I inherited my Grandpa’s 1960 Gretsch 6124 single anniversary guitar. He put a ton of psychedelic stickers on the case. The case handle broke and he made one out of an old leather belt. It is so cool.
electrified archtop guitars were indeed "all [jazz guitarists] had access to," but they also partially exist because of jazz guitarists! big band music was getting popular and with bigger and bigger ensembles being put together, jazz guitarists started getting drowned out, especially when it came time for them to solo, so there was a growing demand for amplified guitars, met by companies like gibson who basically just slapped a pickup on the archtops the jazz players already used. plus it should be noted that part of why they're still considered jazz guitars is because jazz guitarists prefer the more subdued and "woody" tones you tend to get compared to a solid body as you mentioned, which is the same reason 1920s jazz guitarists preferred the archtop acoustics over flattops
I'd love to see an in depth video of you making an intro track by yourself, especially some recommendations on laying down drums without drums or a drummer.
1. Two minute intros rule. 2. Epiphone is really killing it lately. 3. If you don’t like Epiphones, D’Angelico make absolutely fantastic big body guitars. As a lefty, buying sight unseen is simply the way things will always be, and having been disappointed at 3 NAMM shows, because no one carries lefties at their booths, D’Angelico always have a wide selection of lefties to play at their NAMM booths! Fantastic guitars, if the Epi isn’t your thing, or if left handed models aren’t available 4. Great video, as always!!
Plus D'Angelicos are regularly blown out at near half price or even less. I picked up a Bedford SH recently for $479, little more than half its "normal" $899 price tag, and it's a fantastic guitar. Indonesian built, flawless finish and workmanship, sounds great with a wide range of all usable palettes and plays even better. I'm thinking now that my next may be a D'Angelico hollow body, as I have several semis but no true hollow body. (Well, one old Greco but it needs more work than I can do.)
🤘🏻😝 SURLY UNDERSERVED LEFTIES UNITE !!... 10% of the U.S. population is left handed... 1% of guitars produced are lefty . Fully half of Fenders total lineup, only comes Right handed.
@@kevinmackfurniture the thing that drove me nuts about NAMM shows was that the companies who produce left handed guitars, ESP, fender, Gibson, dean, Ibanez, etc., none of them bring lefties to their shows. I think it’s an esthetic choice- having all the pretty guitars going the same direction- but, man. Can’t try out amps, pedals, modelers, nothing. That’s why i loved the D’Angelico booth so much. They always had at least five different lefty versions of their models. I will say, in 2016, Fender really put in the effort; one strat, one tele. Ugh!!
These types of Guitars were popular for Rockabilly, similarly the recently deceased Duane Eddy Also if you've seen the film "Concert At Big Sur," everyone in CSNY were playing similar guitars.
Just what I was thinking. One could do a whole episode on guitars used in Rockabilly and by the incomparable Duane Eddy. And good catch on CSNY at Big Sur. Stills and Young are crushing it with their big Gretsch's. Same during Buffalo Springfield. And Ted Nugent still rocks hard with Gibson Byrdlands.
I find it funny that guitar choice in different genres was mostly due to what the artist had access to or could afford. Then that style of guitar is the “right kind” for that genre for future generations. (Bringing a double neck SG to jazz jam night - from a Kieth Williams 5 Watt World story). 😂
I was thinking the same thing. I was also thinking how incredible some of those greats from the past would have sounded given the choices that are available now. People are always fawning over vintage guitars, but in large part, they sucked in many ways… including tone. Even this big box Epi (and I mean BIG) sounds kind of blah.
Jazz guitars feed back easier, are "wooly" in terms of tone and rock n roll guys like treble and cut. They just didn't appeal to rock and roll and electric blues guys as much. They're also not nearly as comfortable to play for extended periods on stage.
I mean that’s absolutely the case for punk, artists like the sex pistols used what they could get their hands on, and to this day, juniors and specials are integral touchstones for the genre.
Absolute truth - most if not all of my favourite players made use of what they had available, including in a more extreme example, part of an old fireplace for the Red Special, the rare case of a guitarist building their own from the ground up. Rarely do they ever covet pristine vintage remortgage your house type guitars; the closest I could find was Graham Coxon buying something from Vintage & Rare in London and remarking it was cheaper because it was badly refinished etc. Coveting gear can be fun, but not if it's at the expense of playing what you have. All those hours spent online gear hunting and not buying, are hours that could have been used to practice and get better sounds that way, from your fingers using better technique. I'm sure most players with access to the Internet have been down the GAS rabbit hole, and to be honest less really is more, the 5WW Keith maxim "the most music with the least gear".
Things I learned about guitars: 1. The genre is defined by the equipment. 2. Equipment is not defined by the genre. 3. Genres are not a "tone." (e.g., there is no such thing as a blues "tone." "What Strat pickup should I get for a good blues tone? questions drive me crazy. SRV certainly left his mark.
My dude, do you ever turn these intros into full fledged songs? They are amazing, and a different vibe from what you play with your band. What do you do with them?
As already noted, Killing Joke's sound was centred on a Gibbo ES295, and then there's The Cult with Billy Duffy playing a Gretch White Falcon. Surprised that these examples (and others) didn't get a mention, Rhet, as it would help better illustrate the broad range of usefulness that you were trying to explain! 🤷♂️ BTW, I have two Antoria "Jazz-Star" guitars (the 'poor-man's L5' made in the 1980s), I switched the pickups for Irongear "Rolling Mill" PAF-style pups (poor man's Seymour Duncans 😄), cut down and drilled the hardwood bridge to take a tuneomatic and put Grover tuners on. They are awesome guitars, and the pair of them together probably only owe me about a grand!
I was lucky enough to inherit a 78 Ibanez FA-100 from my grandfather when he passed, love that guitar it’s by far my favorite instrument I own and play. I play a lot of rock, punk and folk on it and absolutely love it
Yes. That guitar , like MOST Epiphones , is absolutely a Work Of Art. Like all the old Gibson hollowbody and semi-hollow guitars ;i.e. Switchmaster , ES335 , L 5 , etc. are the most beautiful instruments ever sculpted. And I must include Guild and Gretsch too. Thanks for the post and you've convinced me to go to Sweetwater and make purchase.
