Out of curiosity, Hamer Studio (USA o’course) vs. Gibson Les Paul Standard? EDIT to invite Monaco owners into the chat!!

[Jim85IROC]

5 hours ago, draelyc said:

Gents, thanks so much for all these replies!  This thread turned out to be super helpful, and more than a little educational, for me — much appreciated!

Now let’s complicate things a bit further:  we got any Monaco owners here who can chime in about the similarities/differences between those Hamers & LPs?

 

My monaco is an import, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but with my eyes closed, I doubt I could tell the difference in feel between this and an LP with a slim taper neck.  It's got the shelf along the high-e side of the fretboard like an LP Special, but I never notice it playing.  Mine is from the newer rebooted Hamer line, and honestly it's fantastic. The pickups are crap but the upper notes have that bell-like resonance like you get from a Strat with a floating trem.  It's a good enough guitar that I may drop my set of Thornbuckers into it.

Check out that fretboard!

 

Edited June 16, 2025 by Jim85IROC

[Kerry Marchman]

9 hours ago, draelyc said:

Gents, thanks so much for all these replies!  This thread turned out to be super helpful, and more than a little educational, for me — much appreciated!

Now let’s complicate things a bit further:  we got any Monaco owners here who can chime in about the similarities/differences between those Hamers & LPs?

 

I just had a buddy over that brought his Monaco Elite and his Superpro the other day. We compared my Custom, my Les Paul's, and his Monaco's. The takeaway for me was that the Elite was more articulate than my two Paul's, but had a very similar sound. The build quality was a bit better on the Hamer's for sure. I still liked the sounds from the Paul's, because they just have that  Oomph where the Hamer's kicked butt, but seemed more refined. The Superpro had a bit of a 335 thing happening, I guess because of the chambering. Overall, they are all great guitars, but the Hamer's just have that something extra. They just have that soul. I can't explain it any other way.. BTW, we were playing through a 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb with Blackface specs, and a 90's Yamaha T-100C designed by Michael Soldano, based loosely on his Hot Rod 100. Pedals were various Fulltone's, Boss, and Tubescreamers. Hope my rambling might help a little.

Edited June 17, 2025 by Kerry Marchman
Added pictures

[Travis]

14 minutes ago, Kerry Marchman said:

I just had a buddy over that brought his Monaco Elite and his Superpro over the other day. We compared my Custom, my Les Paul's, and his Monaco's. The takeaway for me was that the Elite was more articulate than my two Paul's, but had a very similar sound. The build quality was a bit better on the Hamer's for sure. I still liked the sounds from the Paul's, because they just have that  Oomph where the Hamer's kicked butt, but seemed more refined. The Superpro had a bit of a 335 thing happening, I guess because of the chambering. Overall, they are all great guitars, but the Hamer's just have that something extra. They just have that soul. I just can't explain it any other way.. BTW, we were playing through a 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb with Blackface specs, and a 90's Yamaha T-100C designed by Michael Soldano, based loosely on his Hot Rod 100. Pedal were various Fulltone's, Boss, and Tubescreamers. Hope my rambling might help a little.

This might be the best description of Les Paul vs Hamer. 

Les Paul = oomph

Hamer = refined

So, maybe the question isn’t “which is better or can one sound like the other?”….

The question is: “do I prefer being rude and in your face or more polite and classy…?”

[Jim85IROC]

12 hours ago, Travis said:

This might be the best description of Les Paul vs Hamer. 

Les Paul = oomph

Hamer = refined

So, maybe the question isn’t “which is better or can one sound like the other?”….

The question is: “do I prefer being rude and in your face or more polite and classy…?”

When it's a PRS it's called "sterile", but when it's a Hamer it's "refined" 😂

[Disturber]

3 hours ago, Jim85IROC said:

When it's a PRS it's called "sterile", but when it's a Hamer it's "refined" 😂

Because I've never played a PRS that comes close to a Hamer. They just feel sterile. 

[hamerhead]

1 hour ago, Disturber said:

Because I've never played a PRS that comes close to a Hamer. They just feel sterile. 

100%.

[velorush]

2 hours ago, Disturber said:

Because I've never played a PRS that comes close to a Hamer. They just feel sterile. 

I haven't played many PRSi, but the KL380 I played was an absolute exception to the rule. (random interweb photo)

[Cboss]

The solution:)

https://reverb.com/item/89638505-hamer-usa-special-1981-black

[Jakeboy]

I dunno. My Checkerboard Special was not refined, nor was my Special Korina Junior…both were nasty…and with P90s, my Artist Korina is rather rude, but it doesn’t have the oomph that you speak of. I have never owned a proper Les Paul, (other than a Junior) so what do I know? My Monaco Elite Mahogany sure sounded Les Paul like…and 0006 sounds like classic rock personified. 
so maybe I need to buy a nice LP just for a proper comparison. 

[Travis]

1 hour ago, Jakeboy said:

I dunno. My Checkerboard Special was not refined, nor was my Special Korina Junior…both were nasty…and with P90s, my Artist Korina is rather rude, but it doesn’t have the oomph that you speak of. I have never owned a proper Les Paul, (other than a Junior) so what do I know? My Monaco Elite Mahogany sure sounded Les Paul like…and 0006 sounds like classic rock personified. 
so maybe I need to buy a nice LP just for a proper comparison. 

Yes, you do!

