Monaco Elite Mahogany - Pros and Cons?

[BadJaxx]

what's the normal or average price for used excellent condition?

Pros and Cons?

what about the infamous Monaco neck shelf?

or should i just get a Studio instead...

[Travis]

Pros: play and sound awesome

Cons: kinda plain looking

The shelf never got in my way. As far as price, that varies. But it should be about the same as a Studio Mahogany in similar condition, which is pretty resonable. You can get one in really nice shape for under a grand.

[mattb]

I had one for a while. I have a hard time with LP style guitars for the upper fret access. I think that is due to me using strat-style guitars for most of my playing life. The guitar was great although a bit plain. Sounded bitchin'.

-MattB

[serial]

I've played a few and agree wholeheartedly with the above assessment. An excellent playing and sounding guitar, but very plain looking. The color choices were kinda blah to me-cherry trans, orange trans... on mahogany without a guard or anything and a rosewood board with a dot neck, it didn't really excite me visually, but they are very comfortable guitars IMHO-shelf was a non-issue for me. Les Paul Studios don't excite me for the same reasons, but they are often nice guitars too.

[sw686blue]

Here is my 3 cents...

1) The shelf is a complete non-issue to me

2) I really dislike the look of the all-mahogany ones due to color, the raised ledge where the toggle switch sits, no binding and dot inlays. My M.E. is trans-black and really hides the raised ledge well. Had they arched it better, it would have looked much better imo.

3) Soundwise, my M.E. is killer. I love the sound of the Custom Custom in the bridge.

[tbabinec]

The ME Mahogany plays and sounds great. WARNING:

It will make you GAS for a maple top M.E.!!

[Steve Haynie]

I thought the shelf would be a problem, so I tried a Monaco Elite with a maple top. Trying to be conscious of the shelf I really found that it was not a problem and over time it should not even be noticed when playing.

[MCChris]

Nuclear Wessell speaks very highly of the yellow one he bought recently.

I was seriously tempted by one Elduave had for sale last year.

[BadJaxx]

thanks for the info guys....but keep it rolling....

i know it's plain looking and that doesn't concern me...i have other guitars that are lookers...heck, i don't really need any more guitars at all....but that won't stop me...

it's cuz i just sold a couple i'd rather have kept so now i'm wanting a replacement.....i'm a sick man...

[teleman]

I have the HFC VI Monaco Mahogany Elite prototype. While it is a plain Jane it plays unbelievably well and has tremendous tone to match.

I've toyed with selling it a few times but as soon as I plug it in and play it I know why it stays in the harem.

She doesn't have the bling but she sures has the sing!!

Great guitars. Highly recommended!

[sw686blue]

I have the HFC VI Monaco Mahogany Elite prototype.

Post some pix, I'd love to see that one.

[Nuclear Wessel]

Nuclear Wessell speaks very highly of the yellow one he bought recently.

Yup. The Monaco Elite Mahogany is magic. Never heard a guitar that sounds like that.

The Mon Elite Mahogany has 59's as stock pickups in both positions BTW, making it a different animal than the flame top Elite. When I first played the one I later bought, I never would have guessed the pickups were 59's. A/B'ing it with other guitars, I can see now that they've got a vintage output. Not as hot as my other guitars with Custom Customs, Pearly Gates etc. But that thick solid chunk of mahogany give the guitar an agressive snarl - plug it in, play an overdriven power chord with the bridge pickup on, and you'd swear you were hearing a Screamin Demon!

The neck is comfortable, but playing high up is difficult. You can shred on it, it's that nice, just as long as you don't go above like the 17th fret.

My favorite finish that Elite Mahogany's come in is jazzburst. Sunburst looks amazing on mahogany. I've never seen one in vintage orange in person. And I'll agree, trans cherry and Mary Kaye blonde look kinda plain. I've had a few old timers comment they really like the Mary Kaye blonde finish on mine. It looks OK under stage lights, I'm told too.

I figure when people hear the tunes I record with it, they're not gonna be looking at the guitar, they'll be checking out the tone. And I've never heard a guitar with a fat lower midrange and nasty growl like like this before. The 59's give it a sparkly but warm high end too.

[Nuclear Wessel]

Know what I wish? I wish Hamer offered the Monaco Elite Mahogany in black. Just plain black. That'd be a great color for that guitar. Chrome hardware & nickel pickup covers still OK though. But get that black Le$ P@ul mojo going.