Coming from someone who's never played a guitar in his life. First, they both sound good and are a pleasure to listen to. They also sound similar, more so than I would have expected. The biggest difference I notice is the solid body's sound is "cleaner", more straightforward, but less sophisticated (for lack of a more precise word). I hear more reverberations in the hollow-body, almost like it's making its own harmony/accompaniment. By analogy, the solid body seems more like a flute, the hollow-body a pipe organ. Very nice comparison, thank you much!
Thanks! I also did a comparison with distortion but I always like to start with clean. Differences are fairly subtle but I think you can hear some small differences with clean as compared to almost no differences with distortion. It has been pointed out that these two guitars have slightly different scale lengths and bridges (which arguably can make a difference) but overall the two guitars are very similar, which is why I thought it was still a video worth doing
Thanks for a great comparison. From the first comparison, it was easy to hear the difference. When comparing the bridge pickups however, they were indistinguishable to me. I really appreciate the way you simply pluck the strings and let them ring out. In many videos, it seems like the reviewer is auditioning for a gig or to show their talent. Your approach is so much more revealing to the listener. I also appreciate your use of a common, clean Bassman. Most people can relate the that Fender sound.
Thank you so much for the kind words and glad you enjoyed the demo! You pretty much nailed the majority of the reasons of why I started making some gear demos. I always like to start with a nice and clean/dry comparison and will add some pedals and what not sometimes later but would get pretty annoyed at seeing demos comparing guitars with primarily super saturated tones!
Yes, you can hear a difference, but like you said it's pretty subtle. There are some differences particularly in low and high end as well as sustain though. I thought about doing similar video with distortion (still might) but easier to hear differences when played clean.
Been going down a rabbit hole of how much guitar construction affects the sound, and I keep noticing the same characteristics in hollow/semi hollow guitars vs. solid body. 1. Note attack and decay: on quick, percussive notes, the hollow guitar has smoother transients where the solid body guitar has a sharper attack. 2. I don't hear the "airyness" people talk about, actually the opposite. The solid guitar sounds brighter, while the extreme highs are more mellow on the hollow guitar. 3. Low frequencies take longer to decay in the hollow guitar. Not really a lack of sustain, but the note decay is different.
Thanks for sharing your feedback! I think EQ wise the difference is quite subtle but I agree that you can notice a more considerable difference with the note attack and decay between the two.
Very helpful! I’ve been considering hunting a hollow body (I have several solid bodies) and I couldn’t decide if I was just psyching myself out thinking I needed something I didn’t, thank you!!
Thanks Juan! Just to clarify, the black guitar in video is a solid body and the sunburst guitar is fully hollow. I do have a 335 knockoff guitar that is semi-hollow that I thought about comparing but it has different pickups, which certainly can make a lot of difference.
I would love if you did this same test again but with a bit more gain just to hear how the openness and resonance of the hollow body translates to a more classic rock type of crunch sound. Great video though, I’ve been looking for a good comparison like this with as many variables removed as possible like you mentioned in the intro
Thanks! Totally agree about doing another demo between these two using some mild to moderate distortion. It's on my list of things to do and am hoping to get around to it soon!
Good comparison. The "air" in the hollow body does come through. I can see where the more focused sound of a solid body is what you would want with distorted sounds. String gauge does affect bass response. Flatwounds on the hollow body would bring it closer to a "jazz" sound. Overall, the best comparison I have seen on the subject.
Thanks Luiz! The gauge strings definitely make some difference in the tone. I actually switched the PRS SC 58 to 11s recent;y (had 10s in the video). I primarily use the Hollowbody for my jazz and jazz/fusion gigs and the PRS SC 58 for more rock/blues or Top 40 gigs. Love both guitars! Being solid or hollow definitely changes some characteristics of the guitar, which is primarily why I wanted to do this video.
That’s awesome!! This PRS has hollowbody has 57/08’s with coil splitting and it is similarly very versatile! I need to get around to doing a full demo on guitar as it has so many great sounds.
I appreciate it this video. Without watching you play the guitar and just seeing the screen I was forced to listen more. I think when I watch people play I'm focus more on them playing the guitar and not so much the actual sounds coming out. I think some guitars people are just happier to play. I know a good fender solid body and I'm smiling a lot more than when I'm playing my Epiphone Dot
It's a good point! I think taking away the visual of someone playing does make people focus more on the sound of the guitar. Similarly, when someone is playing an expensive/nice guitar I think the brain is more likely to come to the conclusion it sounds good and vice versa with a cheap guitar. Plenty of non-expensive guitars sound quite good!
For those of you interested, I just posted a follow up to this video where I compare the same 2 guitars but with some overdrive. ruclips.net/video/T7Fkp_Hcf3Q/видео.html
Excellent work. The sound is surprisingly similar. I was looking at a hollowbody to rely less on my acoustic. After hearing this, I'll stay with my acoustic. Thanks.
Thank you! Yea, I've seen too many videos where people compare various things on guitars but aspects are totally different! Comparing hollow vs solid I think is pretty useless unless you have similar guitars and definitely the same pickups!
Thank you, this was a great comparison! For me, hollow body sounded more airly, with more base / treble, less mid, while solid body was more mid focus. Not sure if this is a right way to describe, but hollow body sounded a bit closer to single coil than solid body. Enjoyed it very much, thank you!
I definitely agree! Hollow body was more airy as well as having more bass and treble. Solid body was a more focused sound with probably more mids. Both sound great, just good for different things! I expected the hollow body to be more airy and have more bass but was a little surprised by it having more treble.
If you stand in front of your amp with the hollow body it creates a beautiful resonance and sustain, especially if using some overdrive and compression… I can hold an infinitive note anywhere on my fretboard with my semi and full hollows. It’s amazing really.
Yes! The sustain is pretty incredible on the hollow body (and hollowbodys in general). Even just playing clean or without an amp you can hear how long notes will sustain for.
If you crank that amp up loud enough with a 4x12 or a vertical 2x12 you can get that effect with a solid body too. Just might not be a super practical volume level, but it is fun though lol. It’s an “only when nobody is home” kinda thing
This was great, thank you! I like the quacky effect of hollows and semihollows. Playful and sassy. Same with the airiness. I think of it as sounding organic. Just some natural vibrations sitting under the electronics 😎
Thanks! I liked doing this demo since the guitars are very similar and have the same pickups. I see too many demos where guitars are compared with different pickups which makes a really big difference!
Well done! One of the things you didn't touch on, is the way the note envelope blooms on a hollow body as you turn your amp up. I bought my Epiphone Casino Coupe precisely because I could enjoy that effect at lower volumes than a semi-hollow or a solid. I probably wouldn't use it very often if I was playing out with a heavy drummer in larger venues. It's all about selecting the right tool for the job...
Definitely! Volume will for sure effect things, love the sound of a hollowbody at lower volumes but can be problematic with feedback at higher volumes. Definitely about selecting the right axe for the gig!
There is definitely a slight difference in expression, one just feels more open and less compressed, I like the clean resonance in the hollow, but I can also see how a tiny bit of compression and drive would eliminate many of these subtle differences. Great video! 🤘
Thanks! It’s often hard to capture “the feel” of the guitar on demo videos. While these two guitars sound pretty similar (you do hear subtle tonal differences), the two do feel quite different both in terms of playability and sound. Stylistically I would play more open and clean stuff on the hollow and lean towards more distorted tones on the solid body.
