Hollow persons were the earliest inferential guitars, and despite the outstart of the semi hollow and solid soul styles, they really do still bring a special set of tones and features to the table that unrepealable players love.
While todays hollow soul guitars are most popular with jazz players, there are some really dynamic models that can handle a much broader range of styles than the guitars of years gone by. In this KillerGuitarRigs Review, weve covered the 7 weightier hollow soul guitars on the market today.
When reviewing each model, we looked at their overall construction and build quality, their finger and playability, their tones, and any special features. We used the same settings on our Boss Katana Head and Katana cab for each review to alimony things consistent.
If youre in the market for a hollow soul guitar and youre not quite sure where to start, youre definitely going to want to keep on reading!
Our Top Picks for Weightier Hollow Soul Electric Guitars
Those looking for a unconfined all rounder that provides pro grade performance at an reachable price need to trammels out our top pick, the PRS SE Hollowbody II. It has the styling and playability of a modern PRS electric guitar, a stunning figured top and back, and still delivers some gorgeous hollow soul tones.
If youre in the market for a increasingly affordable option, our best value pick, the Ibanez Artcore AG75G delivers serious value for money. Its a premium looking guitar at a wallet friendly price, offering unconfined tones, easy playability, and superstitious vintage jazzbox vibes.
For players who need the very best, our Editors Choice, the Taylor T5z Classic is our recommendation. This is one of the weightier sounding and playing guitars of any type that weve recently had the fortune to test, and the build quality is veritably sensational.
Best Hollow Soul Electric Guitars – Individual Reviews
Gorgeous woods and epic playability.
Players looking for a increasingly trendy hollow soul diamond need squint no remoter than this. It’s a solid performer, that offers players a unconfined tousle of features, build quality, and tones, while still remaining attainably priced.
The PRS SE Hollowbody II is based on the well known PRS double cut body, of undertow with the key difference stuff that its a hollow soul model. The soul is made of a composite of woods, including beautifully figured maple on the top and back, with mahogany on the sides. Because the diamond is so comparable to a solid soul model, we think this would make a unconfined transition guitar for those who want a hollow electric, but who dont particularly want a increasingly traditional jazzbox.
PRS do necks very well, and thats abundantly well-spoken with this model. It had the Wide Fat neck profile, and it fit beautifully in the hand without feeling too thick. Its moreover well-spoken that wood selection is at the cadre of the PRS trademark plane with their increasingly affordable SE models, as evidenced by the fantastic ebony fretboard on this guitar.
Even though this was one of the best looking models in the roundup, the looks werent plane the biggest request that honor went to the tones. It had PRS 58/15 “S” humbucking pickups, which we found to be nice and bright, while moreover having unconfined midrange presence and plenty of marrow end power. Played acoustically it offered unconfined sustain and resonance, and had a really unique character.
The factory setup was veritably perfect. There were no sufferer spots and no fret whoosh anywhere to be found, the intonation was accurate, and the whoopee was good and low. We found the tuning stability to be waddle solid, aided of undertow by the quality unorthodoxy nut, and the superstitious PRS designed tuning machines.
Verdict: Overall, the PRS SE Hollowbody II is a unconfined guitar for players of all abilities. It’s well built using stunning woods, its fantastically resonant and sounds great, and it offers some of the weightier playability youll find on any hollow body.
Pros:
- Fantastic neck
- Great tonal range
- Includes nonflexible case
Cons
- Only 1 master tone & 1master volume control
- Some might find the marrow end overpowering
A upkeep jazzbox that really hits the mark.
This is a fantastic jazzbox style guitar that delivers big in terms of tone and aesthetics. It benefits from premium tone woods, quality pickups, and spanking-new playability, all for a price you wouldn’t believe.
The Ibanez Artcore AG75G is made with linden on the top, back, and sides. This creates a lightweight and well-appointed instrument that still produces a warm and rich tone thats perfect for jazz players. The soul was fully bound, including the F holes, subtracting a upper end squint to what is one of the most affordable hollow soul jazz boxes on the market.
