Best Semi Hollow under $1000?

[DavidTCIC]

Hey!
I am looking to treat myself for my 30th birthday with a semihollow.
I was really really interested on getting a Guild Starfire V since it has little buckers and a bigsby, but the more i research the new Newark line, the more worried i am about the difficulty on finding replacements for those pickups if i end up not digging them
I know routing the pickup cavities its always an option, but its not really the route i would like to go with a brand new guitar.
Anyway i would like to know what is your take on the best semis under $1000.
My dream guitar is the Chris Cornell 335. Semi hollow and filtertrons/minibuckers are what I am looking for
Alternatives for me are getting an used fender era guild starfire, a Yamaha SA1000, an Ibanez AM/AS or the Scofield signature, a Tokai...
I'm really looking to get something different from what I already have, so something less compressed than a bucket but more gainy than a single coil is what I am interested on.
I also own a p90 guitar
Looking forward to read your suggestions

 

[DiAmoroso]

Sounds like you'd like the Gretsch G5622T. Double cut body style, the blacktop filtertrons fit your description of the pickups you want, probably as close to the Chris Cornell 335 as you'll get in a stock guitar under $1K.

 

[MartinPiana]

Several threads on precisely this question. Ibanez starts off strong, Yamaha and Guilds get shoutouts, then Eastmans start picking up momentum, typically. I have three Eastmans myself. Their semihollows are in your price range street price -- and especially used. Very consistent quality. T386 and T486. https://www.eastmanguitars.com/electric_thinline -- go to the laminates.

 

[fescue]

Reverend Club King with P90s... you’ll thank me after you buy one.

 

[jwguitar]

Hey!
I am looking to treat myself for my 30th birthday with a semihollow.
I was really really interested on getting a Guild Starfire V since it has little buckers and a bigsby, but the more i research the new Newark line, the more worried i am about the difficulty on finding replacements for those pickups if i end up not digging them
I know routing the pickup cavities its always an option, but its not really the route i would like to go with a brand new guitar.
Anyway i would like to know what is your take on the best semis under $1000.
My dream guitar is the Chris Cornell 335. Semi hollow and filtertrons/minibuckers are what I am looking for
Alternatives for me are getting an used fender era guild starfire, a Yamaha SA1000, an Ibanez AM/AS or the Scofield signature, a Tokai...
I'm really looking to get something different from what I already have, so something less compressed than a bucket but more gainy than a single coil is what I am interested on.
I also own a p90 guitar
Looking forward to read your suggestions

This is an unknown brand to most - Bootlegger Guitars - They make a model called the Deville and it is a high quality Korean made instrument (I believe at the Muse Factory). To me its one of the hidden secrets of the guitar world. Really excellent fretwork and excellent overall finish and great electronics and it is only 549 new with a nice case!

 

[wrxplayer]

There are a lot of really nice 335 types made in Japan. One of my favorites is the Yamaha SA2200, which is a bit out of your price range. The SA2000, however, can sometimes be found for $1K. This looks to be a fine example at a good price (no ideal who the seller is).
https://reverb.com/item/32723051-yamaha-sa-2000-mij

 

[DPiddy]

Hey!
I am looking to treat myself for my 30th birthday with a semihollow.
I was really really interested on getting a Guild Starfire V since it has little buckers and a bigsby, but the more i research the new Newark line, the more worried i am about the difficulty on finding replacements for those pickups if i end up not digging them
I know routing the pickup cavities its always an option, but its not really the route i would like to go with a brand new guitar.
Anyway i would like to know what is your take on the best semis under $1000.
My dream guitar is the Chris Cornell 335. Semi hollow and filtertrons/minibuckers are what I am looking for
Alternatives for me are getting an used fender era guild starfire, a Yamaha SA1000, an Ibanez AM/AS or the Scofield signature, a Tokai...
I'm really looking to get something different from what I already have, so something less compressed than a bucket but more gainy than a single coil is what I am interested on.
I also own a p90 guitar
Looking forward to read your suggestions

I just picked up a Starfire IV because I kept playing it in my local store and the pickups were everything I wanted... Can you play one?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

This is an unknown brand to most - Bootlegger Guitars - They make a model called the Deville and it is a high quality Korean made instrument (I believe at the Muse Factory). To me its one of the hidden secrets of the guitar world. Really excellent fretwork and excellent overall finish and great electronics and it is only 549 new with a nice case!

