6 of the best semi-acoustic guitars
Epiphone Gary Clark Jr 'Blak & Blu' Casino with Bigsby
Available with or without Bigsby, this hollowbody ES-330-style double-cut thinline gives plenty of hollowbody style without the depth or size of a bigger ‘jazzbox’.
Listen to Gary Clark’s music and hear just how valid a guitar like this is for a contemporary player. Epiphone has many larger hollowbodies and centre-blocked thinlines, too.
Epiphone Gary Clark Jr ‘Blak & Blu’ Casino with Bigsby review
Fender Starcaster
Fender’s answer to the ES-335 was derided on its original launch, but has since become a minor classic within the genre.
This affordable remake isn’t exactly a reissue, but captures the style perfectly and - like the ES-335 - suits a huge range of styles thanks to its centre block, dual Wide Range ’buckers with four-control layout, and tune-o-matic/stud tailpiece bridge setup.
Fender Starcaster review
Guild Newark St Starfire II ST
Originally recreated by Fender, new owner Cordoba has picked up the mantle and is continuing to plunder Guild’s past with an ever-widening array of guitars.
This Starfire II is a single-cut thinline with bridge block - a slightly more ‘hollowbody’ thinline than instruments such as the centre-blocked Starfire V, while the mini humbuckers bridge the gap between a single coil and vintage-style ’bucker.
Guild Newark St Starfire II ST review
Godin 5th Avenue CW HB
Godin might not be the hippest brand on the planet, but the Canadian company makes some seriously good guitars that are perfect for the working musician.
Its 5th Avenue archtop range includes numerous variants and this cutaway, which has dual Godin humbuckers, and plenty of mileage, not least in its vintage-y satin sheen Custom Polished finish.
Godin 5th Avenue CW HB review
Gibson Memphis ES-339 Satin 2015
While you can easily put a load of cash on a Memphis-built ES-335, the down-sized ES-339 comes in a lot more wallet friendly, and in various formats, too.
It’s a neat concept for those of us who find the big ol’ jazz-age guitars rather bulky. You’ll still fi nd this 2015 model in some stores and its satin fi nish gives it a really ‘used’ vibe. And, of course, it’s a superb USA-made Gibson!
Gibson Memphis ES-339 Satin 2015 review
Gretsch G6118T Players Edition Anniversary
If your aspirations lie on the swinger side of the jazz, remember Gretsch ain’t just for rockabilly.
The company recently changed the game with its affordable Streamliners; it’s upgrading its mid-priced Electromatics right now, and the top Japanese models have already had a makeover. The Players Edition models feature String Thru Bigsbys, locking tuners, pinned bridges and ML bracing.