Special Semi-hollow vs ME-V

[guitar_man_man_man]

I’m thinking of paring down the collection a bit with my silver sky, 35th anniversary custom 24, and HBII piezo not getting nearly as much play as my Santana and Custom 24 Floyd these days. Would you pick an SSH or an ME-V to replace the three I mentioned and fill the spot of an axe that can get good single-coil tones while still covering ground between jazz and rock? Also just curious how folks who have both would compare the two!

 

[Jimi D]

Downsize?!?!

(OT: I vote Special Semi Hollow, because I love mine and it is without a doubt one of the most versatile and musical guitars I've ever owned, but I've not played an ME-V yet)

 

[RickP]

Curious to hear the replies of owners being as I’ve never played either of those.

 

[Headset]

I played both and decided to purchase the Special Semi Hollow. I prefer the control layout and tones. It can definitely cover the range you’re looking for.

 

[Bogner]

My Answer Is To Always Buy Two Or More Of Each So I Am Of No Help...Sorry.

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Downsize?!?!

(OT: I vote Special Semi Hollow, because I love mine and it is without a doubt one of the most versatile and musical guitars I've ever owned, but I've not played an ME-V yet)

I played both and decided to purchase the Special Semi Hollow. I prefer the control layout and tones. It can definitely cover the range you’re looking for.

Have either of you compared the SSH vs a silver sky? Wondering how the single coil tones stack up.

 

[Headset]

Have either of you compared the SSH vs a silver sky? Wondering how the single coil tones stack up.

i own a silver sky as well, maple fretboard version. They’re two completely different animals. The fretboard radius, frets, and neck carve on the silver sky are “old school”. If you want a 60s style single coil guitar then it’s the Sky you want. But the semi hollow is far more versatile and capable of really wide range.

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

i own a silver sky as well, maple fretboard version. They’re two completely different animals. The fretboard radius, frets, and neck carve on the silver sky are “old school”. If you want a 60s style single coil guitar then it’s the Sky you want. But the semi hollow is far more versatile and capable of really wide range.

I may end up keeping the silver sky and selling the hbII and 35th anniversary for an ssh. HBII is a little thicker bodied than I like and I just don’t love the 85/15s as much as I thought I did.

 

[Bobd]

I was on the fence for either a ME-V or a Paul's guitar ... after having played both, the Paul's I took home . It sounded so much richer to my ears.. and I still have a SS and a Fender for the rsal in between Strat sounds, the ME-V didn't do that that well to my ears.. I'm still more into the single coil sound than real PAF style humbuckers. The Paul's has more of a single coil flavor.

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

I played both and decided to purchase the Special Semi Hollow. I prefer the control layout and tones. It can definitely cover the range you’re looking for.

What did you see as being the main difference in tone between the two? They’re very similar setups, so definitely curious about that. I’ve read the ME-V is a tad bit brighter, not sure if that’s accurate.

Edit: oh and curious whether you have the MT or LT variation of the SSH!

 

[Headset]

What did you see as being the main difference in tone between the two? They’re very similar setups, so definitely curious about that. I’ve read the ME-V is a tad bit brighter, not sure if that’s accurate.

Edit: oh and curious whether you have the MT or LT variation of the SSH!

Good questions! I have the LT version. The ME-V I found to be brighter possibly due to the pickup and bone nut vs synthetic alongside solid body vs semi hollow. I also felt the in between pickup positions were better balanced on the semi hollow than the ME-V. I also vastly prefer the 5815 humbuckers to the TCI. Overall, if I want a single coil specific sound I’d rather pick up my silver sky or fiore. So what it boiled down to for me was the in between sounds and for that I preferred the semi hollow.

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Good questions! I have the LT version. The ME-V I found to be brighter possibly due to the pickup and bone nut vs synthetic alongside solid body vs semi hollow. I also felt the in between pickup positions were better balanced on the semi hollow than the ME-V. I also vastly prefer the 5815 humbuckers to the TCI. Overall, if I want a single coil specific sound I’d rather pick up my silver sky or fiore. So what it boiled down to for me was the in between sounds and for that I preferred the semi hollow.

Thank you, that’s very helpful!

 

[Headset]

Thank you, that’s very helpful!

No worries, happy to help!

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Now where are all the ME-V lovers at??

 

[Rider1260]

Special Semi Hollow over a Pauls or an MEV for me.
Another guitar you might look at is the Studio 22
I have yet to find a guitars with 2 narrow 408s that I like.