When it comes to the neck feel, the AG75G falls on the slimmer side, which made it very comfortable, and platonic for players with smaller hands. The 22 fret walnut fingerboard was moreover smooth, with unconfined finger feel. The frets themselves were well finished, with nicely rounded edges, and proper leveling from top to bottom.
It was fitted with two Classic Elite humbuckers, giving it a wide range of tones to work with while keeping noise to a minimum. The neck position delivered warm, rounded tones that were perfect for jazz and blues, while the underpass position served up a bit increasingly bite, and managed some decent overdriven waddle tones.
Intonation was well-judged thanks to the Gibraltor Performer bridge. Not only did it indulge for fine adjustment, but it moreover provided a nice, low whoopee without causing fret buzz. The VT06 tailpiece gave it a archetype squint while simultaneously lengthening the strings, reducing the tension and remoter improving comfort.
Verdict: All things considered, the Ibanez Artcore AG75G is an extremely impressive guitar. It’s well-built, sounds great, it comes loaded with unconfined features, and is priced at a point to suit just well-nigh any budget. If you’re in the market for an affordable hollow soul guitar with a unconfined range of tones and archetype vintage styling, this is a unconfined choice.
Pros:
- Light weight
- Dual humbuckers
- Great fretwork
Cons:
- Plastic nut
- Nickel frets
The ultimate hybrid hollowbody guitar.
This slimline hollow soul was unmistakably designed with the player in mind. It’s an extremely versatile guitar that can be used for a variety of genres and styles, both acoustically and amplified, and with its unique soul shape and construction, it commands sustentation wherever it goes.
The Taylor T5z Classic is the newest and slimmest version of Taylors incredibly popular T5z series. Built with a mahogany top and sapele when and sides, it feels (and sounds) like a typical Taylor sensory when played unplugged, but introduce an amp and it becomes a whole variegated guitar. Players who are used to solid soul electric guitars will definitely enjoy the playing feel, which was described by one KGR staffer as stuff like a Les Paul on the keto diet.
Were big fans of Taylor necks at KGR, and this one definitely reaffirmed that. It was made from sapele, and had a T5 profile, which is weightier described as an extremely slim D shape. It was well-nigh as well-appointed as a neck can be, and as an widow bonus, it was topped off with a fantastic ebony fretboard.
One of the things that makes the T5z so versatile was its worthiness to produce a huge variety of tones. To make such a wide variety of tones, it made use of a unique electronics setup, including a subconscious Samarium Cobalt humbucker in the neck position, an zippy top with a dynamic soul sensor in the middle position, and flipside Samarium Cobalt humbucker in the underpass position. We were worldly-wise to tousle sensory tones from the top sensor with increasingly traditional electric tones from the humbuckers, and the results were outstanding.
It arrived strung with slick Elixir Nanoweb medium gauge strings, which when paired with the Taylor chrome tuners, resulted in spanking-new tuning stability. The factory setup was superb, and as a bonus, it moreover came with a custom fit gig bag.
Verdict: The Taylor T5z Classic is a versatile fantastically playable hollow body. It offers some of the most unique tones youll find in any hollow soul guitar when plugged in, and yet it performs like a true sensory guitar when youre playing without electronics. The quality of the woods and the overall construction is superb, and we think plane the most discerning guitar buyers would be increasingly than happy with it.
Pros:
- Comfortable slim body
- Incredible pickups
- Quality hardware
- Expensive
- Limited verisimilitude options
Screaming tones and tons of resonance from this sleek guitar.
This is a archetype looking guitar that's designed for the modern player. It offers huge tones with that resonant hollow soul sound that we all love, and the factory fitted Bigsby vibrato really adds to the playing experience. It’s well built, and offers the kind of playability that makes it untellable to put down.
