Hollowbody 2 question

[Jmartin]

Let me start off by saying that last year I purchased my first PRS guitar. I bought a Custom 24 30th Anniversary in charcoal burst. The 10 top flame with charcoal burst just blew me away, after I Started playing the guitar, the rest was history. It was going home with me. I can't say enough about the quality in workmanship and in tone, it's just amazing. I have quite a few high end guitars, and the PRS has been the only electric solid body that I've played since I bought it.

I say solid body, because I play in a Christian rock band, and I have to be pretty versatile. My "go to" guitar for that band is a Taylor T5z. It's a beautiful first edition guitar, and has a gorgeous koa top. The reason I use that guitar is because it's like the swiss army knife of guitars. Everything from clean acoustic to a driving rock sound is available. But now I'm in love with PRS.

So here is my question. Am I going to be able to get a realistic acoustic sound from a Hollowbody 2? I do not want to use an acoustic simulator.

The other question I have is, Is it worth the money to order one with the artist package? The only thing I want to change from stock is an ebony fret board. Maybe go with hybrid hardware, but that's not important. All of my favorite acoustic guitars have an ebony fret board. I think on my other guitars it lends itself to the acoustic sound that I like. I also like the way it feels. So, what do you think? Is it worth the extra money, and will it make a tonal difference on the Hollowbody?

 

[XiXora]

Not sure about the tone as I've never played one but you may be able to get a wood library model with those specs that maybe a little less scratch than a full blown artist package model.
I only say that as you may be waiting a while for one to be ordered especially for you… unless you don't mind waiting a few months.

 

[rugerpc]

I have both hollowbodies an archtop with piezo. They sound great to me!

But tone is such a subjective thing. I suggest you track down a hollow body at a dealer and play it through an acoustic amp and straight through a PA.

You also need to look at the P22 and P24...

I don't think you will be disappointed!

 

[JustRob]

Here's my AP SCHBII.

It has the piezo and the ebony fretboard. I love the sound of this guitar. It was the one I kept when trading all my others to go PS.

Like Ruger said, I don't know if the acoustic sound will satisfy your tastes, but I love mine. You should definitely try one.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

I have a P22 and run the piezo signal through a Zoom A2 modeling processor into the PA. I find the acoustic sound very convincing. It suffers just a little from using .010 gauge strings, but I love it. Lots of my original songs have both acoustic and electric parts and the P22 does a great job at both. Others on this forum use various processors like the Fishman Aura or LR Baggs for the same purpose. Just make sure you run the piezo through a separate full range system from your guitar amp.

Tom

 

[Jmartin]

I have a P22 and run the piezo signal through a Zoom A2 modeling processor into the PA. I find the acoustic sound very convincing. It suffers just a little from using .010 gauge strings, but I love it. Lots of my original songs have both acoustic and electric parts and the P22 does a great job at both. Others on this forum use various processors like the Fishman Aura or LR Baggs for the same purpose. Just make sure you run the piezo through a separate full range system from your guitar amp.

Tom

I'm sure that sounds great, but I dont want to use any acoustic processor. The Taylor t5z has a very natural sounding acoustic sound. I guess that's what I'm asking, does the hollowbody system sound like a natural acoustic guitar?

 

[solacematt]

A lot of it has to do with amp and eq'ing as well. Playing in a local unsigned band and being on bills with 2-3 other bands doesn't give any time really to use the second output jack on my hollowbody so I've never had the chance to go direct through PA to tell you how it sounds. I play mine through my rectifier half stack and for one song for the intro/verse it stands alone on the piezo through the amps clean channel with my vocal. I generally get other guitar players afterwards ask me if it's the guitar or an acoustic simulator so I'm assuming it sounds pretty convincing to everyone else. Definitely go check one out at a store if you can.

 

[jeffgoobs]

If the Taylor has a piezo pickup in it, then it will sound like it. Not being a smartass, either. Does a piezo pickup sound like an acoustic with a mic? Not to me it doesn't. Does it sound "acousticy" enough to use live on a song that requires acoustic? Yes.

 

[veinbuster]

I'm sure that sounds great, but I dont want to use any acoustic processor. The Taylor t5z has a very natural sounding acoustic sound. I guess that's what I'm asking, does the hollowbody system sound like a natural acoustic guitar?

I haven't played that Taylor much. I have a hollowbody with an ebony board and it sounds like a very quite acoustic when played acoustically. I play it that way frequently when I don't want to disturb people in the house.
I run the piezo into a PA and as others have noted it is a judgment call how much like an acoustic that sounds. I feel it has a definite acoustic flavor, but not quite the same as playing any of my acoustics.
When I only take one guitar with me, the piezo hollowbody is almost always the one I carry because it is the most versatile guitar I own.

