Newport Questions...

[sanhozay]

Hi Folks!,

Thinking about a Newport and have a few question before I make the journey to a dealer who has several.

The specs of this model really has me motivated to purchase one, however, I have a few questions about the guitar.

1. Sonically, on a scale 1-5, with one being the low score, how equivalent is this model to an ES335?

2. What quality does the Bigsby add, other than weight? I'm very familiar with their function but was curious if you felt the Bigsby added a more open / acoustic tone?

3. If you've played both, the Newport and a PRS Hollowbody Spruce, could you please comment on their differences?

4. Is the tension less, greater or the same on the stop tail models vs. the Bigsby models?

5. How Jazzy can these guitars get?

Answer when you can and many thanks in advance!

Joe

[ArnieZ]

Are you interested in the Newport Pro or the Bigsby model. The pro has Humbuckers and is thereby a little closer to a 335 than the Bigsby model which has the Phat Cats. I would say the humbucker model is in the 2-3 range on your scale. The Newport is more articlate than a 335 and not as big sounding. The string tension on a Newport stop tail is very nice, easy to bend. The Bigsby is in the same location so I would think similar but have not played one extensively.

Don't know about the PRS, for whatever reason they just never feel "right" to me so I don't pick them up often. I think the Newport can be jazzy, but not in the ES 175 sense. The tone control works quite well and rolling it off and using pickup combinations yields a nice variety. I have a 335 and rarely play it in large part because of the Newport. You must take the journey

ArnieZ

[JohnnyB]

I've been a Newport owner (Phat Cat/Bigsby) for 5 years, and I'm a nut for good jazz tone.

1. The Phat Cat Newport isn't going to exactly cop an ES-335 tone. I'd say it'd be more like a hollowbody Gretsch and/or spruce top Casino, It has more wood and air in the tone, and the single coils give it more high end sparkle. I'd suspect (though I haven't played one) that if you want to get closer to a 335 sound, get a maple-topped Newport with humbuckers. So I'd say a Phat Cat Newport would be a 3, I'll guess a maple-topped Newp w/humbuckers would hit a 4 or 4.5. I use an Ibanez AS-180 (like a Scofield) for ES-335 stuff.

2. The Bigsby does add a nice physical balance. As for the tone, I can't say, but I can say I have no issues with whatever the Bigsby does to the tone, because I love the tone of the stock Newport.

3. I think the Newport has more dynamic range, both in terms of soft to loud, and its ability to express the subtlest changes in dynamics. I also have never played an electric guitar that could change its tone so much just by how you picked it. The PRS can be very jazzy, but as I remember it, it sounds and feels more sterile than the Newport. In fact, the Newport doesn't ever sound sterile.

4. Don't know about tension diff. between Bigsby & stop tail. Since the Bigsby's action is kinda stiff and the distance between bridge and stoptail on a Newport is relatively long, I suspect the tension is pretty much the same.

5. The guitars can get VERY jazzy. Turn on the neck pickup, drop the tone knob to about 4. As a jazz guitar, that old jazz warhorse, the ES-175, can't touch the Newport for sweet, airy, expressive, dynamic jazz tone, and the Newport's response is way more linear -- it doesn't have any of those resonant boomy spots that ES-175s have. It's dialed in more like a very good archtop with a carved spruce top.

They really like 6L6-driven tube amps, through I've also heard them sing through the EL-84-powered 2x12 Gibson Goldtone (Trace Elliot-sourced). They have an acoustic quality when amplified clean. There's a real synergy between the spruce top and Phat Cat pickups. Like a good jazz box, they're very dynamic and expressive. And it's easy to dial in one or more good jazz tones. If your amp is mid-rangey, you may have to scoop it or tweak a bit to dial it in. Plugged into my Mesa DC-10 (100w 2x12) it simply sounds fabulous.

[Tonebutcher]

I have the Pro/stoptail. I compared it to Matt Smith's Pro/Bigsby, both set up with 10's, and Matt's was easier to bend on. Not that mine's hard, but Matt's was a little slinkier.

[DavidE]

Some nicely well thought out responses guys.

Love my Newport with Phatcats and Bigsby.

"They really like 6L6-driven tube amps, through I've also heard them sing through the EL-84-powered 2x12 Gibson Goldtone (Trace Elliot-sourced). They have an acoustic quality when amplified clean"

I can tell you that it sounds great into my Mesa Blue Angel 4x10 using either the 6v6s, EL84s or both combined. Just a great guitar.

