Hollow body and semi-hollow guitar kits let you build the same warm, resonant instruments favored by jazz, blues, and rockabilly players, but at a fraction of the cost of a factory-built archtop. With over 40 hollow and semi-hollow kits in our catalog, choosing the right one comes down to a few key decisions: full hollow vs. semi-hollow construction, tonewood selection, pickup configuration, and the style of music you want to play. This guide breaks down every type of hollow body kit we offer, what makes each one different, and which builds suit different playing styles.

Most hollow body guitar kits represent great value considering the amount of craftsmanship involved. Building a hollow or semi-hollow guitar is more involved than assembling a standard solid body kit, which is part of what makes the finished result so satisfying.

Hollow Body vs. Semi-Hollow: What's the Difference?

Before choosing a kit, it helps to understand the two main construction types. A fully hollow body guitar has an entirely hollow interior (sometimes with a center block for structural support) and produces the warmest, most acoustic-like tone. These are the classic jazz boxes. A semi-hollow body guitar is essentially a solid body that's been routed out to create hollow chambers, then capped with a top. Semi-hollows offer some of the warmth and resonance of a hollow body, but with more resistance to feedback at higher volumes.

The construction differences matter for your build, too. Fully hollow body kits typically use laminated sides that are bent and shaped, similar to acoustic guitar construction. They require bracing or struts for structural support, and the bodies often include binding along the top, back, and neck. Semi-hollow kits are closer to solid body construction with a routed body and a cap placed on top, making them a bit more approachable for builders with some experience under their belt.

Fat Singlecut Hollow Body Kits (L5, E75)

The single-cut hollow body is the classic jazz guitar shape that first appeared in the late 1940s and has been a mainstay ever since. These are the guitars you see in the hands of jazz legends, and they remain one of the longest-running production guitar designs in the world. Our Hollow Body Guitar Kit with Flamed Maple Body Veneer is the flagship of this category.

Best Suited For

Jazz, blues, and classic rock. The fully hollow construction produces warm, round tones with excellent note definition. These guitars excel at clean and lightly overdriven sounds. They're not ideal for high-gain metal or punk because hollow bodies are prone to feedback at high volumes, but for everything from smooth jazz comping to blues leads to classic rock rhythms, they deliver.

Wade Evans playing on his DIY E75 kit

Construction and Specs

This kit features a fully hollow body with F-holes, a single Venetian cutaway, set-in neck with a 628mm (24.75 inch) scale length and 22 frets. Electronics are two humbuckers with 2 volume, 2 tone, and 3-way toggle. The bridge uses a vibrato tailpiece. Body dimensions: upper bout 310mm, waist 250mm, lower bout 415mm, body depth 83mm.

Thin Singlecut Hollow Body Kits (L3)

The L3 Hollow Body Guitar Kit delivers classic archtop character in a slimmer, lighter design built for comfort and responsiveness. It retains the traditional silhouette and smooth Venetian cutaway while featuring a thinner 43.5 mm body depth, making it noticeably lighter and easier to handle than deeper hollow builds such as the L5 style at 83 mm. This reduced depth improves playing comfort, speeds up note response, and helps control feedback while still producing warm lows, balanced mids, and clear highs.

Best Suited For

Jazz, blues, soul, clean melodic styles, and expressive chord work. The L3 excels for players who want true hollow body tone without the bulk of a full depth archtop. It is especially comfortable for long sessions, fluid comping, and dynamic phrasing, and works well for players transitioning from solid body guitars who want resonance with greater control and playability.

Construction and Specs

Fully hollow archtop body with F holes and a single Venetian cutaway. Thin 43.5 mm body depth for reduced weight and faster acoustic response. Precision cut tonewoods, routed cavities, and tight fitting joints ensure accurate alignment and builder friendly assembly. Designed for customizable finishes and hardware setups so builders can tailor tone and appearance to their preferences.

Double-Cut Semi-Hollow Body Kits (E35)

The E35 Semi-Hollow Guitar Kit is based on the iconic double-cutaway semi-hollow design that has been a workhorse across genres since the late 1950s. Known for their versatility, these guitars have been used in everything from jazz and blues through to rock and even country. We carry over 9 variations of this body style with different wood and hardware combinations.

