Hatsubai « Veneer flame HSS model »
Published on 09/08/11 at 15:05This model's main thing is its HSS configuration. For those looking for more versatility, you'll probably want to be looking at this model. The rest of the specs are the same as any other Star series DK guitar. The guitar has the following specs:
Alder Body w/Flame Maple Veneer Top
Maple Bolt-On Neck
Bound Rosewood Fretboard with Sharkfin Inlays
Licensed Floyd Rose
HSS Duncan Designed Pickups
One Volume
One Tone
Five Way Switch
UTILIZATION
There was a slight neck joint gap in this model, but it wasn't too big of a deal. It's about on par with what you'd see from most Fenders out there. The binding was done decently, but there was a nice seam right where the nut was, and it kinda stood out. The frets were decent, but there were a few slightly low frets that would cause issues when you start running super low action. The guitar has a pretty cheap floyd on it, and I'm not a huge fan of that. There are better floyds out there that'll swap into this guitar, so if you're thinking about keeping the guitar, it would be worth looking into, in my opinion.
SOUNDS
The guitar had Duncan Designed pickups in it, and I'm really not a fan. The bridge pickup is like a muddy and less clear JB. It doesn't have the organic quality that the real JB seems to have, and it's a shame as the JB is really a great pickup, despite its normal shortcomings that people can sometimes find with it. The neck and middle pickups were pretty bland overall. They produced a nice clean tone, but the lead tone was severely lacking. If you're going to keep this guitar, I recommend replacing them with something from the real Duncan line. You'll be much happier overall.
OVERALL OPINION
If you're into HSS strats, this is something to check out. You'll want to replace the pickups and maybe even replace the floyd, but they're still good player guitars. Pay attention to the fretwork most of all. That's where the most problems seem to occur on some of these. They're generally pretty good, but a few slip through the cracks. The rest of the guitar is generally pretty solid, and neck joint issues are usually not that common.
Alder Body w/Flame Maple Veneer Top
Maple Bolt-On Neck
Bound Rosewood Fretboard with Sharkfin Inlays
Licensed Floyd Rose
HSS Duncan Designed Pickups
One Volume
One Tone
Five Way Switch
UTILIZATION
There was a slight neck joint gap in this model, but it wasn't too big of a deal. It's about on par with what you'd see from most Fenders out there. The binding was done decently, but there was a nice seam right where the nut was, and it kinda stood out. The frets were decent, but there were a few slightly low frets that would cause issues when you start running super low action. The guitar has a pretty cheap floyd on it, and I'm not a huge fan of that. There are better floyds out there that'll swap into this guitar, so if you're thinking about keeping the guitar, it would be worth looking into, in my opinion.
SOUNDS
The guitar had Duncan Designed pickups in it, and I'm really not a fan. The bridge pickup is like a muddy and less clear JB. It doesn't have the organic quality that the real JB seems to have, and it's a shame as the JB is really a great pickup, despite its normal shortcomings that people can sometimes find with it. The neck and middle pickups were pretty bland overall. They produced a nice clean tone, but the lead tone was severely lacking. If you're going to keep this guitar, I recommend replacing them with something from the real Duncan line. You'll be much happier overall.
OVERALL OPINION
If you're into HSS strats, this is something to check out. You'll want to replace the pickups and maybe even replace the floyd, but they're still good player guitars. Pay attention to the fretwork most of all. That's where the most problems seem to occur on some of these. They're generally pretty good, but a few slip through the cracks. The rest of the guitar is generally pretty solid, and neck joint issues are usually not that common.