NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

[Diego]

I just traded my Epiphone 339 for this bad girl + a Laney Cub 8 combo with an italian Jensen speaker. Lovely little amp but man, what a guitar!

I couldn't name you 10 Alice in Chains songs, but Jerry knows what's good. First time I ever own signature gear!

Pics will be coming soon, but so far, the G&L is plain sick. The neck is really fast and comfortable (flat radius, medium jumbo frets and ebony fretboard), the finish is excellent, the guitar itself is kinda heavy (maple body), and the pickups sound real good; surprisingly thick with loads of definition and the bridge pup particularly is a ****ing scorcher. Has a coil split in the tone pot. The trem unit feels wonderful to let your right hand rest on a bit. Overall it reminds me a bit of a Charvel, except for the neck which has its own thing going on.

I'll eventually buy a 335 or something again, I loved that 339 but I couldn't resist the trade. I'm loving it so far!

EDIT: I took off a comment saying it kinda sounded a Strat. IT SO DOESN'T. I'm still figuring out what it's about but it sounds scary close to a Les Paul I used to have. More details below!

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

That's great to hear Diego. Glad you like it so much. I know it's not always easy to get the gear you really want down there, so I'm always happy when you find something quality that you love. G&L makes great stuff.

Now, hurry up with the damn pics!!!

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

I already posted in a thread yesterday how I'd love one of these - really want to see one with a Kahler too, they already put one in the Rampage and most original '80s Superhawks have one so doesn't seem like a stretch. Tributes are great guitars. I'm a big Jerry Cantrell/Alice in Chains fan, but the Superhawk has its own appeal to me.

[Diego]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

That's great to hear Diego. Glad you like it so much. I know it's not always easy to get the gear you really want down there, so I'm always happy when you find something quality that you love. G&L makes great stuff.

Now, hurry up with the damn pics!!!

Thanks man!

This really was a bit of an impulse, and so far I'm loving it. This guitar freaking CRUSHES under high gain. It's ridiculous how good it is at that.

Strangely, it sounds WAY darker than my Ibanez SZ320. That's a thick mahogany body and neck with a A2P/Custom combo, while this G&L has a slimmer neck, slimmer maple body and a supposedly brighter wood as well. But the Ibanez has a quick, sharp attack in all positions, while the Superhawk sounds thicker, richer and meatier. I'm truly surprised by that. The way it crunches reminds me of the Epiphone LP PlusTop Pro I used to own. These G&L pickups, whatever they are, suit the guitar so well I think they might be keepers.

It's got a factory setup, so I'm still dialing it in. But it's getting better and better.

[ItsaBass]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Congratulations.

A Tribute Cantrell Rampage is the only signature model I've ever owned (other than Les Pauls, of course). So good, I don't care whether it's a signature model or not! It's a better guitar than my Gibsons, and it cost me only $300, like new with factory gig bag.

As such, I have been interested in the Superhawks as well. I'm not surprised at all that you were so blown away by it. It's not perfect…but for the money, you cannot do any better.

That said, I haven't tried any of the Indonesian made versions of these. Mine is Chinese.

As for a two pickup version with a Kahler, your best bet is to buy a used Rampage, and add a pick up. There is tons of room to add controls, since they give you a full control cavity, even though it comes with only a volume knob.

[Diego]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Mine is Indonesian. It needs work in the nut slots and to round the frets around the fretboard edges a bit. Other than that, it's ready.

It punches WAY above it's pricetag for sure.

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Of course we're still missing something critical from you, Diego. I'm sure they have camera's in Santiago by now, right? The llama's must have helped pack some in?

[ItsaBass]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Mine is Indonesian. It needs work in the nut slots and to round the frets around the fretboard edges a bit. Other than that, it's ready.

It punches WAY above it's pricetag for sure.

That's too bad. The fretwork on my older copy was very good...and, of course, the Floyd nut helps to negate any cheap molded string nut issues.

That said, Gibsons have had those same exact issues you described, for like 20 years now. I have owned several to many, and they've all needed a healthy amount of fret work and new or improved string nuts to play very well.

[Diego]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

That's too bad. The fretwork on my older copy was very good...and, of course, the Floyd nut helps to negate any cheap molded string nut issues.

That said, Gibsons have had those same exact issues you described, for like 20 years now. I have owned several to many, and they've all needed a healthy amount of fret work and new or improved string nuts to play very well.

Honestly, I'm being picky. It's a little rough on the sides but other than that it needs no adjustments. It plays like butter as it is.

[Diego]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Of course we're still missing something critical from you, Diego. I'm sure they have camera's in Santiago by now, right? The llama's must have helped pack some in?

Hah! I couldn't get a proper shot yet, but I took a crappy cellphone pic before leaving for work today.



It's sooo easy to play. Action can go as low as you want, and I don't really need that so I'm keeping it medium, 11-50 tuned to D. It slays.

[justFred]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Beautiful...pure guitar...everything you need and nothing that you don't...

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

See, that is a beautiful super strat style guitar and a beautiful G&L guitar. Look at that killer dark fretboard.

Congratulations again.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Wow! That’s really nice!
Congrats on that guitar!!!

[skyydogg01]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

Nice score, Diego!!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD - G&L Tribute Superhawk!

I'm really glad G&L seem inclined to bring back this 'original' body shape, for example with the Skyhawk reissue. It's tasteful and distinctive, almost subtly different but recognizable as not just another Strat-style. Fun fact, the Tribute Skyhawk (EDIT meant Tribute Superhawk) has a more vintage accurate body than the US model.