H-150: solid vs. chambered

[Scooter]

How would you describe the character differences sound-wise between an H-150 solid body and an H-150 chambered body guitar?

[Kuz]

Personally for me, it has to be solid wood.

 

I had two incredible looking PRS guitars (a Single Cut and a 245) both were chambered. They played great but just lacked that low end grunt & growl that the original Kalamazoo Gibson Les Pauls are know for.

 

I bought a 150 Goldtop (solid body) and didn't expect it to completely blow away the PRS guitars.

 

Fast forward.... I have 3 solid body 150s and no Single cut design PRS guitars.

 

 

SO BOTTOM LINE, clambering a guitar to my ear robs the low to low mids that a good (original) Les Paul is know for. Ren has even said that chambering will accent the highs. There is a reason David Grissom to Alex Scholnick prefer heavier solidbody guitars......TONE!!!

[tulk1]

Scoots,

 

Katie had her 150LW at the picnic last year. It was quite the guitar. Had tons of sustain - you could feel the wood vibrate as the note decayed. Which, actually, took a very long time. I only got to play it unplugged, so I may not have the best acount of how it sounds. But I do know she played it in one of the jams and it hung right in there with the solid bodies. My guess is you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in a blind test.

[Spectrum13]

So where would the 155 Millie fit in here? It's champered after the bridge, in the control cavity and under the elbow.

[tulk1]

So where would the 155 Millie fit in here? It's chambered after the bridge, in the control cavity and under the elbow.

 

My Millie DC NFH feels to me just like a 150/150LW. It leans more towards the chambered body rather than a semi-hollow/semi-solid. Now, my Mille SAE (arch top and back) feels very much like a semi, pushing air thru the F-holes, vibrating from the sound boards, etc. But honestly, it hung in there right with all the solid bodies at the PSPI when pushed thru any of the amps there. It had it's own tone, that is for sure, tho'.

[Thundersteel]

I like the tone of my chambered H150LW. The chambering gives it a nice, woody tone.

 

But my LW weighs just as much as my solid-body H150!

[smurph1]

I have always loved the sound of a chambered instrument.. My G Brand BFG was chambered and had a p-90 on it to boot..It sounded great..So I would imagine a chambered Heritage would sound even better, because the quality is better!

[pushover]

I have both a 157 and a el cheapo (comparatively..) LP vintage mahogany. It's not a fair comparison between them, but the vintage mahogany is chambered, so it weighs in a few pounds lighter than the 157. Yet it still sustains really well! The sound between the two are completely different with the 157 being much deeper and darker, but again having messed around with different PuP's, that's an area you can control with amp settings and/or changing the PuPs.

 

My own experience is that "every" guitar, even the ones off the same assembly line, are all a little different from each other, so probably more important than the chambered versus unchambered issue are all of the other things that make the difference between a dud and a tone daemon. So my best suggestion is to try 'em and select yourself a good 'un. Or at least one you like

[Gitfiddler]

Since the 150 is basically another iteration of the Les Paul design, I'll chime in as a Gibby LP Supreme owner.

 

Chambered vs. Solidbody is simply another tone choice for us tone nerds to enjoy and debate. I honestly cannot say that one body style is any better or worse than the other. I get some fantastic, grunty tones from the Supreme as well as from other solid body gits. (e.g. 150, 157 and LP Historics).

 

The same applies to semi-hollow vs. full hollow guitars. Great tones can be had from both camps.

 

Weight has always been a controversial issue for Mahogany solid body guitars. The Weight = Tone camp will argue their point of view. I was one of those guys...until I met my match with an over 11lb LP Custom that beat me into submission. Man, that thing sounded good!! But my back simply could not handle that anchor for gigs more than an hour. I put it on my wife's lap once, and she screamed "This thing is crushing me!". She was right, and I soon sold it. Still miss the tone of an all Mahogany solid body. Hey, Heritage does not make an all Mahogany 150/157, right?! Hmmmm.

 

The really cool part of all of these body configurations is that it offers us even more tone options through pickup choices. In every chambered or semi-hollow guitar I've ever played, the pickups seemed to have more impact on the overall tone than pickup swaps in solid body instruments. Maybe it's the interior air pockets (tone chambers?) that cause this. I can't say for sure. That's my observation. YMMV.

 

Finally, I do not know what type of chambering pattern Heritage uses, but her are a few examples of chambered bodies from the Gibson factory.

[smurph1]

I have both a 157 and a el cheapo (comparatively..) LP vintage mahogany. It's not a fair comparison between them, but the vintage mahogany is chambered, so it weighs in a few pounds lighter than the 157. Yet it still sustains really well! The sound between the two are completely different with the 157 being much deeper and darker, but again having messed around with different PuP's, that's an area you can control with amp settings and/or changing the PuPs.

 

My own experience is that "every" guitar, even the ones off the same assembly line, are all a little different from each other, so probably more important than the chambered versus unchambered issue are all of the other things that make the difference between a dud and a tone daemon. So my best suggestion is to try 'em and select yourself a good 'un. Or at least one you like

Yeah Buddy..That's why I avoid buying on the "NET"..Can't play em before you buy em..I probably wouldn't have my 140 if it was available on-line..Plus the fact that i traded abunch of stuff which is difficult on-line..

[Steiner]

Since the 150 is basically another iteration of the Les Paul design, I'll chime in as a Gibby LP Supreme owner.

 

Chambered vs. Solidbody is simply another tone choice for us tone nerds to enjoy and debate. I honestly cannot say that one body style is any better or worse than the other. I get some fantastic, grunty tones from the Supreme as well as from other solid body gits. (e.g. 150, 157 and LP Historics).

