Solid and semi-acoustic

Right, I am looking at getting a new guitar and branching out to playing electric (I am currently learnning on a classical). Can anybody tell me the real difference between solid and semi-acoustic? I know that the semi has more sustain and has a more 'buttery' tone, but what does that mean in terms of the music it is and isnt suited to? As far as I understand a solid like a Les Paul or Strat for example is well suited to pretty much any kind of music, rock, jazz, blues etc, but the semi is really more of a jazz/blues thing. Why would anybody buy a semi (apart from the fact that they are such a sexy looking guitar) over a solid, what is the motive? And what the hell is a Bigsby for and is it worth having?

Originally Posted by: rhythmRight, I am looking at getting a new guitar and branching out to playing electric (I am currently learnning on a classical). Can anybody tell me the real difference between solid and semi-acoustic? I know that the semi has more sustain and has a more 'buttery' tone, but what does that mean in terms of the music it is and isnt suited to? As far as I understand a solid like a Les Paul or Strat for example is well suited to pretty much any kind of music, rock, jazz, blues etc, but the semi is really more of a jazz/blues thing. Why would anybody buy a semi (apart from the fact that they are such a sexy looking guitar) over a solid, what is the motive? And what the hell is a Bigsby for and is it worth having?

I think a bigsby is just some kind of tremelo, but I don't have any personal experience at all with one so I could be wrong. Semi-acoustic guitars are more acousticy than solid guitars. :p Personal tastes and music styles are basically infinitely varied, so I can't really give you a bigger list of advantages and disadvantages than that. If you like the sound a semi-acoustic guitar better than any of the other guitars you're looking at then buy it. Otherwise don't.

I wonder if feedback is more of a risk when playing a semi-acoustic. Someone here probably knows.

A bigsby is a tremelo system like the ones on strats and the Flody Rose's that you see on the metal/hard rock guitars. It doesn't detune the strings as much as a strat style tremelo or a floyd rose, its more for like an opposite vibrato (as in instead of the pitch raising and lowering with normal vibrato, it lowers then raises.)

As for the difference between hollobody and solid body, its all up to what kind of music you play. If your into blues, jazz, soft rock, or anything around those genres, a hollowbody would be a nice choice for tone as well as looks. If you like to play metal, hard rock classic rock and such, you can't really use a whole lot of distortion with a hollow body as they will feedback like crazy and the tone would be crap since your taking an already great tone and adding gain.

If you're looking for a middle of the road semi-hollowbody guitar that does everything a semi-hollowbody does well and does everything a solid body does well.... check out the Schecter C-1 Semi Hollowbody w/ a piezo pickup in the bridge. That guitar loos sweet, sounds sweet, and plays sweet. Great tone for a solid body or semi-hollow