GEAR Fight Club

Semi-Hollow & Hollowbody Rumble!
T E S T E D B Y T H E G P S TA F F THAT THE ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC WORLDS TRULY CONVERGE IN A SEMI-HOLLOW OR
hollowbody guitar is one big duh. Traditional jazzers are pretty much required to play one, of course, and, in the hands of archtop magicians such as Brian Setzer, these babies can spew big-band chords, mysterious single-note lines, rootsy Americana riffs, and hyper-distorted turbo-charged rock all in the same sentence. Theyre diverse little doggies, and they typically make you work a bit to unleash the beast within. But when you first stand in front of a roaring amp, and feel a hollowbody resonating into your guts and chestreacting almost physically to your every pluck and finger movementits a pretty darn sensual experience. So consider that the seven boxes going head-tohead in this months Fight Club can trigger a plethora of pleasure centers. I plugged the four models I reviewed into a Mesa/Boogie Stiletto head and Old Dog X-Cab, a Marshall JVM 210H head and Marshall 4x12, an Egnater Rebel-20 and Rebel-112X cab, a Vox AC15, and a Traynor Custom Special 50. Barry Cleveland tested the Gretsch Electromatic 5122 through a Rivera Venus 6 and a Fender Deluxe Reverb, while Reggie Singh used a Crate 120 2x12 for his assessment of the Reverend Club King RT. Art Thompsons evaluation of the PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Soapbar involved a Victoria Golden Melody and a Dr. Z MAZ Junior NR. Matt Blackett helped with the Hutchins Memphis evaluation, plugging it into the Victoria Golden Melody at the GP offices. These seven new hollows and semis provide a marvelous opportunity to evaluate a broad offering of models in a specific niche. But as these instruments exhibit different sizes and price points, fairness dictates that we cant do an apples-to-apples Fight Club and name an overall winner. So we decided to have some fun, and label each models attributes with the name of a famous actor. As youll see, the labeling makes a certain amount of giddy sense, and it should help point you to the model that best enhances your technique and musical endeavors. Michael Molenda
F E B R U A R Y G U I TA R P L AY E R
G U I TA R P L AY E R F E B R U A R Y 0 9

The Johnny Depp

Collings I-35 Deluxe
THERES NO MISTAKING YOURE LOOKING AT A
luxury item when you scan the I-35s stunning quilted-maple top finished in a highgloss root beer huenot to mention the beautifully retro ivoroid control knobs, the gold hardware, the ivoroid binding, and the mother-of-pearl Collings logo. The basic retail price for the I-35 is $5,800, but these addons launched the review models price tag to $6,575: premium quilt top ($200), parallelogram inlays ($150), gold hardware ($125), black/white purfing ($100), hardshell case ($200). For many working guitarists, the I-35 will be relegated to the land of dreams. But what a dream it is. The U.S.A.-made I-35 is a magnificent example of guitar making. To find any construction or finish flaws, I think youd need an atomic microscope, because the naked eye will see nothing but perfection from heel to headstock. I even did former GP editor Andy Ellis trick of sneaking a small mirror through the f-holes to expose any rough innards, but everything appeared to be as neat and clean as a surgeons instrument tray. The quality control is so off-the-map that lugging the I-35 to a club gig struck me as little different than toting a Rembrandt to a kindergarten fingerpainting class. And yet, if this beauty cant be a beast on stage, then, as far as Im concerned, its more of an investment than an instrument. From a playability standpoint, the I-35 continues to be achingly seductive. Its wide, vintage-style neck and superbly dressed frets are so inviting that your technique improves about 20 percent simply by placing your fingers on the fretboard. Its a magical experience. I thought the ivoroid knobs might be slippery, but the material grips your pinky tightly, and
the pots turn with exceptional smoothness. The pickup-selector switch is positioned for easy, on-the-fly manipulationalthough wild strummers might hit it by accident. While I was a bit embarrassed subjecting the I-35 to punk rock, it was more than game to rage. Theres a hint of sophistication in every tonea smooth sheen to the highs, midrange frequencies akin to polished steel, and tight lowsbut when I cranked the gain, the I-35 responded with all the snot and grit youd expect from more obviously rock-oriented axes. However, you also get the versatility to dial in stout and resonant jazz timbres, open-sounding acoustic-like tones, and clean and funky pops and snaps. I tagged the I-35 as Johnny Depp because hes a striking movie star who can carry Hollywood blockbusters, and still be believable in dark indie films. The I-35 can do it all, as well, but, like a box-office champ, itll cost you big time for the privilege of its partnership. Michael Molenda

SPECS |

Collings, (512) 288-7776; collingsguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS BRIDGE TUNERS I-35 Deluxe $6,575 retail, as tested/ Street price N/A 1 11/16" Mahogany, set 24 7/8"-scale Brazilian or Madagascar rosewood 22 medium-wide Honduran mahogany with fully carved, solid flamed-maple top Jason Lollar custom humbuckers Two Volume, two Tone, 3-way pickup selector TonePros Sperzel
FACTORY STRINGS DAddario EXL115 WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 6.7 lbs Dazzling looks. Fabulous playability. Stunning tones. Only that 90 percent of us cant afford it.

