I have hollowbody GAS, feed it.

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I love everything about the HB2 - except the birds. They're always going the wrong way. roud:

 

[FJ4]

Right, before the 57/08´s it was the Archtops pickups which were underwound McCarty´s; excellent pickups very touch sensitive, open and clear. I have one and highly recommend the Hollowbody II, it is also PRS´s best selling hollowbody guitar.

 

[Egads]

Do it! Do it!

 

[rugerpc]

Go ahead - it's only money!

 

[LJD]

Hope this helps

 

[vchizzle]

Hope this helps

Daaaayyyum - that's sexy.

 

[vchizzle]

I'm pretty much going out of my mind right now. Looking at all these pics, browsing the stores and looking for clips/vids. Singlecut or double...it just goes on & on. I know I really just need to go play some. Then I think, maybe I should just go back to looking for a p22, which was my original idea. I guess I'll know what fits me best when I try them out, but damn if I'm not racking my brain right now.

 

[PRSHB2]

Something to be prepared for when you first pick one up. You will be shocked as to how light it is. The lack of a center block makes a BIG difference. It still surprises me and I've had mine for almost 4 years.

 

[vchizzle]

Yes, I've read that - I have. McCarty that's ultra light, maybe 6.5-7#, so I'm kinda used to that. I see HBs are usually less than 6#.

 

[garrett]

It feels more like an acoustic weight wise. I love how you can just throw it around on the strap when playing. And the glorious, musical feedback...

Mine is 5.5 lbs, no piezo. But my SE Soapbar II is only 6 lbs!

 

[Sage]

The McCarty Archtop pickups absolutely sucked. PRS switched to 57/08 pickups in 2010 for the Hollowbody models and it makes an enormous difference. I replaced the pickups in my 2002 Hollowbody II and it changed the guitar from a weak, muddy mess into a tone monster. It sounds like an ES-335 with a fuller, more thunderous bottom end.

I eventually removed the 57/08s to put them back in the guitar I had stolen them from, and put in a set of GFS Classic II pickups. They're a tiny bit less full than the 57/08s, but very, very close in tone. If you don't want to shell out the cash for 57/08s I would highly recommend these as an alternative, especially since they're potted, which is useful in a hollowbody.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

The McCarty Archtop pickups absolutely sucked.

Which amp were you pairing them with and what is the genre of music you were trying to play with them?

 

[Sage]

Which amp were you pairing them with and what is the genre of music you were trying to play with them?

I was playing classic rock through a 50-watt Marshall JTM. Think early Rush. Terrible pickups for that. I did have some success with the Archtops playing through the neck pickup with a clean amp for a soft, jazzy tone, but I get only a limited use out of that sound.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I was playing classic rock through a 50-watt Marshall JTM. Think early Rush. Terrible pickups for that. I did have some success with the Archtops playing through the neck pickup with a clean amp for a soft, jazzy tone, but I get only a limited use out of that sound.

Ok. Now it makes sense. Archtops are great pickups for a lot of genre's. Any blanket statement that they suck is hard to swallow. I appreciate the clarification.

 

[Sage]

Honestly, I still think the 57/08s are a better choice, even outside my preferred genre. My experience with the Archtops is that even for cleaner tones, they just weren't very articulate in comparison. When I put the 57/08s in, it was like the whole guitar came out from under a blanket.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Honestly, I still think the 57/08s are a better choice, even outside my preferred genre. My experience with the Archtops is that even for cleaner tones, they just weren't very articulate in comparison. When I put the 57/08s in, it was like the whole guitar came out from under a blanket.

Fair enough!

 

[Canadian PRSGUY]

Ya get 1 or 2 or whatever

They are awesome

 

[AaeCee]

I'm a big fan of the HB I, especially with a spruce top, and most especially the deep dish version marketed as the Archtop Jazz. I like the somewhat rounder tone from the mahogany back, and the fact that it's made by routing out a single fat piece of wood, rather than gluing it to the sides. I'd love to see one of the enormously thick unfinished pieces of mahogany they used to make the HB Jazz.

As for pickups, those with 57/08's I've played sounded great, and I've gotta believe that the 53/10's would be ideal as well. I loved the McCarty Archtop pickups in the HB Jazz, but not as much for some reason in the other HB's.

 

[t.shamone]

Great guitars........ get it!

'98 HollowBody II

 

[rocguitar]

2005 Hollow Body II 20th Anniversary w/ Artist Package