First player that came to my mind: Geordie Walker, guitarist for Killing Joke, who played a hollow Gibson ES-295. It wasn’t Jazz 😎 May he rest in peace 🙏🏼
Timely! I just bought a Gretsch and agree with all you said. These guitars are limited only by your imagination! Surprised you didn't even mention Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, George Harrison, etc.
I'm a luthier and I'm starting to see a pattern.......necks that are set deeper into the guitar body not height wise but length wise seem to sound better......im going to try something and see what happens
My design was a bolt on neck that was securely bolted to a center block. I think center block hollow bodies are probably the best sounding and most versatile.
Most forget that some of the most Iconic guitar parts were made on these types of instruments. Think about Izzy Stradlin with his ES-175 on AFD, Alex Liefson with his ES-335 in early Rush, even Steve Howe used his ES-5 SWITCHMASTER on Roundabout.
Steve Howe played an ES175 I think you will find - it was Frank Zappa who played an ES-5 Switchmaster until the gigs got too loud and feedback became a problem.
Beautiful, Rhett. Some of my favorite archtop players who aren't specifically jazz: Eric Gale (with the band Stuff); Freddie Stone (with Sly & The Family Stone); and Leo Nocentelli (early recordings with the Meters).
I have an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe. With the fully hollow construction and three dog ear P90s it is a very different beast than any other guitar I own. It’s acoustic resonance is halfway between my semi-hollow and acoustics. It’s action and playability is very much electric guitar style. When the strings are brand new and bright, it really has an acoustic guitar flavor. When the strings are dead, it has a wooly Jazzbox flavor. I think that more than with any other guitar, the string type and condition affect the sound of this guitar. I haven’t played my Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe at all recently, but I’ve been meaning to. Your video is inspiring me to pull it out again. Great video promoting the flexibility of the hollowbody electric guitar, and a breath of fresh air in the RUclips video world of solid body and semi hollow videos. Thank you. Ps: It would be great if you A/B demo/tonal comparison between the original and the current recreation, considering that the pickups have different construction??? Thank you.
The Decemberists were the band that got me into hollow body guitar originally. Shakey Graves brought a lot of new ideas to the instrument also when he was a one-man band.
Before it got stolen, I used to own a late '50s Epiphone Windsor. It had one of those New Yorker pickups. And before I gave the pickup to Mark Knopfler, I took it apart to see what made it tick. I don't have DNA evidence but those ivory surrounds probably *were* ivory in the older unit. The one I took apart certainly showed indications of being organic matter and not simply molded plastic like humbucker pickup rings. And, speaking of humbuckers, those pickups may kinda sorta LOOK like mini humbuckers, but they are single coils. Don't let the row of adjustable screws on the older unit fool you. Look long and hard enough, and you realize there is absolutely no room for a 2nd coil under them. And you're right. The New Yorker pickups have much in common with gold foil pickups, in that the base plate is folded upwards along one edge and that's what the screws go into.
@@ChuckNicholsonTRM That may be why they don't have a row of adjustable screws. Moving them further away from the edge, in order to make room for that second coil, would have looked odd and (pardon the pun) "blown their cover". That said, as different as the New Yorker pickups were, when you have a guitar with that overall construction, the specific pickups only make a small contribution to any distinctive sound. I'm sure the mini-buckers sound just fine, even if they aren't historically accurate.
@@markhammer643I think the pickups can make the plugged in sound of an archtop drastically different. I’m not a fan of the original NY Tone Spectrum pickups, so I have no problem with the use of minihumbuckers.
Yes and due to his setup and rig and playing, it sounded awesome. He was right - semi-acoustics can be huge for heavier kinds of music. I believe any guitar can work for anything if you're resourceful enough as a player.
That is quite intriguing. I haven’t listened to that band in forever … like decades. So, obviously I will now spend a couple weeks obsessing, again, on a band I loved during my college days (finally past the Sundays and the follow up of trying to figure out where the heck they went … seriously, that band just disappeared completely).
Glad you demo'ed it with a fuzz pedal! Been hearing rockers jamming out on White Falcons, lots of noise, very musical feedback...just always sounds great.
Love the intro jam! I appreciate the historic notes woven into the video and the sound checks you run the equipment through. The recording of the Acoustic/Electric sound definitely brings a different level of engagement in the overall mood! 👏👏👏
I tried one of those guitars recently and i found them to be huge for me. Im 5'7" and i just couldnt live with that 16" lower bout size finding cases for these things are not easy as well. Another thing that turned me off from this style of guitar is the fragility of the instrument. Dropping a solid body guitar would be much more bearable than dropping one of these big jazz boxes. But all of those negatives are negligble it if you want that hollow woody sound. Its so unique that you'd want to play it so much. Looking back now I really regret letting that Philippine made es-175 copy go 😢
Always thought I wanted an ES335... until I wrapped my hands around a Gretsch. 4 of them around the house now. I play almost 0 jazz on them and they absolutely scream. Been waiting for one of the large guitar voices on here to make this vide. THANK YOU!!!
I just bought a Guild Manhattan 175B, from Sweetwater by the way. and I can't put it down. I've always wanted a big box guitar since I saw Scottie Moore playing one when I was a kid.
Being a collector since 1971, I am down-sizing my equipment. I am not so sure one needs any more than an acoustic and an electric. I do like jazz boxes, which are also Blues boxes and have had three for over thirty years. But I also do not play them often and fortunately did not mortgage my house on a L-5. My feeling these days is that one guitar is a luxury and more than one, more luxurious. Collecting guitars is clearly better than collecting guns, ( I have many friends into that). These days I am reducing having more stuff. More is not better it is simply more. I played with the Meters, they did not have much equipment, just talent.
I wanted to buy something like that years ago when I couldn't afford to. My guitar of choice was a Gretsch because of various people but mainly Duane Eddy. They were also one of the rockabilly guitars of choice as well as being jazz boxes. Anyway, one day I was feeling down so I walked from my office to Regent Sounds in Denmark Street (I chose them because the Rolling Stones recorded their first album there) meaning to play a guitar with no intention of buying it an picked up one of the Indonesian Gretsch hollow guitars with Broad'Tron pickups instead of Filter'Trons. Of course I fell in love with the sounds I could get without using pedals so I bought it. It is the best decision I ever made as far as guitars go. I also quit the job that was making me depressed so, win-win! Like you, every time I look at the thing I want to pick it up and play it and it is something that can be played without being amplified and which sounds good even unplugged.
