DT Classic Pickup Selection

[Stan Malinowski]

I'm thinking about ordering up a DT Classic along the following lines:

- Hollow Alder Back
- Koa Top
- Maple Neck/Madagascar RW Board

Here's the question - I love the VA Series Pickups in my two Classics and have never really been a fan of stacked single coil sized humbuckers which most people put into DT Classics.

Anyone ever use true sc pickups in a DT? What's the general input from anyone else on this selection? My concern might be the maple-like high end of the Koa in conjunction with sc pickups might produce a brittle, shrilly tone.

[John Price]

Stan,
Personally I'm not a real big fan of Koa so I would just go with the maple top, and with the pickups I would suggest since you already have 2 classic Andersons that you try the stacked pickups in the new guitar. I would go with the SA series, I have the SA2R/SA2/H2+ in my HDT and really love the split coil sounds and with the vintage voicing you have no loss of volume when going to the single coil mode, actually I think it sounds louder in the single coil mode!???

[tom]

slightly off the subject, but we are out of koa, and i have been down so many dead end trails, that i'm tired of looking. the price for great stuff is being driven way up by acoustic builders. i don't think electric guys are going to want to pay the kind of upcharge that acoustic guys are paying. what do you all think?

[Stan Malinowski]

Tom,

Presently you have a $100 upcharge from maple to koa. Given the present market conditions what do you think the upcharge could increase to?

[Stan Malinowski]

Tom,

How would a Hollow DT Classic with a hollow alder body/maple top sound with VA Series pickups? Would the single coils produce a very brittle or shrill tone with the maple top. I would probably go with a rosewood board on the maple neck.

[John Price]

Hello Tom,
Personally I wouldn't be interested in Koa on my electric!

I'm sure the price would have to dramatically increase under the conditions you have outlined and if that being the case i would expect the drop in in orders!

I also believe there are better alternatives to use for a tone wood!

PS..
Just got my HDT this week!
Thanks for making another killer guitar for me!! :D

[John Price]

Stan,
That combination actually sounds killer!

The maple doesn't have that dramatic of an effect over the tone! I think it actually compliments the alder! and with the tone chambers your adding some more harmonic overtone properties....
are you thinking of all single coils?
or can we get you to add a humbucker!!:D

[LeonC]

Originally posted by tom
slightly off the subject, but we are out of koa, and i have been down so many dead end trails, that i'm tired of looking. the price for great stuff is being driven way up by acoustic builders. i don't think electric guys are going to want to pay the kind of upcharge that acoustic guys are paying. what do you all think?

I've been told the exact same thing by another local SoCal builder, Ron Thorn.

I love koa for set-neck guitars--kind of like mahogany. Not sure it's so great in bolt-ons but admitedtly have very little experience with it. Maybe nice in a Cobra...Tom where do you like it most?

I might be willing to pay the upcharge...but not really in the market now...

[tom]

let's see...in order, i do really like the hollow alder with maple top. you could go all singles, but i'm a sucker for a humbucker in the bridge. if that makes you nervous, try the HO1+, it sounds wonderful with the VA's.
as for how much koa could go to, it would at least double, $200 retail, but i could see it going even higher. we have stopped taking orders for it for now. what's my favorite with koa? i must confess that i think it is just about the most beautiful wood there is, but it wouldn't be my first choice on my personal guitar. it's pushing the "coffee table" thing too close for me. but i'm pretty much of an subtle earth tone guy. nothing quite like tobbacco fade on a nice flame top. roy always teases me that i might want to step out and try something bold like tiger eye or bora to blue burst, but i never do. that said, i think the koa tops on hollow basswood have been my favorite. i am a cobra guy through and through, so i never quite fall in love with anything shaped like a strat.

[gregc]

Yep, Jol Dantzig over at Hamer was talking about how tough good Korina is to find now. I think I got the last piece out of the shop before they put the 'kabosh' on it for now. Here's the custom ordered JR style guitar they built for me:
http://www.mcycle.bnl.gov/jr4.jpg
gregc

[Stan Malinowski]

Hey Greg,

They built me one too!

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stanley.malinowski@snet.net/vwp?.dir=/Hamer+Korina&.dnm=My+Korina+Jr+Resize.jpg&.view=t