 

The same applies to semi-hollow vs. full hollow guitars. Great tones can be had from both camps.

 

Weight has always been a controversial issue for Mahogany solid body guitars. The Weight = Tone camp will argue their point of view. I was one of those guys...until I met my match with an over 11lb LP Custom that beat me into submission. Man, that thing sounded good!! But my back simply could not handle that anchor for gigs more than an hour. I put it on my wife's lap once, and she screamed "This thing is crushing me!". She was right, and I soon sold it. Still miss the tone of an all Mahogany solid body. Hey, Heritage does not make an all Mahogany 150/157, right?! Hmmmm.

 

The really cool part of all of these body configurations is that it offers us even more tone options through pickup choices. In every chambered or semi-hollow guitar I've ever played, the pickups seemed to have more impact on the overall tone than pickup swaps in solid body instruments. Maybe it's the interior air pockets (tone chambers?) that cause this. I can't say for sure. That's my observation. YMMV.

 

Finally, I do not know what type of chambering pattern Heritage uses, but her are a few examples of chambered bodies from the Gibson factory.

 

+1 on the Supreme. All I can tell you is that it's different. I cannot say with certainty that the difference is because of the cambers, strings, pups, manufacturing variation or my attitude when playing. The guitar is resonate which is a characteristic I enjoy/prefer.

[Blooze]

+1 on the Supreme. All I can tell you is that it's different. I cannot say with certainty that the difference is because of the cambers, strings, pups, manufacturing variation or my attitude when playing. The guitar is resonate which is a characteristic I enjoy/prefer.

 

Yup, I think it is just a personal preference, but there is some tonal difference. I had a R6 Cloud 9 LP and found it a little more "three dimensional" for lack of a better term. My solid slab Heritage/LP's have been a little tighter and more "focused" (two dimensional?). I better quit before I break into Haiku.................both are great depending on the tonal need.

[pro-fusion]

I find that chambering makes a HUGE difference in the tone, though it depends on how much is carved out of the body. I played a Gibbon LP Standard of some sort today that was a very featherweight instrument, so it must have been almost entirely hollow. It seemed that way when I tapped on the body. Very resonant, but entirely lacking in the punch and intensity I demand out of a LP-style guitar. Other chambered LPs I've played have had the same issue. It's that intensity of sound that most comes through with a solidbody LP--my 10lb. H157 is a snarling beast, and that's the way I like it. Mellower folks might think otherwise.

[Kuz]

I find that chambering makes a HUGE difference in the tone, though it depends on how much is carved out of the body. I played a Gibbon LP Standard of some sort today that was a very featherweight instrument, so it must have been almost entirely hollow. It seemed that way when I tapped on the body. Very resonant, but entirely lacking in the punch and intensity I demand out of a LP-style guitar. Other chambered LPs I've played have had the same issue. It's that intensity of sound that most comes through with a solidbody LP--my 10lb. H157 is a snarling beast, and that's the way I like it. Mellower folks might think otherwise.

 

 

+1 I couldn't agree more!

[Millennium Maestro]

How would you describe the character differences sound-wise between an H-150 solid body and an H-150 chambered body guitar?

Such as simple question, such a difficult question. Most of the responses here are generaly 100% spot on...

 

When you ask about character, in all actuality there are so many factors that can weigh in that create a unique experience for you with your specific amplifier setup...if you are satisfied with a solid 150, why try to reinvent the wheel...If you want something lighter, give it a shot. Buy a guitar at a good price, you can always sell it if it is not to your liking. Alot of 150 players would love a lighter guitar because it messes with their back and would snag up a good deal for a lighter 150 and no pain. (No Pain no Gain?) little joke.

 

If I am looking to play really hard and heavy rock... I am playing a heavy guitar with the right pickups, alot of players would be uncomfortable with the weight.

 

Good luck!

[Scooter]

Guys, thanks for all the feedback. This is very helpful stuff and I appreciate it varah mawch!

[Millennium Maestro]

Guys, thanks for all the feedback. This is very helpful stuff and I appreciate it varah mawch!

LOL,

You watching the hockeygame tonight?

 

Go Wings Go !!

[the jayce]

hello all,

I have a 150- and 157 both solid, but i have played the guitar for over 20 years-->long enough to know the slight tone differences between the two would be practically unoticible to most ears, and the true head turning guitar tones are in the players fingers. I have seen guys play 100.00 junk and make them sound 100 times better than your average joe on a 3000 dollar heritage or gibson.

 

Chambering and solid isn't going to make that guitar sound good, it's the musician! all you veteran players should agree and if not i would be very curios as to why...

 

That being said , solid all the way just for the coolness factor

[pro-fusion]

Chambering and solid isn't going to make that guitar sound good, it's the musician! all you veteran players should agree and if not i would be very curios as to why...

 

That's undoubtedly true, but I still sound different when I play my 157 versus my Millennium. Solid and chambered LP-style guitars do sound different, and that's just the way it is. I have a ridiculously varied stable of guitars, and I choose between them mostly for different sounds--of course I'll have my own tone when I'm playing any of them, but they will still sound different.

[Scooter]

LOL,

You watching the hockeygame tonight?

 

Go Wings Go !!

 

MM, I listened to a bit of the hockey game on the radio last night (sigh). Right now it's the solid bodies vs. the hollow bodies and the solid bodies are up 2-0. . I'm hopin' for some home cookin' in games 3 & 4, though! GO HAWKS!!!