Holy f...king s... Rhett! This thing is "FIRE"! What a track and opening to this feed. Wow! Where there is smoke there is fire my brother. This has it all dude.
I used to have a D'angelico Excel Throwback Archtop which was top notch. Ended up selling it for a Heritage H530. The H530 being Hollowbody has it's own vibe but has the essence of a full sized jazzbox. I really enjoy the Hollowbody experience.
I put phosphur bronze strings on mine 👍 warmer tone as the humbuckers only pick up the steel core on wound strings. Had mine over 20 + yrs now.. personally best of both worlds between acoustic & electric.. more versatile. Wouldn't have another solid body guitar. I have that exact style of guitar but mines an old Gould 355. Try it with Martin phospur bronze strings... i think you'll be pleasantly surprised 👍🤗
Used to own a Casino and need to re-buy it sometime. Such a great unplugged sound and the P90s are always great. Tom Petty talks in a documentary about how most of his sitting around playing and a lot of his studio playing was actually a Casino. I've never really wanted the big jazz box style, the Casino always felt like a better in-between.
I’ve got a mid 50s Harmony H-65 in natural finish. Big old fat jazz box that has her own unmistakeable vibe. It has a single Gibson P-13 pickup. The P-13 came out after the Charlie Christian ‘blade’ pick up. As Gibson moved forward with the P-90 pick up, Harmony bought a ton of P-13s from Gibson and used them with their guitars. Since it is a hollow body you just have to be aware that when amplified it’ll feedback like a banshee if you’re not careful. Still a beautiful example of a bygone era. I love mine (Miss Daisy) and it always makes me smile when I pick her up. That Epiphone that you showcase is truly first class.
Hi Rhett. As you ask, I have an Eastman AR380CE HB John Pisano, excellent jazz guitar, that I use for other kinds of music. It's excellent with fuzzy or distorted sounds and also for ambient.
Back in the early 80s these guitars were so out of fashion, you could find wonderful Gibsons at bargain prices. Unfortunately, I didn't. Jump ahead forty years and I bought an older Samick. It's a great addition to my guitar sound pallet. Thanks for showcasing this type of guitar!
my friend’s dad has a big Orange Gretsch, the guy uses it for techno believe it or not. But it’s such a different kind of playing! Absolutely love picking it up from time to time when I’m at his place
When I see those giant Gibson Hollow body electrics, I immediately think of the big loud rock of Ted Nugent in the 1970s! I have my 1989 Gibson 335 dot for the same reasons, I know it's no Byrdland, Les Paul, but it's the biggest Gibson Hollow I could afford. I love it because it inspires loud rock as well as pretty acoustics through the amp. Hey Rhett Shull, these hollow bodies can feedback easily, maybe it's worth an episode of how to avoid feedback at high volume, and also perhaps how to sculpt feedback, à la sonic youth, etc.
One of my all time favorite albums is called “Snakes in the Playground” by the band Bride. Stylistically it’s in comfortable company with late 80’s Guns n Roses. Loved it since I was in middle school and I’ve never outgrown it. Many years after the fact as I became a guitar player, I was shocked to see that the lead guitar played big hollow body Epiphones like this. It’s a rare thing in that genre and scene.
Pete Townshend composed and recorded the Album Who's Next and parts of Quadrophenia on a 1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins hollow body. Yes Won't get fooled again was recorded using that Gretsch hollow body through a Fender bassman amp. Live of course he used a Gibson SG or an LP along with his customary 100 watt Hi-Watt amps. The Gretsch was given to him by Joe Walsh. The story goes that he initially hated the guitar because of it's orange color. He took it home let it sit for a while then took it out and plugged it in and started playing it and fell in love with it.
Hooker did play a Zephyr sometimes, but he played his Epiphone Broadway much more. By the way, Rhett, your bass playing is getting better and better- you sound like a real bass-player now, as opposed to a guitarist who thinks he is a bass-player!
Thanks for this video! I’ve been considering adding the Zephyr to my collection…after seeing and hearing you put it through its paces…I will be picking one up!
One thing I like about these guitars and semi-hollow bodies is that you can feel what you play through your chest. They vibrate more. They also have a more mid or boxy tone, which fits some styles and are good for controlled feedback and endless sustain. I usually play rock through solid bodies (Teles, etc.) but always love picking up my old Sheraton.
Thanks for this overview. I've got a couple jazz boxes and have always been amazed at how versatile they can be. I've got a D'Angelico EX-1 with a single floating humbucker and its simplicity is appealing and I can get surprising sorts of flexibility from it. An old Washburn J-7 has been a loyal friend for about 20 years and I swear one could use it for just about anything.
Yes Rhett.. I love the sound and the feel of flats on a hollow body. Have been moving to hollow bodies with my last couple of purchases. The ones with rounds breakup nicely and can live on the hairy edge of feedback with out making me go deaf.
I have the Epiphone John Lee Hooker Zephyr 100th anniversary. Very close to this one with mini humbuckers. Excellent guitar, nothing to complain at it.
I bought one less than a year ago off of Reverb for the same reasons. Man these Epiphone's are a sound beast! You found some good sounds off yours. Way to go.
I had a blonde '51 Zephyr Deluxe Regent for several years. I used it in many Western Swing and older Jazz/Swing shows. I was sad to have to sell it when my wife (amazing vocalist) and I sold our houses and hit the road in our travel trailer eight years ago, and just didn't have room for all our guitars. I also had a blonde '51 Triumph Regent as well during that time period. Sadly, it's gone as well!
I really like the lower end Gibson ES hollow body guitars. No binding or fancy inlays, but they have all the tone in the world. They’re like the Les Paul Jr version of an L5.
Nice to see hollow body guitars getting a little air time. So many to chose from. Don't forget the Godin 5th Ave Kingpin and Kingpin II. Kingpin P90s have a very unique sound and the Cherry body is truly beautiful. There are also a few variants.
The low frets on that 1950 model give it *almost* a fretless sound. When you would slide up and down the strings it was so *smooth!* What an amazing sound that thing has!! Damn, I wonder what one of those is worth?
