Are semi hollow guitars inherently "bassy"?

[Grendel]

I took my new T484 to my weekly guitar lesson tonight and my teacher agreed that it has a very strong lower end.  I'm not sure if it's fair to call it "boomy" per se, but the bass is quite strong (as mentioned in a previous post).

Is this par for the course with with semi hollow guitars?

I'm trying to tame the lower end to some degree and have ordered a few things to try to work on it (I've adjusted the pickups and pole pieces but the bass is still BIG!):
- A mixed set of strings (46 36 26 / 16 11 9) to try to tighten things up with the higher gauge low strings
- An aluminum Gotoh tail piece
- Faber Tone steel tailpiece studs
- Titanium saddles that I may sub in on the lower strings if the above options don't do the job

Anyone have an opinion on if "bassy" is normal for semi hollows generically or T484s specifically?

[JoeontheGuitar]

I don't know if the hardware mods will change the boominess of the guitar, but what always works for me with any amp and any guitar is a good EQ pedal. A parametric like the Empress ParaEQ might be the best investment tone-wise you ever made.

[Grendel]

I don't know if the hardware mods will change the boominess of the guitar, but what always works for me with any amp and any guitar is a good EQ pedal. A parametric like the Empress ParaEQ might be the best investment tone-wise you ever made.

Yep.  That's definitely on my radar as an option.  

Interestingly, acoustically the guitar actually seems pretty balanced.  This makes me wonder if this is less "the guitar" and more likely the pickups?  

I have a variety of pickup magnets on the way and will try some A2 first then A4 to see if those help.  If not I got a set of A3 too just in case.  Hopefully something in this assortment ideas might make a difference...

[sleigh]

Have you tried changing the tone setting on your amplifier? Roll back the bass, enhance the treble, and set the mids where you like. If the boom is absent playing acoustically, I'd be inclined to say it in the pickups or the amplification.

[campacj]

I don't know if the hardware mods will change the boominess of the guitar, but what always works for me with any amp and any guitar is a good EQ pedal. A parametric like the Empress ParaEQ might be the best investment tone-wise you ever made.

Yep.  That's definitely on my radar as an option.  

Interestingly, acoustically the guitar actually seems pretty balanced.  This makes me wonder if this is less "the guitar" and more likely the pickups?  

I have a variety of pickup magnets on the way and will try some A2 first then A4 to see if those help.  If not I got a set of A3 too just in case.  Hopefully something in this assortment ideas might make a difference... 

Grendel,
I have recently purchased a Washburn HB-35 N that the previous owner had modified with Seymour Duncan '59s. That was a great buy for $500 with a HSC. I have owned several 335-style guitars over the years and I have never had a problem with a semi hollow being too boomie. In my experience they usually sound exceptionally clear and well-balanced. It may be the pickups. Often, these guitars come with pickups that just aren't the best. OR it may be that you just don't care for THAT particular guitar. I say this because it sounds like you're putting A LOT of money into trying to "fix" the sound. Just my two cents...
Clint C.
(campacj, Seattle)

[Grendel]

Have you tried changing the tone setting on your amplifier? Roll back the bass, enhance the treble, and set the mids where you like. If the boom is absent playing acoustically, I'd be inclined to say it in the pickups or the amplification.

I have, and it certainly helps, but Ideally I don't want to have to change up the amp settings every time I switch guitars.  I only own one tube amp and my other two guitars are a strat and a tele so the T484 is the outlier that needs something quite different...

One strategy I tried tonight was using my Kingsley Page as a "pseudo boost" for the Eastman.  The Page has a bass cut switch to cuts the lowest lows.  It worked a treat as pretty much an EQ / bass cut tool while also adding a hint of hair, but not really adding much push.  So I could plan on pretty much always using the Page before other drive pedals to cut away the bloat, but that seems like a somewhat clumsy "solution".  Not sure how I feel about this idea yet.  It's a decent solution for the Eastman but then the Page isn't set well to be optimized for the other guitars - it would basically become a "Eastman only" pedal for me.

---

I don't know if the hardware mods will change the boominess of the guitar, but what always works for me with any amp and any guitar is a good EQ pedal. A parametric like the Empress ParaEQ might be the best investment tone-wise you ever made.

Yep.  That's definitely on my radar as an option.  

Interestingly, acoustically the guitar actually seems pretty balanced.  This makes me wonder if this is less "the guitar" and more likely the pickups?  

I have a variety of pickup magnets on the way and will try some A2 first then A4 to see if those help.  If not I got a set of A3 too just in case.  Hopefully something in this assortment ideas might make a difference...  

Grendel,
I have recently purchased a Washburn HB-35 N that the previous owner had modified with Seymour Duncan '59s. That was a great buy for $500 with a HSC. I have owned several 335-style guitars over the years and I have never had a problem with a semi hollow being too boomie. In my experience they usually sound exceptionally clear and well-balanced. It may be the pickups. Often, these guitars come with pickups that just aren't the best. OR it may be that you just don't care for THAT particular guitar. I say this because it sounds like you're putting A LOT of money into trying to "fix" the sound. Just my two cents...
Clint C.
(campacj, Seattle) 

I agree, this most certainly may not be a wise path forward.  To some degree I don't mind: I like tinkering and I enjoy experimenting to see what effect changing/upgrading components can have.  I also enjoy the fact that in doing the mods I feel like I really get to know the guitar and as I see the impacts the changes have I feel like it teaches me more about how to move it in the right direction.  And in the end I have some satisfaction and connection with the instrument knowing what it took to get it "there".

That said, having never owned a semi hollow this is a new beast and I feel like I'm in uncharted waters pretty much all the way around.  Having no experience with hum buckers or semi-hollows means this is uncharted territory for me - hence all the questions!

---

Have you tried changing the tone setting on your amplifier? Roll back the bass, enhance the treble, and set the mids where you like. If the boom is absent playing acoustically, I'd be inclined to say it in the pickups or the amplification.

I have, and it certainly helps, but Ideally I don't want to have to change up the amp settings every time I switch guitars.  I only own one tube amp and my other two guitars are a strat and a tele so the T484 is the outlier that needs something quite different...

One strategy I tried tonight was using my Kingsley Page as a "pseudo boost" for the Eastman.  The Page has a bass cut switch to cuts the lowest lows.  It worked a treat as pretty much an EQ / bass cut tool while also adding a hint of hair, but not really adding much push.  So I could plan on pretty much always using the Page before other drive pedals to cut away the bloat, but that seems like a somewhat clumsy "solution".  Not sure how I feel about this idea yet.  It's a decent solution for the Eastman but then the Page isn't set well to be optimized for the other guitars - it would basically become a "Eastman only" pedal for me.

[Grendel]

UPDATE:

I swapped out the lower strings for the heavier gauge (46 36 26 vice 42 32 24) and it is MUCH better.  MUCH tighter.

I still plan on swapping out the tailpiece and insert bolt.  I may play with the titanium saddles as well.  Maybe not.  

I'm definitely still considering the Seth Lovers too.  I find the Classic 69 quite nice but it's not really prominent in the mids and not really "vintage" or "woody" sounding.  And I'm really not at all in love with the Jazz in the neck.  It's just kinda "there".  We'll see after I play with the magnets in them...