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Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:05 pm
by Bellyheart
So I went to Guitar Center and Sam Ash yesterday with intentions of playing the Dot and Sheraton II. I played the Sheraton II a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. Played the Dot and thought it was pretty good, but some reason the Sheraton was doing it for me more. When I went to grab the Sheraton this last time I went, I was amazed how much I loved this thing, and then about fifteen minutes after playing realized I grabbed the Artcore that looks like the ES-335 and fell in more love. Than I went through a few Artcores and loved all of them. Then I ended by going back and forth between the Sheraton II and different models of the Artcore I was playing on shitty amps, then nice amps then shitty amps. They sounded good all the time. Tip-of-the-hat for the VT40+.
Anyways, who has one, and what are you pros and cons? I'm looking to try some humbuckers again and trade my Nashville Tele for one.
Re: Artcore
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:47 pm
by Noise...
While I don't own one, the guitar shop I used to frequent usually had 3-4 Artcores in stock at any given time. I was there all the time, and found myself playing them a lot.
They played and sounded better than any Dot I've ever played. A couple compared to Sheratons, some didn't.
The fit and finish was pretty good on all of them, and they seemed solid. The only thing I didn't like on them were the Bigsby copies and the necks. Necks were too thin (for my tastes), and the Bigsby copies felt cheap.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:03 pm
by hclapp219
I lust for an AS73. They all usually play very well, definitely better than the dots I have tried. Never tried a Sheraton, though.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:12 pm
by Bellyheart
They all played way better than the Dot but rivaled the Sheraton II. I'm curious if this holds after the honey moon period. The only reason I even tried the Dot was that I was offered one for the Tele.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:07 am
by Gone Fission
First real experience of an Artcore was the natural flame maple jazz box with floating pickup. I thought it was a George Benson or something. Then I saw the tag. If I wasn't skint broke, I would gotten it there and then. The other experiences I've had with the line haven't been that magical, but that was an unreal bargain, that one.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:16 am
by Jero
I love the artcores. Really want one of the basses still. The larger, bigsby included, bodied ones weren't as enjoyable for me.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:13 am
by Derelict78
I have the artcore bass with one big fucking humbucker and I LOVE it. I wont ever sell it. If it broke or was stolen I would find another.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:26 am
by Eric!
My brother's absolute favorite guitar ever. He's had it for YEARS. He's bought and sold les pauls and such, but keeps his artcore
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:45 am
by Bassus Sanguinis
Derelict78 wrote:I have the artcore bass with one big fucking humbucker and I LOVE it. I wont ever sell it. If it broke or was stolen I would find another.

I was about to buy one for my old project. Love the way it goes off feedbacking from long notes with overdrive and echo. Absolutely magickal.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:54 am
by Derelict78
unfortunately the model I have is discontinued and I think the rest of the artcore basses are short scale

Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:39 pm
by julius_deane
Since I'm getting rid of my Tele, I'm in the market for a new 2nd electric. A SHB would be nice, I think, especially with all the noise I like to make, but other than Thinlines, I've only ever liked the Dot Studio because I can't stand behind painted necks usually. I may give some more of the Artcores a try.
My roommate has one of the old strat-shaped ones and I like it except for the fact that the neck is heavier than the body. He sanded down the finish on the neck.

Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:02 pm
by CaptainWampum
My gigging guitar is an AGS83B I bought at a garage sale. I plays like a dream, and it has pretty much exactly the sound I'm going for. The bridge pickup might be thin for some people, but that's what I wanted, so it's perfect for me. If I had a strat to go with it I would be in hog heaven.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:47 am
by Officer Bukowski
My friend had one of those 335-ish artcores and a Dot. The Ibanez was like 50x better. The neck was really nice. It was pretty skinny and not wide. That thing ripped. The headstock broke off so he glued it back with gorilla glue and put a big screw in it and it was good to go.
The Dot was kindof shitty and I wouldn't recommend it.
I think the Ibanez would have been really sweet with a Bigsby.
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:52 am
by Mudfuzz
They can be added, it isn't hard...
Re: Artcore Hollowbody
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:53 am
by CBGB
My vote is definitely the Sheraton II. It is beautiful and it rocks. I've had mine since the early 90s an d I keep coming back to it.
