New help with deciding on a Hollow Body

[lavern23]

I have been reading here for quite some time. Thanks for this place in advance.

 

I play a couple times at church and we regularly do acoustic music sets. When i say acoustic I mean that there is no "electric" type guitar like a strat or something similar. We are electrified though. There is usually the worship leader playing an acoustic guitar and I play mine as well. I have been thinking about what a hollow body would sound like to compliment the worship leaders playing. I have been looking at the Heritage Eagle and the Sweet 16. There is no one in my area that carries these to try so I would like your imput. What would you recommend?

 

Thanks

 

Lavern23

[DetroitBlues]

If you're just playing the guitar accousticly, both of those will be fine. If you plan on playing them electrically down the road, it will depend on your music style. Keep in mind full hollow bodies will feedback like crazy.

[big bob]

I have been reading here for quite some time. Thanks for this place in advance.

 

I play a couple times at church and we regularly do acoustic music sets. When i say acoustic I mean that there is no "electric" type guitar like a strat or something similar. We are electrified though. There is usually the worship leader playing an acoustic guitar and I play mine as well. I have been thinking about what a hollow body would sound like to compliment the worship leaders playing. I have been looking at the Heritage Eagle and the Sweet 16. There is no one in my area that carries these to try so I would like your imput. What would you recommend?

 

Thanks

 

Lavern23

 

you can't go wrong either way.. they will both sound soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice... I don't have either of your choices But I do have similar guitars and they sound sweet in that setting.

this is my favorite at the moment

[lavern23]

Thanks Detroitblues and big bob. I will be plugging up while playing. I can either plug straight to the board or go through my amp. Just thought one like mentioned above would give a bit different sound and keep things from sounding the same.

[DetroitBlues]

Different body styles, sizes, tone woods, string, etc. all make a difference in how the guitar sounds. Not to mention your own technique. Just try a few to see which type sounds best to you.

[Genericmusic]

I agree with BB about either guitar fitting your expectations. I wouldn't worry about feedback. At the volume you'll be playing I doubt it will happen. If I were in your situation I would go directly into the board. Should feedback develop you can EQ the frequency at which it is developing just as long as it does not interfere with it natural harmonics of your guitar. I play a Classic Eagle. In recording situations and some live situations I go directly into the board. When the gig requires an amp I use a solid state one which also has a tendency to reduce feedback in said guitars. Seriously I wouldn't worry about feedback. If so, try this site;

 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-causes-feedback-in-a

[Jazzpunk]

I wouldn't worry about feedback. At the volume you'll be playing I doubt it will happen. Seriously I wouldn't worry about feedback.

 

I agree with this as well. I think the OP's biggest problem will be deciding which Heritage hollowbody to get as they all sound so good!

[barrymclark]

I agree with BB about either guitar fitting your expectations. I wouldn't worry about feedback. At the volume you'll be playing I doubt it will happen. If I were in your situation I would go directly into the board. Should feedback develop you can EQ the frequency at which it is developing just as long as it does not interfere with it natural harmonics of your guitar. I play a Classic Eagle. In recording situations and some live situations I go directly into the board. When the gig requires an amp I use a solid state one which also has a tendency to reduce feedback in said guitars. Seriously I wouldn't worry about feedback. If so, try this site;

 

http://www.scientifi...s-feedback-in-a

I use a Deluxe Reverb and Bassman model on my Cube and have the gain on my cube up to 75%. Now, it isn't copious amounts of gain but it is very bluesy. I have had it up VERY loud with my carved top 575 and the only feedback is on the resonant freguency notes and that is if I hold it. It is very controllable.

[barrymclark]

 

you can't go wrong either way.. they will both sound soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice... I don't have either of your choices But I do have similar guitars and they sound sweet in that setting.

this is my favorite at the moment

 

Tease.

[lavern23]

I currently have my eye on three right now. A Heritage Eagle Classic, a Heritage Eagle Standard and a Heritage 575. Just wish I could get my hands on one of them. They are on the net.

[lavern23]

Will the the models with single pickups sound more acoustic? There is a Heritage Eagle Custom on the fs forum that is real tempting.

[MichYank]

I have a similar situation but we have full electric with some pretty rockin' stuff. For Christmas and the Passion (Palm Sunday) we're totally orchestrated with brass, woodwinds, percussion, cellos, violins, etc. a very involved production.

 

Anyway, what I use for all these situations is a Line 6 Pro unit (amp simulator with efects) and run it directly through the house system. You could use your hollow body amplified then and not overpower the others playing accoustic.

 

Just a thought.

[barrymclark]

Will the the models with single pickups sound more acoustic? There is a Heritage Eagle Custom on the fs forum that is real tempting.

No much more than a guitar with two pickups and you turn off the bridge pickup.

 

There will be some change as you don't have the extra hunk of metal making the top more difficult to vibrate, but... honestly... it isn't that big of a deal in my experience. Either that or the change I did notice didn't bother me. The most woody sounding electrics I hear are the guitars that do not have the pickups set into the body but rather have the floating sort of pickup that is mounted on the neck heel and/or pickguard.

 

I own a 575 as mentioned and am eyeballing an Eagle Classic as well.

 

This is how my 575 sounds. I added some gain to sort of replicate that grainy recording sound you get with older stuff.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDxchYD5jGE

[RhoadsScholar]

Nice playing BarryMClark,that's one of my favorite tunes...