I had no interest in them when I was young, but over the years became interested And at one point I bought one. I mostly play blues and rock on it. It does make you play a bit differently It has a different attack and decay than a solidbody And rhythm parts really can come alive on one.
Cool track Rhett. I bought a Gibson es175 with p 90’s with a bixby. It was right in this sweet spot. I got it back before I knew anything and it was sold to me as a es295. But turned out the seller lied. Still a cool guitar blues and rock and swing
Im not a jazz player either, but jazz guitars are some of the most beautiful guitars made. I would love to get a Heritage H-576 in Antique burst. I dont s see e myself spending that much on a jazzbox, though, so maybe the Zephyr is a good alternative.
Heard the song at the beginning on 1.5 speed, and holy! It rips!!! Rhet, Give it a 1.5 speed playback. Your bass playing is epic at that speed by the way.
Loving the fuzz, delay and shimmer on the intro piece. It is also a fact that I live similar sounds from my rig, so I guess this isn’t exactly big news. Love the guitar a lot!
Steve Howe of Yes used an ES-175. From what I’ve read he still uses the Gibson plus a Gretsch G6120 Chet Atkins signature model. I owned a Gretsch Chet Atkins for a while but didn’t like the Bigsby on it so sold it.
Rhett, I completely agree I'd never owned a hollow body till several years ago when I bought 1989 Epiphone Emperor is which is the precursor to the Joe Pass model it is an amazing guitar I thought I wanted to learn fingerstyle jazz, however it just didn't take I'm just a slamming jamming kind of guy I love solid body Teles and Les Pauls....HOWEVER I have since fallen in love with this guitar nothing is ever played better smoother sounded warmer instead of playing an acoustic I pick it up just to play it is so amazing whether I'm playing Chuck Berry or rockabilly or even some ACDC riffs it just sings great episode my friend
Hollow body guitars are super versatile in a completely different way, they aren't gonna be the "strat or Les Paul" swiss army guitar or even the 335 somewhere in the middle guitar but they have unique qualities that sit in a lot of different styles of music. Plus you can feel the air and the vibration when you play them so it's an amazing feeling to play one .
Put a Gretch adjustable bridge on that guitar and it will really open up and blow your mind! I put one of the Gretsch adjustable bridges on my Epiphone Emperor and it’s sweet sounds of Heaven!
If you want to see tons of hollowbody jazz guitars being used for rock, all you have to do is turn the clock back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were very popular with alternative rock bands, back then. I myself played an early 1980s Matsumoku-made Epiphone Emperor F. I sold it in 2012 when I was desperate for money, and I wish I hadn't been forced to do so, because within a couple of years after that, the collector community "discovered" the Matsumoku-made Epiphones, and prices skyrocketed.
I realize you cannot cover all of the greats, but Steve Howe deserves a mention. voted best guitarist for 5 consecutive years in the 70s by his peers, and still going strong. I have his signature ES 175SD, and it's amazing and powerful. Checkout South Side of the Sky off of the Fragile LP, where he is using an ES-5 Switchmaster with 3 pickups. Amazing tone! Thanks for the video.
I just recently got a fully hollow body that i absolutely love the sound of. It isnt a super big jazz box, it's a hagstrom viking II but i love the mini humbuckers with coil split, and i play it acoustically all the time
i love watching these kind of video because you can see were the music comes from and how it's made and damn that guitar was awesome thanks for doing this
I inherited my Grandpa’s 1960 Gretsch 6124 single anniversary guitar. He put a ton of psychedelic stickers on the case. The case handle broke and he made one out of an old leather belt. It is so cool.
electrified archtop guitars were indeed "all [jazz guitarists] had access to," but they also partially exist because of jazz guitarists! big band music was getting popular and with bigger and bigger ensembles being put together, jazz guitarists started getting drowned out, especially when it came time for them to solo, so there was a growing demand for amplified guitars, met by companies like gibson who basically just slapped a pickup on the archtops the jazz players already used. plus it should be noted that part of why they're still considered jazz guitars is because jazz guitarists prefer the more subdued and "woody" tones you tend to get compared to a solid body as you mentioned, which is the same reason 1920s jazz guitarists preferred the archtop acoustics over flattops
I'd love to see an in depth video of you making an intro track by yourself, especially some recommendations on laying down drums without drums or a drummer.
neeeeed!
Second that, good video idea
He talked a bit about sampling drum loops in an earlier videos, been doing that a lot and it helped me write a good few fun things
EZ Drummer baby!
Yes 🙌
1. Two minute intros rule.
2. Epiphone is really killing it lately.
3. If you don’t like Epiphones, D’Angelico make absolutely fantastic big body guitars. As a lefty, buying sight unseen is simply the way things will always be, and having been disappointed at 3 NAMM shows, because no one carries lefties at their booths, D’Angelico always have a wide selection of lefties to play at their NAMM booths! Fantastic guitars, if the Epi isn’t your thing, or if left handed models aren’t available
4. Great video, as always!!
Plus D'Angelicos are regularly blown out at near half price or even less. I picked up a Bedford SH recently for $479, little more than half its "normal" $899 price tag, and it's a fantastic guitar. Indonesian built, flawless finish and workmanship, sounds great with a wide range of all usable palettes and plays even better. I'm thinking now that my next may be a D'Angelico hollow body, as I have several semis but no true hollow body. (Well, one old Greco but it needs more work than I can do.)
🤘🏻😝 SURLY UNDERSERVED LEFTIES UNITE !!... 10% of the U.S. population is left handed... 1% of guitars produced are lefty . Fully half of Fenders total lineup, only comes Right handed.
Love my lefty D'Angelico DC Premier (an ES style guitar, but still)!
@@kevinmackfurniture the thing that drove me nuts about NAMM shows was that the companies who produce left handed guitars, ESP, fender, Gibson, dean, Ibanez, etc., none of them bring lefties to their shows. I think it’s an esthetic choice- having all the pretty guitars going the same direction- but, man. Can’t try out amps, pedals, modelers, nothing. That’s why i loved the D’Angelico booth so much. They always had at least five different lefty versions of their models. I will say, in 2016, Fender really put in the effort; one strat, one tele. Ugh!!
You are dead right on #1. See also Chris Buck’s Rickenbacker opening jam.
