HOLLOWBODY GUITARS

There are two main schools of hollowbody (and semi-hollow) player: those with a connection to jazz/blues roots who need smooth tone, and songwriter-guitarists who like their rounder tone and looser low end. Early electric guitar recordings universally feature hollowbodies because solidbodies hadn’t been invented yet. Gibson's ES-150 ruled the roost in the 30s, but it was a basic design; an acoustic with a pickup, if you like. In the 50s Gibson introduced new models, the ES-330, the ES-350T, the ES-355 and the standard-bearer, the ES-335 with its centre block and hollow wings striking a balance of sustain with less feedback. Gretsch's G6120 and White Falcon appeared around this time and the semi-hollow Rickenbacker 325 got big off the back of the Beatles.

GRETSCH G6120

The start of rock ’n’ roll

Chet Atkins was the greatest travis picker, and, when early rock ’n’ rollers wanted to fuse