From Leo: Great demonstration, thanks for your work. I have a hollow PRS that I really enjoy, but do not have a similar solid one. You answered my question. I also have a big body Jazz guitar, (with the pickup floating from the neck) the airy sound is far more noticeable than on the smaller body PRS. I also use thick flatwounds on that one, they affect the tone too, easy to hear when unplugged.
Definitely will hear a bigger difference with large body (for hollowbody). I have a larger hollowbody guitar I like to use for more straight ahead jazz or solo guitar stuff. This smaller PRS hollowbody works great for some of the jazz/fusion stuff I do as it gets some the hollowbody thickness and “airiness” but doesn’t feedback as easily.
thank you mate,I have been waiting for someone to do that very type of comparison excelent great stuff cheers I always thought that I wanted a hollow body but now I know the solid is more what I am for, great stuff thank youb once again .
@@sheifiproductions PS:I am in Australia have so much trouble getting any import guitars the shipping more than doubles the cost so as a pensioner I 'am still saving up the $s lol cheers
I normally notice the smallest differences in guitars, but hollowbody vs solidbody is a challenge for me, I definitely couldn't identify either one blind. However when focused I can tell there's a slight difference in transients, the hollowbody has a longer decay for the mids and lows, and a shorter one for the highs. I think that's where peoples idea of a "woody" tone is coming from
Nice comparison - when just listening I was a little confused, but you discussion afterwards made sense. That the hollowbody could be both more bassy AND offer a bit more treble - which was what confused me. (plus that subtle airiness) Then the solid body being a bit more focused and offering a bit more in the mids. I have the 2021 SE Zach Myers semi-hollow and I love it - but it has the 245S pickups in it so could not go head to head with yours. I would love a full hollow body to pair with my SE though - the SE Hollowbody 2's look really nice.
I especially like the hollow body I that I have because it is fully hollow but it's not nearly as thick or big as the typical jazz boxes (it's a little thicker then les Paul). It allows me to play a larger range of styles since it won't feedback like the typical hollowbodys do!
I'm gonna give my take on the subject: in this case, the 2 piece bridge would add a more "air" (harmonics) to the tone, albeit in this case very little compared to what long distance from tailpiece to bridge adds (think jazzmaster vs telecaster), against the more imediate tone of a one piece bridge... so, in this demo, the bridges add the opposite tone from what people expect (airy to hollow, imediate to solid) to the guitars they are actually setup.
Great comparison! Very clean recording of both in order to discern the tonal differences which are huge! There is so much more resonance and brighter sound from the HB as opposed to the SB. Im gonna have to get me an HB electric after watching! Thank you.
Thanks Andrew! I wasn’t surprised to hear a little more bass come from the HB but was a little surprised to hear more brightness/highs! Both are great sounding guitars but I do really like the HB. I particularly like this HB guitar as it’s close to a Les Paul in size and isn’t nearly as big or thick as the more jazz box hollowbodies.
I have several Telecasters and even more hollow body guitars of various makes and models. Can't say I love one over the other. I do slightly favor the hollow body jazz tones.
Tonal differences are fairly subtle, but both have their place for sure! Definitely agree, one is not better then the other but really depends on what kind of music you’re playing and preference.
Glad the video was helpful! Differences are relatively subtle, but can definitely hear some with clean tone. When I tried comparing them with some distortion you could barely hear any difference!
thanks for this. to my ears, the hollowbodys notes sound rounder with some "air" in the notes. the solidbodys tones sound brighter and more crisp. both great for certain things, but hollowbody sounds closer to what I'm looking for. 👍🏼
You didn't mention the primary reason they sound different: the hollow body allows the wood to vibrate, creating a different sound profile than the solid body. The sound waves generated by the vibrating wood can add and amplify or cancel and suppress frequencies, creating a broader range of distinctive overtones and harmonics. That's why the hollow body has a fuller, "airy-er" sound while the solid body has a smaller, ...well just more solid and chunky sound that emphasizes the mid-range frequencies (or by contrast you could say suppresses the broader bass and treble response). A solid body is, in a sense, more "neutral" by suppressing overtones and harmonics. This allows better tone control and manipulation, more customizing and easier control via peddles and knobs (on both instrument and amp), whereas a hollow body always introduces more sound "bias" from the instrument itself. That is, no matter what knob you turn you're still attenuating the sound from the instrument's body and string vibrations and not just primarily attenuating the sound from the string vibrations, as in a solid body. Jazz players tune their ears to that instrument-generated sound profile (and can easily hear the difference between say, Jim Hall and Barney Kessel) and seek out jazz boxes that really offer that warm, woody, bell-like tone. While solid body players can often get the tone they want from most good quality solid bodies, with the right pickups and pedals and knob settings since the body has less influence on the tone (though of course the bodies do generate some variation in tone). That's my take, anyway. Cheers.
@@sheifiproductions Thanks. Yeah, both are needed to have a good, wide-ranging "tool box" for whatever gig or jam you're playing. I love and play my solid bodies as well as my hollows and semi-hollows.
@@rhmayer1 the physics that you describe has no basis in the measured differences between real solid-body, semi-hollow, and hollow-body electric guitars. The measured frequency differences have been shown as due to higher bridge admittance in less-solid bodies, with the bridge becoming less rigid/more mobile (vibrate-able) as one moves along that continuum. A less solid body loses more of particular string vibration frequencies that way. So "The sound waves generated by the vibrating wood can add and amplify or cancel and suppress frequencies, creating a broader range of distinctive overtones and harmonics" doesn't come into it (as well as vibration 'amplification' being against the laws of physics, particularly the Conservation of Energy Law). How would that be detected by the pickups ? There is no good evidence of significant detection of string vibration-induced body vibrations by pickups, either by microphony or direct pickup vibration. Nor does a solid body "suppress overtones and harmonics." On the contrary, a solid body has less string vibration frequency losses. A greater proportion of string vibration frequencies has been measured to remain in the strings. See for example Ch7 in Zollner's "Physics of the Electric Guitar" for direct measurements of many such guitars. So a hollow-body is not "fuller", it is demonstrably "less full". With those greater frequency losses, other (remaining) frequencies may sound more prominent and/or you might also EQ the guitar differently. Also, high sound wave volumes in a room may affect a less-solid body differently. Of course the listening tests here are not blinded, so it's not obvious that everyone would pick the hollow-body if we weren't told which one we were listening to. But any differences we can hear (that are not due to any of the other many things that cause any guitar to sound different, like the different bridges and potentiometer loading of the pickups' resonant frequencies here) are due to more string frequency losses in the hollow-body compared to the solid-body.
I'd certainly spring for the semi-hollow model. It sounds better (the notes have a certain 'life' and character that is lacking in the solid body . The sunburst looks far better too-more like a real musical instrument. I wouldn't BUY the PRS because I favor a longer scale. I like at least 25." I'll bet they' sweat one up for you if you requested it.