[sanhozay]

Thanks everybody for the input.

Has anybody found any tuning issues with the Bigsby? Does it work well with a 10-46 set? Anybody ever put on a set of flats?

I like the idea of the P90-esque pickups, but which model do you think yields a better blues / jazz tone? BB King tone?

The weight, body size, scale length and neck shape looks like a winner and I have had a great experience with an Artist Custom and a Daytona, so I know Hamer puts their instruments together with great care and for players.

I've been looking at ES335 / ES175 / ES137 and a few Guilds but the Newport specs are just too mighty to ignore. If any of you guys have play the aforementioned Gibson's and can do a comparison {I understand that this is a Hamer forum} I would love the input.

[Tonebutcher]

I just got rid of a 335 because I was tired of the size and weight. I've also sold my Artist to help pay the freight on the Newport. The Newport is richer sounding to me than either of the other two. It is way louder acoustically than either of the others, and seems to have infinite tones with a very useable taper to the tone control. Mine has Seth's and I really like them in this guitar. Hated them in the Artist. Mine also has a rock maple top which doesn't vibrate under my right arm like the 335 did, and the Artist did it a little too. I kind of miss that, but the richness in the tone more than makes up for it. I haven't been this pleased with a guitar, ever. And it's also damn nice to look at.

[ajay315]

Yes it is!!!!!

[Gabe]

I'd like to add that IMHO the Phat Cats sound a bit better than the Seth Lover's, because they seem to add a bit of a raw edge, making the sound more lively. In my experience the Phat Cats are not noisier than the Humbuckers.

The Newport has a solid carved spruce top, while the 335 has a laminated top.

And the Newport still remains the only guitar ever to have won the 6 x 5 out of 5 rating and an Editor's Pick Award in Guitar Player Magazine!

http://www.dantzig.com/images/pick3.pdf

(Edited to add: I am sorry, the original article was longer and also included a review of a Gibson semi hollow-body)

Gabe

[sanhozay]

Hello All,

Played a Newport w/Bigsby today and loved it. Really wonderful tones; lots of punchy lows and great clarity on all the strings.

How does the Bigsby model compare to the stoptail. I don't love the weight they add but wondered if it actually helps to balance the guitar. Any thoughts?

Also, how does the Pro model compare tonally? Will it still have a wide open and woody character? Which one is smoother and warmer sounding? Which one is sweeter? Is the Pro muddier sounding on the low strings?

Thanks - sorry for so many questions!

[JohnnyB]

I didn't have tuning issues with the Bigsby unless I used the Bigsby. But then I swapped out the bridge for a Schaller roller-saddle bridge, which is a drop-in replacement, and that improved the tuning stability quite a bit. I suspect that if I replaced the tuners with locking ones (and there are drill-free drop-in replacements for those as well), that tuning stability issues would disappear. I used to have a G&L Legacy Special with locking tuners, and its tuning stability was very good, even when I used the trem bar vigorously.

The guitar was OK with 10-46s, and I've had D'Addario Chromes flatwounds on it several times to maximize the jazz tone. But the strings that have really lit this guitar up are the Elixir 11-49s. There's just more of everything, and the Newport is such a solid platform that with a good setup a Newport strung with 11s feels like most other guitars strung with 10s.

I'm a big blues fan, and I've had an ES-335 Studio, a Howard Roberts Fusion II, various G&L Legacy and ASAT models, etc., etc., and to me, the Newport w/Phat Cats is the ultimate blues guitar, especially if you want subtle expressivity. And I really like its jazz tones.

If you want a BB King tone, get a Lucille, and try to find out how BB sets his Varitone and pickup selector. Otherwise, any number of 2-pickup guitars will get you close.

I had had an ES-335 Studio, I now have an Ibanez AS-180 (which is a Hammamatsu-made pro-quality 335 clone); I've played ES-175s and ES-135/7s, and I used to own a Howard Roberts Fusion II.

Now that I have the Newport, I can't stand an ES-175 or ES-135 or 137 -- they're too tubby sounding with a one-note boxy resonance. The Newport far eclipses them in linearity, clarity, sweetness, musicality, dynamic range, and dynamic subtlety. I'm not saying this because I'm prejudiced in favor of the Newport and against the Gibsons. I say it because I used to have a couple of Gibsons and thought I'd want a 175, and the Newport simply rewrote the book for me on what an electric hollow thinline could be. The Howard Roberts Fusion was a pretty cool guitar, sounded good and played nice, but compared to the Newport it was sterile-sounding. Maybe with some high-end handwound pickups the HR would sweeten up. I'd take the Roberts over many other Gibsons, particularly the 175 or 135 or 137.