These types of Guitars were popular for Rockabilly, similarly the recently deceased Duane Eddy
Also if you've seen the film "Concert At Big Sur," everyone in CSNY were playing similar guitars.
Just what I was thinking. One could do a whole episode on guitars used in Rockabilly and by the incomparable Duane Eddy. And good catch on CSNY at Big Sur. Stills and Young are crushing it with their big Gretsch's. Same during Buffalo Springfield. And Ted Nugent still rocks hard with Gibson Byrdlands.
I find it funny that guitar choice in different genres was mostly due to what the artist had access to or could afford. Then that style of guitar is the “right kind” for that genre for future generations. (Bringing a double neck SG to jazz jam night - from a Kieth Williams 5 Watt World story). 😂
I was thinking the same thing. I was also thinking how incredible some of those greats from the past would have sounded given the choices that are available now. People are always fawning over vintage guitars, but in large part, they sucked in many ways… including tone. Even this big box Epi (and I mean BIG) sounds kind of blah.
Jazz guitars feed back easier, are "wooly" in terms of tone and rock n roll guys like treble and cut. They just didn't appeal to rock and roll and electric blues guys as much. They're also not nearly as comfortable to play for extended periods on stage.
@@norseman61man! Have you been around the wrong vintage guitars then.
I mean that’s absolutely the case for punk, artists like the sex pistols used what they could get their hands on, and to this day, juniors and specials are integral touchstones for the genre.
Absolute truth - most if not all of my favourite players made use of what they had available, including in a more extreme example, part of an old fireplace for the Red Special, the rare case of a guitarist building their own from the ground up. Rarely do they ever covet pristine vintage remortgage your house type guitars; the closest I could find was Graham Coxon buying something from Vintage & Rare in London and remarking it was cheaper because it was badly refinished etc.
Coveting gear can be fun, but not if it's at the expense of playing what you have. All those hours spent online gear hunting and not buying, are hours that could have been used to practice and get better sounds that way, from your fingers using better technique. I'm sure most players with access to the Internet have been down the GAS rabbit hole, and to be honest less really is more, the 5WW Keith maxim "the most music with the least gear".
The second you switched to the bridge pickup all I heard was a straight up Telecaster.
That '49/'50 Epiphone has a beautiful sound. 👍
Things I learned about guitars:
1. The genre is defined by the equipment.
2. Equipment is not defined by the genre.
3. Genres are not a "tone." (e.g., there is no such thing as a blues "tone." "What Strat pickup should I get for a good blues tone? questions drive me crazy. SRV certainly left his mark.
How to get a good blues tone:
Listen to Freddy King, B.B. King, Sister Tharpe, etc.
Play like that on whatever gear you have.
@@hyrumjensen4712 there are so many great blues players, and each has their own style and tone.
I bought an ES-335 in 1970 for my first electric because….B.B. King. Still prefer semi-hollow bodies to this day
@@davidkeller6156 same reason I got an ES-125 with my enlistment bonus.
@@paristhalheimer I did add et cetera…
Thanks for shouting out Ella, she is a marvellous guitarist !
That intro has all the knee-slapping, head-bopping, stank-facing vibe. Technically speaking of course
^ science
Almost Pink Floyd-like?
whitch what pedals can i create this sound?
This 👆🏼
It was very MuteMath
Bro, my favorite thing about this channel is how Rhett gets in his bag for every opening track. Absolutely fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
My dude, do you ever turn these intros into full fledged songs? They are amazing, and a different vibe from what you play with your band. What do you do with them?
Needs to be inspired
As already noted, Killing Joke's sound was centred on a Gibbo ES295, and then there's The Cult with Billy Duffy playing a Gretch White Falcon.
Surprised that these examples (and others) didn't get a mention, Rhet, as it would help better illustrate the broad range of usefulness that you were trying to explain! 🤷♂️
BTW, I have two Antoria "Jazz-Star" guitars (the 'poor-man's L5' made in the 1980s), I switched the pickups for Irongear "Rolling Mill" PAF-style pups (poor man's Seymour Duncans 😄), cut down and drilled the hardwood bridge to take a tuneomatic and put Grover tuners on. They are awesome guitars, and the pair of them together probably only owe me about a grand!
Agree, such a Geordie tie in opportunity.
I was lucky enough to inherit a 78 Ibanez FA-100 from my grandfather when he passed, love that guitar it’s by far my favorite instrument I own and play. I play a lot of rock, punk and folk on it and absolutely love it
Full-bodied hollow F hole guitars are awesome for all styles of music. My 1938 Gibson L5 GUT guitar gets better with age while played.
What does “Gut” mean?
Yes. That guitar , like MOST Epiphones , is absolutely a Work Of Art. Like all the old Gibson hollowbody and semi-hollow guitars ;i.e. Switchmaster , ES335 ,
L 5 , etc. are the most beautiful instruments ever sculpted.
And I must include Guild and Gretsch too.
Thanks for the post and you've convinced me to go to Sweetwater and make purchase.
intro jams are amazing
Khruangbin would be proud of that intro!
Rhett has been really influenced by this band judging by his last videos and playing styles/tones/genre. Love it!
I bought a Godin 5th Ave Kingpin P90 from Sweetwater a couple of months ago and really love it. As you said, it makes a great couch guitar.
First player that came to my mind: Geordie Walker, guitarist for Killing Joke, who played a hollow Gibson ES-295. It wasn’t Jazz 😎
May he rest in peace 🙏🏼
Ted Nugent also used a hollow body guitar. A Gybson Birdland. An he played hard rock.
It was also my first thought. Yes these guitars can be pretty versatile!!!
and Billy Duffy in The Cult with a big White Falcon
Timely! I just bought a Gretsch and agree with all you said. These guitars are limited only by your imagination! Surprised you didn't even mention Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, George Harrison, etc.
I'm a luthier and I'm starting to see a pattern.......necks that are set deeper into the guitar body not height wise but length wise seem to sound better......im going to try something and see what happens
Thats why neck through guitars exist
My design was a bolt on neck that was securely bolted to a center block.
I think center block hollow bodies are probably the best sounding and most versatile.
Check out the bolt on neck in the new Eastman electric. Cool idea.
