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I find a good bang for yor buck Semi hollowbody, but I don't even know where to start looking. I am probably going to buy used so I can get more for my money. I want a real nice one though. I am looking to spend maybe $600 to $800. Any of you guys got some ideas.

Tyler

I have a Samick SAN -450 I got for $200 on ebay. IMHO It blows away all
the Epi's, Hamer's I played. Another cool guitar is the Samick RL-3. Just put
a set of Duncan's in it and your good to go.

Haven't played a Samick, but I did find an awesome used Hamer a few months after I bought a Heritage 535 new. I like the Heritage a lot - much better value than a new Gibson IMHO - but used USA Hamers seem like a great value. If you can find a used Heritage equipped the way you want, that'd be good too.
USA Artist Custom with S-D Seth Lover pups

Chip

I'll check those guitars out. Beautiful Hamer man!!!

Tyler

I agree with Chip (obviously...lol). That's the way that I would go for that amount of money.

Wait a minute, what the hell am I doing? On second thought, don't buy a used Hamer. They suck. They will give you STD's. They will blow up your amp because they are actually built by communists looking to sabotage the capitalist economy, and they're starting with the amp manufacturers. The guitars have electronics that will fry any tube amp. The will melt the circuit board of a solid state amp. Stay away from them.

If you find any of them that look like a really good deal, those are the ones to be really afraid of. Please let me know about any of those so that I can avoid them, too.

RRRRRRRight, will do there HamerPlyr.

Tokai do a nice range in semi hollow 335's (both Korean amp; Japanese built) and they sound even better with a set of seths in them!

For low dollars, I think the Washburn stuff has the most bang for buck, although Tokai's might also. I almost bought a Washburn HB-35 a few times. Throw some 59s or Seths in it, and voila! One guitar I've always wanted, since it came out recently, is the Gibson ES-137 Classic. I want the flamed Tangerine burst! Those go for around $1000 used, and $1500 new.

The DeArmond line by Guildfrom the 90's had a few semi-solids and the DeArmond Stuff was/is AMAZING for the money. You can pickup a DeArmond Starfire, which is a MIK version of a Guild Starfire which is a copy of a 335 for $400.00 or less if you look around. The hardware on the DeArmonds is good, and even the stock pickups are pretrty good IMO...

In the $600-$800 range, check out Hamer's Artist Mahogany. It is a continuation of the 25th Anniversary. There was also the Vanguard which was a mahogany Artist in a silver sparkle finish. USA Hamers are some of the best playing guitars out there. The used prices make them some of the best bang for the buck out there. The Korina Artists are usually a little more expensive, but are also some incredible axes. I got mine for $599 in mint condition at GC, but that's because they're idiots.

check out godin's, or ibanez artist (or is it artcore) series....those two always have me drooling...

I looked at the Godin's and those are sweet, and pricy too. I have been lookind at the Dearmond and Hamers also. So many choices. I want to realy get the right one since I will be paying more for this one than any other one I own.

Tyler

Without a doubt, Michael Kelly. They are very low priced but, built with quality.

Without a doubt, Michael Kelly. They are very low priced but, built with quality.

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I am not familiar with those at all. What can you tell me about them?


Originally Posted by Youngpup__________________

I am not familiar with those at all. What can you tell me about them?I have not played one but Dave (theodie) is pretty damn picky abuot guitars and NEVER leaves them alone...it's always a pickups swap, fret work, now pots...something! If he says their good I'd go with it. they have several hollow and semi-hollow guitars. I can tell you from first hand experience that the DeArmond stuff is killer for the price.

Good luck bro!

IMO Epi Dot is the benchmark. Stock pickups are a bit pants, but I reckon $600 plus $100 for a new bridge pickup = a rhythm (and a bit of lead) guitar thats damn near impossible to beat. Plus, the Epiphone name is a good one to have, given their legacy in semis.


Originally Posted by JimbojsrIMO Epi Dot is the benchmark. Stock pickups are a bit pants, but I reckon $600 plus $100 for a new bridge pickup = a rhythm (and a bit of lead) guitar thats damn near impossible to beat. Plus, the Epiphone name is a good one to have, given their legacy in semis.I'll second that for the Dot. I don't own one, but every one that I've played sounded very nice.

1 for the Dot . . . I know that a lot of people bash Epiphone for being crappy guitars or gibson wannabes, but some of them are really quite good.

GuitarStv... out of interest, when you play ur epi, do you ever find the guitar a bit quot;clangyquot; or sore on the ears when you hit the top strings? Or should I just turn the treble down on the amp a bit?