 

I have had a 575, a super eagle, and at present, have a 530 with humbuckers and a 550 which is a bit of a hybrid (550 thinline with a partial block). If you plan on playing electric, a laminate vs. a solid top affords you more volume even if it is plugged into the PA. I could not tame the super eagle even though it had two humbuckers in the top. The laminate guitars do not have as good a sound acoustically, but as soon as you plug it in electrically, the difference between a laminated top and a solid top is not as substantial (this is my opinion, and I am not a pure jazz guy). I just think of how many jazz guitarists use a gibson 175 which is all laminate (unlike the 575 which is all solid maple or maple/spruce top)...

 

I will eventually aquire a solid top jazz guitar again (for personal playing), however, in an electric situation, with a band setting, I would go with a laminate top (ala the 550 you mentioned) or even consider a 535/555 which still have some acoustic properties, but they are subdued. I think you could play a gibson 335 style guitar and get an idea what a heritage 535/555 might sound like as it is hard to compare heritage guitars when no one carries them (unless you are close to Wolfe Guitars).

 

This is just my 2 cents worth and may not be worth 2 cents with the downturn on the economy. Enjoy your quest though. I think the 550 might be a better choice for your situation....

[lavern23]

Thanks to all who have responded with imput. This is a great place. I think I am leaning towards an eagle or sweet 16. I currently have a 66 gretsch tennessean, an es 347, and a 30th anniversary les Paul. Please don't be too judgmental about the gibsons. At least they came from the old Gibson factory.

[MartyGrass]

You may want to consider a flat top with a pickup.

 

The design of the archtop was intended to make it a better percussion instrument. That is, the guitar was strummed and needed to be bright enough to cut through horns and pianos. An archtop may not be your first choice.

 

Gabor Szabo was one of the best jazz guitarist ever and he played with a flat top.

 

 

 

Just a thought.

 

I play mostly archtops but back in my church playing days it was a flat top.

[MartyGrass]

No much more than a guitar with two pickups and you turn off the bridge pickup. There will be some change as you don't have the extra hunk of metal making the top more difficult to vibrate, but... honestly... it isn't that big of a deal in my experience. Either that or the change I did notice didn't bother me. The most woody sounding electrics I hear are the guitars that do not have the pickups set into the body but rather have the floating sort of pickup that is mounted on the neck heel and/or pickguard. I own a 575 as mentioned and am eyeballing an Eagle Classic as well. This is how my 575 sounds. I added some gain to sort of replicate that grainy recording sound you get with older stuff.

 

I noticed a thumb pick. Hmmm... Every time I try to make that work for me I feel like my IQ drops 50 points, which puts me in the negative. I wish I could master that.

 

I will not put on fake nails. Not yet anyway.

[Gitfiddler]

You may want to consider a flat top with a pickup.

 

The design of the archtop was intended to make it a better percussion instrument. That is, the guitar was strummed and needed to be bright enough to cut through horns and pianos. An archtop may not be your first choice.

 

Gabor Szabo was one of the best jazz guitarist ever and he played with a flat top.

 

 

Just a thought.

 

I play mostly archtops but back in my church playing days it was a flat top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Huge Gabor Szabo fan here!!

Saw him live at Shelly Mann's Man Hole around the time of that last video.

During Gabors high energy jam, Spellbinder, he broke his high E string...and kept on playing for another 5 minutes!! What a masterful guitarist he was.

Thanks for the good memory.

[lavern23]

Ok I did it. I bought a 1998 Heritage Eagle Classic. It has block inlays and what I call imperial gold tuners. Looks like upgrades when compared to other Eagle Classics I have seen. It should be here by the end of next week. I will post pics when it arrives. I am now officially a member here. I own a Heritage guitar!!

 

Thanks to those who gave imput.

[Genericmusic]

[barrymclark]

 

I noticed a thumb pick. Hmmm... Every time I try to make that work for me I feel like my IQ drops 50 points, which puts me in the negative. I wish I could master that.

 

I will not put on fake nails. Not yet anyway.

I hear you. I felt the same way. In that video I am using the Fred Kelly Bumblebee heavy. It really cut the learning curve. The adjustable-ness of it started to create a problem though. I play with a bit of agression and the position of the pick would frequently move on me. I am going to order the Fred Kelly Slick Piks next.

 

I HIGHLY recommend the bumblebee picks for at least a set of thumbpick training wheels.

[barrymclark]

Ok I did it. I bought a 1998 Heritage Eagle Classic. It has block inlays and what I call imperial gold tuners. Looks like upgrades when compared to other Eagle Classics I have seen. It should be here by the end of next week. I will post pics when it arrives. I am now officially a member here. I own a Heritage guitar!!

 

Thanks to those who gave imput.

You got the very model I'd love to get! CONGRATS! It will sound six colors of awesome! What I like so much about these models are they are very L-5ish. They are based the concert guitars that were made before electronics became really popular. Just awesome.

[DetroitBlues]

Ok I did it. I bought a 1998 Heritage Eagle Classic. It has block inlays and what I call imperial gold tuners. Looks like upgrades when compared to other Eagle Classics I have seen. It should be here by the end of next week. I will post pics when it arrives. I am now officially a member here. I own a Heritage guitar!!

 

Thanks to those who gave imput.

 

Congrats! Cannot wait to see the pics! It took me a long time and a lot of luck before I finally got my hands on one.