Yep, just look at the Firebird ☺️
To add to the list above, Mulecasters have the neck wood running thru the hollow steel body. Fun vibe
Most forget that some of the most Iconic guitar parts were made on these types of instruments. Think about Izzy Stradlin with his ES-175 on AFD, Alex Liefson with his ES-335 in early Rush, even Steve Howe used his ES-5 SWITCHMASTER on Roundabout.
Steve Howe played an ES175 I think you will find - it was Frank Zappa who played an ES-5 Switchmaster until the gigs got too loud and feedback became a problem.
Beautiful, Rhett. Some of my favorite archtop players who aren't specifically jazz: Eric Gale (with the band Stuff); Freddie Stone (with Sly & The Family Stone); and Leo Nocentelli (early recordings with the Meters).
You hit all the guys I was thinking of too!
I have an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe. With the fully hollow construction and three dog ear P90s it is a very different beast than any other guitar I own.
It’s acoustic resonance is halfway between my semi-hollow and acoustics. It’s action and playability is very much electric guitar style.
When the strings are brand new and bright, it really has an acoustic guitar flavor. When the strings are dead, it has a wooly Jazzbox flavor. I think that more than with any other guitar, the string type and condition affect the sound of this guitar.
I haven’t played my Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe at all recently, but I’ve been meaning to. Your video is inspiring me to pull it out again.
Great video promoting the flexibility of the hollowbody electric guitar, and a breath of fresh air in the RUclips video world of solid body and semi hollow videos. Thank you.
Ps: It would be great if you A/B demo/tonal comparison between the original and the current recreation, considering that the pickups have different construction???
Thank you.
You should check out Psychobilly and see what full sized hollow bodies can do through a Marshall half stack and Fender Twin amps.👹👍✨
The Decemberists were the band that got me into hollow body guitar originally. Shakey Graves brought a lot of new ideas to the instrument also when he was a one-man band.
Before it got stolen, I used to own a late '50s Epiphone Windsor. It had one of those New Yorker pickups. And before I gave the pickup to Mark Knopfler, I took it apart to see what made it tick. I don't have DNA evidence but those ivory surrounds probably *were* ivory in the older unit. The one I took apart certainly showed indications of being organic matter and not simply molded plastic like humbucker pickup rings.
And, speaking of humbuckers, those pickups may kinda sorta LOOK like mini humbuckers, but they are single coils. Don't let the row of adjustable screws on the older unit fool you. Look long and hard enough, and you realize there is absolutely no room for a 2nd coil under them. And you're right. The New Yorker pickups have much in common with gold foil pickups, in that the base plate is folded upwards along one edge and that's what the screws go into.
The original 1950s versions of the pickups are single coils, but the new versions are mini humbuckers.
@@ChuckNicholsonTRM That may be why they don't have a row of adjustable screws. Moving them further away from the edge, in order to make room for that second coil, would have looked odd and (pardon the pun) "blown their cover".
That said, as different as the New Yorker pickups were, when you have a guitar with that overall construction, the specific pickups only make a small contribution to any distinctive sound. I'm sure the mini-buckers sound just fine, even if they aren't historically accurate.
@@markhammer643I think the pickups can make the plugged in sound of an archtop drastically different. I’m not a fan of the original NY Tone Spectrum pickups, so I have no problem with the use of minihumbuckers.
I have a hagstrom viking II that has silverfoil mini humbuckers that are splittable and they sound so great in either mode.
Killing Joke's entire sound was based on Geordie using a fully hollow ES-295.
Thank you for mentioning Killing Joke
Yes and due to his setup and rig and playing, it sounded awesome. He was right - semi-acoustics can be huge for heavier kinds of music. I believe any guitar can work for anything if you're resourceful enough as a player.
That is quite intriguing. I haven’t listened to that band in forever … like decades. So, obviously I will now spend a couple weeks obsessing, again, on a band I loved during my college days (finally past the Sundays and the follow up of trying to figure out where the heck they went … seriously, that band just disappeared completely).
Hey..I have had a 295 for 60 years. It'll have to be sold at some point. Sad.
PS. feedback was not my friend
Glad you demo'ed it with a fuzz pedal! Been hearing rockers jamming out on White Falcons, lots of noise, very musical feedback...just always sounds great.
Love the intro jam! I appreciate the historic notes woven into the video and the sound checks you run the equipment through. The recording of the Acoustic/Electric sound definitely brings a different level of engagement in the overall mood! 👏👏👏
I tried one of those guitars recently and i found them to be huge for me. Im 5'7" and i just couldnt live with that 16" lower bout size finding cases for these things are not easy as well. Another thing that turned me off from this style of guitar is the fragility of the instrument. Dropping a solid body guitar would be much more bearable than dropping one of these big jazz boxes. But all of those negatives are negligble it if you want that hollow woody sound. Its so unique that you'd want to play it so much. Looking back now I really regret letting that Philippine made es-175 copy go 😢
Hollow bodies are where it's at. I picked up an Ibanez AMH90PBM a few months ago. I love it and no I don't really play jazz.
Always thought I wanted an ES335... until I wrapped my hands around a Gretsch. 4 of them around the house now. I play almost 0 jazz on them and they absolutely scream. Been waiting for one of the large guitar voices on here to make this vide. THANK YOU!!!
Rhett, I have a Gibson ES 165 Herb Ellis, a Epiphone Joe Pass and a Gretsch Tennessee Rose. So I think I'm covered.
I just bought a Guild Manhattan 175B, from Sweetwater by the way. and I can't put it down. I've always wanted a big box guitar since I saw Scottie Moore playing one when I was a kid.
I REALLY like the sound of the older model! Thanks for the info & kind regards❣
Being a collector since 1971, I am down-sizing my equipment. I am not so sure one needs any more than an acoustic and an electric. I do like jazz boxes, which are also Blues boxes and have had three for over thirty years. But I also do not play them often and fortunately did not mortgage my house on a L-5. My feeling these days is that one guitar is a luxury and more than one, more luxurious. Collecting guitars is clearly better than collecting guns, ( I have many friends into that). These days I am reducing having more stuff. More is not better it is simply more. I played with the Meters, they did not have much equipment, just talent.
