Dual Humbucker Solidbody Guitars

[pickdropper]

Yeah, the EC-1000s are sexy beasts.  Kinda wish they made a 22 fret model though (not that there's anything wrong with the 24, but the EC-400s are 22 fret models and the "look" is correct").  If they offered the quilt purple one with SDs/Dimarzios instead of EMGs, that would be a killer.

There are three used MIJ Eclipses at my favourite store right now (Black, White, and Tiger Eye Quilt), all with EMGs, all tonally dead.  Not saying a good setup/new set of strings wouldn't go a long way to fixing that, but when you're looking at $900+ used, I expect to strum it and be impressed.  They've also been sitting there for three months, so I'm not the only one who thinks they're not great.

On the same note, saw the "Less" Les Paul in person at one of the GC's in Denver last week.  So wrong, so very, very, very wrong.  Thin body (thinner than my H140, pretty sure overall thickness was less than a strat).  They're marketing it for Les Paul lovers with back problems.  Think the price on it was $2100.  Crazy.

The MIJ ESP Eclipses can be a great value used if you find one with passive pickups.  They are thinner, so they are not a drop in replacement for a Les Paul.  Btw, have you seen the new prices on the ESP Eclipse (not the E-2 line)?  Wow.

As far as dual bucker SB guitar recommendations, there are so many options out there.   I know you mentioned bolt-on, but more info would help.  Info such as preferred scale length, wood, bridge, control layout (other than not wanting the LP layout) would be useful.

As far as ones that I own and like, my favorites are my Les Paul and my Baker.  Both have the control layout you dislike, although you can find used Bakers with different control layouts.  Make sure it's built by Gene Baker and not one of the Ed Roman Korea built monstrosities.

I also don't mind the dual humbucker super-strat style guitars if it's a bolt-on.  There are countless makers of that style, however.

[GermanCdn]

[The MIJ ESP Eclipses can be a great value used if you find one with passive pickups.  They are thinner, so they are not a drop in replacement for a Les Paul.  Btw, have you seen the new prices on the ESP Eclipse (not the E-2 line)?  Wow.

Yup.  I get the feeling 2015 is the Year of Stupid New Guitar Prices.  Saw a USA Dean hanging on the wall for $4k.  Ridiculous.

[pickdropper]

[The MIJ ESP Eclipses can be a great value used if you find one with passive pickups.  They are thinner, so they are not a drop in replacement for a Les Paul.  Btw, have you seen the new prices on the ESP Eclipse (not the E-2 line)?  Wow.

Yup.  I get the feeling 2015 is the Year of Stupid New Guitar Prices.  Saw a USA Dean hanging on the wall for $4k.  Ridiculous.

I am sure they'll have no problems selling that Dean for $750.

[GermanCdn]

I guess when I offered them $550 for it I was a little off then......

Funny part was, it was sitting on the wall beside eight 10 top PRSs, most of which were <$3k, though I expect Paul will jump on the price increase train next year as well (it's the 30th Anniversary year, just another reason to jack up prices).

I wish Fender hadn't killed Hamer.

[Shrtyska9]

I really love my Schecter C-1+. Its an early 2000's model before they started putting the push-pull volume pots in them. Originally it was 2V's 1T but I have it wired for Master Volume and Master Tone with a dummy knob which kind of bothers me. Mahogany body, maple top, and string through with a tune-o-matic bridge, sustain is great and tuning stability is awesome. The thing I love the most is the heel on the neck isn't boxy like a les paul tends to be its carved and rounded making playing high on the neck extremely comfortable. The stock pickups (Duncan Designed Hb-103) aren't great but get some decent tones out of them.

[GermanCdn]

Alternatively, if you found an LP control layout on an otherwise ideal guitar that suited your needs, you could wire in a G&L PTB passive system (schematic available online), would get you closer to the Reverend bass control, better than a standard tone control.  But you'd still be left with a spare hole.  Install a killswitch and you can channel your inner Ace Frehley, preferably from the days before he needed to lean up against something to stand.

[playpunk]

why don't you just get a quote from precision guitar kits and see if they'll make you a kit with the controls you want?

You are up that way so I'd imagine shipping would be cheaper than it is to the states

[pickdropper]

I guess when I offered them $550 for it I was a little off then......

Funny part was, it was sitting on the wall beside eight 10 top PRSs, most of which were <$3k, though I expect Paul will jump on the price increase train next year as well (it's the 30th Anniversary year, just another reason to jack up prices).

I wish Fender hadn't killed Hamer.

Hamer was a really good value, but they went the way of insane pricing as well before they were killed.  I remember back about a dozen years ago, you could get a nice Hamer south of $2k.  Before they went under, their pricing had crept quite a bit and many were more than Gibson.  If you look at the 2006 price list (right before Fender bought them), the average price was around $3k before adding any options.  When you consider that was 8 years ago, they really were out of their minds.

http://www.jedistar.com/pdf/hamer_pricelist_2006.pdf

They do make nice instruments, though.  I almost bought an orange sparkle Hamer Newport from a friend a decade ago, but I couldn't bond with the neck, which had an odd shape to it (to me at least).  It did sound good.

[rullywowr]

Les Paul. There is none higher.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Les Paul. There is none higher.

Or possibly HEAVIER 

I used to own a '74 Deluxe. I thought it was the cats meow for the first few weeks. Then, the actual weight kicked in and it's last few months in my possesion was merely because it was a Les Paul.

[jkokura]

Les Paul. There is none higher.

Or possibly HEAVIER 

I used to own a '74 Deluxe. I thought it was the cats meow for the first few weeks. Then, the actual weight kicked in and it's last few months in my possesion was merely because it was a Les Paul.

That's actually another, secondary, reason I don't like Les Pauls (aside from the control layout). I don't like how heavy they are in comparison to my other guitars (read teles, starts and semi hollows).

I really think that a Les Paul Jr would be a good ticket for me. I have looked into kits from Precision, but at this point I don't have the cash for one, and it would have absolutely no resale value if I ever did need to let it go.

Jacob

[pickdropper]

Les Paul's can indeed be heavy.  Many of the 70's ones were particularly heavy because of the laminate bodies.  The newer ones are still heavy, but not usually THAT heavy.  Some of the 70s's LPs were bowling ball weights.

[GermanCdn]

Les Paul body size minus the weight with a slim taper neck = Greg Bennett RL-4, except for the control layout (and very budget friendly).

Agreed on not building a parts LPJr.  Would be nearly impossible to offload when you wanted to.

[rullywowr]

The weight of a Les Paul may be too much for some.  When I had mine built, I asked specifically for the traditional routing - can't stand the chambered weight relieved Pauls.

Before I could afford a Paul I had a PRS Tremonti SE and loved it. I upgraded the pickups and bridge to an adjustable intonation one and it was superb. Light weight and it rocked.  Set neck was great.

Sounds like your mind is made up (bolt on neck, two knob config, light weight). Why not just get a parts strat and a HH pick guard and call it a day.  Or maybe a Ibanez or Pacer type of shredder?  My Pacer is lots of fun to play and was under 300 usd. Some dimarzios and it's a beast.

[jkokura]

Sounds like your mind is made up (bolt on neck, two knob config, light weight). Why not just get a parts strat and a HH pick guard and call it a day.  Or maybe a Ibanez or Pacer type of shredder?  My Pacer is lots of fun to play and was under 300 usd. Some dimarzios and it's a beast.

I have one of those already, and while it services, it's still a strat.

Mostly I started this thread as a discussion on what we all do/don't like in H/H guitars, and thus far it's been super fruitful because I've learned about a half dozen guitars I never thought of.

Jacob