Fight Club GEAR

The James Franco
Gretsch Electromatic 5122
TESTED BY BARRY CLEVELAND FEW GUITARS SAY AMERICA AS CLEARLY AS A
Gretsch. The company is one of the most venerable stateside manufacturers, and Gretsch models such as the 6120 and 6136 are so closely associated with country, rockabilly, early rock and roll, and other staples of Americana that it is hard to imagine what those styles would sound like without them. Nonetheless, the company has had great success with its line of less-expensive, Korean-made instruments, and, after playing the 5122, its easy to see why. The 5122s dark walnut stain and urethane finish allows its pretty maple grain to show through, as does the transparent, raised pickguard. The guitar is generally well constructed with cleanly executed joints all around although a couple of knobs came loose, and had to be reattached with an Allen wrench and the binding that graces the top, back, and fretboard was precisely cut and installed. The
Gretsch, (480) 596-9690; gretschguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS Electromatic 5122 $1,000 retail/$700 street 1.68" Maple, set 24.6"-scale rosewood 22 medium Laminated maple Gretsch Dual-Coil humbuckers Bridge Volume, Neck Volume, Master Volume, Tone, 3-way pickup selector Adjusto-Matic with Bigsby B60 vibrato tailpiece Gretsch vintage-style

BRIDGE TUNERS

FACTORY STRINGS D'Addario,.011-.049 WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 6.8 lbs High-quality workmanship. Plays well. Good intonation. Bridge pickup lacks characteristic Gretsch jangle. Limited Tone control.
medium-jumbo frets were similarly well cut and placed, with no sharp edges or other irregularities, and the smooth rosewood fretboard, the medium-thin neck, and excellent setup make the guitar very easy and enjoyable to play. The 5122s ornate vintage style tuners and Bigsby Licensed vibrato dont necessarily inspire confidence at first glance, but both function surprisingly well, and the guitar stayed in tune even after undergoing extensive Duane Eddy-grade bar yanking. The weakest aspect of the 5122 is the bridge pickup. You play a Gretsch largely for its characteristic twang, and, in this case, the Gretsch humbucker failed to wrangle the jangle. The Tone control also left something to be desired, as it does practically nothing in the first half of its range, and then quickly chokes off the highs during the remainder. The neck humbucker, on the other hand, sounded comparatively full and well balanced, possessing pleasing warmth while retaining midrange and treble clarity. One cant reasonably expect an instrument at this price point to deliver all of the stylistic and tonal mojo of an American-made model three times as much, but the Electromatic 5122 gets you into the ballpark. It receives the James Franco tag, because, like the up-and-coming young actor, the 5122 provides much of the lan of an iconin this case, James Dean but perhaps without the mystery, vibe, and depth that made the original a legend. Barry Cleveland

The Oliver Reed

Hutchins Memphis
T H I S A P P LY- N A M E D B I G B O X S E E M S T O
encapsulate all of the smoldering cool, outlaw magnetism, and self-absorbed quirks of the King of Memphis himself, Mr. Elvis Presley. The retro-cool black beauty boasts an aged binding that is (for the most part) outstanding, rounded and well-dressed frets, and solid hardware. Downsides are minorslight binding scratches hiding under the neck where it meets the body, a sharp nut, and a little paint slop around the f-holes. The Memphis can be as rough and sweet as a purring roadster, but it takes a bit of wrangling before it gives up its rebel charms. The wide, yet slim neck profile lets you cruise or drag race up and down the frets with ease. However, before you start your fingers a-flyin, you should ensure the unsecured bridge is properly positioned for accurate intonation especially if, like me, youre a bit of a maniac on the Bigsby. Also, unless youve been flight checked on Gretsch Tennesseans, White Falcons, and Country Gentlemen, the controls on the Memphis may take a bit of getting used to. You get three Volume knobsa Master on the cutaway (which reduces overall level without affecting tone), and dedicated controls for the bridge and neck pickups (which darken the tone as the knobs are turned down). Then, there are two 3-position switches. The switch closest to the bridge is a conventional pickup selector, and the one nearest the nut is a tone control (the up position delivers full treble response, down rolls off treble, and middle is a subtle bit o both choice). While the Memphis can be a bit of a petulant beast, it makes a helluva marvelous noise when you plug it into an amp and release its pent-up energy.

