Final verdict

Which semi-hollow electric is right for you?

There is only one Dot in this round-up and that’s the Epiphone, so if you are chasing authenticity, that guitar, with its Gibson DNA, would be it. It’s also an excellent instrument, with quality hardware and electronics at an excellent price. The finish will divide opinion; given the choice, we’d love one in Cherry.

The Vintage VSA500 is a more sober alternative, and one we would endorse for its ‘small-v’ vintage tone. Don’t be fooled by the

name on the headstock; you hear this advice time and time again but only because it’s true. The value Vintage presents and the quality of its instruments demand they should be taken seriously. Give a Classic Rock subscriber a VSA500 and a 1962 Marshall Bluesbreaker combo and you might never see them again.

The AS83 lacks the easy ride of its rivals but makes up for it with serious jazz tone and a finish that’s so classy you’ll be renting a tuxedo just to practise in your bedroom. But if you don’t mind foregoing anything above the 19th fret, then the G2622 would be the one. The vagaries of the Gretsch tone and volume controls offer huge potential for frequency exploration. The rocking Broad’tron humbuckers are a happy surprise. It might seem weird playing Led Zeppelin riffs on a Gretsch semi-hollow, but the G2622 has plenty more tone where that came from, with awesome rock ’n’ roll and blues potential, genuine heritage kudos, and a persuasive ES-335 vibe at a frankly insane price.