The Gretsch G2420T Streamliner maintains the familiar Streamliner diamond as found on the solid and semi hollow models of the same name. This particular version is a hollow soul model with a maple top, back, and sides. It had a single-cutaway soul style, and we loved the repletion afforded by the protuberant top and back. It moreover had a sizeable cutaway for superb lower fret access.
It had a nato neck with a slick, Thin U shape profile. While we found the neck to be uncommonly comfortable, it was noticeably slowed lanugo due to the use of a gloss finish that became sticky during extended use. The neck was topped with a laurel fretboard and 22 well finished medium jumbo frets.
We loved the Broad’Tron humbucking pickups; they delivered a rich, well well-turned tone that veritably nailed both blues and rockabilly styles. They gave us some wonderful cleans, and really handled upper proceeds well, with very little feedback. The neck tones were fat and full, and the underpass was unexceptionable and responsive while lamister harsh overtones.
One of the standout features of the Streamliner Hollowbody was the Bigsby trem system. It unliable us to add tons of variegated textures, and plane opened up some surf waddle tones. Plane with heavy use, it didnt impact the tuning stability, which is unchangingly a huge plus when vibratos are involved. We moreover found that the Adjust-o-Matic underpass was set up well, both in terms of playability and intonation.
Verdict: We found ourselves quite impressed with the Gretsch G2420T Streamliner. It’s got a unconfined look, a well-appointed neck profile, and zaftig tones to segregate from thanks to the dual humbucking pickups. If you’re in the market for a new hollow soul guitar with solid soul styling and playability, this Gretsch might be a unconfined option for you.
Pros:
- Excellent trademark prestige
- Bigsby vibrato system
- Great resonance
Cons:
- Sticky gloss neck
- Laurel fretboard
Luxury appointments and genuine retro styling.
This is a true throwback to the golden era of hollowbody guitars. It's a beautifully designed instrument that sounds as good as it looks, with its P90 pickup delivering surprisingly versatile performance. It makes us of upper end woods and parts, and perfectly blends modern reliability with vintage styling.
The Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin is a archetype jazzbox style guitar made with a solid Canadian wild cherry top, and laminated Canadian wild cherry when and sides. The soul was finished with a trappy thin satin lacquer, giving it an weather-beaten squint and feel, and at just 4lb 15oz, it was incredibly light weight.
Continuing the theme of high end woods, it had a silver leaf maple neck, with a particularly stocky profile. Not all players will like the thickness of the neck, but the finish was excellent, which did help playability. We really liked the rosewood fretboard; it looked beautiful, with tight grain and unconfined finger thanks to the super unappetizing 16 radius.
It had the simplest electronics of all of the models in the roundup. There was a single neck mounted P90 that gave us a nice rage of tones. With the volume cranked, and the proceeds up on our amp, we got some of the typical P90 snarl (albeit a little darker than it would be in the underpass position). With the volume rolled back, it was warm, and played with a soft-hued touch, it was quite articulate. It is worth noting that it was quite noisy, expressly with upper gain.
We found that it was appropriately scheduled given its price point. It had an willowy Graphtech Tusq bridge, which is platonic if youre looking to retread the action. The saddle was compensated, which helped with intonation, although, if you make other adjustments to your set up, you might find it difficult to dial the intonation when in.
The Godin branded tuners performed very well, offering just the right value of resistance, and positively engaging the gear with plane the smallest movement. They maintained tuning stability very well, and definitely aided the overall reliability.
Verdict: The Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin is a beautifully made instrument that sounds unconfined and looks fantastic. It’s well-appointed to play thanks to its smooth, satin neck finish, and its lightweight body. It delivers big on vintage tone thanks to its single P90 pickup, and its protuberant when really assisted with projection when played acoustically.
Pros:
- Great P90 tone
- High end woods
- Extremely lightweight
Cons:
- Single whorl hum
- Fixed saddle
Turn of the century styling and versatile tones.