Midrange frequencies are the guitars forte, and theyre much edgier than the classic Duane Eddy twang. Clean, single-note lines sound more like Roky Erickson (think Reverberation) than Ennio Morricone, and when you crank the amp gain, youll be spewing an even raunchier yowl than Billy Duffys White-Falcon-driven riffs with the Cult. Nothing short of a berserk Mafioso with a missile launcher is going to keep the Memphis from brawling to the front of a band mix. Resonant lows are available via the neck pickup, but I only went there for breakdowns and feedback howls, because the bridge tones provided all the sounds I needed. The rockin Memphis gets the Oliver Reed rating, because, like the boozy British actor, it will cause you a spot of trouble, but once you get it on stage, it will deliver a brilliantly macho and intense performance. Michael Molenda
Hutchins Guitars, dist. by C&J Distributing, (901) 383-6575; hutchinsguitarsusa.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS BRIDGE TUNERS Memphis $1,399 retail/$999 street 111/16" Maple, set 243/4"-scale rosewood 22 medium Maple Two Entwhistle Retro single-coils Three Volume, 3-way pickup selector, 3-way tone selector Tune-O-matic-style with Bigsby B6 tremolo Grover Imperial
FACTORY STRINGS DAddario,.011 set WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 8.4 lbs Big, brawling midrange tones. Some cosmetic issues. Sound palette slightly monochromatic.

The Orson Welles

Normandy ATG-CH
PERHAPS THE MOST STRIKING GUITAR IN THIS
cage match, the chromed ATG-CHtouted as the worlds first production aluminum archtopdefinitely broadcasts the intentions of its maker, Jim Normandy, to be different, but not too weird or space age. To that end, the Salem, Oregon manufacturer obviously relied on vintage designs, adding only some boss-looking rivets and a seemingly Russian military grade kill switch as distinctive accoutrements. Despite its metal body, I didnt find the ATG-CH to be a back buster, but, at 9.4 lbs, its not exactly like hanging balloons around your neck, either. The wide, slim neck felt good in my hands, and nothing impeded my convulsive chording, sledgehammer riffs, or dainty melodic forays. However, the Volume knobs are placed too far out of reachat least for meto allow swells while picking. And while I had a blast performing stutters with the kill switch, if youre in a
Normandy Guitars, (503) 689-1998; normandyguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS BRIDGE TUNERS ATG-CH $3,199 retail/$2,399 street 111/16" Maple, bolt-on 25.5"-scale rosewood 22 medium jumbo Aircraft-grade aluminum Normandy Old School humbuckers Two Volume, one Tone, 3-way pickup selector, kill switch Locking roller with Bigsby-licensed B70 tremolo Gotoh

FACTORY STRINGS Ernie Ball Slinky,.011 set WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 9.4 lbs Almost cinematic tonal spectrum. Unique finish. Plays well. Super-reflective surface can beam stage lights into your eyesor the audiences. Minor construction issues.
band with sensitive, singer/songwriter types, they may wince when the rock-solid switch snaps louder than the drummers snare. Overall, the U.S.A.-made ATG-CH is well constructed. The chromed finish is dazzling in its hall of mirrors majesty (although it spotlights every fingerprint, skin-oil swipe, and sweat splatter), the hardware is locked down solid, and a rounded nut is a considerate touch. However, the fret ends are rough, there were some dings and scratches on the edges of the rosewood fretboard, and the neck pocket is 1/16" larger than the neck on the cutaway side. One of the first things you notice when strumming the ATG-CH is its loud and clear acoustic sound. The jangle has a pleasant metallic bite that is certainly less aggressive than a resonators raspy glory, but it sounds marvelous when miked up and used to layer some articulate chime under distorted solidbody tracks. When you plug in, and go to the neck pickup, you get a deep, resonant boom along with a sharp attack that almost sounds as if you layered a Gibson ES175 and a Fender Telecaster. The combined pickup position tames the boom a bit, and moves the snark forward to produce a taut, throaty snarl. Go for a full-on bridge-pickup tone, and youll hear a spiky, high-midrange snap with the shimmer of a Nashville-tuned acoustic. The only downsize of this metal/wood electronics gumbo is that its very difficult to dial in a warm, trad-jazz tone, but most other sounds are animated and dimensional. This is why the ATG-CH is the perfect Orson Wellesa director who battled convention, and thrilled cineastes with his multi- faceted visual smorgasbords. Michael Molenda

