Les Paul Special DC

[MrBump]

Does anyone have one of these?  If I wanted one, is my only option second hand or Gibson Custom Shop prices?

[Philly Q]

If you want a wraparound bridge, your only "new" option is Gibson Custom Shop, as far as I know.

Edwards made a wraparound DC Special, but it's been discontinued and I haven't seen one on eBay for ages.  For some reason the "usual suspect" MIJ lawsuit brands like Burny, Greco, Orville etc never made DC Special copies, as far as I know.

If you don't mind a tune-o-matic and separate tailpiece, Gibson have done quite a few variations on the DC Special over the years (in their normal cheaper ranges rather than Custom Shop).  You'll probably find a few of those on eBay.

Or.... you could get a PRS 25th Anniversary Mira.  That has P-90s and a 22-fret neck.  I've seen a few of those knocking around secondhand.

[MrBump]

Cheers, PQ - thought about the Mira, but a second PRS???  People will start calling me Dave!!!

[tekbow]

what about Hamer? I can't say whether DC Les'ers or the Gibson style DC Hamers came first, but i know i remember being exposed to Hamer DC's long before i saw gibson DC's.

Andy Cairns from Therapy? was the guy i remember using one way back

http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=2907
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=898
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=390
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=392
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=391

Its a long running model so there's bound to be a bunch of second hand ones kicking around

[Philly Q]

I can't say whether DC Les'ers or the Gibson style DC Hamers came first, but i know i remember being exposed to Hamer DC's long before i saw gibson DC's.

Gibson were first, by a long way (1958)!  :P

But good point about the Hamers, don't know why I didn't think of them, having owned one ages ago.  They do show up on eBay fairly regularly.

[tekbow]

lol wait, I was dumb there wasn't i.. I was thinking the archtop, flamed Hamers then Gibson came out with the DC standard in the 90's. I completely forgot about the original DC les paul specials.. even though that was the point of the thread..

[Philly Q]

 :lol:  Yeah you're right about the fancier guitars, for sure.  Hamer copied the Gibson DC shape for the early Sunburst and Special, then later they started making the archtop and semi-hollow versions. 

The Gibson DC models with humbuckers and 24 frets were definitely later (although there was the short-lived Gibson Spirit range with the DC shape and humbuckers in the '80s, still later than the Hamer Sunburst though).

[Twinfan]

Cheers, PQ - thought about the Mira, but a second PRS???  People will start calling me Dave!!!

Ho ho ho!  :lol:

[Philly Q]

Cheers, PQ - thought about the Mira, but a second PRS???  People will start calling me Dave!!!

Ho ho ho!  :lol:

For some reason I feel the urge to say...... Merry Christmas!   :santa:

[Andrew W]

I had a '90s Les Paul Special DC from new and frankly it wasn't a great guitar. The P100s ruined it but it wasn't that good anyway. I ended up selling. I now have a '90s Hamer Special with a Nantucket bridge and a Blue Note neck and that is a much, much better instrument. If you can find one, second hand Hamer prices are very good, especially for a plain Jane Special.

[MrBump]

Yes, the Hamers are right up my street - I guess they've stopped making the higher end models?  Because I can only see modestly priced models listed new online.

[Telerocker]

Yes, the Hamers are right up my street - I guess they've stopped making the higher end models?  Because I can only see modestly priced models listed new online.

If you can pickup a modestly priced Artist, you'll be happy. One of my friends has a goldtop Gibson DC that sounds bland next to his PRS's. I think Hamers offer better tones.

[Philly Q]

Nothing bland about this!  :P

Yes, the Hamers are right up my street - I guess they've stopped making the higher end models?  Because I can only see modestly priced models listed new online.

I think they've even stopped making the budget models now, Fender have effectively killed off the Hamer brand (I wonder if someone might buy it in the future and revive it?)

There's a big dealer on eBay who's bought a load of beautiful NOS USA Hamers, I assume they were the last of the American production.

Anyway, the flat-top doublecut Special model with two P-90s ceased production a long time ago, way back in the '90s, although I guess Hamer may have built a few more as they seemed to become more like a Custom Shop in the latter days, making a lot of one-offs.  They do still appear on eBay fairly regularly, although there are none at the moment.

[PhilKing]

I've got an old 1960 DC Special and love it.  It has the great 1960 Gibson neck and plays really sweetly.  I've tried a couple of the newer ones, and I have to agree with the concensus here, that you should go with a Hamer, unless you can find a decent price on a custom shop secondhand.

[Telerocker]

Nothing bland about this!  :P

Yes, the Hamers are right up my street - I guess they've stopped making the higher end models?  Because I can only see modestly priced models listed new online.

I think they've even stopped making the budget models now, Fender have effectively killed off the Hamer brand (I wonder if someone might buy it in the future and revive it?)

There's a big dealer on eBay who's bought a load of beautiful NOS USA Hamers, I assume they were the last of the American production.

Anyway, the flat-top doublecut Special model with two P-90s ceased production a long time ago, way back in the '90s, although I guess Hamer may have built a few more as they seemed to become more like a Custom Shop in the latter days, making a lot of one-offs.  They do still appear on eBay fairly regularly, although there are none at the moment.

My mistake. I was talking about a 24 fret humbucker-loaded Gibson DC. I'd take any P90 over the hb's in that DC.
I do have a weak spot for the Special.