Both guitars are PRS and the sunburst guitar is actually hollow (not semi hollow). I really like both guitars. Prefer the hollow for cleans and more jazzy stuff and the solid body when I’m doing more rock/blues stuff. The hollowbody I believe is 25” scale, and the solid body is shorter, around 24.5”
Nice comparison. One difference that wasn't mentioned in the video are the different bridge / tailpiece systems used on both guitars. Whilst I agree withe the description of the hollow body sound as a little more bassy and trebly, I think you'd be hard pressed to say based on a recording whether you're hearing a solid or a hollow body guitar. The differences in sound are so small that some eq adjustment will probably be enough to make the two guitars indistinguishable on a recording. The biggest difference is how they feel when played to the guitarist ... if a different guitar's feel inspires you to play different things, the it's absolutely worth having both, hollow bodies and a solid bodies.
Totally agree about the feel! I would probably agree that the difference in feel between the two guitars is greater than the tonal difference. The HB also has a little bit longer scale length neck. I definitely lean towards playing different stuff on each based on the feel. Being that the tonal differences are fairly subtle I imagine you could get them to sound very close with a little EQ.
It's easy and is even understandable because of the physics: The Semi-hollow body has a way more amount of vibrations, because you have the vibration coming from the solid middle part of the guitar and also some "feedback" if we can call it that way, which is coming from the hollow parts of the wings, that's why it sounds more "rich" but at the same time less "clear" because is not just the frequency of the string, is also the rest of the sounds inside the hollow body -> Also, this sound is closer to an acoustic guitar than an electric guitar. The solid guitar has this physical property which creates that sound more straight forward since there's no much feedback. You can also feel that hollow guitar kinda feels reverberish haha like... if it was a larger room. Personally I like hollow guitars for playing and practicing at home unplugged. It has enough sound to be heard but not enough to be loud (like an acoustic guitar) and it also has the feel of a heavy electrical guitar and is very comfortable. Also, I love Semi-hollows because of that classical Jazzy sound. It's true, they sound jazzy. Play a open CMaj6 on a Solid guitar, and then play it on a Hollow body and just let the chord sound until sustain is no more and you'll see what I'm talkin about
Great video. Well done. I like your point about the solid body sounding mellower as it's the opposite of what you'd expect. I ended up here after seeing you get a really nice jazz sound from a danelectro exactly what you wouldn't expect again. Keep up the good work. I hope the channel takes off.
Thank you for the kind words! Had fun doing the comparison of the solid body and hollow body. The danelectro does get a surprisingly good jazz sound. Working on some new content (variety of gear demos, solo guitar, and original projects) so please stay tuned and thanks for the support!
Thank you! Hopefully doing another follow up video soon that adds what they sound like with some mild overdrive and maybe throw in a 335 style guitar :)
Did you use the same sets of strings that were about the same age for both of these demos? Great video, by the way. I would have expected to hear more difference. The hollow body seems to have less gain and treble
Thanks! It’s a good question about the strings. I believe at the time of the video the hollowbody had 11s and the solid body had 10s but I can’t remember for sure. At some point I switched to 11s on the solid body as well but don’t remember if it was before or after this video.
Actually surprised at how much additional harmonic content is coming out of the hollowbody, you got more air on the neck and a lot more bottom end on the bridge and dare I say sparkle all around, solid body has similar content but its more focused with less extension on notes, would have assumed solid would mean much slower decay.
Interesting to hear the range of opinions. If you listen with decent headphones you can hear a difference. I would agree the hollowbody has a little bit more a full range with more lows and highs and the solid body is a little more focused.
Thank you! Yea, I’m theory the semi hollow should be somewhere in the middle. I didn’t include a 335/semi hollow guitar on this video just because the two guitars in this video have the same pickups, but I might go back and do another video to add in semi hollow.
How old are the strings on the solid body? Sounds like newer strings on hollow body (which makes a huge tonal difference) hollow body is brighter, most sustain, solid body is dull. But it sounds like the it just has strings that have been played more/longer since last time they were changed. (could also be a factor of pick up height.) Bravo on same exact pickups, but should be - same strings (size, brand, newness - should be brand new to keep all things equal.) - same action/string height (will make a huge difference) - same pickup height (height between the pickup and the strings - make enormous difference. The solid body sounds lower output even though it has the same exact pickups, which would point to the hollow body having the pickups a bit higher and closer to the strings.) new strings vs old strings + distance between pickups and strings with make massive, massive difference - I would expect way more than the difference between solid or hollow body, but it would be great to see a video where all the important elements are controlled for - same scale length, same pickups, same strings, same distance between pickups and strings (to the millimeter).
Nice video; great comparison; I was thinking of a Les Paul vs a PRS Hollowbody! I think the Hollowbody has a little more twanginess to it if that's a word? maybe a little more acoustic sounding/ a bit less electric sounding.
The PRS SC 58 is a Les Paul copy, so quite close to a Les Paul. I agree, the hollow body has a larger range of eq, including more bass and top end. Definitely also more airy and acoustic sounding. The solid body is more focused and has a little more mid range to my ears.
Typically hollow bodies aren’t used as much with distortion due to feedback and increased bass response. However, the hollow body in this video is a little smaller and thinner then many and sounds quite good distorted!
Yeah, it's clear. On the solid, notes die quickly, on the hollow you can hear them overlapping for longer time. If you don't want that effect, muting is more important in the hollow. Is one better than the other? No, just preferences. Personally, I like semi-hollow and hollow more, but I'm actually a bassist, my only guitar is a semi-hollow because I like it better. Solid body just feel short to me. I think the hollow body is better for solo playing. It sounds "complete". I agree with your take on the hollowbody. Most players of jazz use EQ on their gear that's why they get that jazz, mids sound, despite hollowbody not being like that.
Proof that it’s more than just pickups affecting the amplified sound. I have a solid body and a semi hollow PRS. The difference in acoustic sound is obvious. Amplified difference is more subtle but there. I’m thinking of putting TV Jones pickups in the semi hollow. Maybe I can make a guitar that sounds like a Gretsch but plays like a PRS.
I wanted to compare a fully hollow vs solid body guitar first as I figured the differences would be more dramatic, but it would also be interesting to see comparison that added in a semi-hollow. It's just difficult to find a solid, semi-hollow, and hollow body guitars with same pickups!
I’d say the solid body is punchier and would stand out in a large ensemble better while the hollow body has a rich sound would sound better in a small group setting. That’s about the opposite the way they’re used.
I agree! While I think the tonal differences are pretty subtle, I prefer to use the solid body for bigger band settings like wedding/top 40 gigs or rock/blues gigs while I like to use the hollow body for jazz, fusion, and solo guitar gigs.
I have 11 D’addarios on both guitars now but the solid body might have had 10s at time of video. Not 100% sure! The hollow body has a 25” scale length as opposed to the solid body that has 24.5”. Besides that, guitars very similar! Same pickups and same wood.
@@sheifiproductions thanks for the reply! Maybe all the guitar body styles is a lot of marketing since amps can give you a range of sounds. Loved your playing too!
Thanks for the video! I watched it through my phone and was unable to appreciate most of the differences other people say they noticed. In my scientific opinion, there are too many uncontrolled variables for this demonstration to be definitive. Different strings, different bridges. Are the pots and capacitors the same? Are the pickup heights the same? These are all factors which affect tone. You mentioned that the airiness doesn't come through in the recordings. You experience airiness while playing because you hear the acoustics of the guitar. The pickups don't tranceive air vibrations, only magnetic field fluctuations. The airiness perceived while playing is the result of your brain synthesizing the eletric output and the acoustic output and it would disappear if you played while wearing effective sound cancelling headphones. That said, there may still be very real resonance differences between the bodies and the strings. Just look at the resonant feedback achievable by playing in front of your amp. In my opinion, I suspect that the differences between solid and hollow body electric guitars only manifest within certain parameters.