This is a high-end hollowbody with mythological art deco styling. It’s made with quality tone woods, and serves up thick, linty tones thanks to its Duncan Designed mini humbucker pickup. Tonally, it does everything from jazz to rock, and is a real players’ guitar.
The DAngelico Premier EXL-1 Hollowbody immediately stood out when it was unboxed. It came to us a in a timeless Satin Walnut finish, but its also misogynist in Champagne and Ocean Turquoise if youre looking for something flashier. It had a laminated spruce top, paired with laminated flamed maple on the when and sides. This combination of woods delivered some of the weightier sensory performance of the unshortened field of test models, and we have to add, that the flamed maple looked sensational.
Fans of thick necks in particular will enjoy this DAngelico. It had a well-padded U shape profile that really filled the hand nicely. The finish on the neck was a particularly smooth satin and plane though the neck was thick, it still played fast, and made reaching for jazz chords relatively easy. For us, the most disappointing full-length of the guitar was the ovangkol fretboard, which was a little dry something nicer like rosewood have been much largest received, expressly at this price.
The EXL-1 sounded unconfined unplugged, thanks to its laminated spruce top, and when plugged in, it sounded plane better. It had a single Duncan Designed mini humbucker in the neck position, and it was a real treat to play. Stuff a humbucker, it did a unconfined job at wearing out the noise (like we experienced with the Godin), which in turn helped a lot with the clarity. It did warm, rounded cleans very well, and overdriven tones sounded great, but we did find that it was prone to feedback at upper volume.
One of the biggest benefits of opting for this DAngelico is the fantastic hardware that comes as standard, not only did it come with upper performance Grover 109 Super Rotomatic tuners, but the tuning keys had a DAngelico sectional stairstep design that looked amazing. It had a height willowy bridge, with compensated saddle for spanking-new intonation, and a fantastic stairstep tailpiece that beautifully complimented the art deco aesthetic.
Verdict: The D’Angelico Premier EXL-1 Hollowbody is a fantastic guitar that sounds unconfined unplugged or amplified. Aesthetically, its definitely one of the prettiest hollow soul guitars on the market, and of course, the Duncan Designed pickup delivers everything from fantastic jazz cleans, to some pretty crunchy overdriven waddle tones.
Pros:
- Duncan Designed pickups
- Gorgeous tailpiece
- Top of the range tuning machines
Cons:
- Prone to feedback
- Dry fretboard
A slim jazz style guitar built to the highest standards.
This hollow soul electric guitar is a archetype option based on the legendary models of the 1960s. It’s a well-appointed player that delivers punchy, well well-turned tones, and the build quality is good unbearable eve for discerning guitarists and working musicians.
Starting with the construction, the Guild T-50 featured maple all around, with an protuberant maple top and back, paired with maple sides. It was a slim line model, meaning the soul was on the thinner side, making it easy to hold and play for extended periods. Our test model arrived to us in a trappy Vintage Sunburst finish, just like the original 60s model.
It had a 2 piece mahogany neck with a soft U profile. We thought it had a pretty vintage feel, and would definitely be geared increasingly towards intermediate to wide players, as it wasnt the most forgiving neck. The neck was topped with a lovely ebony fretboard, and 20 well finished narrow jumbo frets.
The slim soul did somewhat impact the sensory projection. It still had a nicely well-turned sound when played unplugged, but wasnt particularly loud. When plugged in the single neck mounted Franz P90 delivered tons of warmth, and some strong, woody tones. Stuff a single pickup model, the tenancy layout was simple, with just a master tone and a master volume knob. However, we were still worldly-wise to get some unconfined tonal variety just by making adjustments on the on workbench controls.
As youd expect at this price point, it was quite nicely equipped. It had some gorgeous Grover Sta-Tite unshut gear tuners, which not only unsalaried to the vintage aesthetic, but moreover to the fantastic tuning stability and overall reliability of the guitar. It was nice to see individually willowy saddles, too. With both height and horizontal welding capabilities, its a unconfined guitar for dialing in the perfect setup.
