Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

[Musically Mr M]

:headbang: I just purchased a Hamer XT Stardard. Alder Body, Mahogany faux quilt top, Maple neck. Fairly lightweight and has Duncan Designed pickups. Well finished, well put together piece. Very nice neck. I've never owned an Explorer and always wanted a '76. (Didn't necessarily want to pay the price for one though) I have played a Hamer USA Standard and it was dreamy to play. My big issue with either is that they are pretty much set up for heavy playing styles and that's not my swag. I hover around jazzy styles, pop/R&B, fusion/blues timbres. I am also one of many guitarist who truly believe that any guitar should be able to play anything (it's about the player after all, right?) that the music calls for, I never did agree with this "metal" this, "jazz" that yada yada.

I want my econ-explorer to cover a lot of sonic space. I got it from a pawnshop for 150.00 I have no problem spending another $200-250 for some versatile pickups and some good locking tuners. I'm thinking of the Seymour's infamous SH-2 Jazz/JB combination. I use that on an AX series Ibanez with a lot of success (especially for fusion/acid jazz stuff). Open to suggestions though....especially with this Explorer style guitar. Please, suggest away :smokin:

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

Alder is a good wood for pickups... tends to play nicely with everyone.

A '59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge is always a good choice for versatility when it comes to alder + maple neck. Spans the gamut of what you mentioned... pretty sick pickup.

For the neck? You could go in a bunch of different directions. For contrast, an Antiquity neck would give you a deep smoky tone that still cuts... then up from there could be a Seth Lover neck... to match would be a '59 neck (or even a Whole Lotta Humbucker neck).

A Screamin' Demon would be good in the neck for a '59/Custom Hybrid... it's a surprisingly good neck pickup that doesn't get wooly or boomy in the neck despite having pretty decent output (for a neck pup).

For a set, the Whole Lotta Humbucker set is good for a Standard set... in fact, the original pickups that came in the late 70s early 80s Hamer standards were remarkably close to the Whole Lotta Humbucker set.

I could see the locking tuner upgrade and maybe even a locking tailpiece... if you know a decently priced luthier, a hand cut graphite or bone nut is always an upgrade but usually more trouble than it's worth for the everyday guitar tinkerer. Electronics upgrades are always good... the sets they sell are sometimes pricey and you can get a better deal sourcing the stuff yourself from multiple vendors.

Those XT Standards are a lot of guitar for the money.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

I'm thinking prails in triple shots. Can't get more versatile than that

 

[Mincer]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

I like the Jazz in the neck, but with a 59/Custom Hybrid for the bridge. It is more fusion-y sounding than a JB to my ears, and doesn't compress the notes nearly as much. It also sounds better clean. I hear the JB more in the hard rock camp, so I'd go with a slightly hotter PAF-type for the bridge.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

The LPDC style Hamer XT goes nicely with a PGN in the neck/Rhythm position. Second choice SH-1n with a magnet swap to A4.

I see the sense of the '59/Custom Hybrid suggestion. With all that alder and maple going on, the regular G-spacing Perpetual Burn should cover a lot of ground.

Probably a good idea to upgrade the pots. For wider sonic variety, consider upgrading the pickup selector switch to a Freeway 3x3-03.

 

[austin]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

Whole Lotta Humbucker set! I'd say you should stay with something PAF-ish for both positions regardless of the specific pickups, if versatility is your goal. PAFs can do it all, but something like a JB will be more at home in higher gain situations IME.
-
Austin

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Just Bought A New To Me Hamer XT Standard And Want To Change The Pickups

Congrats on your new score!! Fellow explorer and explorer type lover here! And yes, you are correct, its about the player.. Play whatever you want on that bad boy! In certain circles you may get some funny looks, but ..... Im embarrassed, but I cant think of the guy's name, but there used to be a blues player that played a V. Not a typical axe for blues. more importantly will be your pickup choice. Ya dont want to get some super high out put pickups if ya want to play R&B or something. I also agree with the 59/custom hybrid and either a Jazz or 59 in the neck. That will cover alot of ground and sounds great. In my Explorer I run a Custom 8 in the bridge and a 59b/4 in the neck. The Custom 8 also covers alot of ground, but I dont know how experienced or comfortable you are with swapping magnets in pickups. It is a custom (another good choice, but may be alittle harder than what you are looking for) with an alnico 8 magnet in it. Makes it alittle sweeter and more vocal. I also run 59 bridge models in the neck. The bridge model gives alittle bit more of a smokey blues flavor to my ear. I put an alnico 4 in this one to soften the low end a bit. But Im running a mahogany guitar.. So, you could use a 59/custom bridge with a jazz or 59 or pearly gates neck.. A pearly gates set, a WLH set (great in my LP!!)
or a Custom8/59 set. Magnet swap required..