I appreciate very much this test , only regret is that the strings sets are not exactly the same , the same test with brand new strings similar on each guitar would be for sure a must :-)) Have a good day Brgds
Yes, would have been nice to have exact same string sets on the two guitars but they’re similar; both have D’addario roundwounds, but hollowbody had set of 11s and solid body had 10s. I actually have 11s on the solid body now so will be an even more fair comparison next time!
I thought that clean, the solid body guitar had a more nasal and pronounced upper-mid range. In contrast, the hollow body sounded more scooped, heavier lows and highs, with less nasal mids.
Semi hollow and full hollow body guitars have always seemed to have kind of a halo around the note and more depth to the sound, at least to my ears. I got to plug in my uncle’s 335 into a Budda Superdrive about 20 years ago and I was sitting there while playing it thinking, “How in the hell did the Les Paul become the go to rock guitar over this?”
Thanks for this comparison. I’m wondering if you could do the comparison between hollow body P90 neck pickup vs. Hollow body Humbucker neck pickup (for instance this PRS hollow body vs. Godin 5th Ave Kingpin P90. That would be great! I’m trying to find out which one has a more mellow yet articulated sound. Thanks.
Depends on the situation, but generally I would say solid body. I love my hollowbody, but generally use it for jazz or jazz/fusion stuff. I think the solid body is generally a little more versatile for other genres.
Showed me exactly what I always wondered about , the difference is marginal at best.. the longer iplay the more I am convinced the instrument has little to do with final product
I would say there is definitely a difference but it’s not a huge difference. Keep in mind these guitars have same pickups and are quite similar besides being hollow vs solid. While I do think the instrument impacts the final product I would argue the person playing it has a far larger impact :)
When you're talking electric guitars with magnetic pickups, 99% of the tone comes from pickups, bridge, & electronics. Swap your fender strat body for a pine 2x4 from home depot & it'll still sound like a strat. I'm not saying a hollow body doesn't have it's place. They're much louder when unplugged. If you get a model with a piezo in the bridge you can add some really nice acoustic sounds to the mix. If you crank up the volume/overdrive with a hollow body you've got a feedback machine.
I do think that things like the bridge and body wood contribute some to the tone but agree that pickups cause the most difference in the tone! That’s one reason I don’t like seeing comparisons like this with guitars with different pickups.
no difference to me . Nice vid, at the end of the day ive learned that the sound that comes out of the stereo system is alla that matters. But that doesnt mean that is cool to own different guitar models
they sound exactly the same. WHY? cos its the exact same scale length, pick ups, and nut, the wood, shape, or amount of wood doesn't change anything on electrics at all. if you hear a difference its cos youre playing tricks with your own head.
I would argue there is a tiny bit of difference but it’s definitely minimal. However, these two guitars have slightly different scale lengths and bridges, so one could argue (if there is a difference) this could be why.
@@sheifiproductions oh intresting I didn’t know their scale lengths where different. As I was listening to the demos and reading comments they sounded identical and I could get if their was a change or not. That’s a great exercise to do Cos you’re not expecting anything and you hear it with no intentions or markers to trick you. They sounded the same and I’m listening on monitors
Difference is probably more subtle the most people would expect. If you listen with good quality headphones you can definitely hear a difference but it’s still relatively subtle.
Agreed! I always want to see how a guitar sounds first clean before putting on any distortion (especially when comparing to another guitar). Too many demos have so much distortion and effects on it becomes difficult to really hear how the guitar naturally sounds.
The hollowbody seemed to have a bit broader of an EQ range, but agree differences are fairly subtle. You do also notice difference in sustain (not really shown on this video).
@@sheifiproductions I think player and then the electronics(pickups and etc) then body stuff and lastly tone wood BS. Good geometry probably has a decent effect too. How far strings from pickups and etc. But hell I can't even begin to play so what do I know. Lol
proof that it's all about pickups and not what they're attached to. You only have to move 2 sliders 2 Db each to balance the waveforms. Tonewood debunked!
I think the wood of the body of guitar makes a slight difference but pickups make far more of a difference. That's why I like seeing comparisons of guitars with same pickups.
I thought about it (and still might) but the semi hollow I have has different pickups then the two guitars being compared here. Since pickups make a pretty big difference in tone I decided to stay with these two guitars since they have same pickups.
That is true. I know for example in a tele the differences in time between steel and brass saddles are fairly noticeable but I’m not sure how much of a difference in tone these two more similar bridges would make, but certainly possible it would account for some tone difference.
Coming from someone who's never played a guitar in his life. First, they both sound good and are a pleasure to listen to. They also sound similar, more so than I would have expected. The biggest difference I notice is the solid body's sound is "cleaner", more straightforward, but less sophisticated (for lack of a more precise word). I hear more reverberations in the hollow-body, almost like it's making its own harmony/accompaniment. By analogy, the solid body seems more like a flute, the hollow-body a pipe organ. Very nice comparison, thank you much!
Glad you enjoyed it and love the feedback!
Wow, your analysis is on point.
Thanks for great attempt to analyze unbiased comparison and thank you for using clean on this comparison.
Thanks! I also did a comparison with distortion but I always like to start with clean. Differences are fairly subtle but I think you can hear some small differences with clean as compared to almost no differences with distortion. It has been pointed out that these two guitars have slightly different scale lengths and bridges (which arguably can make a difference) but overall the two guitars are very similar, which is why I thought it was still a video worth doing
Thanks for a great comparison. From the first comparison, it was easy to hear the difference. When comparing the bridge pickups however, they were indistinguishable to me. I really appreciate the way you simply pluck the strings and let them ring out. In many videos, it seems like the reviewer is auditioning for a gig or to show their talent. Your approach is so much more revealing to the listener. I also appreciate your use of a common, clean Bassman. Most people can relate the that Fender sound.
Thank you so much for the kind words and glad you enjoyed the demo! You pretty much nailed the majority of the reasons of why I started making some gear demos. I always like to start with a nice and clean/dry comparison and will add some pedals and what not sometimes later but would get pretty annoyed at seeing demos comparing guitars with primarily super saturated tones!
Great video. Thank you so much for taking the time to do it. I'm sure it was a lot of work. Great job of presenting and explaining. Subscribed!
Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing!!!
Thanks for the objective video. Im surprised how subtle the differences are between the two. I had expected it to be much more.
Yes, you can hear a difference, but like you said it's pretty subtle. There are some differences particularly in low and high end as well as sustain though. I thought about doing similar video with distortion (still might) but easier to hear differences when played clean.
The tone is in the fingers.
? subtle? plz get your ears check huge difference hollow was more full more like a reverb built in it
Been going down a rabbit hole of how much guitar construction affects the sound, and I keep noticing the same characteristics in hollow/semi hollow guitars vs. solid body.
1. Note attack and decay: on quick, percussive notes, the hollow guitar has smoother transients where the solid body guitar has a sharper attack.
2. I don't hear the "airyness" people talk about, actually the opposite. The solid guitar sounds brighter, while the extreme highs are more mellow on the hollow guitar.
3. Low frequencies take longer to decay in the hollow guitar. Not really a lack of sustain, but the note decay is different.
