What do Duotones sound like?

[straightblues]

The Duotone is one of the few Hamer USA guitars that I am interested in that I haven't played. I assume from the size and shape, they will feel alot like the Artist, but how do they sound? Both electric and accoustic sounds Do they have feedback problems? Do you think they would they be good for playing blues?

[BadgerDave]

Some of the tastiest blues playing I've heard was at the HFC Tour Jam last October. The infamous George/Jeff tore down the house with a Duotone.

[serial]

Duotones electrically sound just like any other Hamer that sounds great. They perform wonderfully. I became a Duotone believer the first time I saw BCR Greg play live. At the time, he played his cherry red Duotone for pretty much the entire night and it was one of the best sounding guitars I've heard played in these parts before or since.

[straightblues]

Do the electic tones sound most like a Studio, Artist, Newport or Supertone?

[Caddie]

To my ear it sounds most similar to an Artist. Certainly more Artist than Newport or Studio. Very cool when you run the piezo to the PA and the pups to your amp. You get a very large, very broad spectrum sound.

But don't take our opinions as gospel. To understand the sound for yourself there is no substitute for trying it out yourself.

Noonan

[woodpile]

They sound great. I plug my Duo Custom (mag PUP's) into a morley tripler. From the tripler I run one line out to a T50C with moderate gain and reverb, another line goes to a GT Soul-O-30 clean/dry and one out to a power amplified J-Station (tweed setting with chorus and delay). Then I run the piezo into an amplified pod xt live at various settings (still experimenting). The sound is funking hugenormous. With the tripler I can turn each amp on and off to change the blend. The Duo controls also let you blend the piezo in and out. Definitely a fun rig to play around with.

I also just play it through the T50C or Soul-O-30 with a stereo chord and blend the piezo with the neck PUP for a really fat warm tone.

Duos are great guitars, get one.

[KeyOfZ]

Things about Duotones that puzzle me...

How accurate can the intonation be without adjustable saddles?

How does the bridge respond to wide bends? (does the string ever come loose from the bridge notch?)

From a purely electric standpoint, what are the sacrifices/advantages compared to a Artist/Studio model?

Thanks-

[copper blue]

don't forget to ask about the difference between P-90 and humbucker Duotones...

I double dog dare ya...

[Brooks]

i have 2 duotones, they're my favorite.

they sound a little darker than the 25th annv

i had. the semihollow spruce top combined w/ the wooden bridge makes a

nice neck pup jazz tone, kinda a cross between a solidbody and a jazzbox,

esp w/ phat cat pups.

i haven't had intonation or action problems. i use .10 electric strings on

one (for my neo-jazz/funk band) and .11 acoustic strings w/ wound 3rd

on the other (for acoustic duo gigs).

semihollow duotones are less feedback prone than the newport

(which is totally hollow).

i can email you a few mp3's (electric and acoustic) if you want.

[Jack C]

From a purely electric standpoint, what are the sacrifices/advantages compared to a Artist/Studio model?

I don't think there are any disadvantages or compromises. The Duotone has its own thing going on. I don't use the acoustic side of my Duotone (P-90) and I wouldn't miss it if it was gone. But the electric side is easily the best sounding guitar I've ever had. Bigger and warmer and better sounding than all the other Hamer P90 guits I've ever owned or played.

[silentman]

I don't use the acoustic side of my Duotone (P-90) and I wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

Loser.

[Jack C]

I don't use the acoustic side of my Duotone (P-90) and I wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

Loser.

Acoustics are for hippies, folkies and other wussbags. (Willie Nelson excluded, of course).

[MCChris]

How accurate can the intonation be without adjustable saddles?

And intonation is for pussies.

[Caddie]

The intonation on my Duotone is "pretty damn close", not perfect but well within acceptable limits. Of course the instant that I fret a note all bets are off because my ability to be perfectly accurate and repeatable with my finger position and pressure overrides any minor deviation in intonation.

The spiders in my basement have yet to complain.

Noonan

[Jack C]

I just thought about a problem with the Duotone - there's only one volume control for the two mag pickups. That actually is a drawback when dialing in clean electric sounds. Has anyone ever modded their Duo to sacrifice the acoustic volume control so that you'd have a volume control for each mag pickup? It doens't sound like it would be a big deal...

[Brooks]

ok, i zipped up 3 tunes recorded w/ my duotone

(1 acoustic, 1 distorted electric, 1 clean electric),

anyone who wants to hear 'em shoot me an email.

bkaplan@sandec.com

edit: someday i need to find a host site for my stuff.

[BCR Greg]

Single volume? NAAAAAH!!!

Separate volumes AND an acoustic volume. No silly selector switch, both on alla time. No shared ground internally, either. No crappy 151 deep jacks. Rios. Tone for life, never for sale.

[Brooks]

cool greg! i don't use my switch either, just the volume knobs.

i need to make that jack mod fo' shizle.

what kinda rios do you recommend? i'm thinking about new pups for my goldtop.

[BCR Greg]

BBQ and Genuine Texas, fella. Same old rig I always recommend.

[edgar_allan_poe]

BBQ and Genuine Texas, fella. Same old rig I always recommend.

+1 on that...

I am not a fan of the Rios...but in that guitar they sound *MASSIVE*. I had a set in my Duotone and it was amazing. Gregs Duotone is one of the best sounding guitars I have ever heard.

[silentman]

I put a BBQ bucker in the bridge but left the 59 in the neck in mine cause it sounded so sweet. I keep my switch in the middle (acoustic andmags on) and run mine into an stereo a/b/y switcher to go back and forth with the sounds.

[silentman]

This is how Greg had it wired when he was using Prototype Shlebotniks Acoustic Maximus pickups. Several volumes and tones for each string. He showed me how it worked once, but it was so hard to use, they never made it to production.