I have hollowbody GAS, feed it.
- Thread starter vchizzle
- Start date
Good Lord.
Well on an impromptu trip to a store, since I was in semi close proximity, I played a HB II(doublecut) with 5708's. A brief encounter, because I didn't have a ton of time. Played thru an SE50 head/2x12 cab. I dialed the amp in with a Mira since I've at least played one before, then quick tried a Mira 25th soapie(also really cool sounding). I used the mixmag jack.
Initial impressions were this:
The HB has a "woodiness"(don't like the term, but not sure how to describe) to it's tone that's very warm but clear. I tried both clean and with high gain, a little more with gain because I play more gain than straight clean and I wanted to get an idea of what it would sound like under my normal playing conditions. It's got a certain punchiness and low end response that most solid bodies don't have. Or maybe it's just a different type of bottom end. At any rate, it's a very "real" and upfront tone that's different to me - probably because I don't have any hollow body guitars. I think Emil Werstler described them being "honest", which seems accurate. I'm excited to hear the HB II, Singlecut hollow side by side along with a 5708 McCarty and a P22. Those are the main guitars I've got in the running for my next purchase. Either HB guitar would give the most diversity in what I already have for guitars.
Initial impressions were this:
The HB has a "woodiness"(don't like the term, but not sure how to describe) to it's tone that's very warm but clear. I tried both clean and with high gain, a little more with gain because I play more gain than straight clean and I wanted to get an idea of what it would sound like under my normal playing conditions. It's got a certain punchiness and low end response that most solid bodies don't have. Or maybe it's just a different type of bottom end. At any rate, it's a very "real" and upfront tone that's different to me - probably because I don't have any hollow body guitars. I think Emil Werstler described them being "honest", which seems accurate. I'm excited to hear the HB II, Singlecut hollow side by side along with a 5708 McCarty and a P22. Those are the main guitars I've got in the running for my next purchase. Either HB guitar would give the most diversity in what I already have for guitars.
Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
I've got a P22 (with 53/10s) and a SC Hollowbody Standard with 57/08s. Both are great, but the P22 is such a different beast than the HB. To me, there's a big difference between the single and double cuts, with the singles being fully hollow. I love the interaction with the amp more than any other guitar I have.
Good luck with the decision. I can't wait to see what you end up with.
Tell me more about your 20th. anything and everything.
2005 Hollow Body II 20th Anniversary w/ Artist Package
All I can tell you is that in my Archtop Jazz, the archtop pickups really surprised me. I bought it thinking that I would most likely change them, but it sounded so damn good with the archtops, that keeping them was a no brainer. Very versatile; they sound great for jazzier tones, get extremely close to 335 tones (but clearer) for blues and the like, and they can sound surprisingly fat on the bridge for killer lead tones. Like I said, their tones and versatility really took me by surprise, in that guitar at least.
Sage
Guitarchaeologist
- Joined
- May 23, 2012
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- 462
The McCarty Archtops were designed for the original PRS Archtop guitar, which had a body twice as deep as the Hollowbody II. With all that room inside, the pickups were designed to be low output to help limit feedback. The 57/08s are definitely hotter.
DISTORT6
NJ Devil
Nuthin' Fancy.....HB Spruce. It's a metal machine. 
roud:
roud:
garrett
...
Well I played a single and a double cut HB II and think I prefer the overall electric tone of the SC HB II. I hadn't much considered the hollowbody I because I didn't know how many were on the market, but I don't want to rule them out either. Or the Singlecut standard HB...but I don't see any of those out there anymore really. I doubt I'll be able to try a SC HB I or a standard before buying though.
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