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ton13

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diablo, that kicks all kinds of ass!

i almost bought an import cali at the local GC awhile back, nice thin neck. i'm currently full up on shredders, tho...

gtrs11-11.jpg

(sorry for the non cali pic post)

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Of the 80's and 90's heavy rock line, the Diablo can usually be found at a lower cost online, correct? And is there much difference in the personality compared to a Califonian Standard using the bridge pup?

I have come to the conclusion that Mahogany, Ash and Alder with these Hamer's soundwise is nil, the quality of wood is more important. The less expensive Diablo used Alder and the Califonian standard used Mahogany, but one of the more expensive models, maybe the elite used alder.

My favorite is the Cali for sure as a 1st generation Korean made owner, but I am starting my search for USA Diablo in my price range(son at University), and am mainly a bridge position player, I am assuming it will closely resemble a Cali in sound........It's the Hamer that maters, and I am sold. Like suggested, the import's good quality just made me want a USA even more.

From looking at hundreds of pics and playing a few, the quality of wood seems better on the USA line of these strat bodied guitars.

Cali SS 94

http://www.youtube.c...crimsontidercom

18.jpg

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that looks like the import cali i almost bought (except that's a slammer series; if the one that i was looking at was a SS, i def woulda took it home).

yeah, diablos/chaparrals/centauras all go for less than calis, depending on their condition/options. my mutt has a cent body & a chap neck.

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it'll sound a bit different; the body woods impact the sound. But Diablos sure play nice!

The Korean-made Californians are excellent. Not perfect, but upgrade the hardware and dress the frets, and you have the only short-scale 27-fret Californian worth owning. The bodies are maple though, which is what it is - it likes certain pickups and gives a specific sound.

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The Korean-made Californians are excellent. Not perfect, but upgrade the hardware and dress the frets, and you have the only short-scale 27-fret Californian worth owning. The bodies are maple though, which is what it is

huh. is that right?? wow. now i really want one (if its 24.75). i thought maple bodies were typically on more pricey guitars, and cheapo's used alder/poplar.

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The Korean-made Californians are excellent. Not perfect, but upgrade the hardware and dress the frets, and you have the only short-scale 27-fret Californian worth owning. The bodies are maple though, which is what it is

huh. is that right?? wow. now i really want one (if its 24.75). i thought maple bodies were typically on more pricey guitars, and cheapo's used alder/poplar.

I think he is probably correct, but someone told me that he had a brocure for these that said they were mahogany. Mine came out of the Cort factory in Korea that uses a particular type of Soft Maple to make a lof of their bass guitars these days I noticed that are in the $400 range. It might not be the maple you are thinking of though, this stuff is probably not expensive. Having said that, I am hoping that the 94-98 MIK's are not Maple! I can't find many guitars made of this wood, mainly bass guitars, and from what I've read, the pores are not great for the high end with this soft maple, which probably has a lot to do with why it ends up on Bass guitars. But the one I have has very bright highs more like mahogany and is not light, although it chips easily. Not sure I'll ever know, but I got it for next to nothing and it has me sold on getting a USA model and fixing this one up more, although the DD H-103's are in the type of pup's that I want.

4 snippets of clean and distorded in one file. Has a good high low balance to me.

http://compusouth.net/music/hamerss.mp3

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it'll sound a bit different; the body woods impact the sound. But Diablos sure play nice!

The Korean-made Californians are excellent. Not perfect, but upgrade the hardware and dress the frets, and you have the only short-scale 27-fret Californian worth owning. The bodies are maple though, which is what it is - it likes certain pickups and gives a specific sound.

Having own(ed) 3 Diablos, a Korean Cali and numerous Cali Elite's, an LE and a custom, my experience has been that each has it's merits:

I like Diablos as a no-nonsense workhorse guitar; the alder body, 24 frets and 2 H pups give it a slight advantage over maple Cali's- it's light weight, has a comfortable, fast neck profile & the preferred 2 humbucker tonal characeter but is hit or miss w/ the stock SD pups. My only remaining Diablo has the SD active Blackouts in it which give it a fuller tone than the passives I've had in others.

As Tobereeno pointed out, the Korean Cali's are solid, short scale 27 fret-ers. The carve on the Cali's horns allow for slightly easier upper fret access than the Diablos but imo, it's hardly noticeable. I had one with upgraded SD pups and an OFR and it was a very playable guitar. Sounded great and looked fine. However, when I snagged a solid maple Cali Elite custom, well, the MIK Cali just became outclassed and irrelevant. :lol:

There's no comparison between the MIK Cali and the Cali Elites in terms of the quality of workmanship and aesthetic. Cali elites and customs steamroll the MIK Cali. The longer scale may affect playability for some but the sonic and visual improvement is worth it, in my book. Truthfully, I'm not all that bowled over by the solid maple because of it's sharp, treble-y tonal attack. And while it looks amazing, the weight may be a factor to those who gig a lot and wish to avoid the heftiness of the solid maple.

