Early Hollowbodies

Huggy Love

Vintage member
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
2,764
I've often raved about my 2000 McCarty HB here. How its my excalibur guitar and how I don't get the same feel and tone out of later models. Maybe it's the mahogany back & sides, or the non piezo bridge, or just some baddass that was doing stellar work in the factory that day, or maybe it's the moon inlays ..... :rolleyes:.

Whatever the case, I haven't run across many HB's that had that resonance when played acoustically....


..... until I saw this vid. The first one he picks up and plucks the strings, sounds just like mine, I had to listen to it a couple times with good headphones just to be sure.

Never wanted to be that "the older ones we're better" kinda guy, but if I ever get GAS for another HB I'm looking at stuff from that period.
 
It must be gratifying to own an instrument that has the voice and characteristics that you value so highly. Like the guitar that is referenced in the post above, I have a 2009 SCHB I as seen in my avatar. I love the mahogany body with the maple top and the SC body shape. The tone on this one is special, too.
 
It must be gratifying to own an instrument that has the voice and characteristics that you value so highly. Like the guitar that is referenced in the post above, I have a 2009 SCHB I as seen in my avatar. I love the mahogany body with the maple top and the SC body shape. The tone on this one is special, too.

I have a 2009 SCHB I too! Great guitar and it sounds weirdly similar to that prototype.
 
I wanted to take this one home with me!

RMU7q3g.jpg
 
I've often raved about my 2000 McCarty HB here. How its my excalibur guitar and how I don't get the same feel and tone out of later models. Maybe it's the mahogany back & sides, or the non piezo bridge, or just some baddass that was doing stellar work in the factory that day, or maybe it's the moon inlays ..... :rolleyes:.

Whatever the case, I haven't run across many HB's that had that resonance when played acoustically....


..... until I saw this vid. The first one he picks up and plucks the strings, sounds just like mine, I had to listen to it a couple times with good headphones just to be sure.

Never wanted to be that "the older ones we're better" kinda guy, but if I ever get GAS for another HB I'm looking at stuff from that period.

Spruce, mahogany, and none of that piezo stuff is what I wanted, and what I got, and nobody can convince me that they’re not the best.

@Tag has mentioned numerous times about the change in design in HB’s and I believe the cutoff is really got around 2006?
 
I wanted to take this one home with me!

RMU7q3g.jpg

"wanted to"??................ ....... I'd have suffered the consequences of trying to bolt out of the archive room with it under my armpit like an NFL halfback, then getting thrown to the ground violently and hauled off by security.

Too bad the pic is blurry, those are some sick bird-holes.
 
"wanted to"??................ ....... I'd have suffered the consequences of trying to bolt out of the archive room with it under my armpit like an NFL halfback, then getting thrown to the ground violently and hauled off by security.

Too bad the pic is blurry, those are some sick bird-holes.

If I was going to do a PS Hollowbody, I'd see if they'd do those F holes.
 
Spruce, mahogany, and none of that piezo stuff is what I wanted, and what I got, and nobody can convince me that they’re not the best.

@Tag has mentioned numerous times about the change in design in HB’s and I believe the cutoff is really got around 2006?

Yep. This. They made the tops thicker and bracing way bigger. Killed the resonance acoustically and at lower volumes. Helps prevent feedback and keeps the tone more focused at high gain and high volume playing though. Loose something, gain something. I dont play with monster gain or high volumes, so I really prefer the resonance of the early ones. Same reason I love the semi hollows. I want a PS archtop really bad, and it will be made with the original thin top/bracing specs for sure!
:):):)
 
Sooooo I just ordered a 2004 Hollowbody. Supposedly a Spruce Top, Mahogany back and sides, Archtop Pickups, no Piezo. Does that all sound right?

How are the Archtop Pickups? I usually dig a lower output pickup but my sounds is definitely more Rock/Blues than Jazz/Archtop. I normally dig lower output pickups (big fan of the 58/15s) and run my guitars through a cranked Dual Rec + TS in front to get a Hard Rock/Alternative kind of sound. Think the stock pickups will work? I'm really going for a Dave Grohl kind of vibe.
 
Sooooo I just ordered a 2004 Hollowbody. Supposedly a Spruce Top, Mahogany back and sides, Archtop Pickups, no Piezo. Does that all sound right?

How are the Archtop Pickups? I usually dig a lower output pickup but my sounds is definitely more Rock/Blues than Jazz/Archtop. I normally dig lower output pickups (big fan of the 58/15s) and run my guitars through a cranked Dual Rec + TS in front to get a Hard Rock/Alternative kind of sound. Think the stock pickups will work? I'm really going for a Dave Grohl kind of vibe.

Bangin’!

Yeah, I think you’ll be alright with the archtops, just play with the height as usual.
 
Back
Top