Verdict: If youre a working musician or experienced player looking for a comfortable, upper quality hollow soul with real vintage mojo, the Guild T-50 should be on your list to trammels out. Its a versatile guitar that sounds good both acoustically and amplified, its extremely well made, and if you like your necks old school, youll love this Guild.
Pros:
- Open gear tuners
- Adjustable saddle
- Ebony fretboard
Cons:
- Weaker sensory projection
- Unforgiving neck
How To Segregate the Weightier Hollow Soul Electric Guitar for you
With so many variegated hollow soul options on the market, it can be tough to know where to start when shopping for one if youre new to the style . To squire you in your visualization making, we’ve provided a dispersal of everything you need to know well-nigh hollow soul guitars to help you segregate the weightier option for you.
Body Styles
One of the first things you’ll need to decide when shopping for a hollow soul guitar is r body style you want. The most worldwide options are archtops, but there are several other unique styles out there, too. Archtop guitars have a rounded soul shape, with a pronounced curvature on the top, and sometimes on the back, too. This curvature not only looks great, but it moreover assists with the instruments sensory projection properties, too a helpful full-length on these guitars, as theyre significantly slimmer than standard acoustics.
The downside to archtops is that theyre typically much larger than the stereotype solid body, making them difficult for smaller or younger players to use, and plane for larger players, fatigue is likely to set in much older when playing for extended periods.
Modern hollow soul styles (in many cases) dont squint all that much variegated to standard solid soul guitars. They typically have the weightier playability of all the hollow soul guitars thanks to their slim persons and necks. Additionally, they are increasingly likely to have a modern electronics set up, which might not get the vintage tones quite right, but they certainly offer a worthier variety.
Of course, theres a downside to the modern style models, and that is largely their sensory performance tends to suffer (comparatively) due to the lower volume of air in their sound chambers.
Tone Woods
Like any guitar, the type of wood used in the construction of a hollow soul will have a big impact on its overall sound. Common tone woods used in Hollow soul guitars include spruce, sapele, mahogany, and maple, and occasionally linden.
Spruce is a very versatile wood that can be used for a variety of genres, and boasts some of the weightier sensory performance. Mahogany has a rich, full sound that is well suited for blues and jazz. Sapele is a increasingly sustainable volitional to mahogany, and offers extremely similar tonal properties. Maple has a punchy sound that works very well for country and rock.
Pickups
The primeval hollow soul guitars were all single coil, as the humbucker hasnt been released when they first went mainstream, and this is why youll largely see vintage style hollow soul guitars with a single P90 in the neck (although some do have multiple pickups, including humbuckers).
P90s are heralded for their snarling tones when pushed into overdrive, and their bright wipe tones. Unfortunately, like any single coil, they are prone to the hum caused by electrical interference, making them a noisy option.
The other main type of pickup found on hollow soul guitars is the humbucker. This is a dual whorl type pickup that uses reverse winding to cancel out the 60 trundling hum, resulting in a quieter guitar. In wing to stuff quieter, they have a higher output, and are warmer, with a fatter tone than P90s.
Final Thoughts on the Weightier Hollow Soul Guitars
We had a wham trying out these
To recap our favorites, our top pick was the PRS SE Hollowbody II it was a unconfined player, it looked incredible, and had such a dynamic tonal range thanks to the dual humbuckers. Our best value nomination was the Ibanez Artcore AG75G this was a increasingly traditional jazzbox style guitar, but it gave us spanking-new sensory and inferential performance, and was built incredibly well, considering the price. Our top pick was the unsurpassed Taylor T5z Classic this hybrid type guitar had some of the most interesting tones of any guitar weve overly put on test, and it was built in the USA, to the highest standards.
The post 7 Weightier Hollow Soul Electric Guitars (2022) appeared first on Killer Guitar Rigs.
