tones you're after through the neck pickup, and the price is right - gives you plenty of spare change to spend on a suitable amplifier, but that's a story for another day/another thread...

BTW for those who have never seen one, here's a gennie '63 Ivory/Tan Double Annie:





- and its modern-day counterpart:






FWIW Fred Gretsch is old enough to recall the '60s version first-hand: the changes he made (slimmer body, Filter'trons, stock Bigsby, mid-50s style tone dial rather than post-1958 3-way preset switch) are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, keeping the essential spirit while making a more user-friendly product - and I think this combination is going to be quite popular with us old-time Gretsch guys on a budget...

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

T...but the white/gold Tri-Five shouldn't be too hard to live with visually...

I have no need for another guitar, and I'm not getting rid of my white G5420TG, but I like this color combination.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

I have no need for another guitar, and I'm not getting rid of my white G5420TG, but I like this color combination.

Would I ever - ever - suggest getting rid of your other guitar...?

[s2y]

Ever look at the Taylor T3 series? I've been playing those for a while. The body isn't small, but I find that smaller bodied acoustics make for a longer first position reach most of the time, which is critical for me since I'm a short guy with small hands. While the body isn't the smallest, it's much thinner than a Gibson or Gretsch.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Would I ever - ever - suggest getting rid of your other guitar...?

I don't think you would. I was just saying that if I didn't have it I might be tempted to buy one of these.

[FrankHudson]

Well a good Tele (with or without flats) is a fine guitar for traditional jazz sounds IMHO, but you've tried that and are still searching.

I have an Epi 339 with P90s. The body size is nice, and I love, love, love the P90s on it. I had to do a little fretwork on mine to fix an issue and the neck shape isn't to everyone's liking (I guess I could call it a "hard U" shape) Though I love the pickups, if you have hum issues where you play, you will find out why humbuckers became a thing.

The import Guild Starfires are worth considering too.

Here's a left-field choice for someone who tells us they aren't concerned with "traditional Jazz": Fender Jazzmaster. Yes, I know the name became a well-except-for-that-one-time-Joe-Pass joke for many years. Nice vibrato system. That rhythm circuit where it's retained is useful for "Jazz tone". The original bridge was designed with heavier flats in mind, and so if you go that route you're doing what Leo Fender expected.

I have the Squier J. Mascis model. Comes out of the box with a tune-o-matic style bridge (a common mod done to allow lighter gauge strings to work on the Jazzmaster) and retains the rhythm circuit. I've never put flats on mine, but of course that's an option.

The Jazzmaster body shape very ergonomic, better than a Strat for me when I play sitting.

[Bjbny]

I would highly recommend the Comins GCS-1. It is a beautiful semi-hollow guitar with Kent Armstrong humbuckers. Bill Comins is a custom archtop maker and he started this small line of guitars. They are manufactured in Korea, but Bill does the final QC and set up here in the US. Great jazz guitar.

https://www.cominsguitars.com/copy-of-gcs-1-bigsby-1

[JimmyJeff1]

+1 on Comins GCS 1 (especially ES model) if budget permits. See Jake Reichbart’s You Tube channel to compare the previously mentioned Ibanez and Comins, since he used to play the former and now plays the latter. (You can find an interview online where he describes the mods and amp that help shape his sound). It sounds some of his stuff represents directions you are heading.

[JimmyJeff1]

I wonder if any AGFers have tried this new model (hard to find since supply chains have been wonky for the past year). Their T386 and 486 models are great values, especially used. I would think a 484 would be as good for what you want compared to a 486 as an Epi Es339 would be compared to an 335. Online reviewers don’t play that style in the 484, but that may not be the guitar’s fault...

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

I have an Epi 339 with P90s. The body size is nice, and I love, love, love the P90s on it. I had to do a little fretwork on mine to fix an issue and the neck shape isn't to everyone's liking (I guess I could call it a "hard U" shape) Though I love the pickups, if you have hum issues where you play, you will find out why humbuckers became a thing.

I, too, have an Epi 339 P90 and share Frank's affection for it, as well as his reservation about the neck. Unlike Frank, though, I'd call the neck a "D," rather than a "U," and note that Epi describes the neck as their "Slim Taper D" neck. It's like a flattened "C," to me, and it measures 2.10" wide at the 12th fret, which feels a little wide, to me (my Gibson 339/390s measure 2.02/06, which feels much nicer, to me).

In my perfect world, that neck would retain its .86 1st fret neck depth, and lose its shoulders to become a "C." I could live more easily with the "D" if the fretboard was narrower going up the board (the 1 11/16 nut width is fine).

Just my take, though lots of folks don't like Epi's Slim Taper D neck, regardless of what guitar it's on. I suspect that's why Epi's moved to "C" necks in their 2021 "Inspired by Gibson" series of guitars (which includes the 339, but not the P90 version that I prefer).