Best Suited For

Blues, rock, jazz, indie, and alternative. The semi-hollow construction with a center block gives you warmth and resonance without the feedback issues of a fully hollow guitar. These are the most versatile semi-hollow kits in our lineup. They handle clean tones beautifully but can also push into overdrive territory without howling. The only style they aren't ideally suited to is high-gain metal.

Ken's Handbuilt E35 Semi-Hollow Guitar Meets Ghalia Volt

Construction and Specs

The E35 kits feature a semi-hollow body with double cutaways and F-holes, a set-in neck joint, and a center block (maple or mahogany depending on the variant). Fretboards are available in rosewood, ebony, or maple with various inlay options including trapezoid, split parallelogram, block abalone, and dot inlays. Scale length is 628mm (24.75 inches) with 22 frets. Electronics are 2 humbuckers with 2 volume, 2 tone, and 3-way toggle. Bridge is a Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece on most models, though the E35 with Flamed Maple Top uses a Tune-O-Matic with trapeze tailpiece. Hardware options include chrome, gold, and black finishes. Pickguards are available in white, black, and brown tortoiseshell.

Available E35 variants include quilted maple veneer ($299.99), flamed maple veneer with ebony fretboard ($299.99), split parallelogram inlays ($299.99), chrome hardware with block abalone inlays ($299.99), maple fretboard with black hardware ($299.99), quilted maple top with ebony fretboard ($299.99), and a left-handed option with alder center block ($299.99).

Single-Cut Semi-Hollow Body Kits (L2 / LP Style)

The L2 semi-hollow kits take the classic single-cutaway LP shape and add F-holes and hollow chambers, creating a guitar that looks striking and sounds noticeably different from its solid body cousin. We carry 9 variations of this body style, making it one of our most popular semi-hollow categories.

Best Suited For

Blues, rock, classic rock, and jazz. The LP-style semi-hollow is essentially a solid body guitar that's been routed out and capped with a figured top. The result is slightly less weight than a standard LP-style kit, which can brighten the tone slightly, but playability and tonal character are otherwise very similar. These are well suited to blues and rock players who want that LP-style feel with a bit more resonance and visual flair from the F-holes.

Construction and Specs

L2 semi-hollow kits feature a set-in neck joint, single cutaway body with F-holes, and a figured top (spalted maple, quilted maple, or flamed maple veneer depending on the model). Body woods include mahogany, basswood, and alder across different variants. Scale length is 628mm (24.75 inches) with 22 frets. Electronics are 2 humbuckers with 2 volume, 2 tone, and a 3-way toggle switch. Bridge is a Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece. Fretboards are available in ebony, rosewood, and maple with trapezoid, block abalone, and dot inlay options.

Popular variants include the L2 with Spalted Maple Veneer ($279.99), L2 with Ebony Fretboard and Block Abalone Inlays ($299.99), Basswood L2 with Spalted Maple ($289.99), and a Mahogany L2 Baritone 30" Semi-Hollow with a 762mm scale ($299.99) for players who want extended range tuning. Left-handed options are also available.

Finishing Tips

The figured maple tops on these kits are ideally suited to staining. If your kit has a full maple cap (80mm or thicker), you have plenty of room to work with. If it's a veneer (1 to 3mm), apply the stain lightly and allow drying time between coats. Too much moisture on a thin veneer can cause it to ripple and bulge, which is difficult to fix.

Semi-Hollow PR-Style Kits (Double Cutaway with Solid Maple Cap)

The Semi-Hollow PR-style DIY Guitar Kit combines the double-cutaway PR body shape with semi-hollow construction and a solid carved maple cap. These are refined instruments that offer a different tonal flavor from the E35 style semi-hollows.

Best Suited For

Blues, rock, country, and worship music. The PR body shape with its solid carved maple cap produces a slightly brighter, more articulate tone than the E35 semi-hollows. The double cutaway gives excellent upper fret access, and the smaller body is comfortable for extended playing sessions.

Construction and Specs

PR semi-hollow kits feature a mahogany body (1 to 3 pieces depending on model) with a solid carved maple cap, semi-hollow construction with F-holes, and a set-in neck joint. Scale length is 628mm (24.75 inches) with 22 frets. Electronics are 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3-way toggle switch. Bridge options include wraparound or Tune-O-Matic with stop bar. Fretboard options include rosewood and ebony with dove birds (pearl white or abalone) and trapezoid abalone inlays.