The Jennifer Connelly

Prestige Musician
W H AT G U I TA R I S T D O E S N T G E E K O U T AT
discovering a relatively mysterious, off-the-map instrument that totally rocks? I had no knowledge of Prestige when the Musician showed up at GP Central, and I grabbed the unknown guitar for a rehearsal without any expectations. But mere seconds after I plugged the Musician into the Egnater Rebel-20, I knew I had stumbled onto something magnificent. Even though its one of the plus-sized models in this Fight Club, the guitar felt great on my shoulder, it played beautifully, and it could cover everything from jazz to rock to rockabilly to punk. It was also one tough customer. Im not exactly a delicate player, but the Musician just shrugged at my vicious strumming, bombastic guitar-body percussion, and hummingbird-flutter Bigsby wanking. To further humble me, the Musician refused to be beaten horribly out of tune. A tweak of the Grovers here and there was all it needed to keep things tuneful. The Canadian makerwhich debuted in 2003employs an interesting guitarbuilding methodology. All woods originate in Vancouver, British Columbia, where they are cut to the companys specs. Then, the woods are shipped to Inchon, South Korea for manufacturing and finishing. Ultimately, everything is sent back to Prestiges Vancouver factory for wiring, final assembly, setup, and inspection. The ping-pong production process seems to have no qualitative downside, as the Musician is an exceptionally well-made instrument. The frets are smooth and rounded, the hardware is rugged (even when banging on the pickguard, it stayed rigid), and the glossy, maraschino cherry finish is pristine. As mentioned earlier, the Musician is a sonic all rounder that can take on many different guises. It doesnt quite exhibit the extreme bass-to-treble shadings of the Normandy or the Reverend, but the Musician absolutely nails more traditional jazz and rock timbres. The neck-pickup sounds, for example, are

warm and robust with just enough pop to bring fingerpicked melodic runs to the forefront. Its not quite George Benson- or Wes Montgomeryesque, but its still a sensual tone. The dualpickup sound was my favorite, as it offers a meaty thud and an airy shimmer. That may seem like a bizarre sonic combo, but the simultaneous low-midrange resonance and uppermidrange attack produced a dazzling palette of bell-like arpeggios, ringing chords, and edgy solos. The bridge tones deliver enough midrange punch for crunch chords and aggressive riffs, but they lack a bit of sparkle and dimension for convincing faux-acoustic strums. No matterevery other sound rocks hard, so why quibble? I called the Musician the Jennifer Connelly, because it reminded me of first seeing the relatively unknown actress in the 1990 film, The Hot Spot. She blew me away then, she later proved her mettle with an Academy Award, and she has never stopped being a stunning presencean arc of success that I believe the Musician will parallel. Michael Molenda
Prestige Guitars, info@prestigeguitars.com; prestigeguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS BRIDGE TUNERS Musician $1,640 retail/$950 street 111/16" Mahogany, set 25.5"-scale rosewood 20 medium Solid maple Seymour Duncan SH1-59 (neck), SH4-JB (bridge) Two Volume, Two Tone, 3-way pickup selector Tune-o-matic-style with Bigsby-licensed tremolo Grover
FACTORY STRINGS DAddario EXL115 WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 7.4 lbs Good construction. Varied sounds. Excellent playability. Bridge tones lack a hint of sparkle.

The Samuel Jackson

PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Soapbar
THE PRS DESIGN TEAM WAS OBVIOUSLY OUT TO
do something different with the SE Custom Semi-Hollow, but without losing the personality of the other nine models in the popular SE line. Though the Korean-made Semi-Hollows chambered body is the key differentiator here, it shares many aspects of solidbody SE models the set mahogany neck with its wide/fat carve, the 25"-scale rosewood board with 22 frets, the McCarty-style extended heel, a flat maple top with a pretty veneer of figured maple, and a lightweight aluminum Stoptail bridge. The P-90-style pickups appear only on two other SE models the mahogany-bodied SE Soapbar and SE One and they feed a simple control configuration of Volume, Tone, and a 3-way selector. The Semi-Hollow sounds very in tune, in spite of its one-piece bridge, and this is partially due to PRS use of a compensated nut that micro-adjusts the intonation to help make chords and intervals sound tuneful in all positions. Its an important aspect of this guitar, as it not only makes the instrument sound more focused, it also makes you sound better when youre playing it. Playing-wise, the Semi-Hollow is a gas. The gloss-finished neck has a great feel, and the lightly polished frets with their smooth ends are consistent in height to provide a buzz-free playing experience. PRS takes this aspect seriously, toowhich is why the frets are superglued in place so they cant ride up in their slots. The Semi-Hollows natural resonance helps create a bright, balanced voice with lots of shimmer and dimension. Used with a Victoria Golden Melody 2x12 combo, the Semi-Hollow delivered a crisp and open sound with less of the snarky midrange bite P-90s are famous for. In terms of output, the Semi-Hollow is not a particularly hot