And a jazzburst Talladega…

[Kerry Marchman]

20 hours ago, Jakeboy said:

I dunno. My Checkerboard Special was not refined, nor was my Special Korina Junior…both were nasty…and with P90s, my Artist Korina is rather rude, but it doesn’t have the oomph that you speak of. I have never owned a proper Les Paul, (other than a Junior) so what do I know? My Monaco Elite Mahogany sure sounded Les Paul like…and 0006 sounds like classic rock personified. 
so maybe I need to buy a nice LP just for a proper comparison. 

I didn't mean refined as a bad thing. I meant it more as the difference in a 1960's Corvette vs a new Vette. The Hamer being the new Vette. I wouldn't kick either one of them out of bed! Now my '81 Special is in a league of it's own. It totally has that handmade quality. It had a couple of QC issues that I had to deal with, but I didn't care, because it is such a cool guitar, and it sounds killer!

[RobB]

21 hours ago, Jakeboy said:

I have never owned a proper Les Paul, (other than a Junior) so what do I know? 

so maybe I need to buy a nice LP just for a proper comparison. 

Now yer gettin’ it, Skippy!

(How can one who’s been playing rock guitar since the 70s never have owned a proper Lester? That ain’t right.)

[velorush]

14 hours ago, RobB said:

(How can one who’s been playing rock guitar since the 70s never have owned a proper Lester? That ain’t right.)

Don't know about @Jakeboy, but growing up in the 70's / 80's the new ones my buds owned were 13# monsters I wanted nothing to do with!

I stuck with SGs and ES Gibsons until I finally bought one of the new Lesters in 2020. 

I will say it took quite a while to get used to the quirks, but I really get the veneration now. They're great.

[RobB]

Yes, Gibson had quite a QC rollercoaster ride over the past decades. There are, “eras”, that are more advisable for purchase than others. I had a ‘70 Medallion V that had the neck angle of a broomstick. My ‘78 V was stellar. A 1980 Heritage Series Standard 80 (my first, “good guitar”) was a DOG. The dizzying highs, the terrifying lows..!

[topekatj]

I was wondering when PRS would enter the conversation in terms of their tonal merits, compared to a Lester or otherwise.

i have NO personal playing experience RE PRS nor do I strongly like or dislike the tones I’ve heard other players getting, but I have also heard two players I admire (who formerly played LPs) play PRS guitars live, and the Gibby bark was just not there. Granted, Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin aren’t seeking Zack or Slash tones, but to me, their use of Gibsons early on were a significant part of their sound on their early recordings (and IME) missing in their live tone. At a minimum, it’s unfortunate that Hamer never had this sort of high visibility players of ‘guitar music’ so that similar listening comparisons could be made.

Additionally, I read an interview with Alex Lifeson some years back. In a nutshell, he said “PRS, they look great, stay in tune great…. but, the Gibson, while needing more periodic tweaking and adjustment, sounds better.”

 

[django49]

So, re PRS.....Just one person's opinion. II had several earlier ones, lets say thru the late 90s. I loved the looks and versatility. Sort of a Strat and LP in one. Well, that was the intent. I do think it is largely that era which many thought were "sterile". Many concluded they were built to go with more heavily processed sounds/racks/whatever. I ultimately got rid of all of them. went in other directions. I DID hang on to one Swamp Ash Special that was something different for a bit longer.

My opinion started to change when I played a friend's later PRS. Round about 2008, they made changes. Different pickups (more "vintage", I thought better), less thick glopped on finishes, etc).....57/08 pickups (more like original PAFs), 59/09 (Hotter winds, 1959-ish), 53/10s (now out of production, but touted as more of a "Tele on steroids" vibe). I liked all of them. A couple of Private Stocks (yes, high prices, but in line with an R9 if bought used) were, IMO, as good as any Les Paul I ever played. I still have a DC 245 "Wood Library". 57/08 neck, 59/09 bridge. Horrors---DOUBLECUT! It just is magical. (Hand selected from a batch of 10 at Willcuts, more "it" than the singlecut I had intended to buy). The rosewood neck is another difference. I would not call it a Les Paul clone, but I do think it stands up while being its own thing.

A DGT (Private Stock) with unobtanium neck is also on my never sell list.

Such as the 513 is a whole different animal. Longer story.

Now PRSh is a PR machine.....Every 6 weeks or so he has a NEW WRINKLE and it is "the best ever". Well, MAYBE a 24.594" scale IS better at getting that 50s LP vibe than 24.5 or 24.75. Or not. Maybe a lower wind version of the 57/08 (or umpteen other tweaks) fits your ear better. Just keep in mind the new stuff comes in ltd edition and higher priced versions (which are almost always followed by lower priced core versions). Fans jump on the new stuff at premium prices and it tends to be sold at good discounts used, often barely played, relatively soon. Often when the NEXT "greatest ever" gets rolled out. I am not playing that game.

ETA....case in point.....A PRS 40th Anniversary (ltd edition) "1956". Very clearly the latest effort to make the "perfect modern Les Paul". And only $4950. "Get it while supplies last!" Demos on line.....

Like the need to run the rack of LPs (or 335s) to find the one that speaks to you, best to shut out the PR and play some different ones. Some are (IMO) very LP-ish, probably with the coil split option added. Others, not so much so. Like I say, play a few and see if one appeals to you. IMO, look for something from 2008 or later.

Probably more info than you need.....Just my observations.🤔

Edited June 20, 2025 by django49

[RobB]

3 hours ago, django49 said:

Probably more info than you need.

Definitely. Jeezus…

[murkat]

If you are in the market for a gibson les paul, and you found one that checks all the boxes and totally wowed by it, buy it. Because that reality rarely happens. Hamer may share some Gibson dna, but, the two are different tone zones.