<P> Rickenbacker also began making semi-acoustic guitars in 1958 . When the company changed ownership in 1954, they hired German guitar crafter, Roger Rossmiesl . He developed the 300 series for Rickenbacker, which was a wide semi-acoustic that did not use a traditional f hole . Rather it used a sleeker dash hole on one side of the guitar, the other side had a large pickguard . This model boasted a modern design with a unique Fireglo finish . It quickly became one of Rickenbacker's most popular series and became a strong competitor to Gibson's models . </P> <P> In addition to the main model variants of the guitar, Gibson made several small changes to the guitar, including a laminated top for the ES - 175 model and mounted top pickups for general use on all their models, as opposed to Charlie Christian models from the 1930s . While Gibson provided many of the innovations in semi-acoustic guitars from the 1930s to the 1950s, there were also various makes by other companies including a hollow archtop by Gretsch . The 6120 model by Gretsch became very popular as a rockabilly model despite having almost no technical differences from Gibson models . Rickenbacker was also a prominent maker of the semi-hollow body guitar . Gibson, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, and other companies still make semi-acoustic and semi-hollow body guitars, making slight variations on their yearly designs . </P> <P> The semi-acoustic and semi-hollow body guitars were generally praised for their clean and warm tones . This led to widespread use throughout the jazz communities in the 1930s . As new models came out with sleeker designs, the guitars began to make their way into popular circles . The guitar became used in pop, folk, and blues . The guitars sometimes produced feedback when played through an amplifier at a loud level . This made the guitars unpopular for bands that had to play loud enough to perform in large venues . As rock became more experimental in the late 60s and 70s, the guitar became more popular because players learned to use its feedback issues creatively . </P> <P> Semi-hollow guitars share some of the tonal characteristics of hollow guitars, such as their praised warmth and clean tone . However, the addition of the central block helps to manage feedback and allows the guitar to be played normally at higher gain and higher volume . Semi-hollow guitars with a central block are also more durable than fully hollow guitars, whose sound is particularly popular with jazz, blues, rockabilly and psychobilly guitarists . </P>

What is the point of a hollow body electric guitar
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