Do you prefer chambered/semi-hollow/hollow over solid body basses?

Greetings from the North,

A Serek Sacramento (chambered), 2 Reverend Brad Housers (semi-hollow), Godin A40 (semi-hollow), and a Yamaha BEX4 (semi-hollow) Yes I guess I am partial to semi-hollow and chambered basses. I just like them. And they can be so bombastic.

Rezdog

 

Not at all.
I can't see why I would.
Tone or weight?
Well, I've already found the perfect tone and my bass only weighs 7 3 lbs, so...

 

No. I prefer solid body, which is not an option in your poll.

I played an already-old-at-the-time unbranded beatle bass when I first started (mid 70s), which had feedback issues at higher volumes. These went away when I got my 2nd bass, which was a solid body. While technology has improved in the past 50 years, my lizard brain still equates hollow bodys with feedback issues.

 

I prefer solid-bodied basses overall, but do like semi-hollows and loved my DiPinto Belvedere Standard. I sold it mostly due to ergonomic issues, not tone. I haven't gotten another semi-hollow but occasionally have GAS for one. Sereks look especially intriguing, and I like Guild Starfires and Reverend's Dub King as well.

 

I like chambered over HB or semi-HB as you don’t get feedback issues at gig volumes.

Still, it’s hard to beat a SB P bass.

 

For a semi-hollow/hollow body bass sounds, I indeed prefer semi-hollow/hollow bodies over solid bodies.
Chambered? That's a weight watcher feature, ya?

 

I own at least one of all of the types listed. Play them as my mood suits me.

 

The biggest issue with chambered/semi-hollow versions of typical solid-body basses is neck dive. It's bad enough generally with solid-body Fender style basses, but when you start taking weight _out_ of the body, neck-heaviness worsens and in many cases almost becomes unmanagable, without bizarre harnesses, belt-hooks and the associated wedgies they cause, weights and etc.

As for the tonal benefits, I personally haven't played a chambered/semi-hollow version of a solid-body bass that really appealed to me tonewise, but I can see it if you're after more of a round, upright bass type of tone.

But you can do more with the electronics, IMO. For example, you can emulate an acoustic bass on a solid-body with no frets and a piezo pickup in the bridge. Take the Ibanez SR "bass workshop" series - The fretless models give a very nice upright-like tone on the piezo. It's a little synthetic sounding, but its really upright like and very nice. It doesn't require much of any in terms of the acoustics of the bass itself.

So I don't see chambering on an electric having much benefit that can't be gotten electronically, and just keeping a solid body which is cheaper and doesn't have nearly as bad neck-dive problems....

YMMV, of course...

L

 

The only area in which a non-solidbody bass disappoints me is with fretless: the note duration on solid basses just seems to be longer. Aesthetically, I know of only one non-solid bass body design I dislike; of solid bodies, only three I like.

Overgeneralizing, I would say the hollow/chambered bodies give more boom in the tone; semi-hollows and solids, more punch.

 

FWIW, your poll choices don’t correspond to the Q in your thread title.

That said, and responding to the Q in the thread title; My experience has primarily been with solid body bass guitars. My uprights, of course, are hollow. I did acquire an NYC Sadowsky a few years ago, which has the chambered construction.

My $0.019 between the solid bodies and the chambered bodies is that they are different in feel, but not so much distinguishable in a mix or on tape. They have a very different kind of feedback resonance. So, I can see a player preferring one over the other, depending on playing styles. The chambered bodies feel more acoustically resonant, and lend themselves to pizz and plectrum work. The solid bodies have a more defined solid kind of resonance, and lend themselves to slap and plectrum work. But, good examples of either are useful across the board. The chambered basses are lighter. The solid basses sit more solidly on the shoulder; which, if the weight is below 10 pounds, isn’t usually a deal killer for me.

Vive la difference.

 

i don't know enough about the poll choices to vote...never owned one or played one long enough to judge.

i think hollow-body axes look cool.

i also think looks are for kids. so there's that.

 

I play an unchambered bass that is Mahogany I believe, feels and sounds better than any chambered or semi hollow ive tried.

 

No.

 

Valid point.

 

What are Hofners considered? Semi Hollow or Hollow? Love em

 

I have several of each. There are situations where I prefer one over the other, because yes, they do sound different. AFAIC, though, that's really the only reason. That Rick 4001 is my #1, go-to bass for lots of reasons, but the fact that it's a neck thru solid body bass isn't one of them...

 

If my Epi Jack Casady were solid, it’d be a might heavy

 

Flawed poll is flawed. Where is the 'No' option?

 

I like all the different types of construction. These days I mostly just record, so the different vibes and tones that come along with each type of construction are fun to have on tap.