Rank your favorite set necks

[1trussell]

I'm starting to really get major GAS for set neck, fixed bridge guitars. I'm curious as to what others think of the different brands. What are the pros/cons? Which have great playability/tone/feel? What are the good ones to shred on and which are better for blues/jazz/rock? Examples:

Hamer Special/Studio (my current favorite brand)
Carvin CT
Dean Hardtail
Gibson Les Paul DC
PRS (never was a big fan)

Let's stick with the USA models and stear clear of any "boutique" guitars that may be harder to try out before buying.

Discuss.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

I only have a Gibson Les Paul.
I was thinking of getting a Washburn(don't remember the name of model)before.
I am getting a Dean Schenker V that is a a setneck.
Let's see..

[BTB007]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

I know you said USA, but I just got an Ibanez SZ520 and the set neck is very nice for a cheaper import. Hey, I like it.

[toejam]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

The only two set-neck guitars I own... '95 Hamer Special FM, '04 Gibson Les Paul Studio. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I am getting a LTD/ESP Eclipse with P-90s from Frankencat... I think it's a set neck, but maybe it's a neck-thru? [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] Though, it is a Korean-made guitar and not USA like the other two, but I like the fact that it's got the TOM/stoptail and 24 frets.

[kremit]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

[ QUOTE ]
I know you said USA, but I just got an Ibanez SZ520 and the set neck is very nice for a cheaper import. Hey, I like it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just like my Schecter set necks ( I believe they are the SAME guitar...different logos [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ). Build & quality are outstanding. The new Korean Fender set-necks with neck-thru carve are pretty outstanding IMO as well. I also own a couple of Agiles and the materials, build & playability are pretty damn good for the price [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

#1 Any Dean 77-83 USA Guitar
#2 Charvel 750XL(might as well be a USA guitar)

[peedenmark7]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

if you really want a nice set neck and maybe dont want to spend for new or boutique.... go hamer.... these guitars are vastly under rated... my favorite hamer to this day is the '80 sunburst largely in part because the necks backshape is a bit thinner than the earlier years, and hey, that just works for me !!!!.. early hamers have the "sustain block" hardtail bridge, which is a mass of brass.... I dont like the current stop tail piece crap hamer is using on the specials it clutters and crowds the face of the guitar, I am very old school when it comes to a hamers look.. theyve changed nothing on the specials aside from bridge and pickup configuration for 20 years ,so why pay for new when they old ones are cheap and have a killer vibe... I will say the tooling used today makes a better hamer than when I was first buying them ..., after nearly 26 years of playing them and owning a house full of them, my old ones are still working fine ......
if you want a sustain block on a new hamer you can order it, but be prepared to bend over and kiss your own ball$, they aint cheap ....before I pay $3k for a new one, I will gladly pay half for the real deal !!!!......
I am a sunburst man at heart, though the only difference between a burst and a special is the body binding, if you dont like the feel of body binding digging into your arm then get a special..I like binding so I will suffer..you can get specials anywhere in the states from $375-500.. though ebay of late seems to be pushing them to costs of $700 so keep looking.....specials are a dime a dozen but wonderful little players !!! '80&'81 are great years for neck back shape... though I will say during those times theyre very hit and miss , they had some loose neck pocket wiggling problems during that time, so play before you buy any hamer made during that time frame.........my 2nd recommendation would be the protoype-1, hands down my favorite hamer ever made, very versatile having a hum and a single... these are gaining in popularity due largely in part with the recent reissue renamed the phantom, it has a stop tail piece on it, in my mind a failure..... if you can find an '84-5 prototype-2 with a sustain block or floyd jump on it, those are very cool having an extra single coil in the neck... unfortunately almost all proto2's have a kahler........ john

[pro-fusion]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

I love the old Dean Cadillacs from the early '80s, though I've never actually owned one. But they are every bit as good as a Les Paul, and you can get a used one at a fraction of the cost.

The guitars you listed are very different from each other in terms of sound. What sort of sound are you looking for? From your list, I would be inclined toward the Les Paul personally, but that's because I love that intensely heavy sound from a set-neck. I've never found that sound in any Hamer or PRS that I've tried.

[Predator1]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

I only own three a 83 LPCustom,a 76RI Explorer in Natural Burst and a 2002 V98 in Natural Burst. I would have to say my favorite of the 3 would be the Explorer.It just has an amazing tone,is very well balenced and has a very fast neck.It is also a very big slab of Honduran Mahogany.

[j2379]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

HAMERs then DEANs

[guitar geek]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

I only have played 3 different set neck guitars (so I am not gonna say something about guitars I don't know): my gibson les paul (or the one I used to have), my charvel 750xl and an ibanez sz520. the latter case was a nice guitar, but due to the crappy PU's it was not spectacular, might have been different with good PU's. The gibson kicked ass soundwise, but didn't do it in terms of playability. The charvel on the other hand has playability and a really kick ass tone (ok, has EMGs and compared to stock passive PU's it is quite different) so:

charvel 750xl (by far)
gibson les paul
ibanez sz520

Harrald

[1trussell]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

Yeah, Hamers have always been my favorite. I've got 4 (Artist Korina HB, Mirage I, Diablo, Californian). I was basically wondering if I should branch out and try some different manufacturer's versions (Dean Hardtail, Carvin CT, etc.) I guess in the end, go with what you love.

I could always go for another 750xl string thru...

[lhrocker]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

1. Hamer Studio Custom/Special/Standard
2. Early 80's Ibanez Artists and Destroyers
3. Gibson LP and Explorers
4. Early 80's Dean Z

[Chuckracer]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

Just from what I know:

GMP
Gibson Les Paul
Dean

[wodka]

Re: Rank your favorite set necks

PRS
GMP
Heritage