Solid Body Guitar vs. Hollow Body Guitars

  The battle over hollow/semi hollow body vs. solid body guitars has been a debate that is raged over almost as heavily as Gibson vs. Fender or single coil vs. double coil pickups.

  Well let’s take a look at these styles of guitars is there really that much of a difference between the two types. Well I suppose yes at first glance, but this is sort obvious. We all know solid bodies are just that a solid body and hollow bodies are well hollow or semi hollow. Yes that we all know but what else. Some of you may say "hollow bodies are only good for crappy jazz guitar players or rock a billy." A jazz play may say the same about solid bodies “they are not good for anything other than playing head banning crap”. There is some truth to that. Certain guitars do lend themselves to certain types of music better but by no means is this an iron clad rule. I know when you think les Paul of Fender you thinks of Rock gods like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn and the same goes with hollow bodies Players Like Joe Pass and so on. Whatever you think it is my belief that for the most part these styles of guitar can jump from one genre to the other with little or no trouble. It is us that force these guitars in to stereotypical boxes. 

  I know many of you are screaming about the sound and how you can't get a rock sound from a hollow body or a smooth jazzy sound from a solid body. Yes there is truth to this there is and can be no doubting this. The twang of a strat the growl of a Paul are very distinctive sound associated with these guitar and is yet another debate. So yes you we all know the hollow bodies will have more bottom end or full sound and a solid body is going to have much more attack and a middier sound. This is and has been the rule and there are times you want these instruments to do just what it was build to do. But in this day age of amp modeling, guitar effects processors this rule may not hold fast and true. The relatively low prices for these amps and pedals and the full sounds you can now get from them may have wiped the playing field clean. I mean you can setup these amps and pedals to have a single coil sound a double coil sound and everything in between. Basically you can mimic almost any sound, style or guitar you need. 

So what does it come down to? Well you. What feels right? Basically if a guitar has a tremendous sound but plays like crap for you then that guitar is no good for you. So much have a player has to do with their gut or emotions. That we should not limit ourselves to one type of guitar each one will have its good points and its bad points. Find that guitar that connects with you. Yes I know they are inanimate objects but they do connect with us on some level. So I guess what I am saying is the better guitar is what works best for you just don’t close the door on a particular guitar just because it is hollow body or a solid body. Close the door because it does feel right or sound right or work for you.