Impressions of Squire, Epiphone, Electromatic electric guitars

[rockstar_not]

Very cool guitar, and different. Almost everyone has a Strat, but you have something out of the ordinary.  I would hang on to that one. 

Oh, this is going nowhere.  I have plans to add one mod, a 'neck pup on' switch, so that I can get the Tele-like tones of neck/tail combo when the pups are tapped.  Perhaps the only famous person who regularly has gigged with a Nighthawk is Nancy Wilson from Heart, and that was the Gibson issue of the guitar.  Supposedly she designed the body shape, and the narrow upper bout would probably be more comfortable for the female figure.  Hers doesn't have the middle SC, which is too bad because the Epiphone version has a pretty hot SC in the middle and I use that pup often.

The 3 pup version has has 7 different pickup combinations.  If I add the 'neck pup on' switch, I'll get two more for a total of 9 different pup combinations (the tone control taps the two humbuckers).  In Strat mod-world, this is the '7-sound stratocaster' mod.  I plan to put the switch as a simple slider SPST switch on the BACK in the access plate, on the south side of the plate as it hangs on my body - should be out of the way and will involve zero drilling into the body.

The Gibson original 3 pup version actually varied from Strat style selection.  Mine is strat pup selection out of the box, but with selectable HB tapping.  What I'll get from the 7-sound-strat wiring is somewhat of a combination of the strat wiring and the original Nighthawk 3-pup wiring.

This is the kind of guitar I have lobbied for Larrivée to make with it's relatively unique pup combination and tone possibilities and not a near copy-cat body shape, but Gibson/Epiphone's relative lack of sales on the Nighthawk models are evidence that the body shape-copy-cat mode of making an LP, SG, ES, Strat, Tele body copy is where the money is.


-Scott

[tuffythepug]

Here are three examples of the guitars mentioned in the original post

The Squier "ProTone" Strat is equal to any other  I've played.  Much better than current Mexican versions in my opinion. But the MIM strats and teles are very nice.

The Epiphone "Joe Pass' signature hollow-body was good but turned into a killer guitar when I replaced the factory humbuckers with Seymour Duncans. 

The Gretsch with electromatic pickups is adequate.  Not nearly as refined and articulate  as the pickups on my G6196 Country Gentleman.

[JOYCEfromNS]

This is the kind of guitar I have lobbied for Larrivée to make with it's relatively unique pup combination and tone possibilities and not a near copy-cat body shape, but Gibson/Epiphone's relative lack of sales on the Nighthawk models are evidence that the body shape-copy-cat mode of making an LP, SG, ES, Strat, Tele body copy is where the money is.

Larrivee heard. Luvly guitars but as you say  for some strange reason don't really appeal to the masses   

[Mikeymac]

Larrivee heard. Luvly guitars but as you say  for some strange reason don't really appeal to the masses   

Those are killer guitars ... I wish Larrivee was making those electrics, and would sell them here in the US (it's a signature model for a German player, right Andrew?).

I'd scrape together the money for one... 

[Marauder]

Please tell me about your impressions of Epiphone ES339 or Sheraton Pro II or Casino?

[Caleb]

I got together with a friend recently who owns a Gretsch Pro Jet with Bigsby.  Man, I was IMPRESSED!  The fingerboard was what really got me: it was very comfortable and for my hand perfectly.  I haven't owned an electric guitar in ages but I'm thinking of getting back into it now.

[L07 Shooting Star]

I got together with a friend recently who owns a Gretsch Pro Jet with Bigsby.  Man, I was IMPRESSED!  The fingerboard was what really got me: it was very comfortable and for my hand perfectly.  I haven't owned an electric guitar in ages but I'm thinking of getting back into it now.

Is it an Electromatic (i.e. import) Pro Jet with Bigsby?  If so, it's the same as the one I referred to earlier in this thread, and a great guitar.

[Caleb]

Is it an Electromatic (i.e. import) Pro Jet with Bigsby?  If so, it's the same as the one I referred to earlier in this thread, and a great guitar.

Yes.  He said he paid about 5 bills for it.  And it sounded great too. Super quiet pickups but great tone.

[rockstar_not]

Please tell me about your impressions of Epiphone ES339 or Sheraton Pro II or Casino?

You'll pay more for the Sheraton and Casino than the ES339 in the used market - somewhat because they are more famous than the 339.

