Berserker26
New Member
Well I finally went and did it, had been looking around for a new guitar for a while and there was nothing that was out and out calling my name (in my price range), then I came across the Mark Holcomb SE and I wondered how I'd missed seeing this for so long. I'd sort of been thinking about the Starla (after seeing Brent Hinds from Mastodon playing one), and maybe a 2nd hand S2 CU24 but wasn't sold on either.
I read the reviews, scoured the forums, watched the videos and everything was suggesting this thing was a beast. So I found one near where I work, put the money in my pocket and if I liked it I was going to grab it.
I was immediately impressed, the feel of the neck and the sound of the thing. Loved the satin finish on the back of the neck and the top in person is beautiful to look at. But, being a good boy I tried out some other guitars to make sure I wasn't making a poor decision. The MHSE was $1299 reduced from $1799. I tried the S2 CU24 that was double the price over 2K, the Starla just because they had one, also about double the price and as a perhaps more direct comparison an Ibanez RG something with Bare Knuckle's in it that was about $1899.
The Starla I didn't gel with the neck and to a similar extent the S2CU24 - I think mostly because of the satin finish and radius on the MH. Also neither guitar, in my opinion sounded as good distored (as you'd expect). To me, the MH also just felt of better quality, I could not decipher in the slightest where the extra $1000 was going in the S2's. The Ibanez was the closest and sounded great. However again, i felt the MH was a better feeling and playing instrument. And at $500 less it couldn't be beaten. So I bought it.
Needless to say I've given this a good thrashing at home now and it's just a beast of a guitar. Here is a pic of it with my hollowbody baritone.
1 question, it came with 10-46's, seems an odd choice given that the guitar is tuned to drop C, and the heavy # string is buzzing when fretted from about the 3rd to 14th fret. What are you all running for this, i was thinking 10-52's but am also concerned if I do this i'll have to re-set the thing up/file the nut etc...
Here is a link to the photo
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DB6qFaDXjZNBEbH83
I read the reviews, scoured the forums, watched the videos and everything was suggesting this thing was a beast. So I found one near where I work, put the money in my pocket and if I liked it I was going to grab it.
I was immediately impressed, the feel of the neck and the sound of the thing. Loved the satin finish on the back of the neck and the top in person is beautiful to look at. But, being a good boy I tried out some other guitars to make sure I wasn't making a poor decision. The MHSE was $1299 reduced from $1799. I tried the S2 CU24 that was double the price over 2K, the Starla just because they had one, also about double the price and as a perhaps more direct comparison an Ibanez RG something with Bare Knuckle's in it that was about $1899.
The Starla I didn't gel with the neck and to a similar extent the S2CU24 - I think mostly because of the satin finish and radius on the MH. Also neither guitar, in my opinion sounded as good distored (as you'd expect). To me, the MH also just felt of better quality, I could not decipher in the slightest where the extra $1000 was going in the S2's. The Ibanez was the closest and sounded great. However again, i felt the MH was a better feeling and playing instrument. And at $500 less it couldn't be beaten. So I bought it.
Needless to say I've given this a good thrashing at home now and it's just a beast of a guitar. Here is a pic of it with my hollowbody baritone.
1 question, it came with 10-46's, seems an odd choice given that the guitar is tuned to drop C, and the heavy # string is buzzing when fretted from about the 3rd to 14th fret. What are you all running for this, i was thinking 10-52's but am also concerned if I do this i'll have to re-set the thing up/file the nut etc...
Here is a link to the photo
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DB6qFaDXjZNBEbH83