Starting from $319.99. Available with Mother of Pearl inlays, Abalone Pearl inlays, or Trapezoid Abalone inlays.

Semi-Hollow TE-Style Kits (Thinline Style)

The semi-hollow TE kits are based on the thinline design that's been a favorite of country, rock, and indie players since the late 1960s. We carry 7 variations of this body style, ranging from traditional single-coil setups to humbucker-equipped models.

Best Suited For

Country, indie, rock, blues, and alternative. The TE body shape with semi-hollow routing gives you that characteristic twang and snap with added warmth and resonance from the hollow chambers. These are versatile guitars that sound fantastic clean and take pedals exceptionally well. The Semi-hollow Mahogany TE with Vibrato Tailpiece is particularly suited to surf and rockabilly with its two single coils and vibrato bridge.

Construction and Specs

TE semi-hollow kits feature a bolt-on or set-in neck (depending on model), semi-hollow body with a single F-hole, and a 648mm (25.5 inch) or 628mm (24.75 inch) scale length with 21 or 22 frets. Pickup configurations vary: some models have 2 humbuckers, others have 2 single coils. Controls are 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3-way selector. Bridge options include fixed TE-style, string-through, and vibrato tailpiece. Body woods include mahogany and ash, with top options including quilted maple, spalted maple, flamed maple, and zebrawood.

Semi-Hollow ST-Style Kits

For players who love the ST body shape but want more warmth and resonance, our semi-hollow ST kits deliver exactly that. These take the classic double-cutaway contoured body and add hollow chambers for a different tonal character.

Best Suited For

Blues, rock, funk, and fusion. The ST body shape is already one of the most comfortable and versatile guitar designs ever made, and adding semi-hollow construction gives it extra harmonic complexity. These kits work well for players who want something that looks and feels like an ST but sounds a bit warmer and more open.

Construction and Specs

The Semi-Hollow ST-style DIY Guitar Kit features a semi-hollow body with double cutaways, a C-shaped neck with 22 frets and 648mm (25.5 inch) scale length. Electronics are 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3-way toggle with 2 humbuckers. Bridge is a Tune-O-Matic with tremolo. We also carry variants with different pickup configurations, including the Alder Body Semi-hollow S-style with Quilted Maple Veneer ($219.99) which has 3 single coils, 1 volume, 2 tone, and a 5-way selector with S-style tremolo for a more traditional ST feel.

Semi-Hollow Offset Body Kits (OH)

The Semi-hollow Offset Body Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer is for players who want something a bit different. The offset body shape, combined with semi-hollow construction, produces a guitar with its own distinctive voice and look.

Best Suited For

Indie, alternative, shoegaze, and post-punk. Offset guitars have been the go-to for alternative and indie players for decades, and the semi-hollow construction adds warmth and complexity that pairs beautifully with effects-heavy setups.

Construction and Specs

This kit features a mahogany body with quilted maple top, semi-hollow construction, set-in neck with a 628mm (24.75 inch) scale length and 24 frets. The extra 2 frets give you access to higher notes than most semi-hollow designs. Electronics are 2 humbuckers with 2 volume, 2 tone, and a 3-way toggle. Bridge is a Tune-O-Matic with stopbar. Fretboard is rosewood with bird pearl white inlays. Hardware is chrome.

Acoustic Electric Semi-Hollow Kits

These kits bridge the gap between electric and acoustic guitar construction. They use a semi-hollow body with a center block and piezo pickup system to produce acoustic-like tones from an electric guitar form factor.

Best Suited For

Unplugged gigs, singer-songwriter performances, worship music, and any situation where you want acoustic-like tone with electric guitar playability. The piezo pickup and 4-band equalizer let you shape your acoustic tone on the fly.

Construction and Specs

Available in two body styles: the Acoustic Electric Semi-Hollow TE-style and the Acoustic Electric Semi-Hollow ST-style. Both feature a basswood body with a semi-hollow center block construction, flamed maple top, and rosewood fretboard with dot white inlays. Scale length is 648mm (25.5 inches) with 22 frets. Electronics are 1 volume with a 4-band equalizer connected to a piezo pickup, powered by a 9-volt battery (not included). Bridge is an acoustic-style bridge with pins. Binding is ivory. Chrome hardware.