Thanks for sharing your feedback! I think EQ wise the difference is quite subtle but I agree that you can notice a more considerable difference with the note attack and decay between the two.
Very helpful! I’ve been considering hunting a hollow body (I have several solid bodies) and I couldn’t decide if I was just psyching myself out thinking I needed something I didn’t, thank you!!
Glad you found the video helpful! Differences are fairly subtle but in my opinion definitely there.
Thanks, spot on comparison Clearly semi-hollow is much fuller and resonant tone. For cleans semi hollow is the ticket
Thanks Juan! Just to clarify, the black guitar in video is a solid body and the sunburst guitar is fully hollow. I do have a 335 knockoff guitar that is semi-hollow that I thought about comparing but it has different pickups, which certainly can make a lot of difference.
And daaaamn, that hollow sounds fantastic
I would love if you did this same test again but with a bit more gain just to hear how the openness and resonance of the hollow body translates to a more classic rock type of crunch sound. Great video though, I’ve been looking for a good comparison like this with as many variables removed as possible like you mentioned in the intro
Thanks! Totally agree about doing another demo between these two using some mild to moderate distortion. It's on my list of things to do and am hoping to get around to it soon!
Good comparison. The "air" in the hollow body does come through. I can see where the more focused sound of a solid body is what you would want with distorted sounds. String gauge does affect bass response. Flatwounds on the hollow body would bring it closer to a "jazz" sound. Overall, the best comparison I have seen on the subject.
Thanks Luiz! The gauge strings definitely make some difference in the tone. I actually switched the PRS SC 58 to 11s recent;y (had 10s in the video). I primarily use the Hollowbody for my jazz and jazz/fusion gigs and the PRS SC 58 for more rock/blues or Top 40 gigs. Love both guitars! Being solid or hollow definitely changes some characteristics of the guitar, which is primarily why I wanted to do this video.
Just picked up a PRS Hollowbody and put Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pros in with coil splitting. It has a killer tone for pretty much any kind of Gig.
That’s awesome!! This PRS has hollowbody has 57/08’s with coil splitting and it is similarly very versatile! I need to get around to doing a full demo on guitar as it has so many great sounds.
I appreciate it this video. Without watching you play the guitar and just seeing the screen I was forced to listen more. I think when I watch people play I'm focus more on them playing the guitar and not so much the actual sounds coming out. I think some guitars people are just happier to play. I know a good fender solid body and I'm smiling a lot more than when I'm playing my Epiphone Dot
It's a good point! I think taking away the visual of someone playing does make people focus more on the sound of the guitar. Similarly, when someone is playing an expensive/nice guitar I think the brain is more likely to come to the conclusion it sounds good and vice versa with a cheap guitar. Plenty of non-expensive guitars sound quite good!
For those of you interested, I just posted a follow up to this video where I compare the same 2 guitars but with some overdrive.
ruclips.net/video/T7Fkp_Hcf3Q/видео.html
The semi hollow is definitely more resonant on all pickup positions. I especially like the mid position tones it's juicier or liquid sounding.
Very interesting!
The hollowbody sounds like a piano with the sustainpedal pushed in...
Sounds really nice!
Thanks! Yes, the hollowbody gets a lot of sustain!
Excellent work. The sound is surprisingly similar. I was looking at a hollowbody to rely less on my acoustic. After hearing this, I'll stay with my acoustic. Thanks.
Thanks for the way you did this! I agree: the guitars need to be very similar to do an actual comparison
Thank you! Yea, I've seen too many videos where people compare various things on guitars but aspects are totally different! Comparing hollow vs solid I think is pretty useless unless you have similar guitars and definitely the same pickups!
Thank you, this was a great comparison! For me, hollow body sounded more airly, with more base / treble, less mid, while solid body was more mid focus. Not sure if this is a right way to describe, but hollow body sounded a bit closer to single coil than solid body. Enjoyed it very much, thank you!
I definitely agree! Hollow body was more airy as well as having more bass and treble. Solid body was a more focused sound with probably more mids. Both sound great, just good for different things! I expected the hollow body to be more airy and have more bass but was a little surprised by it having more treble.
If you stand in front of your amp with the hollow body it creates a beautiful resonance and sustain, especially if using some overdrive and compression… I can hold an infinitive note anywhere on my fretboard with my semi and full hollows. It’s amazing really.
Yes! The sustain is pretty incredible on the hollow body (and hollowbodys in general). Even just playing clean or without an amp you can hear how long notes will sustain for.
If you crank that amp up loud enough with a 4x12 or a vertical 2x12 you can get that effect with a solid body too. Just might not be a super practical volume level, but it is fun though lol. It’s an “only when nobody is home” kinda thing
@@lifeofalex9199 Sounds fun :)
feedback machines.
This was great, thank you! I like the quacky effect of hollows and semihollows. Playful and sassy. Same with the airiness. I think of it as sounding organic. Just some natural vibrations sitting under the electronics 😎
I like the systematic of your tests!
Thanks! I liked doing this demo since the guitars are very similar and have the same pickups. I see too many demos where guitars are compared with different pickups which makes a really big difference!
Well done! One of the things you didn't touch on, is the way the note envelope blooms on a hollow body as you turn your amp up. I bought my Epiphone Casino Coupe precisely because I could enjoy that effect at lower volumes than a semi-hollow or a solid. I probably wouldn't use it very often if I was playing out with a heavy drummer in larger venues. It's all about selecting the right tool for the job...
Definitely! Volume will for sure effect things, love the sound of a hollowbody at lower volumes but can be problematic with feedback at higher volumes. Definitely about selecting the right axe for the gig!
There is definitely a slight difference in expression, one just feels more open and less compressed, I like the clean resonance in the hollow, but I can also see how a tiny bit of compression and drive would eliminate many of these subtle differences. Great video! 🤘
Thanks! It’s often hard to capture “the feel” of the guitar on demo videos. While these two guitars sound pretty similar (you do hear subtle tonal differences), the two do feel quite different both in terms of playability and sound. Stylistically I would play more open and clean stuff on the hollow and lean towards more distorted tones on the solid body.
From Leo: Great demonstration, thanks for your work. I have a hollow PRS that I really enjoy, but do not have a similar solid one. You answered my question. I also have a big body Jazz guitar, (with the pickup floating from the neck) the airy sound is far more noticeable than on the smaller body PRS. I also use thick flatwounds on that one, they affect the tone too, easy to hear when unplugged.
Definitely will hear a bigger difference with large body (for hollowbody). I have a larger hollowbody guitar I like to use for more straight ahead jazz or solo guitar stuff. This smaller PRS hollowbody works great for some of the jazz/fusion stuff I do as it gets some the hollowbody thickness and “airiness” but doesn’t feedback as easily.
thank you mate,I have been waiting for someone to do that very type of comparison excelent great stuff cheers I always thought that I wanted a hollow body but now I know the solid is more what I am for, great stuff thank youb once again .
Glad you enjoyed Doug! They both sound great for different things!
@@sheifiproductions PS:I am in Australia have so much trouble getting any import guitars the shipping more than doubles the cost so as a pensioner I 'am still saving up the $s lol cheers
I normally notice the smallest differences in guitars, but hollowbody vs solidbody is a challenge for me, I definitely couldn't identify either one blind.
