Q: I'm planning to finally buy my first real high-end pro guitar and am in the process of learning all I can. Some manufacturers offer chambered body options on their solidbody guitars. First of all, isn't that an oxymoron? Second, is this a gimmick or a good feature?

A: I suppose you could call such guitars semi-hollow, but as there are no f-holes, the guitar appears to be a solidbody. Are there advantages? Yes! First off, a chambered body can lighten up a heavy guitar. Depending on how the chambers are carved, they can actually allow the guitar top to resonate more freely. One of the best examples of a chambered body is in the PRS Artist III Series, where a semi-hollow option was offered at no extra cost. If you muffle the strings and knock on the top with a knuckle, you can actually hear the body resonate. Close attention will reveal the resonance is almost perfectly in tune with a series of complex harmonics. Gibson also offers several models with chambered bodies, although they offer a full semi-hollowbody in the ES-335.