F-Hole and tone

bss · **Posted:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:29 am

I have never owned a strat or an electric guitar with F-Hole(s). I am curious to learn more about it. If you know any benefits to having an F-hole please list them, or better yet what is the effect on tone? Warmer? Brighter? More sustain? I have also heard of routed bodies for "resonance" does that increase sustain as well?

stratoBobster · **Joined:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 959

In general, I am not a fan of guitars with F-holes. I think the best F-hole guitars are the Gretsch models where the F-hole is just painted on the guitar (no actual hole). :lol:

You can hear the difference in tone. As an example, it is easy to hear a Gibson 335, 345, 355 on the radio and tell the difference between them and a Les Paul with the same pick-ups. Putting words to sound is hard, but I would say the sound is more woody and hollow. Listen to Freddie King for a good example of F-hole tone.

You have to be careful with F-hole guitars. Many of them feedback wildly on stage. I have known a few players that could control this, but it is a headache and I don't think the payoff in tone is worth it.

A Gibson ES-330 is a problem, whereas a ES-335 is not. Why? The 335 has the body blocked down the inside middle and the 330 is wide open.

JSJH · **Posted:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:56 am

There really is no such thing as a generic "F Hole guitar."

In this opinion, re thinggs like the hollow-ish F-hole Tele, the hollow body's effect on amplified tone is minimal.

The ES-335 style has a center block, making i tmore a solidbody with hollow wings. There is a "335" tone, tho.

A carved-top-and-back "real" F-hole guitar is a thing of beauty and joy and much like a fine violin or cello and at its best without onboard magnetic electronics, in this opinion.

Billy Penn · **Joined:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:57 am **Posts:** 56

The hollow body with f holes produces a warm and wood-like sound. On a Tele Thinline the sound is more wood-like as well but obviously not as much as a full sized hollowbody like an ES175 or something. They do tend to feedback like the other posts say but the Thinline is more controllable.

orvilleowner · **Posted:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:45 pm

A chambered strat body can look pretty cool!

Billy Penn · **Joined:** Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:57 am **Posts:** 56

Whoa! That is pretty cool! Nice flames!!

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