I wanted to buy something like that years ago when I couldn't afford to. My guitar of choice was a Gretsch because of various people but mainly Duane Eddy. They were also one of the rockabilly guitars of choice as well as being jazz boxes. Anyway, one day I was feeling down so I walked from my office to Regent Sounds in Denmark Street (I chose them because the Rolling Stones recorded their first album there) meaning to play a guitar with no intention of buying it an picked up one of the Indonesian Gretsch hollow guitars with Broad'Tron pickups instead of Filter'Trons. Of course I fell in love with the sounds I could get without using pedals so I bought it. It is the best decision I ever made as far as guitars go. I also quit the job that was making me depressed so, win-win! Like you, every time I look at the thing I want to pick it up and play it and it is something that can be played without being amplified and which sounds good even unplugged.
Such a nice vibe on that intro jam!
Holy f...king s... Rhett! This thing is "FIRE"! What a track and opening to this feed. Wow! Where there is smoke there is fire my brother. This has it all dude.
I used to have a D'angelico Excel Throwback Archtop which was top notch. Ended up selling it for a Heritage H530. The H530 being Hollowbody has it's own vibe but has the essence of a full sized jazzbox. I really enjoy the Hollowbody experience.
I put phosphur bronze strings on mine 👍 warmer tone as the humbuckers only pick up the steel core on wound strings. Had mine over 20 + yrs now.. personally best of both worlds between acoustic & electric.. more versatile. Wouldn't have another solid body guitar. I have that exact style of guitar but mines an old Gould 355. Try it with Martin phospur bronze strings... i think you'll be pleasantly surprised 👍🤗
Used to own a Casino and need to re-buy it sometime. Such a great unplugged sound and the P90s are always great. Tom Petty talks in a documentary about how most of his sitting around playing and a lot of his studio playing was actually a Casino. I've never really wanted the big jazz box style, the Casino always felt like a better in-between.
I’ve got a mid 50s Harmony H-65 in natural finish. Big old fat jazz box that has her own unmistakeable vibe. It has a single Gibson P-13 pickup. The P-13 came out after the Charlie Christian ‘blade’ pick up. As Gibson moved forward with the P-90 pick up, Harmony bought a ton of P-13s from Gibson and used them with their guitars. Since it is a hollow body you just have to be aware that when amplified it’ll feedback like a banshee if you’re not careful. Still a beautiful example of a bygone era. I love mine (Miss Daisy) and it always makes me smile when I pick her up. That Epiphone that you showcase is truly first class.
Hi Rhett. As you ask, I have an Eastman AR380CE HB John Pisano, excellent jazz guitar, that I use for other kinds of music. It's excellent with fuzzy or distorted sounds and also for ambient.
Back in the early 80s these guitars were so out of fashion, you could find wonderful Gibsons at bargain prices. Unfortunately, I didn't. Jump ahead forty years and I bought an older Samick. It's a great addition to my guitar sound pallet. Thanks for showcasing this type of guitar!
Strong Khruangbin vibes in the intro. Awesome
Man that intro song is everything! Those sounds you got are so unique ❤
my friend’s dad has a big Orange Gretsch, the guy uses it for techno believe it or not. But it’s such a different kind of playing! Absolutely love picking it up from time to time when I’m at his place
When I see those giant Gibson Hollow body electrics, I immediately think of the big loud rock of Ted Nugent in the 1970s! I have my 1989 Gibson 335 dot for the same reasons, I know it's no Byrdland, Les Paul, but it's the biggest Gibson Hollow I could afford. I love it because it inspires loud rock as well as pretty acoustics through the amp. Hey Rhett Shull, these hollow bodies can feedback easily, maybe it's worth an episode of how to avoid feedback at high volume, and also perhaps how to sculpt feedback, à la sonic youth, etc.
Also, a mention of plywood vs. carved tops. The plywood tops are much better in a band situation where the guitarist needs to get over a drummer.
you should totally release these jams... that jam would be in my constant rotation on my spotify
One of my all time favorite albums is called “Snakes in the Playground” by the band Bride. Stylistically it’s in comfortable company with late 80’s Guns n Roses. Loved it since I was in middle school and I’ve never outgrown it. Many years after the fact as I became a guitar player, I was shocked to see that the lead guitar played big hollow body Epiphones like this. It’s a rare thing in that genre and scene.
Pete Townshend composed and recorded the Album Who's Next and parts of Quadrophenia on a 1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins hollow body. Yes Won't get fooled again was recorded using that Gretsch hollow body through a Fender bassman amp. Live of course he used a Gibson SG or an LP along with his customary 100 watt Hi-Watt amps. The Gretsch was given to him by Joe Walsh.
The story goes that he initially hated the guitar because of it's orange color. He took it home let it sit for a while then took it out and plugged it in and started playing it and fell in love with it.
Hooker did play a Zephyr sometimes, but he played his Epiphone Broadway much more.
By the way, Rhett, your bass playing is getting better and better- you sound like a real bass-player now, as opposed to a guitarist who thinks he is a bass-player!
Thanks for this video! I’ve been considering adding the Zephyr to my collection…after seeing and hearing you put it through its paces…I will be picking one up!
I can see that you like it- it inspires your playing, I can hear it. I have been looking at one of those myself.
One thing I like about these guitars and semi-hollow bodies is that you can feel what you play through your chest. They vibrate more. They also have a more mid or boxy tone, which fits some styles and are good for controlled feedback and endless sustain. I usually play rock through solid bodies (Teles, etc.) but always love picking up my old Sheraton.
I’ve got an Ibanez semihollow and love it. The neck pickup into a Fender tube amp is like melted butter.
Really great use of effects throughout. You can really feel how much this guitar inspires you.
Thanks for this overview. I've got a couple jazz boxes and have always been amazed at how versatile they can be. I've got a D'Angelico EX-1 with a single floating humbucker and its simplicity is appealing and I can get surprising sorts of flexibility from it. An old Washburn J-7 has been a loyal friend for about 20 years and I swear one could use it for just about anything.
JUST picked this guy up and love it. Cool to see a jazz box featured. And sustain on that thing is insane.
Yes Rhett.. I love the sound and the feel of flats on a hollow body. Have been moving to hollow bodies with my last couple of purchases. The ones with rounds breakup nicely and can live on the hairy edge of feedback with out making me go deaf.
I have the Epiphone John Lee Hooker Zephyr 100th anniversary. Very close to this one with mini humbuckers. Excellent guitar, nothing to complain at it.