There's a Casino hanging in a local shop that is tempting to me, but I probably would like the 339 with it's smaller body dimensions.  My Epiphone Nighthawk Custom Reissue is a 'girly' guitar, with pretty small upper and lower bouts, but I love it.

What are your reasons for looking at the 3?  

[Caleb]

Went in my local Music & Art yesterday and noticed a Squier hollowbody with double humbuckers for 199.  That was a lot of guitar for 2 bills.  My first electric guitar was a Squier Strat, bought in 1993 for 179, and a much lesser instrument.  This really is a great time for guitars, electrics in general.  I'm thinking of getting into electrics again but haven't committed yet. 

[rockstar_not]

This really is a great time for guitars, electrics in general.

Caleb, this is a very true statement.  To be honest, it's great also for amplifiers due to very passable and musical sounding amp simulation.  If you couple that Squier above with a Fender Mustang I v2 at around $120 or so, you have an absolutely killer home setup for well under $400.  $350 even.

http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Mustang-1x8-Inch-Electric-Amplifier/dp/B00BTGMI5O

My son plays and practices a ton using this Mustang amp and it functions as an audio interface as well, so he is learning home recording with it, as it comes with a license of Ableton Live lite version - enough to get his feet wet.

This thing has plenty of snot to play many venues as well.  Mic'ed it's a great gigging solution if you can mic-into a PA.

The quality of bargain electrified instruments has risen considerably in the last 10-15 years.  I haven't seen such a rise in acoustic instruments.

[Caleb]

Scott, this is a great amp.  I've also be seriously impressed with a Vox 1x8 amp that I've been seeing online.  The sounds these things produce are incredible, and you don't even need an expensive guitar.  I'm amazed.

I forgot to mention that the Squier I was looking at for 199 is a tele - it has the big pearly pickguard and the double humbuckers.  A little flashy for me but a nice guitar.  I prefer plain black, white, or even a subtle blue guitar.  Sometimes sunbursts with pearl look a bit too Nashville for my simple taste.

[Caleb]

I stopped by our "new and improved" Guitar Center yesterday on the way home and checked out some cheap electrics.  They didn't have as many Squiers as I'd hoped for because they probably sell them as soon as they put them on the wall.  I did play a Affinity Squier tele that was in pretty rough shape (lots of dings and dents).  I asked the kid how much for THAT one since it was beat up. He told me they have some new ones in the back just like it.  Refused to answer my question or deal with me on THAT particular instrument.  I don't get it.

They had three Squier Bullet Strats on the used wall, all for $79 each.  There was one in a sort of off white/yellow color that I really liked.  For $79 it was pretty much a steal: the neck felt great, and from what I could hear (it was GC after all) it sounded pretty good through a decent amp.  I've been flirting with the idea of a tele but nothing feels quite like a strat in my hands.  I left there without a guitar and will keep looking, not being in any real hurry to get anything. 

[Caleb]

After lots of reading and tire-kicking, I pulled the trigger on a 2009 Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster in 2-tone burst.  This is a very nice guitar!  I looked around locally and couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I ended up buying off Reverb.com, a pretty cool site that I didn't know much about till then.  I made an offer of $250 and the shop accepted it.  I paired up the Strat with a Fender Champion 20 and couldn't be happier with my simple setup.  The guitar came with 9's on it but I swapped them out for the Flatwound 10's; the sound and feel improved.  Being used to playing acoustic guitar and mandolin, I can't really get used to super slinky strings.  I'm having a BLAST!

[Marauder]

You'll pay more for the Sheraton and Casino than the ES339 in the used market - somewhat because they are more famous than the 339.

There's a Casino hanging in a local shop that is tempting to me, but I probably would like the 339 with it's smaller body dimensions.  My Epiphone Nighthawk Custom Reissue is a 'girly' guitar, with pretty small upper and lower bouts, but I love it.

What are your reasons for looking at the 3?  

I was wanting a semi hollow for awhile now. I just wasn't too keen on the gibson 339 price. I have since tried all of the above, and found the epi 339 pro was pretty good for the $$. But I have since found a used Gibson Midtown Custom which is not really a semi-hollow but a chambered body with f holes. I got it for a good price and it is a pretty good blues guitar with the 339 sizing