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Lew, I know you presently own a Monaco Elite. I have played few and really like the feel, tone and playability of this guitar. Only complaint is the Duncan pickups may be to hot, in particular the neck humbucker.

I just got rid of an 89 Les Paul Standard, so if you could compare and contrast these two guitars.

Thanks.

gt5litre

Am I the only person who finds the Monaco's neck joint particularly awkward?

Lew owns a Monaco Superpro...it's a bit different from the Elite...it has a slightly wider body and it's chambered?!

Yes...the Monoco Super Pro is chambered. It reminds me of a single cutaway ES-335 but I like the tone better than any ES-335 I've owned. It's fatter sounding. I don't know what Hamer is using now, but mine came with a Duncan Custom as the neck pickup and I thought that was just to strong a pickup. It sounded fine for soloing as well as for rythym when played at low volumes but cranked I found it to be to muddy for my tastes. I replaced it with a Seth Lover and I like that alot better. I like the Duncan Custom as a bridge pickup but it's to strong for a neck pickup, IMO, and Hamer used the 14.4K regular Duncan Custom as the neck pickup. I LOVE the stock Custom Custom that Hamer puts in the bridge position. I also like the longer scale length Hamer uses on the Monoco. It's about 25 1/2quot; like a Fender Strat compared to the 24 3/4quot; scale of a Gibson. I think the longer scale gives the wound strings a deeper and more authoritive tone.

As for which I prefer, my Les Paul '59 Historic or my Hamer Monoco: I have a great Les Paul but I rarely play it. I like the Monoco more...it just sounds better to me.

And I have no issues with the neck joint. It looks like I'd be bumping into it but it reality it's very comfortable to play up high on the neck.