Best Hollowbody Guitars & Semi Hollowbody Guitars (2023 Buyer’s Guide)

This guide to the best hollowbody guitars and semi-hollowbody guitars will help you pick out one of these unique guitars. I’ve played several of these before, and I want you to find one that meets your needs.

This type of guitar does take a bit of getting used to because the body is a little bit larger than a regular electric guitar. You should have a little bit of experience with guitar playing before you pick one of these up.

There are hollowbody guitars available whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player. This guide will help you find something no matter where you are as a player now. Let’s dig in and look at these guitars.

What Is a Hollowbody Guitar?

A hollowbody guitar is sometimes called a semi-acoustic guitar. This is an instrument that has a hollow or mostly hollow body. There are F-holes or other holes to project the sound of the instrument like an acoustic guitar.

These guitars have a rich and resonant tone to them. You can play them either as an acoustic instrument or an electric instrument. They do tend to send better when you plug them into an amplifier.

You’ll find a wide range of hollowbody guitars on the market. They usually come with two humbucking pickups, but sometimes there may be a single-coil pickup. This guide to the best hollowbody guitars will help you find one that’s right for you.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Hollowbody Guitar

There are several things you need to know before you buy a hollowbody guitar. Below are some points to keep in mind before you buy your instrument.

• Playing style: Consider your playing style. You want an instrument that will be the right fit for you. This instrument isn’t ideal for some forms of music, such as heavy metal.
• Budget: Have an idea of how much you wish to spend. These guitars have a broad price range. You’ll need to spend more than for a regular acoustic or electric guitar.
• Wood choice: You’ll want an instrument that’s made with solid wood. The more you spend on your guitar, the better the wood tends to be. You’ll get a better tone if you spend a little more than you might otherwise intend to.
• Body style: Most of these instruments come with a double cutaway. You may want one with this, but it depends on your preferences. The cutaway allows you to access the higher frets.

Size

Hollowbody guitars come in one main size. These instruments are a little bit larger than regular acoustic or electric guitars, so that they can be a bit cumbersome. You have to get used to the size of a hollowbody guitar.

The Overall Tone & Sound

The sound and the tone of a hollowbody guitar is quite pleasant. These instruments have a rich and vibrant tone. They tend to be louder than regular electric guitars. They’re often the preferred choice for blues and jazz guitar.

Price

These instruments come in several price ranges. This depends on whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player. Here are the typical price ranges for hollowbody guitars:

• Beginner: $300-$800
• Intermediate: $800-$1,500
• Advanced: $1,500+

10 Best Hollowbody Guitars and Semi-Hollowbody Guitars

These are the 10 best hollowbody guitars that you should consider purchasing. All of these instruments would make excellent purchases. You’ll find something in the market for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players.

1. Ibanez Artcore AM53TF

• Scale length: 24.7″
• Fingerboard radius: 12″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Sapele, mahogany, satin finish
• Best for: Beginners starting out on hollowbody guitars

The Ibanez Artcore AM53TF is an excellent starter hollowbody guitar. It’s perfect for beginners because it’s easy to play, has a great look, and comes with two nice-sounding humbucking pickups. This is the best hollowbody guitar under $500.

Why I Recommend It

When I was teaching guitar, one of my students had an Ibanez Artcore semi-hollow guitar similar to this one. It’s an excellent introductory model for anyone that’s getting started with this type of instrument.

It has everything that you need to sound great right away. The pickups on it are decent-sounding, and it’s an easy-to-play instrument thanks to the smooth mahogany neck. 

This instrument has a simple control setup. You get one tone control, one volume knob, and a pickup selector switch, making it easy for beginners to play.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

2. Epiphone Casino Coupe

• Scale length: 24.75″
• Fingerboard radius: 12″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x PR90 humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Bass, maple, mahogany, gloss finish
• Best for: Intermediate players that want a well-rounded hollowbody guitar

Epiphone is the lower-cost brand of Gibson, and they have some excellent hollowbody instruments such as the Epiphone Casino Coupe. This guitar has excellent P-90 pickups, a smooth playing neck, and a great tone.

Why I Recommend It

It’s hard to find good intermediate hollowbody guitar under $1,000, but you’ll get an excellent instrument with the Epiphone Coupe. I love the fact that it has P-90 pickups, which have a great output and sound.

This guitar also has a full set of controls with two volume knobs, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch. This gives you a lot of options to shape your sound.

I like the LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge since it keeps the guitar in better tune. The neck profile is a SlimTaper D shape, so it’s comfortable in the hand while you’re playing chords. Overall, I like this instrument in this price range.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

3. Guild Starfire II ST

• Scale length: 24.75″
• Fingerboard radius: 9.5″
• Frets: 20
• Pickup type: 2 x LB-1 Little Bucker humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, gloss polyurethane
• Best for: Intermediate players looking for a comfortable guitar

The Guild Starfire II ST an excellent instrument for any intermediate player. It has a solid mahogany wood construction, so you get an excellent tone. It also has high-performance pickups that sound great.

Why I Recommend It

The Guild Starfire II ST is a good choice for any beginner or intermediate player. It has a stop bar tailpiece and a Tune-O-Matic bridge, so it keeps a nice stable tuning while being played.

The LB-1 Little Bucker pickups give the guitar good bite and punch when you’re playing chords or soloing. I like the solid mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard, which are comfortable to play.

My favorite aspect of this guitar is the thinner body, so it’s comfortable to hold and play. Some semi-hollow guitars can be cumbersome to play, but this one has a great slimmer body.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

4. Gretsch Streamliner G2420T Hollow Body

• Scale length: 24.75″
• Fingerboard radius:
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2x BroadTron humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Laminated maple, nato, laurel, gloss finish
• Best for: Intermediate players that want a Bigsby tremolo system

One of the best guitars for hollowbody enthusiasts comes from Gretsch, which is their Streamliner brand. The Gretsch Streamliner G2420T guitar has excellent pickups, a Bigsby tremolo system, a great neck, and vintage hollowbody looks.

Why I Recommend It

I like the Gretsch Streamliner G2420 T because it has excellent BroadTron humbucking pickups. These have excellent tone and sound. This instrument is perfect for many different styles, thanks to the pickups.

I also like that it has a Bigsby tremolo so you can do more with it. It has a full set of electronics and an excellent Adjusto-Matic bridge for stable tuning and reliability. You get an easy-playing neck with 22 medium jumbo frets.

This guitar comes in at an excellent price. It’s suitable for any intermediate player that wants a little bit more out of a hollowbody guitar but doesn’t have a whole lot of money to spend.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

5. Ibanez Artcore AM93 Expressionist

• Scale length: 24.7″
• Fingerboard radius: 12″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x Super 58 pickups
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Nato, maple, ebony, gloss polyurethane finish
• Best for: Intermediate players that want a reliable mid-range guitar

Ibanez makes some excellent hollowbody guitars, and the Artcore Series is ideal. The Ibanez Artcore AM93 Expressionist is a step up from the first one on my list, with better electronics and pickups and a superior tone.

Why I Recommend It

I like the Ibanez Artcore Am93, as it has a great sound and reliability for its price range. The quick-change tailpiece makes it easy for you to change the strings. I like the pickups in this particular model, which have a great tone and performance.

I’m equally impressed with the finish, which makes this instrument look a lot more expensive than it is. It has a full configuration of controls, so you can sculpt and shape your sound the way you want.

The ebony fingerboard is nice and comfortable, so your fingers will glide up and down the neck. I also like the added touch of the gold-plated hardware, which gives the instrument an attractive appeal.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

6. Paul Reed Smith SE Hollowbody

• Scale length: 25″
• Fingerboard radius: 10″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x 58/15 humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, case, documentation
• Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony, gloss finish
• Best for: Intermediate and advanced players

The maple top makes the Paul Reed Smith SE hollowbody sound amazing. I’ve been impressed by every Paul Reed Smith guitar that I’ve bought, and this one is no exception. You get tone, reliability, and performance out of this great guitar.

Why I Recommend It

Paul Reed Smith makes very reliable instruments. I like the SC hollowbody thanks to its wonderful pickups, which have an excellent tone. The build on these instruments is always nearly perfect.

The neck itself is smooth, so your fingers will move up and down the fretboard with ease. I’ve never had a problem with a Paul Reed Smith fretboard. This model also features the attractive bird inlays that the company is known for.

You get a single tone control and a volume knob. I’d prefer that it had an extra tone and volume, but it really doesn’t matter since the sound you can get out of this guitar is phenomenal.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

7. D’Angelico Premier SS Hollowbody

• Scale length: 25″
• Fingerboard radius: 14″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x D’Angelico humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Maple, ovangkol, laminate, gloss finish
• Best for: Intermediate players that want an easy-to-play hollowbody guitar

The D’Angelico Premier SS is a classic looking hollowbody guitar. It features two volume controls, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch for plenty of great tones. It has a nice neck and comes in at a great price.

Why I Recommend It

I love the look and feel of the D’Angelico SS. This company isn’t as well known as some others, but they make solid and reliable hollowbody guitars for today’s players.

It has a nice Tune-O-Matic bridge, which keeps the tuning stable and reliable, so you don’t waste time tuning your guitar all the time. I like the output of the pickups on this model.

The ovangkol fretboard is smooth up and down the neck, and the neck is C shape, so you’ll have comfortable and effortless playing.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

8. Fender American Original 60s Thinline Telecaster

• Scale length: 25.5″
• Fingerboard radius: 9.5″
• Frets: 21
• Pickup type: 2 x Tim Shaw single coil
• Body shape: Telecaster semi-hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation, case
• Material & finish: Ash, maple, nitrocellulose lacquer
• Best for: Advanced players that want a high-performance Thinline Telecaster

The Fender Original 1960s Thinline Telecaster gives you the performance and reliability you want in a high-end guitar. You can get both acoustic as well as electric sounds out of it, thanks to the F-hole design.

Why I Recommend It

The Fender Original 60s Thinline Telecaster gives you hollowbody and regular electric guitar tones. While most hollowbody guitars come with humbucking pickups, this one comes with two excellent Fender single coils.

I like the C-shaped neck on this model because it’s comfortable to play on. You have more sound options available to you with this Telecaster than a normal Telecaster.

The three bridge and vintage tuners help to keep this instrument in excellent tune. This is a Telecaster that you’re going to enjoy playing for many years to come. It’s one of the best semi-hollowbody guitars out there today.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

9. Taylor T5Z Hollowbody Guitar

• Scale length: 24.87″
• Fingerboard radius: 12″
• Frets: 21
• Pickup type: 2 x humbucking
• Body shape: Cutaway
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation, gig bag
• Material & finish: Mahogany, sapele, ebony, polyurethane finish
• Best for: Advanced players that want a cutting-edge hollowbody guitar

The Taylor T5Z is a unique hollowbody guitar. It has an all-mahogany construction for an excellent tone. You get a full range of tonal options thanks to the excellent electronic system.

Why I Recommend It

The Taylor T5Z  is a next-generation hollowbody guitar. I like the double humbucking pickups as well as the acoustic body sensor. This sensor helps you capture the acoustic tones of the instrument, so you have more sound options.

I like the fact that there are two humbuckers. One of them is concealed, and the other one is visible. The mahogany top of the instrument provides excellent resonance along with the sapele back and sides.

This guitar has jumbo frets, so the fretboard is easy to play, which facilitates better bending of notes. This instrument opens up a wide range of tonal possibilities for you, and that’s why I have it on this list.

VIEW ON AMAZON

 

10. Gibson ES-335

• Scale length: 24.75″
• Fingerboard radius: 12″
• Frets: 22
• Pickup type: 2 x humbucking
• Body shape: Hollowbody
• What’s included in the box: Guitar, documentation, case
• Material & finish: Maple, mahogany, rosewood, nitrocellulose lacquer
• Best for: Advanced payers that need a superior hollowbody guitar

Tonal excellence is yours when you plug the Gibson ES-335 into your favorite tube amplifier. Loaded with a pair of calibrated T-type humbucking pickups, each with its own volume and tone controls, this guitar lets you dial in chiming country tones as easily as savagely distorted rock tones.

Why I Recommend It

You can’t get much better in terms of hollowbody guitars than the Gibson ES-335. This is a famous guitar played by many prominent musicians, including B.B King. It has an amazing tone, great reliability, and the performance you want.

I like the double humbuckers on this instrument, as they’re calibrated T-type pickups that have excellent output and sound. The Tune-O-Matic bridge helps keep the instrument in perfect tune.

The neck is comfortable with 22 jumbo frets, and the double cutaway means you can access the entire fretboard with ease for soloing. This is a top-tier guitar that you’ll enjoy playing night after night.

VIEW ON SWEETWATER

 

Best Hollowbody Electric Guitars

Below are my picks for the three best hollowbody electric guitars.

