Chaparral & Diablo; Necks, Comfort, & Tone

[Halowords]

I posted some time ago about my search for an HSH guitar. At any rate, two semi-hollow guitars later and I'm still looking/waiting for one to pop up at the right time. However, my tastes have, oddly enough, changed a bit.

Specifically necks. I find myself liking a bit chunkier neck than I used to. Must be getting old. Anyway, I think I'd be fine with either a Chaparral Elite (or whatever the HSH version is) OR a Diablo II. However, I think I'd actually enjoy a thicker neck over a really thin shredderish neck. This is a pretty complete 180 from what I was thinking before.

Anyway, since I've read seemingly conflicting reports, does one (Chap vs. Diablo II) have a thicker or different profile over the other? Any differences you can point out to me? That's my main question.

Second, comfort. The Chap is Mahogany and a bit bigger and the Diablos are Alder and smaller. Any drastic ergonomic or weight differences that make a difference in comfort? I mainly play a Heritage H-150 (more or less a LP) so weight hasn't been a huge issue, but I'll listen to ergonomic considerations.

Third (strangely a rather secondary) question, for the tone. In prior threads, some I believed preferred the Chap sound but liked the diversity of the Diablo (II in particular). Does the diversity gap disappear when you're comparing both in HSH, or is there anything in particular one style does better than the other?

-Cheers

[DarrenD]

All usa Hamers were handmade. Therefore, there can be a lot of variation between identical models. Nothing is ever exact. Regarding necks, in general chaps and diablos are chunkier...mainly short-scale chaps from what I hear, but even then there are exceptions. Calis are generally thinner, but not super thin. I've had 3 calis and every neck profile was different, with my '88 being quite chunky actually. They all actually played very different as well. Also take note that chaps and diablos have R3 nuts and calis have R2, but even this was mixed up sometimes. My chunky cali elite neck has an R3.

[atquinn]

The Chap Elite I had had a thick neck and sounded awesome. The Diablo II's I had had thin necks and also sounded awesome. The Diablos were "strattier", probably due to the wood composition. I would take any of them back.

-Austin

[BillW]

I have a D II and a few Chaps. The necks can vary somewhat on the Chaps (year, scale, setneck vs bolt on etc....).

The D II is ...average neck profile I would say ( I have Chaps that are thinner). I typically prefer the Chap sound - but the D II has way more range (Basically everything except a single coil neck PU). The bridge coil tap isnt quite the same as a true Single ...but it does a great job.

You can always swap PUs to taste , of course, but in the end it is a bolt-on and you won't forget it.

I love 'em both ;-)

- Bill

[Halowords]

I have a D II and a few Chaps. The necks can vary somewhat on the Chaps (year, scale, setneck vs bolt on etc....).

Have a chunky-neck HSH-config Chap you're dying to get rid of?

The D II is ...average neck profile I would say ( I have Chaps that are thinner). I typically prefer the Chap sound - but the D II has way more range (Basically everything except a single coil neck PU). The bridge coil tap isnt quite the same as a true Single ...but it does a great job.

Is that just due to the D-II's single coil & coil taps, or is it at all due to the woods & construction differences?

You can always swap PUs to taste , of course, but in the end it is a bolt-on and you won't forget it.

I love 'em both ;-)

- Bill

Yeah, I actually had an HSH pickup set made by Sheptone I think three years ago and ended up never getting a guitar for it. Talk about putting the cart before the horse, eh? Anyway, this is kind of what I'm hoping to get for them to reside in. Unless I get a Chap/D-II and love the pickups. In which case I'll have to find ANOTHER great HSH-config guitar.

-Cheers

All usa Hamers were handmade. Therefore, there can be a lot of variation between identical models. Nothing is ever exact.

Makes sense.

Regarding necks, in general chaps and diablos are chunkier...mainly short-scale chaps from what I hear, but even then there are exceptions. Calis are generally thinner, but not super thin. I've had 3 calis and every neck profile was different, with my '88 being quite chunky actually. They all actually played very different as well. Also take note that chaps and diablos have R3 nuts and calis have R2, but even this was mixed up sometimes. My chunky cali elite neck has an R3.

So the short-scale set-neck Chaps are generally chunkier-necked? If so, that would be kind of cool. If I could just find one, that is.

-Cheers

[DarrenD]

That's just what I heard. I've never actually played one. I'm sure there are variations with them too, but perhaps they are more consistently chunky.

[Toadroller]

...Also take note that chaps and diablos have R3 nuts and calis have R2, but even this was mixed up sometimes. My chunky cali elite neck has an R3.

Educate me. What is an R2 or R3 nut?

