Hamer Talladega £2686

The MusicRadar Team, Tue 1 Apr, 12:49 pm BST

Double-D Seymour Duncan pickups designed to Jol Dantzig's specifications

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Manufacturer's description

At a certain point I realized that the two paths were more than just parallel and that if I joined them, the result would be greater than the sum of the parts. The idea was to balance a warm-toned chambered mahogany body with a maple neck as a way of getting both an airy snap and a rich fundamental. The original Hamer Sustain Block bridge I designed back in 1977 turned out to be an excellent choice—it couples with the body and drives it with real authority.

The design called for a single coil with more girth and depth without losing the snap and definition that makes traditional singles great, so I called up my friend Seymour Duncan. We decided to use polepiece magnets with a copper reflector plate underneath to capture some really nice overtones and help with the string separation. For the neck pickuping that would compliment the bridge pickup. Because I wanted to be able to join the pickups in series as well, the balance was extra important. Seymour came through with a hybrid pickup that uses large steel slugs to focus the field from underlying bar magnets similar to P90 construction. After a seemingly endless number of prototypes we arrived at the matched set—and to denote the Duncan/Dantzig collaboration we named them "Double D". It was time to put it all together and go for a test drive.

The happy ending came when my friends took up their Talladegas and announced them fit to gig. Seeing our work up on stage making great music is still the ultimate thrill for me, and I was satisfied that my little experiment had turned out so well. if you haven't been able to try one out yet, be patient. We aren't cutting corners to make them—that would spoil the whole thing wouldn't it?

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Verdict

MusicRadar rating: 4.5 of 5

Pros

Stunning execution of a great concept. Good looks, great sounds, classic rawness.

Cons

The Double-Ds are a degree or two out of parallel with the strings. Plain dot markers and an unbound headstock may look better.

The bottom line

If you’re ready for a super T-style instrument built to be the best, and if your pockets have the depth, then your search could end here.

Review Policy

All MusicRadar’s reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.

SpecificationShow

Talladega

Price:
£2686
Country of Origin:
USA
Price at Launch:
2686.00
Available Controls:
Tone, Volume
Available Finish:
Amberburst only
Body Style:
Single Cutaway
Case Included:
Yes
Fingerboard Material:
Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius:
14 inch (356mm)
Guitar Body Material:
Mahogany
Inlays:
Dot
Left Handed Model Available:
No
Neck Material:
Maple
Neck Profile:
V Shape
No. of Frets:
22
No of Strings:
6
Nut Material:
Bone
Options:
The Talladega was a fully formed special design by Jol Dantzig, and as such there are currently no other models in the range.
Scale Length (Inches):
25.50
Scale Length (mm):
648.00
String Spacing:
52.00
Weight (kg):
3.50
Weight (lb):
7.70
Width at Nut (mm):
42.00
Pickup Configuration:
2 x Single-Coil
Pickup Switching:
4 Position Blade Switch - Bridge/Bridge and Neck/Neck/Neck and Bridge
Pickup Type:
Two Seymour Duncan/Jol Dantzig special design ‘Double-D’ humbucker-sized single-coils (nickel plated)
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