• Taylor T5Z: This is a unique hollowbody guitar with great pickups, an excellent solid wood body, and a full set of controls. You can maximize your total possibilities with this instrument.
• Gibson ES-335 is a top-line hollowbody guitar with excellent pickups, a smooth playing neck, an impeccable finish, and the reliability you want in an advanced instrument.
• Paul Reed Smith SE: This hollowbody guitar has an excellent look, a smooth playing neck, superior pickups, a great tone, and everything you could want in a high-performance guitar.

Best Hollowbody Bass Guitars

You may not know what to buy if you play bass and want a hollowbody style bass guitar. Here are three excellent options when it comes to hollowbody bass guitars.

• Guild Starfire Bass II: This bass has excellent BS1- Bisonic single-coil pickups. The Grover tuners and Guild adjustable bridge keep this bass in perfect tune. It has a great neck with 21 frets for easy playability.
• Epiphone Jack Cassidy Bass: This bass has classic looks, simple controls, and a great tone. This is the perfect bass guitar for any intermediate player, and it comes in at an excellent price.
• Gretsch G544oLS Hollowbody Bass: This guitar has an excellent classic look, a smooth playing neck, superior pickups, and the tone you need in an intermediate level bass guitar.

Best Hollowbody Guitar Brands

There are several hollowbody guitar manufacturers that I recommend you deal with. It’s far better to get your instrument from a well-known company. This will ensure you get a top-quality instrument that you’ll enjoy for many years.

Ibanez

Ibanez makes a wide range of hollowbody guitars. They’re lower priced to meet your budget needs and perfect for beginners and intermediate players. You’re sure to find a great instrument when you buy from Ibanez.

Gibson

Gibson makes several excellent hollowbody guitars. These instruments are at the higher end of the price range, but you’ll get a high-quality instrument that you’ll enjoy for many years.

Gretsch

Another excellent manufacturer of hollowbody guitars is Gretsch. They have a wide range of instruments, and many of them feature Bigsby tremolo systems. These instruments are great for country, rockabilly, jazz, blues, and other styles.

Paul Reed Smith

I’m a big fan of Paul Reed Smith. I own one of these guitars myself, and it’s an excellent instrument. They make a wide range of semi-hollow guitars that are perfect for many styles of music.

Guild

This company is known for its acoustic guitars, but they make several excellent hollowbody guitars too. They come in a broad price range to suit your needs.

Hollowbody Guitar Aesthetics & Build

The build of your hollowbody guitar is important. Here are a few points to consider before you purchase one of these instruments. The best semi-hollow guitars have a combination of these features to make them great.

Wood

There are several different woods used to make semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars. Here are the major woods that you need to know about.

• Maple: This word is often used because it’s durable and long-lasting. It has a great tone and resonance, which makes it perfect for a semi-hollow guitar.
• Mahogany: Guitars often use mahogany because of the excellent tone and reliability of the wood. It’s most often used for guitar necks, backs, and sides.
• Sapele: This wood is often used as an alternative to mahogany. It tends to have a better treble response than mahogany.
• Rosewood/ebony: These woods are used for fingerboards. They’re smooth and easy on the fingers while you move up and down the fretboard.
• Laminate: Some guitars use laminate wood, which is a combination of different woods. You can still get an excellent tone and reliability out of laminate.

Finish

There are several different finishes used on hollowbody guitars. Here’s what you need to know.

• Oil or wax: These are sometimes used because they bring out the natural wood grain. This is one of the oldest methods to finish a guitar, but now it’s not used as much as it used to be.
• Shellac: This is a light finish and is often used for classical instruments. It has a nice brilliant shine.
• Nitrocellulose lacquer: This is a common type of lacquer used to finish many kinds of instruments. It offers great durability, looks great, and is an overall reliable finish.
• Polyurethane or polyester: These are hard finishes that dry fast, giving lasting shine and durability.

Color

Hollowbody guitars come in a wide range of different colors. White, black, red, and blue are some of the most popular colors. You can find a wide range of different finishes to meet your needs.

Buying New vs Used

It’s probably a good idea to buy a hollowbody guitar new. It will be covered by a warranty, and you can get repairs done if you need them. Only buy a used guitar if you have experience with guitars and know what you’re buying.

It’s far too easy for someone to give you a defective instrument if you don’t know what you need to be looking for. If you do buy used instruments, ask someone that knows about guitars, so you’ll get something of quality.

