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A Special thread...Gibson LP Specials vs Hamer Specials


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A few questions for you..

- which do you have?

- which do you like/dislike about either/both?   

- Is a flat top/slab double cut Les Paul even a proper Les Paul in your mind?

 

Just a comment that it seems like there is a resurgence on Gibson's part with the Specials (especially double cuts) the past couple years and you can get a used one at or below used USA Hamer.

My one and only Hamer Special was the early 80s w/ checkerboard headstock so that's my premiere thought about them.  The Hamer Specials w/ p90s and a stop tail piece struck me a different way.

 

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I’ve had several Hamer Specials! I still have one in a very beat from the road natural with Shlibotnicks (sp) in it. It play’s and sounds amazing.

i  bought a early 60’s single pup P90 jr in high school that I let get away. I bought it because I’d never heard an electric that sounded like it did. It just cut, kablanged and chunked better than anything I had ever played. Kind of a wine red color and not a huge neck. Sold it to buy household items needed for firstborn on the way. He was worth it!!! But I still have yet to find one that sounded like that one....

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The original Hamer sustain-block Special's are a completely different animal, but I'd agree they're my favorite of the options you've laid out.

I otherwise give the nod to the Gibson Junior and Special models that have the proper 50s style wraptail bridge.  F*$! that lightning bolt bullshit.  As for those with tune-o-matics, I had a couple LP Standards with the Nashville bridge where the freaking bushings would fall out of the body during string changes.  I'm sure the Hamer Special's with a tune-o-matic enjoy tighter tolerances, but I can't get past those bushings.  Hamer did make some wraptail Specials in the traditional Gibson style but used those gawdawful Wilkinson bridges.  I owned one for awhile and it was a fine guitar but that bridge looked more like a bumper than the hood ornament it should.  I've not owned but have played a few of the recent Gibson Specials (both double and single cut) and they're surprisingly good for the money (and by surprisingly good, I mean any decent new guitar with Gibson on the headstock surprises me).

In the end, the traditional wrapper Special and Junior world for me is ruled by the SG.  

 

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I had a 1957 LP Junior when I was in high school.  It was a basic rock machine, but it would not stay in tune.  At the time I did not know what to do to correct that problem.  I liked the neck and the way it resonated, though.  Mine seemed heavy, too. 

I have played a lot of sustain block Specials.  I have a sustain block Sunburst that I like.  Either I have gotten used to that bridge, or I really do prefer it to a wraptail bridge.  My Specials with tune-o-matic bridges feel different, but I really like them.  My opinion swings back and forth on which I like better.  Right now it is the sustain block. 

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The Sustainblock reigns supreme. 

IMO, the greatest Hamer innovation and yet they retired it relatively quickly, only to revisit it just before the end.

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I have a soft spot for the p-90 special but I think tastes have changed in that the slim necks and duncan hot pickups Are not exactly what people want when they look at specials and juniors.      I think some of the new Gibson stuff like the sg or LP junior (Talkin the 2019 gloss finished ones) are pretty cool and have the proper wrap tail angle.   Agree with cynic. Don’t love the lightning bar variants.  Something about the simple wrap gives it a certain braannnggg.   

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1950’s Les Paul Juniors & Specials are my favorite guitars ever.  I have a flock of them.  Single cuts, Doublecuts...(1956-1960).  I love everything about them.  Wraptail bridges.  Lightweight slab bodies. P-90’s (although one of mine is modded with humbuckers).

They just sound & feel like home.  The perfect rock guitar for me.  I like them much better than the typical carved top Les Paul.  

I really have not tried any of the new ones...but I have heard good things about the newest ones.

I recently picked up a couple of 80-81 sustainblock Hamer Specials (after wanting one for years).  As expected...they totally work for me as well.  I see them becoming my new obsession.

The later ones with the tuneomatic just don’t appeal to me. 

 

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Sustain Block Specials RULE!

I had a '58 (or '59, I can't remember) Gibson like this:

P1060383.JPG.0da1d4e4367dc22fb5e6024f41457dfb.JPG

...that got sold to pay the rent. 25 years later it led to the making of this:

100_4601crop.jpg

...and cured my Gibson Junior G.A.S.

I've had some cool Specials:

100_0507crop.jpg100_5445.JPG100_9753.jpg100_0710small.jpg100_4834.JPG100_9211crop.jpg

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I had a killer 95 special FM that I never should have sold. Had an all mahogany special with humbuckers that I didn’t have long enough to form an opinion. Not really sure why I sold that one. I had a 78 sunburst for my sustain block fix (not counting my Talladega). 
 

but I’ve never had a proper p90 wrap tail or sustain block special/junior. I’m always looking for one...
 

the tune o matic/stop tail specials with p90’s have been tempting at times, but I won’t get along with a thinner neck. Medium carve is the smallest I’ll go. The bigger the better. 

I’ve looked at some of the Gibson’s. But I feel like I would only be getting one because I didn’t look hard enough for the Hamer that would satisfy my craving. Altho the single cut les Paul specials that came out a year or two ago were supposed to be pretty good. @bubs_42 got one in honey burst, I believe, and he said it was a solid guitar. 

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I see my 99 Hamer Vanguard/Artist as the best P90 JR I can have, without paying an arm and a leg for a 50's Gibson JR. It really screams ans snarls with the Wolfetone P90's. The tone chamber really makes it come alive. And it is very light weight. 

Then again, this guy I know only had one guitar many years ago, and he did a lot of studio work. He had an early 90's Gibson Special with TOM bridge and P90's. That damn guitar could do anything. It sounded absolutely fantastic and played like a dream. I've heard that the same wood could go either in to a Custom or in to a Special back then in the Gibson factory. The early 90s Special are often great guitars. 

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I have own 80's Specials, 90's Specials, 90's LP Special, Early 2000's Junior and now the 2019 LP Special Limited from GC. You can not compare any hamer that is loaded with a Sustainblock to another brand. The Sustainblock gives it a very unique tone, they don't sound the same and its not apples to apples IMHO. Great guitars, but the best one as far as neck shape, weight and tone has been the 2019 Limited Les Paul Special(Singecut). I don't know if it was built on the right day or what, but it sounds amazing. The 82/83 Specials with he extra MM out of the lower cutaway and little thicker necsks would be my choice if I was chasing an 80's Hamer Special. The 90's Post 93 Hamer Specials are consistent and excellent guitars, I would search for a non maple top, unless that is what you want. 

You can't go wrong with the Rock N Roll Machine a Special is, its just ends up being person preference. 

NOTE: I have not been impressed with Gibson the Opaque finishes, i'm guessing they are not using grain filler anymore, but the paint sinks and doesn't look very good IMHO. The burst colors are warm, even burst that look very appealing.  Those Red SG Specials are exceptionally cool, the Blue, I was not impressed with the fit and finish of the two that I handled. Same with the Blue Limited Specials with Humbuckers. 

This is what I have.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Gibson/2019-Les-Paul-Special-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-116212624.gc

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