Mighty fine playing, sir.

 

[LikeAMotherF]

Yeah I think you should probably look at some Gretsch with the Filtertron (or Whatever-Trons) pickups.

I recently got a Daisy Rock semi hollow with Firebird pickups in it that is just killer.

But I won't recommend that, as I think most folks are turned off by the idea of Daisy Rock....

 

[DavidTCIC]

I just picked up a Starfire IV because I kept playing it in my local store and the pickups were everything I wanted... Can you play one?

Sadly not in my city, but I plan to take a trip to the capital city so I can try a few of them

 

[tapeworm]

I believe you would like the Guild minis especially if you’re looking for minibuckers , but if not you could always replace them with a custom wound set or have someone rewind the originals to your specs. You could probably find an original set of 60s Guild minis as well.

I’ve always wanted to buy one of these and put P90s in it.

 

[jwguitar]

Mighty fine playing, sir.

Thank you sir!

 

[DavidTCIC]

I believe you would like the Guild minis especially if you’re looking for minibuckers , but if not you could always replace them with a custom wound set or have someone rewind the originals to your specs. You could probably find an original set of 60s Guild minis as well.

I’ve always wanted to buy one of these and put P90s in it.

What worries me is the many accounts of the mismatch between the output of the neck and the bridge. I know that many people solve that by swapping the bridge to the neck, and vice versa, but it worries me that if and up not liking the pickups I'm stuck with them, since I live in Spain and you can't get new ones (and used one are really expensive)
I think that I would be happy with a good japanese 335-ish guitar, I could always mount a SD psyclone set and get close to the Cornell signature

 

[DavidTCIC]

I just picked up a Starfire IV because I kept playing it in my local store and the pickups were everything I wanted... Can you play one?

How do they sound? It is true that the bridge and neck outputs are mismatched?
Thank you!

 

[DavidTCIC]

There are a lot of really nice 335 types made in Japan. One of my favorites is the Yamaha SA2200, which is a bit out of your price range. The SA2000, however, can sometimes be found for $1K. This looks to be a fine example at a good price (no ideal who the seller is).
https://reverb.com/item/32723051-yamaha-sa-2000-mij

Yamaha are my jam. My favourite guitar I own is a SF1000, so of course i thought about getting a SA.
Thank you sir

 

[DavidTCIC]

Sounds like you'd like the Gretsch G5622T. Double cut body style, the blacktop filtertrons fit your description of the pickups you want, probably as close to the Chris Cornell 335 as you'll get in a stock guitar under $1K.

I love the brown one, that is a fine looking guitar. Everybody praises Chinese Gretschs, do you own one? I am interested to know how the body depth compares to a 335
Thank you!

 

[Mr. Crow]

I recently got a used Ibanez AS73, really nice, well made, sounds great. Easy to find under $300 used if you want to save some money.

 

[Blanket Jackson]

There are a lot of really nice 335 types made in Japan. One of my favorites is the Yamaha SA2200, which is a bit out of your price range. The SA2000, however, can sometimes be found for $1K. This looks to be a fine example at a good price (no ideal who the seller is).
https://reverb.com/item/32723051-yamaha-sa-2000-mij

This, or increase the budget a little to get a used Heritage 535
Either one is a great choice

 

[ChampReverb]

I had an Ibanez AM-73T and it played fairly well but seemed to sound kind of of like a dull cardboard version of a Gibson to me.

I later had an Epi ES-335 but it just wouldn’t intonate properly so I returned it.

I wound buying a Gretsch GA-6120 instead. Very nice but pricey.

-bEn r.

 

[ProfRhino]

I would take an upmarket MIJ semi over most US models - SA, AS, (lacquer finish) Tokais, Gretsch (not talking about Electromatics), MIJ Epis ...
most should be available around 1200 used, probably not the Gretsches.
lots of variety there, from vintage unique, or 335 vibe to modern fusion machine - on some you might want to upgrade the electronics, some are great as is.
ymmv,
Rhino