Are Solid Body Guitars a must have???

[ChloeDogsDad]

"Dear Gibson Custom Shop,

I would like my "aged" guitar to be as authentic as possible, therefore, along with the usual Murphy Lab Treatment, please have one of your techs shoot a hole in the body, .38 caliber or higher is preferred...."

It actually was a .38! some moron took a shot at his wife and her boyfriend with his saturday night special, and missed them thank god, but hit my poor guitar, luckily it was on a stand at the time. That ended the gig needless to say.

 

[tartanphantom]

Solid Body guitars aren't necessary, but I can't imagine going through life without at least one Telecaster.

 

[Marv666]

It actually was a .38! some moron took a shot at his wife and her boyfriend with his saturday night special, and missed them thank god, but hit my poor guitar, luckily it was on a stand at the time. That ended the gig needless to say.

Would you like to Show a picture of that guitar?
That's a crazy Story!!

 

[Synchro]

Solid Body guitars aren't necessary, but I can't imagine going through life without at least one Telecaster.

What he said.

 

[6187LX]

I used to think solid bodies were unnecessary, then I tried a Dyna Jet. Well, it's "solid-er" than a hollowbody....

 

[delbomber]

If you're getting hired as a session player, and the client NEEDS to hear a tele (or a paul, or a...) then yes. But if you're just making your own music do it however you want to! While I own a few solid body guitars I rarely play them. I just love that hollow/semi-hollow sound!

 

[pblanton]

> Are Solid Body Guitars a must have???

Yes.

 

[pblanton]

It actually was a .38! some moron took a shot at his wife and her boyfriend with his saturday night special, and missed them thank god, but hit my poor guitar, luckily it was on a stand at the time. That ended the gig needless to say.

I'd like to see a picture too. I'm curious what the back of the guitar looks like. I expect the hole in front looks bullet-holey, but I expect the back is shredded.

 

[Bob Perrone]

I gig with my hollow bodied 6122, unless the place of the gig is questionable regarding security of my gear. In those cases I take my Tele or Jazzmaster. I don't want to put my Gretsch in harm's way or find it walking out the door with somebody else other than myself. With y 61222 feedback is never a problem and tone-wise it's unbeatable even when pushing my Blues Jr. for some grit. It is my prized baby so if the situation mentioned above presents itself she stays home. That's why I have a couple of solid bodies.

 

[Rodi]

I would say yes, solid body guitars are necessary.
I love Les Paul Jrs.
I love solid body Les Pauls too.
I love Telecasters.

That being said, I have one chambered guitar, three semi and 2 solid body guitars now I need to get a solid body bass and build my two tele parts casters n get a couple Tokai Les Pauls.

I love em all.

 

[LesB3]

It actually was a .38! some moron took a shot at his wife and her boyfriend with his saturday night special, and missed them thank god, but hit my poor guitar, luckily it was on a stand at the time. That ended the gig needless to say.

Wow! Another vote for pics! CDD wins, especially if the bullet is somehow still lodged in the top!

 

[loudnlousy]

You basically need one single guitar that you can work with properly.
Every second or third guitar is luxury or "nice to have". Especially when playing live it is nice to have a second one.
So no, a solid body is not a must have unless you cannot make the guitar that you already got work for you.

 

[ChloeDogsDad]

Would you like to Show a picture of that guitar?
That's a crazy Story!!

I'd like to see a picture too. I'm curious what the back of the guitar looks like. I expect the hole in front looks bullet-holey, but I expect the back is shredded.

Unfortunately I don't have pics, and no longer have the guitar. This happened early 90's, I want to say 93' or early in 94'. I was 15, playing in a band with my dad, shouldn't have even been allowed in the bar, and it scared the hell out of me.

The bullet blew about a 2-inch crater out of the back, it got hit almost in the center of the body, just above the pickup, broke two strings, and buried itself in the drum riser behind the guitar.

I gave the guitar to a friend who thought he could fix it, and he just filled it with wood putty and used a sharpie to color it over. I played it for about a year or so after that, but ended up giving it to a cousin when I got an elctra invicta.

 

[Miguello]

Yes.

 

[Falconetti]

You basically need one single guitar that you can work with properly.
Every second or third guitar is luxury or "nice to have". Especially when playing live it is nice to have a second one.
So no, a solid body is not a must have unless you cannot make the guitar that you already got work for you.

I agree. Better to have THE guitar and get to know every inch of it than a store full of celebrity endorsed copies that never get played or even looked at. My one keeper surprises me. Its my Epi ES 295. P90’s and a full hollow body. It has the tone I’ve been looking for for 30 years. I will be selling all the others except my Martin acoustic (…..and my Tele obv).

 

[doc538]

To each, their own!

 

[101dam]

Hello everyone, got a bit of a weird question.
Is a solid body guitar even needed in a guitar collection??
Let me explain....
I'm constantly reaching for my hollowbody gretsch guitars, they do everything i want them to.
From playing acoustic (my acoustic guitar is barely used) up to super intense high gain Sounds.
In fact i even gigged my 5420 in a Hardcore Band in the Past with my mesa Dual rectifier.
I know that lots of hollowbodys struggle with distortion, but not the gretsch hollowbodys... they take it like a Champion.
So that kinda raises the question for me, is a solid body guitar even necessary if i can get all the tones i need from a gretsch hollowbody?

I've got an electromatic double jet which Sounds great but i barely Grab it, feels a bit too small due to the double cutaway... i'm thinking about selling it.
Then i have an epiphone wildkat which i essentially never play and the rest of my guitars is just gretsch hollowbodys and one barely played acoustic.

Let me know your thoughts, is a solid body guitar a must have??

Actually, I like both. I can always find something that can be enhanced by either one. I guess it boils down to individual taste.

 

[dspellman]

Go over to the Les Paul Forum and ask if a hollow body guitar is a must-have.

 

[Falcon LPB]

As much as I love my Falcon and the fact that it can cover just about anything, it's a big ol girl.
Sometimes I just want something more compact, so I go for a Tele or SG.

I agree with Pine Apple Slim. That said, sometimes what you are hearing is not the difference between solid versus hollow or semi-hollow but the effect of the pickups and wiring in another guitar. I love my Falcons, Dues and Parallel Universe Tele - but they all have different pickups and wiring combinations. You do get more sustain on a solid wood guitar but you can emulate that with a good pedal attached to your hollow - give it a try!

 

[tastetickles]

The only hollowbody guitars I have not counting the acoustics is my Gretsch and a Heritage full hollow with lollar P90s. Both can do everything except full on metal distortion “naturally”, obviously still achievable with pedals and a good amp. I would say “No”, no necessity to have a solid body however comparing that Heritage and my Gibson LP with P90s, the Gibson LP sounded more direct and instant response. It’s like hitting a ping pong ball with a bat vs a sponge ball.