 

[Jmartin]

I have another question. I'm debating whether or not to go with a rosewood neck over the mahogany neck. Mahogany is very stable, that's why everyone makes necks out of it. Does anyone have any experience with a rosewood neck? What are your thoughts?

 

[veinbuster]

I have another question. I'm debating whether or not to go with a rosewood neck over the mahogany neck. Mahogany is very stable, that's why everyone makes necks out of it. Does anyone have any experience with a rosewood neck? What are your thoughts?

I am a big fan of rosewood necks, but I wouldn't put one on a hollowbody. I feel pretty strongly that mahogany with an ebony board is a perfect fit for a hollowbody.
I also have one with mahogany and a rosewood neck and it is really nice - you wouldn't think you were missing anything, at least not until you had a chance to play it with ebony. Even then the difference isn't such that it would be a deal breaker - it just kind of pushes it to a magical place.

 

[tiboy]

I have an AP P22 with an IRW neck and ebony board. The combination is great, BUT very different sounding from a hog neck. Make sure you like that sound before going all in.

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

I have another question. I'm debating whether or not to go with a rosewood neck over the mahogany neck. Mahogany is very stable, that's why everyone makes necks out of it. Does anyone have any experience with a rosewood neck? What are your thoughts?

Yes, I have a Hollowbody II with Rosewood neck. JustRob who answered above has a SC HBII with Rosewood Neck. I love the Rosewood neck and ebony board on mine. Sustain for days. It is the way to go! Acoustic sounds, well yes, it does that well too.

 

[Jmartin]

I have an AP P22 with an IRW neck and ebony board. The combination is great, BUT very different sounding from a hog neck. Make sure you like that sound before going all in.

I'm kind of surprised that that the neck makes much difference in tone. I wouldn't have guessed that. I was just contemplating the stability of the neck, you've given me something new to consider.

 

[JustRob]

Yes, I have a Hollowbody II with Rosewood neck. JustRob who answered above has a SC HBII with Rosewood Neck. I love the Rosewood neck and ebony board on mine. Sustain for days. It is the way to go! Acoustic sounds, well yes, it does that well too.

I haven't had much time with any other hollowbodies so Veinbuster may be right. He helped me with making my decision to go with a HB.

I just know I love mine. Close enough to an acoustic, great clean sounds, and Ballz out metal too. My only issue was that they don't come in WT (small hands, and no I don't smell like cabbage!).

 

[veinbuster]

Let me embellish a bit. Not that I am right, this is all subjective anyway. It is just a but more background into how I came to my ultimate hollowbody.

I really like the feel of a rosewood neck, and I have a weakness for the earthy tones it brings to a solid body guitar. My interest in a hollowbody (and Archtop, but that is a different beast again) was to blend acoustic character with an electric guitar. I have a decent selection of acoustics and by far mahogany and ebony works best with them - again, to my ears and hands. That made it a natural choice for the hollowbody.

I don't think I would like the degree to which a rosewood neck favours the lower harmonics when I was looking for acoustic tonal quality, which is I think where this conversation started. Maybe Rob and I can get together again one day and play his rosewood along side mine. I think Rob tinkered with my rosewood finger board one before getting his.

And, yes: the neck and board make a noticeable difference in the sound of the guitar. Keep in mind over 2/3 of the string is over the fingerboard.

 

[vchizzle]

When I had my SCHB II in rehearsal, I ran the piezo side thru a DI then straight into our mixing board. It sounded pretty convincing to me. Piezo pickups vary I suppose and I can't say I've ever plugged an acoustic in to the PA, so a little hard to compare. I haven't played the Taylor either so....

 

[Faded]

It will give a great Piezo sound. It doesn't sound like a big bodied dread mic'd up with a Royer, but as far as electric guitars with a piezo goes it's quite good.

 

[Jmartin]

I appreciate all the input. I'm really looking forward to ordering my hollowbody 2 artist package. I don't think I will be getting rid of the Taylor T5-z though. I really would like to find a way to hear the difference between a rosewood neck with ebony fret board and a mahogany neck with an ebony fret board played through an acoustic amp. Aesthetically, I really dig the appearance of rosewood. Tonally, I just don't know

 

[CVS]

I have both a Taylor T5 (Koa wood) and a PRS Hollowbody II (East Indian Rosewood fretboard) with piezo and 57-08's. My T5 is about 6 years old now and is the "full body" model. I have to say that the electric guitar tones that I can get out of the HB II are far superior to those that I can get out of the T5, especially out of the neck pickup position. On the acoustic side, I would have to say that I get a slightly more authentic sound out of the HB II than the Taylor (I use a Fishman Loudbox Artist for acoustic amplification). I purchased the HB II last year primarily because I was not satisfied with the electric sounds coming out of the T5 (although I must say that I like the Tele like sound that I can get out of position #3 on the T5 - but none of the others).

In any case I am very happy with the HB II and I plan to keep the T5 but use it only as an acoustic guitar.