However when focused I can tell there's a slight difference in transients, the hollowbody has a longer decay for the mids and lows, and a shorter one for the highs. I think that's where peoples idea of a "woody" tone is coming from
Tnx for this comparison. Really an eye opener for me.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I like this video because I'm also a guy who plays guitar, wears glasses, and has silver hair at a relatively early age. Rock on!
@@JoeGariano haha, we both rock in style :)
Man I love the hollowbody sound... I may be biased since I play a 335, but I did used to play a strat
Agreed! I love the hollowbody for cleans, but it also sounds surprisingly good with distortion as well!
Nice comparison - when just listening I was a little confused, but you discussion afterwards made sense.
That the hollowbody could be both more bassy AND offer a bit more treble - which was what confused me. (plus that subtle airiness)
Then the solid body being a bit more focused and offering a bit more in the mids.
I have the 2021 SE Zach Myers semi-hollow and I love it - but it has the 245S pickups in it so could not go head to head with yours.
I would love a full hollow body to pair with my SE though - the SE Hollowbody 2's look really nice.
I especially like the hollow body I that I have because it is fully hollow but it's not nearly as thick or big as the typical jazz boxes (it's a little thicker then les Paul). It allows me to play a larger range of styles since it won't feedback like the typical hollowbodys do!
The bridges are different, which makes a big difference in the tone since the strings are directly touching them.
Yes, very good point! PRS SC 58 has two piece bridge vs the one piece bridge of the hollowbody I.
I'm gonna give my take on the subject: in this case, the 2 piece bridge would add a more "air" (harmonics) to the tone, albeit in this case very little compared to what long distance from tailpiece to bridge adds (think jazzmaster vs telecaster), against the more imediate tone of a one piece bridge... so, in this demo, the bridges add the opposite tone from what people expect (airy to hollow, imediate to solid) to the guitars they are actually setup.
Great comparison! Very clean recording of both in order to discern the tonal differences which are huge! There is so much more resonance and brighter sound from the HB as opposed to the SB. Im gonna have to get me an HB electric after watching! Thank you.
Thanks Andrew! I wasn’t surprised to hear a little more bass come from the HB but was a little surprised to hear more brightness/highs! Both are great sounding guitars but I do really like the HB. I particularly like this HB guitar as it’s close to a Les Paul in size and isn’t nearly as big or thick as the more jazz box hollowbodies.
Thank you for the comparisons. Love your hair (color and style)
Thanks and thanks :)
I have several Telecasters and even more hollow body guitars of various makes and models. Can't say I love one over the other. I do slightly favor the hollow body jazz tones.
Tonal differences are fairly subtle, but both have their place for sure! Definitely agree, one is not better then the other but really depends on what kind of music you’re playing and preference.
Great video, just what I was looking for.
Glad the video was helpful! Differences are relatively subtle, but can definitely hear some with clean tone. When I tried comparing them with some distortion you could barely hear any difference!
thanks for this. to my ears, the hollowbodys notes sound rounder with some "air" in the notes. the solidbodys tones sound brighter and more crisp. both great for certain things, but hollowbody sounds closer to what I'm looking for. 👍🏼
Thanks and I 100% agree with your description! They both sound great depending on what you’re looking for.
You didn't mention the primary reason they sound different: the hollow body allows the wood to vibrate, creating a different sound profile than the solid body. The sound waves generated by the vibrating wood can add and amplify or cancel and suppress frequencies, creating a broader range of distinctive overtones and harmonics. That's why the hollow body has a fuller, "airy-er" sound while the solid body has a smaller, ...well just more solid and chunky sound that emphasizes the mid-range frequencies (or by contrast you could say suppresses the broader bass and treble response). A solid body is, in a sense, more "neutral" by suppressing overtones and harmonics. This allows better tone control and manipulation, more customizing and easier control via peddles and knobs (on both instrument and amp), whereas a hollow body always introduces more sound "bias" from the instrument itself. That is, no matter what knob you turn you're still attenuating the sound from the instrument's body and string vibrations and not just primarily attenuating the sound from the string vibrations, as in a solid body. Jazz players tune their ears to that instrument-generated sound profile (and can easily hear the difference between say, Jim Hall and Barney Kessel) and seek out jazz boxes that really offer that warm, woody, bell-like tone. While solid body players can often get the tone they want from most good quality solid bodies, with the right pickups and pedals and knob settings since the body has less influence on the tone (though of course the bodies do generate some variation in tone). That's my take, anyway. Cheers.
Agreed, and very well said! You definitely explain it better than I do :) I love both sounds depending on what kind of thing I'm playing or recording.
@@sheifiproductions Thanks. Yeah, both are needed to have a good, wide-ranging "tool box" for whatever gig or jam you're playing. I love and play my solid bodies as well as my hollows and semi-hollows.
@@rhmayer1 the physics that you describe has no basis in the measured differences between real solid-body, semi-hollow, and hollow-body electric guitars.
The measured frequency differences have been shown as due to higher bridge admittance in less-solid bodies, with the bridge becoming less rigid/more mobile (vibrate-able) as one moves along that continuum. A less solid body loses more of particular string vibration frequencies that way. So "The sound waves generated by the vibrating wood can add and amplify or cancel and suppress frequencies, creating a broader range of distinctive overtones and harmonics" doesn't come into it (as well as vibration 'amplification' being against the laws of physics, particularly the Conservation of Energy Law). How would that be detected by the pickups ? There is no good evidence of significant detection of string vibration-induced body vibrations by pickups, either by microphony or direct pickup vibration.
Nor does a solid body "suppress overtones and harmonics." On the contrary, a solid body has less string vibration frequency losses. A greater proportion of string vibration frequencies has been measured to remain in the strings.
See for example Ch7 in Zollner's "Physics of the Electric Guitar" for direct measurements of many such guitars.
So a hollow-body is not "fuller", it is demonstrably "less full". With those greater frequency losses, other (remaining) frequencies may sound more prominent and/or you might also EQ the guitar differently. Also, high sound wave volumes in a room may affect a less-solid body differently.
Of course the listening tests here are not blinded, so it's not obvious that everyone would pick the hollow-body if we weren't told which one we were listening to. But any differences we can hear (that are not due to any of the other many things that cause any guitar to sound different, like the different bridges and potentiometer loading of the pickups' resonant frequencies here) are due to more string frequency losses in the hollow-body compared to the solid-body.
I'd certainly spring for the semi-hollow model. It sounds better (the notes have a certain 'life' and character that is lacking in the solid body . The sunburst looks far better too-more like a real musical instrument. I wouldn't BUY the PRS because I favor a longer scale.
I like at least 25." I'll bet they' sweat one up for you if you requested it.
Both guitars are PRS and the sunburst guitar is actually hollow (not semi hollow). I really like both guitars. Prefer the hollow for cleans and more jazzy stuff and the solid body when I’m doing more rock/blues stuff. The hollowbody I believe is 25” scale, and the solid body is shorter, around 24.5”
Nice comparison. One difference that wasn't mentioned in the video are the different bridge / tailpiece systems used on both guitars. Whilst I agree withe the description of the hollow body sound as a little more bassy and trebly, I think you'd be hard pressed to say based on a recording whether you're hearing a solid or a hollow body guitar. The differences in sound are so small that some eq adjustment will probably be enough to make the two guitars indistinguishable on a recording.
The biggest difference is how they feel when played to the guitarist ... if a different guitar's feel inspires you to play different things, the it's absolutely worth having both, hollow bodies and a solid bodies.
