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.