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Hatsubai « New updated features for 2006 »
Published on 07/24/11 at 22:34The SL3 got a few updates around this time, and I noticed they tend to be a bit more solid than the previous years for whatever reason. The guitar has the following specs:
Alder body with a veneer for certain finishes
Neck-thru maple neck
Rosewood fretboard with 24 jumbo frets
HSS configuration
Licensed floyd rose bridge
5 way switch
sharkfin position inlays
master volume, master tone
UTILIZATION
The first thing that I notice is that the upper fret access on these neck-thru models is wonderful. You can easily reach the upper frets without any issues at all. The fretwork is pretty decent on these. The ends were nicely rounded so they don't cut your hand while moving up and down the neck, but the frets could use a bit of a level. I noticed some fretting out when bending on the higher frets, and it was a bit of a pain when I started lowering the action. The floyd rose on this is decent, but I recommend replacing it with an original floyd rose if you can spare the extra few bucks. I find that they feel a lot better than the one that's installed on this.
SOUNDS
The guitar has actual Seymour Duncan pickups installed in it. The JB in the bridge can be a bit bright, but it depends on how much you like bright tones. I find that I tend to like brighter guitar sounds, so it suited my style for that shred 80s kinda sound. The SH1N in the middle is pretty useless. Even in the 2 and 4 positions, it was just so hot that it didn't really lend itself to getting a good clean tone. The SH1N in the neck is awesome for leads. In fact, it's one of my favorite single coil humbucker neck sounds. However, the clean tones are a bit dismal, so keep that in mind.
OVERALL OPINION
The real Duncans that were installed in this are a wonderful addition to the SL3. They really make this guitar come alive. I've seen these for awesome prices on Craigslist, so I recommend searching there or eBay first to find the best deal on these. I also recommend replacing the floyd, but it's your call.
Alder body with a veneer for certain finishes
Neck-thru maple neck
Rosewood fretboard with 24 jumbo frets
HSS configuration
Licensed floyd rose bridge
5 way switch
sharkfin position inlays
master volume, master tone
UTILIZATION
The first thing that I notice is that the upper fret access on these neck-thru models is wonderful. You can easily reach the upper frets without any issues at all. The fretwork is pretty decent on these. The ends were nicely rounded so they don't cut your hand while moving up and down the neck, but the frets could use a bit of a level. I noticed some fretting out when bending on the higher frets, and it was a bit of a pain when I started lowering the action. The floyd rose on this is decent, but I recommend replacing it with an original floyd rose if you can spare the extra few bucks. I find that they feel a lot better than the one that's installed on this.
SOUNDS
The guitar has actual Seymour Duncan pickups installed in it. The JB in the bridge can be a bit bright, but it depends on how much you like bright tones. I find that I tend to like brighter guitar sounds, so it suited my style for that shred 80s kinda sound. The SH1N in the middle is pretty useless. Even in the 2 and 4 positions, it was just so hot that it didn't really lend itself to getting a good clean tone. The SH1N in the neck is awesome for leads. In fact, it's one of my favorite single coil humbucker neck sounds. However, the clean tones are a bit dismal, so keep that in mind.
OVERALL OPINION
The real Duncans that were installed in this are a wonderful addition to the SL3. They really make this guitar come alive. I've seen these for awesome prices on Craigslist, so I recommend searching there or eBay first to find the best deal on these. I also recommend replacing the floyd, but it's your call.