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View Full Version : Flamey Redwood and Tonal Heaven: Chapin arrives


Testudo
06-17-2005, 12:32 PM
http://home.comcast.net/~peterj136/hawkbody.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~peterj136/fullhawk.jpg

Same report as on BaM, just spreading the joy.

It's a cliche by now, but the pics don't do it justice.

Specs:
Redwood top, ash back
Mahogany neck w/ blackwood board.
Powertron in bridge pos., TVTron in neck
3-way blade switch, 3-way toggle for series, tapped, and parallel.

This is one killer guitar. In full humbucking mode it is very Les Paulish, especially with the tone rolled back a bit. With the tone on full it gets more gretsch-like.
Tapped it does bright, aggressive Tele sounds, even sounding vaguely Strattish, and parallel covers the mellower aspects of a Tele.
All that "Tele" stuff I count as a bonus. I wanted a killer humbucking guitar, and figured we might as well do coil-tapping.
As with everything Bill makes, you get useful sounds with the volume and tone in all positions. Tone at zero in humbucking mode, you can do that sustainy cello-like tone that Page did occasionally and Fripp did all the time.
Roll back the tone a bit in HB mode for LP fatness, then switch to tap and bring the tone to full - no loss of signal.
The bridge pickup is set slightly hotter than the neck in humbucking mode, so that they equal out in tapped and parallel.
So many more tonal possibilities I can't remember tham all.

Full tone report later - this is just initial impressions from the dropoff last night.

bluestein
06-17-2005, 12:38 PM
Love the shades!

:)

hawkeyeinexile
06-17-2005, 12:51 PM
congrats, PJ, and excellent choice of features.

i think you'll find, as you compare to LPs & teles & gretsches plus plug into different amps, that the guitar exhibits an increasingly unique quality, id'ing it as a Chapin. a matter of clarity mostly, to my ear.

enjoy,
:cool:

Testudo
06-17-2005, 12:56 PM
Originally posted by hawkeyeinexile
congrats, PJ, and excellent choice of features.

i think you'll find, as you compare to LPs & teles & gretsches plus plug into different amps, that the guitar exhibits an increasingly unique quality, id'ing it as a Chapin. a matter of clarity mostly, to my ear.

enjoy,
:cool:
Absolutely. Tonal comparisons are gross generalizations only.:D It's a lot more than a Tele/LP/Gretsch/Strat-in-one.

hawkeyeinexile
06-17-2005, 01:07 PM
Originally posted by Testudo
Absolutely. Tonal comparisons are gross generalizations only.:D It's a lot more than a Tele/LP/Gretsch/Strat-in-one.

and how about that blackwood 'board? w/mahogany that neck must be a tone engine. what's its profile?

:cool:

58gasman
06-17-2005, 01:12 PM
Congrats on the new Chapin.

One aspect of all Chapins is the versatility that they exhibit. His T-birds or Stratahoulas will give you the basic sounds of teles and strats but depending on you amp and pedal setups you will find sounds that go well beyond what a Typical Fender is capable of.

Beautiful Guitar.. enjoy.

Craig

58gasman
06-17-2005, 01:14 PM
Not trying to derail this thread but any pictures of the Devil Dog in progress??;) :)

cnardone
06-17-2005, 01:17 PM
beautifully guitar. i wonder if that is the same piece oe Redwood as mine. That guitar is going to treat you really well for a long time. Congratualtions. Enjoy her for a long time.

cmn

abergdahl
06-17-2005, 02:02 PM
WOW .. Really cool looking and i suspect it sounds even better.

It makes me want my next Chapin even more...

Bonedance
06-17-2005, 02:18 PM
That is a beautiful guitar! Classy, understated elegance. The Baby Grand bridge looks very sweet and everything seems to work in harmony. Congrats!

Testudo
06-17-2005, 05:38 PM
Originally posted by hawkeyeinexile
and how about that blackwood 'board? w/mahogany that neck must be a tone engine. what's its profile?

:cool:
What's its profile? I was in Bill's shop, picked it up, said "This is an incredible neck. I want it." That's as specific as I can get. :p

Originally posted by cnardone
beautifully guitar. i wonder if that is the same piece oe Redwood as mine. That guitar is going to treat you really well for a long time. Congratualtions. Enjoy her for a long time.

cmn
It probably was. Pictures of your guitar kept me going through many a cold and lonely night.

hawkeyeinexile
06-17-2005, 06:24 PM
Originally posted by Testudo
What's its profile? I was in Bill's shop, picked it up, said "This is an incredible neck. I want it." That's as specific as I can get. :p
...


just heard from Bill, it's ".860-ish, chunky C-to-D style"

yowzah

:cool:

edgarallanpoe
06-17-2005, 06:35 PM
Amen brother...Redwood is the shiznits. I have been getting out of the maple tops because they always seem to make the guitar overly harsh. However...I love the look. When I heard about the redwood, I was intrigued. Well..I am a convert. Redwood sounds amazing...

Mine is a Nik Huber Redwood Dolphin..the one on the far right.

One piece exceptional Redwood top
Korina Body and neck
Brazillian board
Body is chambered

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/edgarallanpoe/SmallHubers.jpg

decay-o-caster
06-17-2005, 07:31 PM
Peter - so cool! Congrats, bro! :)

big mike
06-17-2005, 09:51 PM
Oh yeah!!!:dude

Amitar
06-17-2005, 09:52 PM
Congrats Testudo,
Great looking guitar. I can imagine how great it sounds from your description and knowing how Chapin's sound. Gotta love the Hawk body. Have fun.