NGD - Custom Shop Soloist

[Ward]

Got this one from the classifieds here, so it may look a little familiar to some of you...

2007 magenta burst H-S soloist from the custom shop. Mahogany body with mahogany neck. Neck is 3 piece with no scarf joint. I don't have anything to measure it, but it feels closer to the speed neck profile than the standard neck to me. But I might be imagining that. Plays amazingly, and this guitar sounds incredible unplugged.

It came with chrome hardware, to me it was too much with the bright color, so I changed it to black. I think it contrasts with the magenta really nicely. It has a Dimarzio Super 3 in the bridge, and a Dimarzio Blue Velvet in the neck position. I don't like the sound of the Super 3 in mahogany, and will be trying some different pickups until I find something I like in it. The Blue Velvet sounds really nice, but has a large amount of hum.

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Here is the back to show the mahogany & 3 piece neck:
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[Ward]

It is hard to get an accurate picture of the color of this burst. Here is one engage757 took that captures it well:
Magenta5.jpg

It's not as bright pink as it looks in my pics.

[dannyr]

Nice one! Congrats.

[roodyrocker]

Very nice! I think it looks good either way, chrome or black hardware.

[Hellbat]

Duncan Custom in the bridge! DOOO EEEET! DOOO EEEET NOOOOOW!%$^%

[Johnnyryche]

Very cool! I like the black hardware choice.

[Ward]

Thanks all. My pics are terrible, but in person I like the black hardware much better.

Hellbat - I have a short list of pickups to try, and the Duncan Custom is on it. I'm going to start with a JB, and if that doesn't work for me, I'll try something else. What can you tell me about the sound of a Duncan Custom? Does it work well in mahogany?

[ZZB]

Wow. H/S.

[Hellbat]

I've actually never used the custom in mahogany myself, maybe Sully or another user can jump in there. It's kind of a hotter, nastier PAF so it should do good in a darker wood like mahogany. I only have experience with it in poplar/maple and alder/maple guitars.

[toejam]

Congrats! Looks nice with chrome or black, but the black looks a little nicer. Love the H/S, too.

[j2379]

damn thats a killer guitar, i like it better with the black hardware.

[sully]

Duncan Custom in the bridge! DOOO EEEET! DOOO EEEET NOOOOOW!%$^%

Nice to see I've got another Custom minion!

I've not found a guitar that didn't sound great with a custom in it. I've got an Alternative 8 (which is a custom with an Alnico 8 magnet instead of a ceramic one) and it sounds really great, too. I'd go with either of those.

Sully

[GuerillaPete]

Congrats. I have it's brother in a Chlorine blue finish and gold hardware. Used to have pics of it the Gallery section.

[Ward]

That is awesome! About 100 difference between serial #s.

Did you order that to your specs? Still wondering if mine was custom ordered for someone specifically, or if the custom shop just did it as a one off.

I have an SL2HT in chlorine (flame, not quilt) with gold hardware. Yours is like the middle sibling between the two!

Is that mahogany or alder body/maple neck?

[GuerillaPete]

I believe these were done/ordered by Guitar Asylum (LI, NY) a few years back. I bought mine used from The Music Zoo.

The body's back (I think) is mahogany.

Did you order that to your specs? Still wondering if mine was custom ordered for someone specifically, or if the custom shop just did it as a one off. Is that mahogany or alder body/maple neck?