[jettster]

I had a Chap elite for a few years, currently have both a Diablo I and II. My experience was the Chap had a "D" profile neck and was much thinner than either Diablo. Both Diablo necks are thicker and more of a "C" profile with the the II being a little thicker than the Diablo I. The "D" profile on the Chap was what made me move it eventually.

The Chap had a darker full, rich tone, it sounded great but, was heavier and less ergonomic than either Diablo. Both Diablo's are punchier but, also full sounding. The Diablo II with the HSH config has a little more versatility tone wise but, the HH config is also more versatile than you might think it would be. IMO neither do the Strat quack as good as a real one if that is what you are looking for.

[Thundernotes]

Educate me. What is an R2 or R3 nut?

[KH Guitar Freak]

The Chap Elite I had had a thick neck and sounded awesome. The Diablo II's I had had thin necks and also sounded awesome. The Diablos were "strattier", probably due to the wood composition. I would take any of them back.

-Austin

Everytime I think about your Diablo II, my sadness increases. True story...

[veatch]

Educate me. What is an R2 or R3 nut?

R2 is 1 5/8" wide, R3 is 1 11/16" wide.

T-notes - you make me smile.

[Halowords]

I had a Chap elite for a few years, currently have both a Diablo I and II. My experience was the Chap had a "D" profile neck and was much thinner than either Diablo. Both Diablo necks are thicker and more of a "C" profile with the the II being a little thicker than the Diablo I. The "D" profile on the Chap was what made me move it eventually.

Good to note. I'll just have to ask on the neck if/when I get one.

Speaking of necks, are there any years where the set-necks were 25.5" or were they 24.75" in most or all of the set-neck Chaparrals? Also, is there any current gauge to how much an HSH Chap (set- or bolt-neck) goes on the gently used market?

The Chap had a darker full, rich tone, it sounded great but, was heavier and less ergonomic than either Diablo. Both Diablo's are punchier but, also full sounding. The Diablo II with the HSH config has a little more versatility tone wise but, the HH config is also more versatile than you might think it would be. IMO neither do the Strat quack as good as a real one if that is what you are looking for.

I suppose nobody can really answer this for me in choosing between the two, but I'm not looking for a Stratocaster with this so much as something that can do a nice chimey clean tone, a nice high-gain rock/metal sound, and some of the Strat quack would be great particularly if/when I split the coils. But I'm also not expecting this to sound like a straight-up Strat. I tend to prefer the highs a bit rounded off and thicker/fuller/fatter sounds as a whole (hence I'm generally a LP/H-150, or for that matter a Hamer Studio type of guy), so maybe the Chap's a better bet. Anyway, I wouldn't mind being able to get in the general range of Strat-y, but I'm fine having my own sound rather than just trying to make a Hamer HSH or HSS sound just like a Strat. If I ever really get into Strats, I'll just buy one, but I am more interested in the option of doing clean, kinda/sorta Fenderish sounds for songs or putzing around with riffs and then switching to fatter humbucker modes a/o higher gain modes without switching guitars.

I'm not sure if either the Chap or Diablo better fit that description, so availability, configuration, & neck-shape might be the determining factors more than the model.

I hope that made at least some sense.

-Cheers

[atquinn]

Speaking of necks, are there any years where the set-necks were 25.5" or were they 24.75" in most or all of the set-neck Chaparrals?

Chaps with the blade switches are 25.5". Chaps with the 3 mini-toggles are 24.75". I don't believe I've seen any shortscale setneck Chap that had a humbucker in the neck, only bolt-necks.

-Austin

[Dr Rockso]

I suppose nobody can really answer this for me in choosing between the two, but I'm not looking for a Stratocaster with this so much as something that can do a nice chimey clean tone, a nice high-gain rock/metal sound, and some of the Strat quack would be great particularly if/when I split the coils. But I'm also not expecting this to sound like a straight-up Strat. I tend to prefer the highs a bit rounded off and thicker/fuller/fatter sounds as a whole (hence I'm generally a LP/H-150, or for that matter a Hamer Studio type of guy), so maybe the Chap's a better bet.

You're pretty much on the money there. My go to guitars are a PRS McCarty and a Hamer Sunburst, both of which fall into the LP sphere tonally. I love having my Chap as a back up because I can still get a screaming, fat lead sound from the bridge humbucker, but when I play on the single coil and 'out of phase' positions, with an amp set for a cleanish/moderate break up, it's got the overall 'vibe' of a Strat.

I've also got a Seymour Duncan Triple shot mounting ring for the bridge 'bucker so I can have the options of a series or parallel wired humbucker or either of the coils on their own.....some awesome tones to be had when using the volume and tone controls and the in between positions on the 5-way!