Monaco Elite Report

[JLester]

I've spent the last week getting acquainted with my new Monaco Elite (see pictures and details HERE. I've wanted a nice singlecut solid-body for several years and a USA Hamer since I was a teenager.

First of all, the fit and finish is amazing. I haven't been able to find a single flaw anywhere on the guitar. Over the past couple of years, I've played everthing from PRS Singlecuts to Gibson Custom Shop LPs trying to decide what I wanted. I would put this at least on par with the PRS (probably better in most cases) and of much higher quality than most LPs that I've played.

I've only played superstrat-style bodies up until now with fairly thin necks. The Monaco has the vintage carve which is much more comfortable to me. I know some here have expressed concern with the Monaco's shelf, but I can't see any way that it would interfere with my playing. In my case at least, my fingers wrap around the shelf when playing without even touching it. The heel is a little annoying, but not to the point that it restricts access and no worse than any other singlecut I've tried.

My guitars up until now have always had EMGs. I've VERY impressed with these Duncans though. I play through a Vox Valvetronix for the most part. They clean up beautifully (probably the best clean sound of any guitar I've owned), have the proper growl with mild to medium "classic rock" type distortion, but also maintain good clarity when cranked into the triple-rect territory. I've actually looked at my amp a couple of times to verify that I was running a dry signal because of the overtones and harmonics that I was hearing. I thought I had accidentally turned on the delay or chorus because of what I seemed to be hearing. The acoustic sound of the guitar is also very good. At "normal" home playing volumes, I can actually hear (and feel) the unplugged sound of the guitar along with the sound coming from the amp. I've never noticed that with any other guitar.

Finally, the guitar just seems to speak to me like no other. It makes you want to pick it up and play. The Stevie Stevens model that one of my instructors had years ago was the same way. Call it "mojo" or "vibe" or whatever, but there is definitely something intangible about this one. I've played more in the last week than I have in a long time.

Thanks to Dave at Rocketeria and all the guys at Hamer for making it happen.

Jason

[cmatthes]

Jason:

Congrats! It is great to hear that ANY guitar inspires you to play more. Make it a beauty like that and you've aced it. That's one I wish I'd gotten to see before it shipped out to you!

[jwhitcomb3]

Thanks for the well written report! It's great to lust after a guitar for years and then have it actually exceed your expectations.

I'd played guitar for 25 years before getting my first Hamer, and had never really cared about the tone beyond the basics. Once I got my first Hamer my whole approach to guitar tone changed because of the amazing nuances possible with these guitars. They changed my whole approach to playing.

Enjoy!

-Jonathan

[elduave]

Jason-I'm SO glad you're happy! Thanks for everything!

[clmazza]

Beautiful guitar! I recently purchased a Monaco Elite as well and have been extremely impressed. Mine is a GT with P90's that absolutely scream! What a flawless work of art....

[Abaco]

Excellent report. Man, that's a beautiful guitar. I know EXACTLY what you mean by actually feeling the sound from the guitar. I had never experienced that until I got my first Hamer - actually feeling the vibes come up the strap and into my shoulders.