Speaking of clarity, I find the Newport's clarity to be absolutely astounding, yet its clarity is not a bright, brash in-your-face thing at all. The Newp's unfailingly musical at all settings, and yet its clarity is far above a typical factory guitar. In addition to the other guitars I mentioned, I used to have a USA-made (artist stock) Epiphone Casino with after-market Lindy Fralin P90s. Pretty cool guitar that way, but when I got the Newport, I was through with the Casino -- it sounded muzzy and indistinct compared to the Newport.

[Guest galejt]

SJ

Stand by. I may be able to help you scratch your Newport itch and my looming custom order scratch. Working up photos now. Repeat after me. Trans red over Spruce. Vol, Vol, Tone. LtWt Pigtail stop piece. Tone Pros. Phat Cats. Seth's in the case. LtWt tuner buttons. Bound allround. Damn near flawless.

Back

Front

Headstock

Apologies for the blur. I wanted to do in natural light and the camera insisted on 1/8 sec exposure. My tripod is at work. Will re-shoot later.

[sanhozay]

Thanks for the lengthy reply, Johnny B.

If I use the Bigsby it would be to add a little shimmer or the that heavy vibrato effect that Neil Young does - which really can't be done on any thing other than a Bigsby, so big plus there.

I do like the Gibson Lucille's but they are too heavy and cumbersome but I think they sound and play wonderful. Same for the ES335, although many examples sound too boxy and the mids are exaggerated to a point of dank muddiness and when playing chords at louder volumes the notes just turn to mush.

I'm primary a Strat & Tele player, so the standard Newport looks like a nice change. I get a pretty sweet BB tone on my Tele but I'm killing my hands doing the two-step Albert bends and the big stretches for the jazz chords get tiresome. I've thought about the Monaco but I really would like a shorter scale for the aforementioned issues.

Have you played the Humbucker Newport? I imagine it's less open and more compressed sounding, which can be a nice tonal shade when playing Chicago blues or the Robben Ford type of rock/blues. But I'm just guessing because I've never played one. I had a fantastic Artist Custom w/Voodoo '59's that I sold to raise cash and that guitar had a very saxaphone-esqu quality. It was my first Hamer experience and the quality still haunts me. I'd lover another but the Hollowbody Newport suits me better.

I guess I'm sold on the Newport but I'd love some feedback on the different models, primarily the Newport Pro. The Spruce top resonates like a flattop and that blew me away but I'm eager to hear how a Korina top shapes the sound.

Thanks!

[sanhozay]

SJ

Stand by. I may be able to help you scratch your Newport itch and my looming custom order scratch. Working up photos now. Repeat after me. Trans red over Spruce. Vol, Vol, Tone. LtWt Pigtail stop piece. Tone Pros. Phat Cats. Seth's in the case. LtWt tuner buttons. Bound allround. Damn near flawless.

Talk it! I'm holding my breath!

[sanhozay]

Hi galejt!

Can you shoot me an email [email protected] with an idea of price?

THANKS!

[straightblues]

I love my Newport with Phat Cats and Bigsby. I have never had tuning problems but I don't wail on the bar either.

I am a traditional blues player, BBKing, Albert King, Muddy Waters type stuff. I also do a lot of Jump or West Coast Blues. I can't even imagine how ANY guitar could be any better for this style of music. The dynamic of this guitar are as good as it gets. Will it sound like a 335, no not exactly, it will sound better. I have had 335's in the past and in my book, the Newport kills them. But if you are really trying to cop that 335 sound, the Newport will only get you close but definately not all the way there so go buy a 335.

I like the Phat Cats and Bigsby. I have played a couple of Newport Pros and just wasn't as nearly as excited by them. There are definately Pro fans here though so let them speak up.

IMHO the spruce top makes this guitar. Before buying a maple top version, I would want to spend a lot of time with one beause I can't imagine they would sound as good as the spruce but maybe they do. I have never played a maple top Newport.

I use the BB King string set 10-54 and I don't have any problem bending strings on this thing.

Get one, it will make you happy.