guitar. It was less able to overdrive the Golden Melody than a humbucker-equipped Les Paul, and I also had to crank the gain on a Way Huge Pork Loin pedal to get the same amount of distortion a PRS Modern Eagle II elicited. Loweroutput pickups typically have a more extended frequency response, however, and this guitar is well suited for any kind of chordal or fingerstyle playing. What the Semis thin, chambered (and relatively feedback resistant) body gives up in resonance, it more than makes up for in lacy note detail, and the way the woods transmit their vibrations through your fingers. The Semi-Hollow delivers massive benefits for its $649 street price, which is why it reminds us of Samuel Jacksonan immense talent who doesnt always get the mega-star paychecks, but whose performances never fail to leave you in awe. Art Thompson
PRS, (410) 643-9970; prsguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS BRIDGE TUNERS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Soapbar $890 retail/$649 street 1.7" Mahogany, set 25"-scale rosewood 22 medium Chambered mahogany with maple top PRS Soapbar Volume, Tone, 3-way pickup selector PRS-designed stoptail PRS die-cast
FACTORY STRINGS DAddario,.010-.046 EXTRAS WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS Wide Fat neck carve 5.7 lbs Great playing feel. Enhanced resonance. Very in-tune sounding. Pickups may not be hot enough for some applications.

The Tom Hanks

Reverend Club King RT
THE CLUB KING RT IS AS CLOSE TO HOLINESS AS
a reverend should be. The Korean-made instrument is very well crafted, and its honey-colored top, amber-tinted neck, off-white trim, and chrome pickup covers give it a look thats simultaneously retro cool and timelessespecially when you factor in the unique and classy shooting star f-hole. The 3-position pickup selector and master Volume and Tone controls are arranged verticallyin the style of a certain seminal solidbody out of Fullerton, Californiawhile the passive Bass Contour knob (more on this later) sits on the upper bout. The Volume knob is relatively easy to reach for on-the-fly adjustments, but its a bit of a stretch for the Tone control if you like performing wahlike knob spins while picking. The oval-shaped neck might feel a bit thick for players with smaller hands, but its satin
Reverend Guitars (586) 775-1025; reverendguitars.com MODEL PRICE NUT WIDTH NECK FRETBOARD FRETS BODY PICKUPS CONTROLS TUNERS Club King RT $899 retail/$699 street 1.66" Maple, bolt-on 25.5"-scale rosewood 22 medium jumbo Korina with spruce top Reverend Revtron mini-humbuckers Volume, Tone, Bass Contour, 3-way pickup selector Reverend Pin-Lock
FACTORY STRINGS StringDog.net,.010-.046 WEIGHT KUDOS CONCERNS 7.6 lbs Rich, balanced sound. Resonating lows via Bass Contour control. None.

finish lets your hand slide freely up and down the fretboard. The frets are perfect. Theyre smooth, polished, and have rounded, hot dog ends that you can barely feel if you run your fingers along the edges of the fretboard. In fact, everything about the RTs construction is pretty much perfect. I couldnt find any flawseven the setup was superb, right out of the box. The Club King RTs Reverend RevTron minihumbuckers sound fantastic, and, along with the aforementioned Bass Contour knob, you can dial in seemingly endless variations of blues, rock, jazz, funk, and country sounds. The Bass Contour adds enough bass that, when using the neck pickup with the Tone rolled off, the RT can almost sound like a baritone guitaror like any number of evil bass motifs that warn you of danger when playing Call of Duty or Left 4 Dead. You can also crank the knob down to reduce bass, of course, and depending upon how you set your Volume and Tone controls (and pickup selector), the Contour can deliver anything from steely midrange punch to thin and chimey highs to an almost neutered sound that works great for crafting counterpoint lines you dont want interfering with a vocal. Every tone this guitar produced sent shivers down my spine, and, in fact, the RT sounds full, balanced, and sweetly articulate even before you plug it in. The Club King RT is a superb guitar that almost feels like it belongs in your arms. Its nothing short of a pleasure to playwhich is why it gets the Tom Hanks award as a good vibes personality who delivers masterful performances. Reggie Singh