Which Semi-Hollow Guitar Is The Best? (I Was Wrong)

Which Semi-Hollow is better, and which one is the best value for the money? In this video, I compare my Epiphone Sheraton, Ibanez AS2630, and vintage Gibson ES335. I was pretty surprised by the results!

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Content:
00:00 Do Guitar Prices Make Sense?
00:14 Blindfold test part 1
01:00 Epiphone: The Early Test
03:35 The Work Horse: Ibanez AS2630
04:39 The AS200 Irony
07:11 Thee New Heeres Guitar Project
07:42 The Royal Example: Gibson ES335
10:11 Conclusion - Blindfold test part 2
11:37 Do you need a guitar amp?
11:45 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page!

My name is Jens Larsen, a Danish Jazz Guitarist and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of them teach you how to play jazz guitar, but other videos focus on Music Theory, like Jazz Chords, or offer advice on practicing and learning Jazz on guitar or any other instrument.

The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, music theory, song analysis, and videos on jazz guitars.

My Gear:

[JensLarsen]

Which Semi-hollow guitar would you recommend? 🙂

You don't NEED a Guitar amp!

[goplad]

My father was a jazz guitarist. His guitar, his only guitar, was a 1952 Gibson ES-175. He bought it brand new. He played that guitar through a Gibson single speaker Gibson tweed amp all his life. It served him well. When dad passed away I inherited the ES-175. I cherish it.

[johnoliver]

Of all the guitars I’ve ever had, expensive or cheap, my Korean-made Epiphone Sheraton is my favorite. It was the house guitar in a club where I played in Okinawa back in the 90s. After the club owner died, I found it in his damp basement, leaning against a concrete wall in the corner. Whoever was working on the assembly line on the day that guitar was built must’ve been touched by an angel. 30 years later and it’s still my main guitar.

[KC]

Thanks for emphasizing the feel. Too many guitar reviews focus on the sound, which is useless when one reviewer is playing a Boss Katana and another is playing a Two Rock.

[paulsharp]

I like the Epiphone ES-335 because the neck is smaller and faster. and it really has a good tone.

[TwangThang]

My daily player is a 2004 Ibanez AM73 I bought used for $125 with an Ibanez hard shell case. I immediately upgraded the pickups(BG Pure 90) and wiring harness(CTS pots, vintage cloth wire, and NOS Russian military caps). It is a fabulous guitar and even with the upgrades I have less than $400 invested in it. I have several much more expensive guitars, but this is the one I reach for....

[RolandMartel-ke]

I have Gibson and Ibanez ES-335 and AS-153 respectively. Definitely apples and oranges. They are similar but that is where this ends. They look, sound and feel differently. But it is ALL good! Sometimes it doesn’t matter which one I pick up. It is a great thing to play these. Loving life, thanks Jens.

[johnnyscoolstuff]

Thank you for this ! I love my Epiphone 335 ! for the money you can’t beat it

[Cool_Blue_Ice]

03:13 Great video, Jens. I just now came across your channel and am an instant fan. I love your clear no-nonsense style. I started out on a 1959 Gibson ES335 which I bought in 1972 for $200. I sold it in the mid-1980s and bought a new Fender American Standard Strat, which I still have. I love the Strat but deeply regret selling the Gibson. At the time, doing so make economic sense, however, so I can't beat myself up too badly over that decision.

Honestly, I have not played the Strat in years. The reason was that I wanted to learn chord melody guitar and play it on a guitar that I could just pick up and play and in a style that was "full" without needing other musicians or a backing track. For that reason, I went to a nylon string "Cordoba GK Pro Negra" which (if I had to define it) is a "flamenco" style. It came with an internal piezo (awful) that I recently replaced with a "Go Acoustic Audio" pickup which has an individual transducer under each string. What a difference. I'd really recommend this pickup!

But I digress. The main point I wanted to make (and why I no longer play the Strat) is the neck width (at the nut). After playing a 50 cm neck for several years, I just can't imagine going back to anything narrower than that. Now, 50 cm is the MINIMUM width I could tolerate. Anything less than that now feels like I am playing a "child's toy" to me. On a narrow neck, my fat-fingers stumble over each other in order to avoid deadening notes that I don't want to be dead. Yes, I live in a different world now than when I played narrow-necked guitars. 🤣- Keep up the great work, Jens. I'm subscribing immediately.

[ollieemmachannel]

I always wanted a Gibson335. When I bought it 20 years ago new it was a dream come true 20 years of playing later I appreciate guitars in a different way something you can’t quite explain. I recently bought a 90s Korean Sheraton the few upgrades that I think is a better instrument than Gibson can’t explain why just feels different. Love your video.

[jorgeretanajazz]

Hello! I have a Japanese 335 model, a Greco brand SA900 model from 1978 and I have to say for me it’s really great guitar, was played a 2000 Gibson 335 and this greco satisfying better the sound I like, with the years I think the real sound is on your hands and the way to play and the approach to sound, melody and finally the music.

Great video, and follow your lessons! Best from Mexico.

[PeterOptional]

I had the Ibanez AS 200 in 1984 . Looking back it was the best guitar I have ever played.

[mrknowitall]

Great video, and reminder about not getting caught up in the Brand. I always wanted a Gibson 335 but never owned a Semi Hollowbody. My purchasing philosophy is, get a starter guitar. For 200 dollars, I purchased a Harley Benton. I even found a YouTube video that did a blind AB comparison between the two. To this day, the HB is going great, sounding great, playing great. Realizing, the HB will eventually reach its limit, I purchased an Ibanez AM153QA, and was happy with it. Very classy guitar.

[thisistimwoods]

Have you considered the latest Epiphone ES-355 1959? It looks excellent. I have the same Sheraton Pro II, in wine red, and with Seth Lovers in it. Excellent guitar! Also got an Eastman T386, also fantastic and I actually like the stock pickups a lot, very PAF-like.

[kwgm]

Hi Jens. I didn't know you were Danish. My father-in-law was a native of Aalborg. He's been gone now for over 20 years, but when he was alive we joked about how "thrifty" he was. That Gibson is beautiful. 💙 Guitars disappear on tour. Good to see you. 🧙🏽‍♂️

[camperstarstringer]

I love this video. So humble you are. All three are fine guitars. We play music from the heart, the vibration from each guitar will speak to you differently. I bought a guitar for only 30 baht in Bangkok a few months ago, I actually felt the spirit of its previous owner. Oh, 30 baht is less then a mix drink in Holland. LOL

[humblegeorge]

I bought a Scofield Ibanez last Summer off Reverb and it came in perfect condition.I was honestly amazed at the volume of this Guitar.Every single note on every single string was clear loud and easy to use even in the higher register ! The only Guitar I have ever played like this .I started at in 1965 at 10 years old and now am 69 years old. I did add tomastic enfield flat wound strings and it does play a tiny bit harder but Zero squeak when changing positions.Bottom line it is not my main go to guitar but it is Heaven when I do choose it.

[imacmadman]

After decades of playing guitar, I finally bought a semi-hollow electric guitar. Over the years, I tried Epiphone, Gibson, Schecter, Hamer and a few others. I ended up purchasing an Ibanez AS-93 and it has been a revelation, over the last year it has become the guitar I reach for first and I can get any sound I want from it. The neck fits my hand perfectly, the control layout is comfortable and the weight is perfect. If I were to buy another semi-hollow guitar it is very likely going to be another Ibanez.

[PoiticayNcorrect]

Eastman makes some fantastic semi-hollows. I just bought an Eastman T59/tv with Seymour Duncan Antiquities and it feels great.

[calvinevans]

I enjoyed the second of the three at the beginning.