[Brooks]

just got a newport a few weeks ago, phatcats & bigsby. i can't add much to the other posts, its freakin' awesome. i will say that the distorted tones are also very happening, i took a tip from HHB and wedged some foam between the mont rings & pickups to tame feedback squeal, my neo jazz project actually has a few high gain power chords/metal riffs in a few tunes, sounds great.

i dunno if the link is still up, but HHB played a phatcat newport thru a ratt and mesa boogie on my tune socializing (i'm on fretless guitar & guitar synth);

www.bigblockdodge.com/socializing.mp3

ps - my duotone w/ phatcats is also a great ax.

[Brooks]

just got a newport a few weeks ago, phatcats & bigsby. i can't add much to the other posts, its freakin' awesome.

i will say that the distorted tones are also very happening, i took a tip from HHB and wedged some foam between the mount rings & pickups to tame feedback squeal. my neo jazz project actually has a few high gain power chords/metal riffs in a few tunes, it sounds great.

i dunno if the link is still up, but HHB played a phatcat newport thru a ratt into a mesa boogie on my tune "socializing" (i'm on fretless guitar & guitar synth);

www.bigblockdodge.com/socializing.mp3

edit : link is dead, but i think he has one on mp3lizard under "big block dodge".

ps - my duotone w/ phatcats is also a great ax.

[hardheartedbill]

here;s the tune Brooks is talking about

http://www.bigblockdodge.com/01%20-%20Socializing.mp3

[tomteriffic]

Since I got this from Badger Dave.....

My Heritage H535, a mighty good 335 clone, has been sitting in the case. 'Nuff said.

[Disturber]

Can the Newport do the Brian Setser/Stray Cats rockabilly

thing?

I'm lusting for one as they seem like such great guitars.

But if possible I would like to use it for blues, rockabilly,

psycho billy & B52's kind of stuff. Wang that bigsy and turn

on the tremolo pedal.

[JohnnyB]

Can the Newport do the Brian Setser/Stray Cats rockabilly thing?

I'm lusting for one as they seem like such great guitars.

But if possible I would like to use it for blues, rockabilly, psycho billy & B52's kind of stuff. Wang that bigsy and turn on the tremolo pedal.

The Phat Cat/Bigsby Newport has enormous range, and it is particularly adept at rockabilly. Originally Hamer was thinking of calling it the Swingabilly, and it's capable of an almost Tele-like twang. Fortunately, the tone knob has such a useful taper that you can use it for far more applications than a typical twangmeister.

If you put both pickups on and load your amp at the border of clean to dirty, it does great rockabilly. Clean it up a bit and you can get country or surf. In fact, the Newport is an excellent surf guitar, as its wide, shallow single coils are similar to the effect of Jazzmaster pickups, which was a favorite surf guitar, used by Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, and also by the Ventures when they weren't endorsing Mosrite.

You can also adjust gain and the tone knob in this position to get a lot of blues tones, particularly reminiscent of Muddy Waters.

And if you go to the neck pickup, you can get that fat, clean, powerful blues tone from the neck. Turn down the tone control to 4 and clean up the amp a bit, and you have an airy, woody, multi-dimensional jazz sound. If you read the Newport reviews on Harmony Central, you'll find people who picked the Newport for jazz simply because it's the best jazz guitar anywhere near the money, even though its orange finish and Bigsby makes it look like it was designed for some other purpose.

Finally, if you flip to the bridge pickup, adjusting gain/overdrive and the tone control can give an unbelievable range of cutting, clean to dirty lead tones, and it sounds great when dirtied up. I think the Newport's dirty tones are somewhat underrated and largely unexplored.

[mesadude]

I've got a Newport Pro. Love the tones. It's a nice compromise between a big acoustic-electric and a solid guitar. The notes will sustain quite well, and also can be acoustically distinct. With a big amp, it does the jazz-sounding thing quite well too.

This is a 'very' playable/friendly guitar.

Mesadude

[FunkyE9th]

Here's a recording with the neck pup of the newport (guitar volume and tone set to 10). It might give you an idea if it's what you're looking for.

http://www.mp3lizard.com/download.cfm?id=6260

-FunkyE9th

[sanhozay]

Very nice, FunkyE9th. Very sweet and woody sounding. Love the note articulation and the Bigsby shimmer. Thanks for the clip it's a excellent representation of the Newport.

Jim - I'm thinking hard about the great deal you're offering!