I bought one less than a year ago off of Reverb for the same reasons. Man these Epiphone's are a sound beast! You found some good sounds off yours. Way to go.
Rhett, an Awesome Guitar and video here, Thanks, Sweetwater is the only place I shop, They are Great, Cousin Figel
I had a blonde '51 Zephyr Deluxe Regent for several years. I used it in many Western Swing and older Jazz/Swing shows. I was sad to have to sell it when my wife (amazing vocalist) and I sold our houses and hit the road in our travel trailer eight years ago, and just didn't have room for all our guitars. I also had a blonde '51 Triumph Regent as well during that time period. Sadly, it's gone as well!
I have one! I have super heavy jazz strings on it, and its great for rock
I play with 12s on my hollow bodies. Also I use heavy picks too.😎👍✨
I just picked up a Hollowbody Guild Newark St X175 B man totally digging it and this Epi sounds fantastic
Seen lots of your intros and this is one of the sickest
I really like the lower end Gibson ES hollow body guitars. No binding or fancy inlays, but they have all the tone in the world. They’re like the Les Paul Jr version of an L5.
Loved the brief clip of Sister Rosetta with a Gretsch. Get a 6120.
Nice to see hollow body guitars getting a little air time. So many to chose from. Don't forget the Godin 5th Ave Kingpin and Kingpin II. Kingpin P90s have a very unique sound and the Cherry body is truly beautiful. There are also a few variants.
Cool guitars! Maybe one guitar could do it all, but it's so sweet to be able to have multiple guitars, and hollow bodies are def a must-have!
Love my Ibanez Artcore AF75s
I have an AFS75T and a AK86 with a Vintage Vibrato and Roller Bridge on it too (in my pic) with Gretschbuckers in it.
The low frets on that 1950 model give it *almost* a fretless sound. When you would slide up and down the strings it was so *smooth!* What an amazing sound that thing has!! Damn, I wonder what one of those is worth?
I absolutely love the guitar mate, but as a Bass player....NAILED!!
I had no interest in them when I was young, but over the years became interested
And at one point I bought one.
I mostly play blues and rock on it.
It does make you play a bit differently
It has a different attack and decay than a solidbody
And rhythm parts really can come alive on one.
If you really want to accentuate that woody jazz tone, throw some flatwounds on it.
When I see one I immediately think of Slash grabbing a 175 and laying down nasty filthy rhythm parts on that Ernie Ball documentary for World on Fire!
Cool track Rhett. I bought a Gibson es175 with p 90’s with a bixby. It was right in this sweet spot. I got it back before I knew anything and it was sold to me as a es295. But turned out the seller lied. Still a cool guitar blues and rock and swing
Im not a jazz player either, but jazz guitars are some of the most beautiful guitars made. I would love to get a Heritage H-576 in Antique burst. I dont s see e myself spending that much on a jazzbox, though, so maybe the Zephyr is a good alternative.
Had a '52 Zephyr Regent Deluxe. Incredible box! Thanks for doing this updated review!
Heard the song at the beginning on 1.5 speed, and holy! It rips!!! Rhet, Give it a 1.5 speed playback. Your bass playing is epic at that speed by the way.
Love that 50's sound. Both are nice, really. Might be on my "gotta have" list.
Loving the fuzz, delay and shimmer on the intro piece. It is also a fact that I live similar sounds from my rig, so I guess this isn’t exactly big news. Love the guitar a lot!
Steve Howe of Yes used an ES-175. From what I’ve read he still uses the Gibson plus a Gretsch G6120 Chet Atkins signature model. I owned a Gretsch Chet Atkins for a while but didn’t like the Bigsby on it so sold it.
Rhett, I completely agree I'd never owned a hollow body till several years ago when I bought 1989 Epiphone Emperor is which is the precursor to the Joe Pass model it is an amazing guitar I thought I wanted to learn fingerstyle jazz, however it just didn't take I'm just a slamming jamming kind of guy I love solid body Teles and Les Pauls....HOWEVER I have since fallen in love with this guitar nothing is ever played better smoother sounded warmer instead of playing an acoustic I pick it up just to play it is so amazing whether I'm playing Chuck Berry or rockabilly or even some ACDC riffs it just sings great episode my friend
I just love the stripes and translucency on the old 50s model’s pickguard.
I love them for rockabilly and Duane Eddy instrumentals
Those guitars are great. However I don’t much care to reach around such big bodies. The 335 is about as big as I’m comfortable with.
Fantastic intro.
Same here. 335s for the win 😎
Hollow body guitars are super versatile in a completely different way, they aren't gonna be the "strat or Les Paul" swiss army guitar or even the 335 somewhere in the middle guitar but they have unique qualities that sit in a lot of different styles of music. Plus you can feel the air and the vibration when you play them so it's an amazing feeling to play one .
Put a Gretch adjustable bridge on that guitar and it will really open up and blow your mind! I put one of the Gretsch adjustable bridges on my Epiphone Emperor and it’s sweet sounds of Heaven!
If you want to see tons of hollowbody jazz guitars being used for rock, all you have to do is turn the clock back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were very popular with alternative rock bands, back then. I myself played an early 1980s Matsumoku-made Epiphone Emperor F. I sold it in 2012 when I was desperate for money, and I wish I hadn't been forced to do so, because within a couple of years after that, the collector community "discovered" the Matsumoku-made Epiphones, and prices skyrocketed.
I realize you cannot cover all of the greats, but Steve Howe deserves a mention. voted best guitarist for 5 consecutive years in the 70s by his peers, and still going strong. I have his signature ES 175SD, and it's amazing and powerful.
Checkout South Side of the Sky off of the Fragile LP, where he is using an ES-5 Switchmaster with 3 pickups. Amazing tone! Thanks for the video.
I just recently got a fully hollow body that i absolutely love the sound of. It isnt a super big jazz box, it's a hagstrom viking II but i love the mini humbuckers with coil split, and i play it acoustically all the time
I have that exact model guitar. Jazz guitars are a treat to play. Love the playing on this video.
Some of your best playing so far. Some real intention in there.
i love watching these kind of video because you can see were the music comes from and how it's made and damn that guitar was awesome thanks for doing this
Yep. Need one. or two... ☺️
Cool song. Thanks for covering this topic 👍👍