 

[Jimi D]

Have either of you compared the SSH vs a silver sky? Wondering how the single coil tones stack up.

The Silver Sky is a Strat-lover's Strat, imo... the only guitar I've ever played that gave me single coil tones as satisfying as those on my core SS's is my Fender AVRI '65 strat with early grey-bottoms, which are just the strat pickup to my ears; smooth, open, vocal, but not spikey or shrill... I love them. The SS has pickups that do that with a tiny touch more oomph and that totally works for me. The Special Semi Hollow, otoh, offers up excellent single-coil-like tones for a humbucker guitar, and the in-between tones are simply outstanding; they're unquestionably the best I've ever heard in a humbucker-equipped guitar, but they are not single-coils. Granted, my SSH is one of the 2018 Experience special order ones with the unique 58/15MT (multi-tap) pickups, so I can't say how it would compare to the current production guitar, but I do know that I much prefer the individual single-coil tones in my SSH with 58/15MTs than those I get with my 594HBII with 58/15LTs. (of course, ymmv, jmo, wdik, & etc.)

 

[Stephen J.]

They are all great guitars. I do like the idea of keeping the Silver Sky, at least until you have one of the others so you can tell if it is close enough for you to let go of the Silver Sky. I prefer the MEV over the Special Semi-hollow. I have played a few Specials and they just didn’t work for me, especially for the 2/4 Strat tone. My MEV does everything well. I do not have a legit Strat to make a direct comparison, but I don’t feel like I am missing anything based on my previous Strat guitars.

 

[Tosca]

For me MEV>>>SSH w MTs>>SSH w LTs
MEV versatility is unmatched, especially w maple neck/FB, which I think brings out the best in the narrow 408 pickups. YMMV.

 

[shinksma]

I have all of the mentioned guitars EDIT: except I don't have a CU24 Floyd, just a regular CU24. And a P24. And my HB II is a SC, plus I have a Spruce HB (double cut).

To me, the SSH is indeed somehow more versatile in tonal range compared to the MEV, and I'm not sure why - the MEV, on paper, should have more options. Perhaps it's because the SSH nails the tones it does "just right", whereas the MEV is "trying too hard to be something for everyone"? The MEV is heavier, too - maybe that's a factor. My SSH has the MTs. My MEV has a brazzy RW neck. So those might play into it.

Not that the MEV is any kind of slouch, btw.

Can the SSH or MEV do strat-like single coil tones? Hmm, in a pinch you'd probably get away with it in a band mix (David Gilmour's touring guitarist uses a SSH as primary electric, from what I've seen), but nothing really nails the Strat tones like the Silver Sky, IMHO. I have "real" strat (well, a Fender-Squier Mexi-strat, but it sounds as close to any other "Fender Strat" I've heard/played), and the Silver Sky just does everything you expect in a Strat, but without all those minor annoyances like the icepick bridge pickup. Again, IMHO. YMMV. May cause head of a golden retriever.

 

[Tosca]

I have all of the mentioned guitars EDIT: except I don't have a CU24 Floyd, just a regular CU24. And a P24. And my HB II is a SC, plus I have a Spruce HB (double cut).

To me, the SSH is indeed somehow more versatile in tonal range compared to the MEV, and I'm not sure why - the MEV, on paper, should have more options. Perhaps it's because the SSH nails the tones it does "just right", whereas the MEV is "trying too hard to be something for everyone"? The MEV is heavier, too - maybe that's a factor. My SSH has the MTs. My MEV has a brazzy RW neck. So those might play into it.

Not that the MEV is any kind of slouch, btw.

Can the SSH or MEV do strat-like single coil tones? Hmm, in a pinch you'd probably get away with it in a band mix (David Gilmour's touring guitarist uses a SSH as primary electric, from what I've seen), but nothing really nails the Strat tones like the Silver Sky, IMHO. I have "real" strat (well, a Fender-Squier Mexi-strat, but it sounds as close to any other "Fender Strat" I've heard/played), and the Silver Sky just does everything you expect in a Strat, but without all those minor annoyances like the icepick bridge pickup. Again, IMHO. YMMV. May cause head of a golden retriever.

I have had 408 equipped guitars w rosewood necks and/ or fingerboards, and still have an MEV with a RW neck and Braz fingerboard. While the RW adds something to the lower mids in HB settings, it decreases some of the versatility of the S.C. sounds with 408s. The SSH sounds great, and I plan on keeping mine, but an MEV with a maple neck and FB is still my favorite “do-it-all” guitar.