Members u6crash Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 What do you suppose is the best deal on a used semi-hollow electric? Maybe a seldom talked about make and model? Maybe it's simply an Epiphone Dot? Not looking for cheapest, but most bang for the buck. Kind of kicking myself for not picking up a 12 string Yamaha four years ago, but I was in the middle of buying a house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 The best value, IMO, is the Yamaha SA2200 (MIJ) but it is not an inexpensive guitar. It is, however, the best 335 style guitar I have ever put my hands on and a fraction of the price of a Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 Best value would be a recent Gibson ES335. You know it's going to be a good guitar and they hold their value well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 Depends on your budget. I happen to think that the Ibanez Artcores are the best bang for the buck out there. I have an AS73 that plays as nice as a Gibby, at a MAJOR fraction of the price. BUT I replaced most of the electronics.The Eastmans's are fantastic guitars.You want to spend some money, and not on a Gibby? Peerless, FGN, and the aforementioned vintage Yamaha's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 From what I have seen, the quality (bang) of the SA2200 is unsurpassed - at any price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members u6crash Posted October 1, 2016 Author Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 My budget right now is nothing. I'm kind of planning a couple months from now. Been working 58-66 hour weeks and racking up the overtime. Sold my primary electric this summer to pay the bills. The Yamaha semi-hollows have always intrigued me, but I've never played one. Had not heard of Eastman guitars (I'm out of the loop) and at first thought you mean Eastwood. Somewhat tempted to pickup an old Coronado body (though that would be hollow, not semi-hollow) and build one. Dots and Artcores have been hit or miss for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jtr654 Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 Hamer Echotone can be had for around $300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 You can also check out Oscar Schmidt semi-hollow bodied guitars for a guitar on more affordable end of the spectrum. They are good value guitars and produce good woody/jazzy semi-hollow tones. My understanding is that they are made by the Washburn company. I bought one OS-OE30 from a friend at work for next to nothing (25 bucks and an old DOD fuzz pedal I wasn't using) and I gave it to my stepson who's enjoyed it. We put in some GFS pickups which made it a more viable player. But OTOH, I like your idea of a used Epi 335 dot. After their "off the showroom floor depreciation" they aren't going to loose more value and to be as likely to end up at a garage sale as an Oscar Schmidt, but again, they sound better than one might think. https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Schmidt-Electric-Pickups-Natural/dp/B010DXK9HW/ref=pd_lpo_267_tr_t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VZ9WCGP3S5CJGC4FW3TN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 ... Dots and Artcores have been hit or miss for me. I agree - although the MIJ Ibanez Artist AS-xxx guitars from the late '70s and early '80s are fabulous guitars comparable with the Yamaha MIJ models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted October 1, 2016 Members Share Posted October 1, 2016 I like the way 335s look, but not the way they feel. I owned several hollow and semi-hollow guitars, but either their shape didn't feel right or the feedback eventually got to me. The best I've ever owned overall was the Ibanez AS73. I once had a Ric 360 and grew to hate it, so a $400 Korean guitar beating it says quite a lot about my experience with them. I do want to point out that Les Pauls and 335s sound very similar. If you're after the tone and not just the look, you can find used Les Pauls and copies easily and for good prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted October 2, 2016 Members Share Posted October 2, 2016 might work for ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarvelUndies Posted October 2, 2016 Members Share Posted October 2, 2016 If they're sold where you are, I'd recommend the Aria TA-50. I had my eye on one for a long time, but semis aren't for me. However, my old man bought one for less than £100 used and he loves it. His other semi is some Washburn that I forget the specific model of, but he swears it's every bit as good as that Washburn. He even prefers it for some styles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members speakerjones Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Vintage Guild Starfire 4Hamer Newport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 C'mon 'One', ya gotta admit that was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Very nice guitars for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 There may be some that question my credibility or perhaps more correctly my authority but I'm quite certain you won't do better in the cost to value ratio than finding either a Peerless (MIK) Epi or a Carlo Robelli (also MIK and apparently peerless). This guy (Travis Wammack) was a big deal in the 60's and still doing it only leaving his pricey vintage Gibsons at home in favor of his Robelli's: [video=youtube;zzW3_qDs_QE] (The bigsby is an aftermarket add on but from the look of those zebras he's playing on the original pickups here.) I scored one of these locally a year or so back in cherry mint condition for $180 and I've never looked back. Sam Ash carried these back at the turn of the 21st century for a couple of years and sold them for peanuts then. Mine had absolutely no issues whatsoever (electrical or physical) has shred worthy action over impeccably crowned pristine (no wear) medium jumbo frets. The pickups were fine but I did replace the neck pickup with an old Seymour Duncan 59 Zebra I had laying around which made for a warmer neck and much more interesting middle. This is a GREAT 335 if you can find one. I'd seriously put it up against my best American guitars (Hamers, Gibson, Fender Strat Plus) in the quality, playability and tone departments. If you don't believe me you can check out the reviews and raves online. I found this new Reverb listing online: https://reverb.com/item/3165345-carl...ollow-electric According to the seller (dealer) the Robelli line was definitely made in the legendary Peerless factory. More than I paid, but definitely not more than I'd be willing to pay for one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Got this used for less than $300. Great guitar for the price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Even used, the Coupe and 339 are worth their sales prices in terms of quality. It's crazy that you can find one used so cheap. I love my Casino Coupe. If Epi ever stops making them, I bet the used market will go ape and sell them for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Yes, I admit it is indeed funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 What do you suppose is the best deal on a used semi-hollow electric? Maybe a seldom talked about make and model? Maybe it's simply an Epiphone Dot? Not looking for cheapest' date=' but most bang for the buck. Kind of kicking myself for not picking up a 12 string Yamaha four years ago, but I was in the middle of buying a house.[/quote'] If you can get past the name, Jay Turser makes really solid guitars. Hardware and electronics are cheap and need changing, and they need a serious setup, but it's for those reasons they can be found very cheap. For more money, Hagstom Viking's are fabulous instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members u6crash Posted October 4, 2016 Author Members Share Posted October 4, 2016 What model is that? From this angle it looks like a smaller body like the 339 and a flat top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members u6crash Posted October 4, 2016 Author Members Share Posted October 4, 2016 I always forget about those. I've never had a chance to play one. They make one without a Bigsby right? It looks cool (the Bigsby), but I wouldn't use it and it's just one more thing to get in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted October 4, 2016 Members Share Posted October 4, 2016 yup, it's a 339 pro (archtop). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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