What’s in the Hollowbody Guitar Box?

When you purchase your instrument, you can expect to find several things in the guitar box. This all depends on what you’ve ordered and what comes with your instrument. Here are typical things you’ll find inside the box.

Documentation/Checked Tag

Your instrument will probably come with some sort of documentation or manual. You should also find a checked-by tag. This is an indication by the manufacturer or store that it’s been checked before being shipped to you.

Case/Gig Bag

If your guitar comes with a case or gig bag, you’ll find it inside of the box. Not all instruments are shipped with gig bags or cases, so be sure to buy one if yours doesn’t come with one.

Accessories

Some guitar kits come with accessories. They could include strings, picks, a tuner, a guitar strap, and so on. This all depends on the guitar kit you purchased.

Allen Wrenches

Your instrument may also include allen wrenches. These are used to adjust the truss rod and other parts of the guitar. Not all instruments ship with these included.

Extras

When you purchase a guitar, you might want to pick up some extra items to go along with your new instrument, such as a capo or tuner.

Hollowbody Guitar Brands to Avoid

Try to purchase guitars from major manufacturers. Companies such as Gibson, Taylor, Guild, Ibanez, and so on have excellent semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars for you to choose from.

You want to avoid low-cost guitars. You won’t get a decent hollowbody guitar from some of the cheaper guitar packages on the market. These instruments are best avoided, and you should buy a brand-name instrument to avoid disappointment.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars.

How Much Do Hollowbody Guitars Cost?

You’ll find a hollowbody guitar for all playing levels. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced guitar player, as there’s an instrument out there for you.

You should buy something at your playing level now because you can always step up to a better instrument as you improve. Try to spend a little more if you can afford it because you want to get something that’s of decent quality.

What Are the Best Hollowbody Guitars?

Here are three of the best hollowbody guitars that I think you should consider. These all make excellent options, and I’ve picked one out for each playing level. These guitars would all be well worth the investment.

Gibson ES-335: Best for Advanced Players

The Gibson ES-335 gives you everything you need in a hollowbody guitar. It has great pickups, a nice finish, an easy-playing neck, a double-cutaway, and a tone you can rely on time and time again.

Guild Starfire II ST: Best for Intermediate Players

The Guild Starfire II ST is the perfect solution for any intermediate player interested in hollowbody guitars. It has a wonderful neck, a great finish, an excellent tone, and it comes in at an affordable price.

Ibanez Artcore Am53TF: Best for Beginner Players

The Ibanez Artcore Am53TF is a great guitar for anyone who’s just getting into playing this instrument. It has the sound you want, great sounding pickups, a nice neck, a smooth finish, and it won’t cost you a whole lot of money.

Where Are the Best Hollowbody Guitars Made?

Most of the best hollowbody guitars are made in the United States. The major manufacturers usually have a hollowbody series that complements their other guitars. For example, Ibanez has the excellent Artcore series.

What Is the Best Sounding Hollowbody Guitar?

The Gibson Es-335 is probably the best sounding hollowbody guitar. It has the sound that you want when you purchase this instrument. There’s not a whole lot that this guitar can’t do well. It does cost a lot, but it’s worth it.

Where to Buy Hollowbody Guitars

There are several places where you can buy hollowbody guitars, including online and in guitar shops.

Amazon

Whenever I buy musical instruments and related accessories online, I tend to shop at Amazon. You can read the reviews on the site. They have great guarantees, fast shipping, and overall, it’s the best site to deal with.

Online Music Retailers

Two other great retailers are Sweetwater and Guitar Center. They have a broad selection of instruments for you to choose from. They have great guarantees, excellent shipping, and you can read customer reviews.

Your Local Music Store

Another place where you can pick up a hollowbody guitar is your local music store. You’ll find a wide selection at most stores. Make sure you take someone with you that understands musical instruments if you’ve never bought one before.

Review This Post

In Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the best semi-hollow guitars and best hollowbody guitars. These instruments have a wonderful tone to them, and you can do so much with them. I’ve enjoyed playing mine for many years.

You’ll find that owning one of these instruments opens up a lot of musical possibilities. They’re excellent guitars for jazz, blues, country, rockabilly, or any style where you want a little bit more of an acoustic tone along with your electric tones.

We invite you to leave your comments and questions about these guitars or anything else about the guitar. I hope you enjoy playing your new hollowbody instrument. Now, go pick up your guitar and start practicing.