Give me a nice mahogany (hawg, as I've come to learn recently) Cali Elite with swapped-in SD Blackout set, or a Dimarzio Tone Zone, as is the case in my Limited Edition, any day. Or better still- the two humbucker config of my upcoming custom order. Add a set neck build, reverse head stock, set up the trem w/ two springs in the back (extra responsive) and swap a toggle switch for the Strat 3 way and you got yourself a serious rock n roll shred machine. YMMV. :D

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Are we actually sure that they made them in a 24.75" scale length ? I know that they used to quote the non trem'd one's as 25.25" which i always used to take with a large dose of sodium chloride but did they actually make 24.75" as the people i know who've owned a Caparison Horus bemoans the scale length (which is 24.75") because it makes the upper register really tight if you've got fingers bigger than matchsticks.

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DSCF1430.jpg

Yeah, you'd have a hard time selling it to a stanger but the opposite to someone that could play it! I thought it was missing its pickups for a minute ha ha. The paint job is superb.

Thanks for the comments on your experience with both the home and import strat style Hamer's.

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These are my Calis :) (yeah, the flame one is already posted earlier)..now that I am playing guitar (not bass), I'm loving the hell out of 'em!! B)

Love the iridescent with the OBLs. Is there a coil tap on the tone control? (i had a black one like it with a tap on the tone...)

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Love the iridescent with the OBLs. Is there a coil tap on the tone control? (i had a black one like it with a tap on the tone...)

Yep, coil tap is there. I may actually do something like that on the flamed cali for a little more versatility (although it may already have one, since the middle position is much, MUCH softer and almost shrill).

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These are my Calis :) (yeah, the flame one is already posted earlier)..now that I am playing guitar (not bass), I'm loving the hell out of 'em!! B)

Bee U TEE Fullllllll. I have the EXACT same maple Cali, minus the PATBs. Mine was purchased from a guy who claimed it was a custom order and featured emg's that were supposedly factory installed. I dunno if that's true but those emg's (an 81 and an SA) came out RIGHT quick. The combo of the emg's sterile scooped tone and the maple and ebony made for a seriously trebly sounding Cali. It now sports a SD Blackout set and sounds MUCH better imo.

How does the iridescent Cali sound with the OBL's?

Had an O'Connor painted Elite with OBL's and did NOT like the tone. Sadly, I sold it before I figured out how to get a proper tone out of my amp(s).

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How does the iridescent Cali sound with the OBL's?

Had an O'Connor painted Elite with OBL's and did NOT like the tone. Sadly, I sold it before I figured out how to get a proper tone out of my amp(s).

the iri sounds different for sure. A little less bright(go figure), it actually feels a bit less lively. Hard to describe, but as much as I love the sound of it (with those OBLs), I love the maple w/ TBs better. I should A-B 'em so I can compare a little closer (I tend to just play one during any particular night).

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I play this guitar every time I go over to NTL. It is the perfect 80s screamer. I've never played a guitar where pinch harmonics and other 80s-type sounds could be coaxed so easily out of it. Jay's Soloist has a slightly better neck and fretwork, but then that Soloist has pretty much a dead perfect neck.

I think it's the gold hardware...

004-23.jpg

002-27.jpg

001-22.jpg

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Super nice. Is this Maple bodied? The mention of Maple bodied Hamers on the last coupld of pages has stoked my curiousity since I have read so little about them.. I have mainly seen Diablo's made from alder and Californians standards made from Mahogany and the rest from mainly Ader, but few of Maple.

Which guitar model is made from Maple, or was it a special order? If anyone can help.

I play this guitar every time I go over to NTL. It is the perfect 80s screamer. I've never played a guitar where pinch harmonics and other 80s-type sounds could be coaxed so easily out of it. Jay's Soloist has a slightly better neck and fretwork, but then that Soloist has pretty much a dead perfect neck.

I think it's the gold hardware...

001-22.jpg

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Super nice. Is this Maple bodied? The mention of Maple bodied Hamers on the last coupld of pages has stoked my curiousity since I have read so little about them.. I have mainly seen Diablo's made from alder and Californians standards made from Mahogany and the rest from mainly Ader, but few of Maple.

Which guitar model is made from Maple, or was it a special order? If anyone can help.

I play this guitar every time I go over to NTL. It is the perfect 80s screamer. I've never played a guitar where pinch harmonics and other 80s-type sounds could be coaxed so easily out of it. Jay's Soloist has a slightly better neck and fretwork, but then that Soloist has pretty much a dead perfect neck.

I think it's the gold hardware...

001-22.jpg

Dayum! I love that Cali! Like a moth to a flame and like a teenage boy to Kelly Brook - I just can't resist a well done tobacco burst.

As for all maple bodied Hamers, the one that comes to mind is the Vintage S.

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