Totally agree about the feel! I would probably agree that the difference in feel between the two guitars is greater than the tonal difference. The HB also has a little bit longer scale length neck. I definitely lean towards playing different stuff on each based on the feel. Being that the tonal differences are fairly subtle I imagine you could get them to sound very close with a little EQ.
Ok, so which one feels better ?
It's easy and is even understandable because of the physics:
The Semi-hollow body has a way more amount of vibrations, because you have the vibration coming from the solid middle part of the guitar and also some "feedback" if we can call it that way, which is coming from the hollow parts of the wings, that's why it sounds more "rich" but at the same time less "clear" because is not just the frequency of the string, is also the rest of the sounds inside the hollow body -> Also, this sound is closer to an acoustic guitar than an electric guitar.
The solid guitar has this physical property which creates that sound more straight forward since there's no much feedback.
You can also feel that hollow guitar kinda feels reverberish haha like... if it was a larger room.
Personally I like hollow guitars for playing and practicing at home unplugged. It has enough sound to be heard but not enough to be loud (like an acoustic guitar) and it also has the feel of a heavy electrical guitar and is very comfortable.
Also, I love Semi-hollows because of that classical Jazzy sound. It's true, they sound jazzy. Play a open CMaj6 on a Solid guitar, and then play it on a Hollow body and just let the chord sound until sustain is no more and you'll see what I'm talkin about
Thanks for the detailed explanation. Spot on and does very well explain the “openness” to the sound of a hollow body!
Great video. Well done. I like your point about the solid body sounding mellower as it's the opposite of what you'd expect. I ended up here after seeing you get a really nice jazz sound from a danelectro exactly what you wouldn't expect again.
Keep up the good work. I hope the channel takes off.
Thank you for the kind words! Had fun doing the comparison of the solid body and hollow body. The danelectro does get a surprisingly good jazz sound. Working on some new content (variety of gear demos, solo guitar, and original projects) so please stay tuned and thanks for the support!
terrific work! thank you: more resonance and sustain with the hollow body / muddy and muffled with solid body
Thanks! I like the sound of both depending on what I’m doing but the resonance and sustain of hollowbody is definitely a pro!
Well done ! Great comparison !🤟
Thank you! Hopefully doing another follow up video soon that adds what they sound like with some mild overdrive and maybe throw in a 335 style guitar :)
Did you use the same sets of strings that were about the same age for both of these demos?
Great video, by the way. I would have expected to hear more difference. The hollow body seems to have less gain and treble
Thanks! It’s a good question about the strings. I believe at the time of the video the hollowbody had 11s and the solid body had 10s but I can’t remember for sure. At some point I switched to 11s on the solid body as well but don’t remember if it was before or after this video.
Actually surprised at how much additional harmonic content is coming out of the hollowbody, you got more air on the neck and a lot more bottom end on the bridge and dare I say sparkle all around, solid body has similar content but its more focused with less extension on notes, would have assumed solid would mean much slower decay.
Agreed! I was also a little surprised to hear more top end/sparkle in hollowbody as well as overall sustain.
Actually I think the difference is huge. The hollow sounds full (how a good instrument should), and the solidbody sounds muffled.
Interesting to hear the range of opinions. If you listen with decent headphones you can hear a difference. I would agree the hollowbody has a little bit more a full range with more lows and highs and the solid body is a little more focused.
Great comparison…. Does a semi hollow split the difference then??
Thank you! Yea, I’m theory the semi hollow should be somewhere in the middle. I didn’t include a 335/semi hollow guitar on this video just because the two guitars in this video have the same pickups, but I might go back and do another video to add in semi hollow.
How old are the strings on the solid body? Sounds like newer strings on hollow body (which makes a huge tonal difference) hollow body is brighter, most sustain, solid body is dull. But it sounds like the it just has strings that have been played more/longer since last time they were changed. (could also be a factor of pick up height.)
Bravo on same exact pickups, but should be
- same strings (size, brand, newness - should be brand new to keep all things equal.)
- same action/string height (will make a huge difference)
- same pickup height (height between the pickup and the strings - make enormous difference. The solid body sounds lower output even though it has the same exact pickups, which would point to the hollow body having the pickups a bit higher and closer to the strings.)
new strings vs old strings + distance between pickups and strings with make massive, massive difference - I would expect way more than the difference between solid or hollow body, but it would be great to see a video where all the important elements are controlled for - same scale length, same pickups, same strings, same distance between pickups and strings (to the millimeter).
Nice video; great comparison; I was thinking of a Les Paul vs a PRS Hollowbody! I think the Hollowbody has a little more twanginess to it if that's a word? maybe a little more acoustic sounding/ a bit less electric sounding.
The PRS SC 58 is a Les Paul copy, so quite close to a Les Paul. I agree, the hollow body has a larger range of eq, including more bass and top end. Definitely also more airy and acoustic sounding. The solid body is more focused and has a little more mid range to my ears.
Hello,
sorry I didn't get quite well. The hollow body is not much indicated for distortion? Is that it?
Typically hollow bodies aren’t used as much with distortion due to feedback and increased bass response. However, the hollow body in this video is a little smaller and thinner then many and sounds quite good distorted!
Is it a full hollow body or a semi hollow body? Thanks!
Yeah, it's clear. On the solid, notes die quickly, on the hollow you can hear them overlapping for longer time. If you don't want that effect, muting is more important in the hollow. Is one better than the other? No, just preferences. Personally, I like semi-hollow and hollow more, but I'm actually a bassist, my only guitar is a semi-hollow because I like it better. Solid body just feel short to me.
I think the hollow body is better for solo playing. It sounds "complete". I agree with your take on the hollowbody. Most players of jazz use EQ on their gear that's why they get that jazz, mids sound, despite hollowbody not being like that.
Proof that it’s more than just pickups affecting the amplified sound. I have a solid body and a semi hollow PRS. The difference in acoustic sound is obvious. Amplified difference is more subtle but there. I’m thinking of putting TV Jones pickups in the semi hollow. Maybe I can make a guitar that sounds like a Gretsch but plays like a PRS.
I wanted to compare a fully hollow vs solid body guitar first as I figured the differences would be more dramatic, but it would also be interesting to see comparison that added in a semi-hollow. It's just difficult to find a solid, semi-hollow, and hollow body guitars with same pickups!
That's why I'm easy, easy like Sunday morning
😀
I’d say the solid body is punchier and would stand out in a large ensemble better while the hollow body has a rich sound would sound better in a small group setting. That’s about the opposite the way they’re used.
I agree! While I think the tonal differences are pretty subtle, I prefer to use the solid body for bigger band settings like wedding/top 40 gigs or rock/blues gigs while I like to use the hollow body for jazz, fusion, and solo guitar gigs.
Brilliant!
Thanks!!!!
Just what I was looking for. More difference that I would have thought. (I may have missed it - but did both guitars have the same strings?)
I have 11 D’addarios on both guitars now but the solid body might have had 10s at time of video. Not 100% sure! The hollow body has a 25” scale length as opposed to the solid body that has 24.5”. Besides that, guitars very similar! Same pickups and same wood.
@@sheifiproductions thanks for the reply! Maybe all the guitar body styles is a lot of marketing since amps can give you a range of sounds. Loved your playing too!
Thanks for the video! I watched it through my phone and was unable to appreciate most of the differences other people say they noticed.
In my scientific opinion, there are too many uncontrolled variables for this demonstration to be definitive. Different strings, different bridges. Are the pots and capacitors the same? Are the pickup heights the same? These are all factors which affect tone.
You mentioned that the airiness doesn't come through in the recordings. You experience airiness while playing because you hear the acoustics of the guitar. The pickups don't tranceive air vibrations, only magnetic field fluctuations. The airiness perceived while playing is the result of your brain synthesizing the eletric output and the acoustic output and it would disappear if you played while wearing effective sound cancelling headphones.
That said, there may still be very real resonance differences between the bodies and the strings. Just look at the resonant feedback achievable by playing in front of your amp. In my opinion, I suspect that the differences between solid and hollow body electric guitars only manifest within certain parameters.
Great video
Thank you!!!!
I appreciate very much this test , only regret is that the strings sets are not exactly the same , the same test with brand new strings similar on each guitar would be for sure a must :-))
Have a good day
Brgds
Yes, would have been nice to have exact same string sets on the two guitars but they’re similar; both have D’addario roundwounds, but hollowbody had set of 11s and solid body had 10s. I actually have 11s on the solid body now so will be an even more fair comparison next time!
Do the fat wires inside the hollow body grab some of the acoustic tone? How does that work? Electo magnetic field?
I imagine the wires have a pretty minimal effect on the tone. Still definitely sounds and resonates like you would expect from a hollowbody.
I thought that clean, the solid body guitar had a more nasal and pronounced upper-mid range. In contrast, the hollow body sounded more scooped, heavier lows and highs, with less nasal mids.
Semi hollow and full hollow body guitars have always seemed to have kind of a halo around the note and more depth to the sound, at least to my ears.
I got to plug in my uncle’s 335 into a Budda Superdrive about 20 years ago and I was sitting there while playing it thinking, “How in the hell did the Les Paul become the go to rock guitar over this?”
Agreed! Think that’s why people refer to the “airiness” in the notes.
Liking the hollow better.
Thanks for this comparison. I’m wondering if you could do the comparison between hollow body P90 neck pickup vs. Hollow body Humbucker neck pickup (for instance this PRS hollow body vs. Godin 5th Ave Kingpin P90. That would be great! I’m trying to find out which one has a more mellow yet articulated sound. Thanks.
Check out link below. I compare several guitars including the PRS hollowbody with humbucker in neck and Godin kingpin with P90
ruclips.net/video/9T4dA1QejT0/видео.html
what would be a better to buy hollow or solid?
Depends on the situation, but generally I would say solid body. I love my hollowbody, but generally use it for jazz or jazz/fusion stuff. I think the solid body is generally a little more versatile for other genres.
The after-ring seems brighter on the hollow body
Agreed, think the difference is pretty subtle but it's there.
Showed me exactly what I always wondered about , the difference is marginal at best.. the longer iplay the more I am convinced the instrument has little to do with final product
I would say there is definitely a difference but it’s not a huge difference. Keep in mind these guitars have same pickups and are quite similar besides being hollow vs solid. While I do think the instrument impacts the final product I would argue the person playing it has a far larger impact :)
Yeah I can't tell the difference but then again it is crappy youtube audio
When you're talking electric guitars with magnetic pickups, 99% of the tone comes from pickups, bridge, & electronics. Swap your fender strat body for a pine 2x4 from home depot & it'll still sound like a strat.
I'm not saying a hollow body doesn't have it's place. They're much louder when unplugged. If you get a model with a piezo in the bridge you can add some really nice acoustic sounds to the mix. If you crank up the volume/overdrive with a hollow body you've got a feedback machine.
I do think that things like the bridge and body wood contribute some to the tone but agree that pickups cause the most difference in the tone! That’s one reason I don’t like seeing comparisons like this with guitars with different pickups.
They have different scale lengths. That's a huge tone difference.
True, there is a difference in scale length. I believe the solid body is 24.5 and the solid body is 25” scale length.
no difference to me . Nice vid, at the end of the day ive learned that the sound that comes out of the stereo system is alla that matters. But that doesnt mean that is cool to own different guitar models
you hear the difference when you have a good set of set of headphone
more bass less weight for hollow
It makes a lot of difference..in weight
Haha, yes true! The difference in weight is not so subtle!
they sound exactly the same. WHY? cos its the exact same scale length, pick ups, and nut, the wood, shape, or amount of wood doesn't change anything on electrics at all. if you hear a difference its cos youre playing tricks with your own head.
I would argue there is a tiny bit of difference but it’s definitely minimal. However, these two guitars have slightly different scale lengths and bridges, so one could argue (if there is a difference) this could be why.
@@sheifiproductions oh intresting I didn’t know their scale lengths where different. As I was listening to the demos and reading comments they sounded identical and I could get if their was a change or not. That’s a great exercise to do Cos you’re not expecting anything and you hear it with no intentions or markers to trick you. They sounded the same and I’m listening on monitors
That hollow body sounds more piano like.
Hollow body definitely has a certain “airiness” to it.
I actually dont like the resonance of the hollow body. Its almost an out of tune sustain on the background of the tone. Its weird.
Casual listening didn’t notice much of a difference. Not saying their isn’t one but I don’t think it’d be noticeable at all to a non guitar player.
Difference is probably more subtle the most people would expect. If you listen with good quality headphones you can definitely hear a difference but it’s still relatively subtle.
Distortion is not good when really trying to hear how a guitar sounds.
Agreed! I always want to see how a guitar sounds first clean before putting on any distortion (especially when comparing to another guitar). Too many demos have so much distortion and effects on it becomes difficult to really hear how the guitar naturally sounds.
Hollow body sounds more alive and resonant
Now you know why semi-hollow is the best choice for everything but metal.
This video just compared a solid body to a hollow body but would have been cool to throw in a semi hollow as well as definitely a great option!
@@sheifiproductions ES-335 has the best guitar tone of any electric guitar made to date.. in my opinion.
Not much difference, but the hollow body seemed fuller reverbish sound. Solid was flater sounding. But not much difference.
The hollowbody seemed to have a bit broader of an EQ range, but agree differences are fairly subtle. You do also notice difference in sustain (not really shown on this video).
@@sheifiproductions I think player and then the electronics(pickups and etc) then body stuff and lastly tone wood BS.
Good geometry probably has a decent effect too. How far strings from pickups and etc. But hell I can't even begin to play so what do I know. Lol
No one touches a toggle switch without toggling it!
proof that it's all about pickups and not what they're attached to. You only have to move 2 sliders 2 Db each to balance the waveforms. Tonewood debunked!
I think the wood of the body of guitar makes a slight difference but pickups make far more of a difference. That's why I like seeing comparisons of guitars with same pickups.
Algo😊
Compare a hollow body to a semihollow
I thought about it (and still might) but the semi hollow I have has different pickups then the two guitars being compared here. Since pickups make a pretty big difference in tone I decided to stay with these two guitars since they have same pickups.
They have a different bridge
That is true. I know for example in a tele the differences in time between steel and brass saddles are fairly noticeable but I’m not sure how much of a difference in tone these two more similar bridges would make, but certainly possible it would account for some tone difference.
*semi* hollow is not the same as hollowbody. #fail
Yes, but the sunburst PRS in this video is fully hollow. Not semi-hollow.