Question about a pickup swap
MichaelMcKevin
Posts: 1,161
I posted this under the Mesa Lonestar thread but it didn't get much notice.
I've been looking into Hamer's lately. I thought about trying to find a used Artist or Studio, but tonight at Sam Ash, i played this http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=901&sid=185 . Great looking, felt extremely comfortable, but more low end than i was looking for. What I want to know is, will changing the pickups from Hamer Humbuckers to Seymour Duncan 59's (what the USA series Hamer's have) pretty much put that guitar near the USA series level, or will there still be some room to improve? I heard the low end Hamers can be pretty shitty, but the high end ones are nice. My doubt in that statement is that I was told that by a salesman from guitar center, AKA probably a former used car salesman, and he probably said that because Guitar Center doesn't sell Hamer.
I've been looking into Hamer's lately. I thought about trying to find a used Artist or Studio, but tonight at Sam Ash, i played this http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=901&sid=185 . Great looking, felt extremely comfortable, but more low end than i was looking for. What I want to know is, will changing the pickups from Hamer Humbuckers to Seymour Duncan 59's (what the USA series Hamer's have) pretty much put that guitar near the USA series level, or will there still be some room to improve? I heard the low end Hamers can be pretty shitty, but the high end ones are nice. My doubt in that statement is that I was told that by a salesman from guitar center, AKA probably a former used car salesman, and he probably said that because Guitar Center doesn't sell Hamer.
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what effect does the laminate top have?
Hmmm, not sure.
I think the Hamer has a solid alder body with a layer of maple veneer laminated to it. Alot of guitars are like that. Most "tone woods", like alder, are ugly, so they cover them up with another thin layer of nice looking wood, like quilted maple.
Having a maple cap is not a downer. this is how Les PAils are made, mahognay body with rock maple cap.. les did it that way cos a solid rock maple guitar was too heavy, remembering that he was pioneering the soid body electric and coing off hollow body gits 3 inches thick. Now some guitars are thinner, made of a single solid piece of wod, like strats, Ibannez etc, but a maple cap is still a premium item.
I didi answer your question. Upgradin teh PUP's to the sma eas the US version will give your the same tone. It is acommon and effective way to turn a cheap soun ding guitar into a good un. Idid this with my Viper, replacing the EMG HZ with 81's and it sounds actually better than the custom shop KH-2 I also have cos it has a stoptail bridge, not a Floyd Rose. Floyd Roses suck your tone like a vampire crossed with a bilge pump.