Hollow body

A guitar whose body is built as an air chamber with thin, braced plates, whether fully hollow or with a solid centre block.

A fully hollow instrument relies on the top to produce sound and will feed back at relatively low volumes, which makes it a fine choice for jazz, blues and quiet stages and a difficult one for loud rock. The chamber also shapes the attack: notes swell and bloom rather than starting abruptly, and the low end is warm and slightly loose. Adding a centre block, as semi-hollow designs do, keeps much of that character while restoring sustain and feedback resistance.

Example: a large hollow body played through a small valve amp at low volume has an airy, woody tone that a solid body cannot imitate.

Hollow body

See also