Semi-Hollow Bass Kits

Hollow body basses have roots in the jazz and blues scenes of the 1950s, evolving from the upright double bass into a more portable electric instrument. Our semi-hollow bass kits let you build your own version of these resonant, warm-sounding instruments.

Best Suited For

Jazz, blues, classic rock, and Motown-style playing. Semi-hollow basses produce a deep, woody tone with pronounced mids that sits beautifully in a mix. They're the go-to for players who want a warmer, more organic bass sound than what a solid body delivers.

Construction and Assembly Tips

Hollow body bass kits typically use thin sheets of wood (maple, spruce, or mahogany) bent and shaped to form the curved body. Many have a solid wood center block for stability and sustain, with internal bracing for structural reinforcement. When assembling, use high-quality wood glue and ensure proper clamping for the neck-body joint. The thin body wood requires a gentle touch when sanding. Apply moderate pressure only to avoid damaging the body or veneer. Consider applying a sealer coat before finishing to protect the wood and prepare it for your chosen finish.

Browse our hollow body bass kits.

Baritone Semi-Hollow Kits

For players who want extended range tuning, we offer semi-hollow baritone kits with a 30-inch (762mm) scale length. These are available in the L2 body style with either mahogany or ash bodies, carved semi-hollow tops, ebony fretboards, and 24 frets.

Best Suited For

Doom, stoner rock, post-metal, ambient, and any style that benefits from lower tunings (B standard, Drop A, etc.) with the warm character of a semi-hollow body. The 30-inch scale provides the tension needed for lower tunings while the semi-hollow construction keeps things from getting too muddy.

Assembly Tips for All Hollow and Semi-Hollow Kits

Regardless of which kit you choose, a few tips apply across the board. First, all hollow and semi-hollow kits (except some TE thinlines) require you to wire the electronics through the F-holes, since there is no rear control plate. The wiring itself is straightforward, but threading pots and selector switches through the body takes patience. The guidewire technique is your best friend here: attach a semi-flexible wire to the pot, thread it through the hole from the inside, then pull the pot into position from outside.

Second, if your kit has a set neck (most hollow bodies do), fitting the neck requires precise placement based on scale length to ensure correct intonation. Measure twice, glue once. If you are unsure how to do this, our DIY Guitar Kit How-To Instructions have detailed steps for each kit type.

Third, if you're finishing a kit with a figured maple top, staining is the most popular option because it highlights the grain pattern. For kits with a thick maple cap (80mm or more), you can be generous with the stain. For thin veneers (1 to 3mm), go light and let each coat dry fully before adding more. Too much moisture on a thin veneer can cause it to ripple.

Choosing the Right Kit for Your Playing Style

Here's a quick reference to help match your playing style with the right kit type. Jazz players should look at the single-cut hollow body or L5 semi-acoustic for the warmest, most traditional tone. Blues and classic rock players will find the E35 semi-hollow or L2 semi-hollow kits offer the best balance of warmth and crunch. Country and rockabilly players should check out the TE semi-hollow kits, especially models with single coil pickups. Indie and alternative players will appreciate the semi-hollow offset for its unique voice and aesthetic. And if you want acoustic-like tone in an electric package, the acoustic electric semi-hollow kits are the way to go.

Left-handed players have several options available, including left-handed versions of the E35, L2, and PR semi-hollow kits. Browse left-handed guitar kits.

Summary

Whether you're building your first guitar or adding to a growing collection of DIY builds, hollow and semi-hollow kits offer a rewarding project with a distinctive result. The resonance, warmth, and visual appeal of these instruments set them apart from standard solid body builds, and the variety in our catalog means there's a kit for virtually every playing style and budget.

Our build guides have detailed instructions for each of these DIY kits: DIY Guitar Kit How-To Instructions.

Ready to start your build? Browse our full collection of hollow body and semi-hollow guitar kits to find the perfect match for your next project.

New to guitar kit building? Our archtop guitar kits guide covers the classic jazz box shape in more detail, and our iconic electric guitars guide breaks down the history and construction of the most famous guitar designs.

Meet the author

Paul M.

Paul, a passionate guitar lover, motorcycle rider and the Builder Success Manager at Guitar Kit World, blends his in-depth technical expertise with his love for music to craft personalized solutions for builders...

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