Michael_B
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2014
- Messages
- 11
I wrote in an earlier post that I picked up a 1999 HBII and was considering replacing the stock Archtop pickups with a set of Seth Lovers. I got the guitar back, yesterday, and had about a half hour to play it, this AM. This is my second attempt at writing a tone report, so if it's lacking just let me know what I should add.
I played the HBII on my sole amp, a Vox AD-120VT modeling amp. I chose the Vox AC-15 Top Boost channel with no effects, for no good reason. My frame of reference is my experience with the original Archtop pickups, my Hamer Newport with Phat Cats and my Gibson ES-335 with '57s. I don't mean for this to be a head-to-head comparison of clearly different guitars and pick-ups; I mention it because that's my frame of reference.
As everyone would suspect, the improvement in tonal versatility over the Archtops was night and day. Whereas, the Archtops are a one-trick pony, the Seth Lovers provide the enormous array of tonal possibilities that you'd expect from a good quality PAF. In the HBII, the tones ranged from woody and very acoustic to gritty to a respectable twang and back to a nice warm tone. Throughout all the different EQ and volume/tone settings, a few qualities jumped out:
While both the high-ends and low-ends are more pronounced than my other hollowbodies, I never felt like the mids were lacking. But, I wonder how I'm going to feel about the big bass, in another month.
I'm very happy that I made the change. The guitar fills a tone-gap among my hollowbodies. While I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it, at least it's solidly in the running as a keeper.
** Edited: At the end of the session, I dialed the modeler to both the '58 Fender Deluxe and the '59 Fender Bassman channels (also clean). I wish I had used the Bassman channel for the report, because it brought out a lot more from my guitar/pickup selection.
I played the HBII on my sole amp, a Vox AD-120VT modeling amp. I chose the Vox AC-15 Top Boost channel with no effects, for no good reason. My frame of reference is my experience with the original Archtop pickups, my Hamer Newport with Phat Cats and my Gibson ES-335 with '57s. I don't mean for this to be a head-to-head comparison of clearly different guitars and pick-ups; I mention it because that's my frame of reference.
As everyone would suspect, the improvement in tonal versatility over the Archtops was night and day. Whereas, the Archtops are a one-trick pony, the Seth Lovers provide the enormous array of tonal possibilities that you'd expect from a good quality PAF. In the HBII, the tones ranged from woody and very acoustic to gritty to a respectable twang and back to a nice warm tone. Throughout all the different EQ and volume/tone settings, a few qualities jumped out:
- the HBII body construction shines through every setting; there's no mistaking or hiding the woody over/under tones,
- the articulation of the Seth Lovers on the HBII is markedly more specific than my other hollowbodies
- the tone is far brighter and crisper than my other hollowbodies, and
- the low-end is thunderous. The best I can describe it, is that it now sounds like a much bigger hollowbody than it is; which I like. I played a few of my favorite rockabilly licks, and it sounded like a big Gretsch.
While both the high-ends and low-ends are more pronounced than my other hollowbodies, I never felt like the mids were lacking. But, I wonder how I'm going to feel about the big bass, in another month.
I'm very happy that I made the change. The guitar fills a tone-gap among my hollowbodies. While I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it, at least it's solidly in the running as a keeper.
** Edited: At the end of the session, I dialed the modeler to both the '58 Fender Deluxe and the '59 Fender Bassman channels (also clean). I wish I had used the Bassman channel for the report, because it brought out a lot more from my guitar/pickup selection.
Last edited:
