JohnnyB

Who? Skynard, Aerosmith, or both?

Gotta love that 'burst with the creme pickups. Lots of times the pics don't pick up the subtleties of the gradations of the burst, but your pics show it very nicely. Definitely doesn't look like three go-rounds with 3 different cans of spray. Very subtle and hand-rubbed looking. Does it play or sound any good?

I just checked with Deb. Aug 6th is good for us. Her dep't is running a booth at Lake City Days, but Deb doesn't have to go to it. Yee-Haw. I'm looking forward to bringing some beans, mebbe some 'Q appetizers, and especially seeing Maddy Moe. I think I've downloaded every pic of her that you've posted. And bringing all my Hamers won't compromise the quantity of beans I bring, as my Hamer count has remained at 3 since Oct. 2000. I could bring a guitar case full of beans, but they'd get fuzzy.

I need to check and see if Deb is tied up with a health screening for NW Hosp that day. I think even if she is, I or both of us can make it but we might get there a bit later.

Shit! Now I have to make those beans again. It's a 22-hour process and this gig is the only time I make them this way. I was thinking of just bringing down a mixed platter of barbecued (not grilled) chicken, beef brisket, and pork shoulder. Any of those dates would be fine with Deb and me so far. I'll have to watch Deb's schedule though. She often has a booth for Northwest Hospital that she has to run for various community fairs around that time.

I've done it consistently with Asian-mfr'ed guitars. I have a nice Hammamatsu (MIJ) Ibanez AS-180 (like a 335) and swapped out the Ibanez pickups for SD Jazz and '59. Replaced the Asian P-90s on my daughter's Washburn J-8 (hollowbody) with a Rio Grande BarPack (JaaaBar in the neck; BluesBar at the bridge). I have a nice MIK Gretsch Synchromatic jazz box with floating mini-bucker. Swapped out the original PU for a genuine NOS Gibson Johnny Smith I got offa eBay. That one truly transformed that guitar into a sweet, smooth jazzer with all floating top with a total investment of 750. I also put Fralin P90s in an Epi Casino. I've never swapped PUs on a Hamer. But if I had it to do over again, I'd have swapped out the hot Firebird-style mini's in my 6-string Eclipse for the Duncan Vintage or Antiquities versions, the Phantom Custom might benefit from something a little sweeter and darker, and the Anniversary might do well with a Duncan Jazz or a Fralin Unbucker at the neck. It's not bad as it is, though. The Newport is keeping its Phat Cats. I may get locking tuners for it someday, though. And I like the stock MFD pickups in my G&L ASAT Classic Semihollow.

So ... you're saying you're quite familiar with Ted's underwear preferences and can distinguish the firmness of his ass from a mere picture?

Yup, much as I love my 2000 Newp, it's a bit dead on the G-string at the 12th fret. Using a wound G helps, which improves up-the-fretboard intonation but kills string bends. Maybe this is a good case for getting locking Grovers, as the change in head mass might make the dead spot go away.

Have you tried putting any of the pedals in the effects loop instead of ahead of the amp?

Available at MF right now for a mere $39.95! http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=42/.../base_id/115690 Given that so many good OD pedals are in the $120-200 range, that sounds like a purdy good deal.

What about a Muff Dive-bomber?

You're probably right. No angle to the bridge pup- hard to tell. What has a bookmatched flame maple top, a Kahler, and an unangled SC pickup at the bridge (though, as far as that goes, Greg could have filled in a rout that previously held a P90 or HB).

From your descriptions it sounds like DiMarzio's HBFH is an attempt to sound like the Duncan Jazz, which has medium output, better-than-average clarity, extended treble, and tonally rides the fence between a humbucker and a SC. Sort of like a juiced up mini-bucker with more bottom end.

The thing about USA Hamers is that they are so well made with such high quality tone woods, I think it often takes custom handwound pickups to bring out their best. There's no doubt in my mind that a Hamer USA Studio is a far better guitar than are the '59 and JB pickups from SD's assembly line. But once you get into custom hand-wound pickups (or any high quality aftermarket pickup) you're getting into individual tastes. Hamer makes great guitars and generally outfits them with pickups that will sound good with a variety of amps. It's my understanding that they use Mesa amps generally to voice their guitars. There are exceptions: They do use Seth Lovers in the Artist series, and Phat Cats in the Newports; the Phat Cats were originally designed in SD's custom shop specifically for the Newport, and it is indeed a synergistic relationship (although a few on this board would disagree). I suspect the Korina Jr. got a Duncan Hot to light up an amp to get that Leslie West grind into a large variety of amps. As for the Monaco, Hamer took awhile sorting through a variety of pickups before settling on the Customs. I suspect it's not as easy picking a humbucker for a 25.5" scale as we're all so used to hearing SCs at that scale and HBs on 24-3/4" scale. It may also be related to your amp and its settings unique to your situation. Someone with refined or individual tastes might often want to swap their pickups and you have plenty of company on that matter in this fan club. --JohnnyB Gas-free since I got my Newport.