Semi-acoustic guitar

The Halbresonanzgitarre ( colloquially known as the Semi-acoustic guitar and semi-acoustic guitar ) is a mid-1950s developed building type of electric guitars. Archtop guitars have a completely or mostly hollow body. In contrast to full- resonant guitars, however, instruments have this concept for a much shallower body, due to the use of narrower frames. Archtop guitars are used due to their richly varied sound, in many branches of popular music. While they initially favored in the genre Blues and Rock ' n ' Roll became popular from the late 1950s, the type of instrument is also used in more recent styles of rock music as well as in the genres pop music, jazz, folk and other for the following decades. Three of the earliest semi-hollow guitars are the same models introduced in 1955 Gibson Byrdland, Gibson ES -225 Gibson ES- T and 350 T.

Manner of construction

Archtop guitars have a hollow body (English: Hollow Body) and usually two sound holes in different variations of F- holes and similar in the full resonance archtop guitars like the so-called "Jazz Guitar". Also similar to the typical design principle of the semi-acoustic instrument body - parts manufactured separately and glued together: vaulted ceiling (English: archtop ), back and sides - that of full resonance archtops. Ceiling and floor are rarely carved in semi-hollow guitars in the traditional Production of solid wood; Instead, the components in the manufacture of laminated most wood ( plywood, often maple ) pressed into the curved form. The key difference to full- resonant guitar is an instrument body in some cases considerably flatter version. As a measure of the term " semi-hollow " there is a sash width not exceeding 5 cm. An example of a particularly flat hollow body is the appropriately named model Höfner Very Thin with a frame thickness of only about 3 cm. The reduced through these design corpus volume results in unreinforced play half of resonance guitars at a much quieter sound with a lower frequency range of the sound than at full resonance guitars. For this reason, semi-hollow guitars are usually played exclusively by electromagnetic pickups electrically amplified through guitar amps.

Some half- resonance guitar models a fully hollow body ( Epiphone Casino, Gibson ES- 330); in most models a sustain block is built into the body. As a sustain block about 8 to 10 cm wide solid wood bar is called. This is glued precisely from neck to Korpusfuß centrally between ceiling and floor. In case of electrical amplification in higher levels of the sustain block prevents the swinging of the instrument's top and thus reduces the risk of feedback (feedback). Instruments of the semi-acoustic type characteristically have at least one, often two carcass cuts ( cutaway ) on the neck heel. The vast majority of semi-acoustic guitar models are equipped with two pickups including the relevant regulator unit - volume and tone controls (potentiometers ) with knobs and pickup selector switch - fitted on or in the ceiling of the instrument.

Another feature of the manner of construction of semi-hollow guitars - as with full resonance electric guitars - the lack of access to electrical controls have a removable cover in the floor or ceiling of the instruments. Any changes or repairs to these components all the electronics must be removed by means of skilful fine motor skills through the sound holes and also installed in the same way again normally. Major exception is the model Gibson Lucille ( a modification of the model Gibson ES -355 ), which has no F- holes sound reasons and therefore provides access to the electronics via a screw-on lid in the instrument ground.

Due to the construction principle semi-hollow guitars electric guitars are distinguished semi- solid construction ( engl.Semi -Solid ); the latter are designed from the solid body electric guitars are milled out of the solid wood body during the manufacturing resonant cavities. In semi-solid guitars of the body wood shares are much larger than in semi-hollow guitars. Examples of the semi-solid construction, the Telecaster Thinline, Gretsch Duo Jet, the model as well as some electric guitar models by Rickenbacker ).

Typical models of semi-hollow guitars

  • Epiphone Casino ( with hollow body with no sustain block, USA)
  • Epiphone Sheraton ( Epiphones top model, USA, since 1958 )
  • Epiphone Dot, corresponds to Gibson ES -335
  • Epiphone Riviera
  • Framus Atlantic, Sorento, Mayfield ( Germany )
  • Gibson Byrdland and Gibson ES- 350T ( USA, since 1955 )
  • Gibson ES -335 (ES -330, ES -345 and ES -355, USA, since 1958 )
  • Gibson Lucille (stereo special edition for BB King, without sound holes, USA)
  • Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman ( USA, 1961 )
  • Guild Duane Eddy DE -400 and DE -500 ( USA, 1961 )
  • Hagstrom Viking ( Sweden)
  • Hofner Very Thin ( with particularly flat body; Germany )
  • Ibanez AS -200 ( semi-acoustic model from Japan), Artcore series
  • BC Rich Dagger Semi
  • Career The Rod
  • Collins Blue Master Series,
  • Hamer Echotone series
  • Heritage H -535, H -555, Prospect standard
  • Johnson 335er Series, Groove Yard
  • Keytone MG501-CS/EAG350M
  • Peavey JF -1
  • PRS SE Custom Semi Hollow
  • Vintage VSA 535, FDD 555
  • Washburn HB Series

In addition to semi-acoustic electric guitars and semi-acoustic basses are made. Among the best known representatives of this design include the 1956, introduced and built up today Höfner 500/1 ( " Beatle Bass" ), the model of the Star Bass also German manufacturer Framus in the mid- 1960s, among others, the Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman was played, as well as the Gibson models EB -2 ( 1958-1961; 1964-1972 ) and Les Paul Signature bass ( 1973-1979 ), both of which are similar in structure to the guitar model ES- 335th

Significant guitarists with Halbresonanzgitarre

Archtop guitars are played by many famous guitarists in a wide range of musical styles. While many musicians play in their career for a period of time, such an instrument, there are a few guitarists who commit to a particular semi-acoustic model, making this something of a trademark is for them. Some of the most popular among these musicians is from the manufacturer of your favorite guitar model, a special model: dedicated (English Signature Model). Among the best known semi-acoustic guitar

  • Chuck Berry - Rock ' n ' Roll; played from 1955 to about 1963, the Gibson ES -350 T and took much of his early hits on it. Since about 1963 Berry plays the model Gibson ES- 355th
  • Larry Carlton - Jazz; Nickname " Mr. 335 ", after he played Gibson Model ES - 335th
  • Duane Eddy - Rock 'n ' Roll; plays since 1961 a signature model of the brand Guild. Through its distinctive guitar sound co-founder and the most representative of twang guitar.
  • John Lee Hooker - Blues; played in his late career mainly Epiphone Sheraton models.
  • BB King - Blues; plays exclusively dedicated to him the Gibson signature model Lucille.
  • Alvin Lee - Rock music; Guitarist of the band Ten Years After, played a modified ES -335 (nicknamed "Big Red" ) with additional third pickup. He got a Gibson signature model dedicated - the exact replica of his modified guitar.
  • John Lennon - pop, rock; played since the mid- 1960s, preferably an Epiphone Casino. End of the 1990s, Lennon was dedicated posthumously the signature model Epiphone Casino Revolution; a faithful recreation of the modified guitar from him.
  • John Scofield - Modern Jazz; plays live exclusively his signature model of the AS-200 by Ibanez ( with the changed model name JSM100 ).
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