Need questions answered & honest opinions on Caparison

[Qweklain]

First off the questions...
1) What is the neck radius(s)?
2) How do the pickups sound?
3) How are they weight wise?
4) Does the Schaller bridge stay in tune even with heavy whammy use?
5) Anything that can be really "bothersome" about them?

I would also like your honest opinions on them sound wise and quality wise. I've pretty much read nothing but great things, but I want to hear all you got to say about them as I am seriously considering getting a TAT II Red Sunset! Thanks!

 

[jonny toetags]

First off the questions...
1) What is the neck radius(s)?
2) How do the pickups sound?
3) How are they weight wise?
4) Does the Schaller bridge stay in tune even with heavy whammy use?
5) Anything that can be really "bothersome" about them?

I would also like your honest opinions on them sound wise and quality wise. I've pretty much read nothing but great things, but I want to hear all you got to say about them as I am seriously considering getting a TAT II Red Sunset! Thanks!

1) See Mark's post below
2) I didn't like the stock bridge in mine at all.
3) I'll weigh mine, but I'd say like a strat.
4) Hell yes!
5) The headstock is dangerous.

 

[mrp5150]

First off the questions...
1) What is the neck radius(s)?
2) How do the pickups sound?
3) How are they weight wise?
4) Does the Schaller bridge stay in tune even with heavy whammy use?
5) Anything that can be really "bothersome" about them?

I would also like your honest opinions on them sound wise and quality wise. I've pretty much read nothing but great things, but I want to hear all you got to say about them as I am seriously considering getting a TAT II Red Sunset! Thanks!

1) They have a compound radius neck. I'm not sure what the exact number is. I think it's listed on their website somewhere. Too lazy to look it up.
2) The PH-R is one of my favorite bridge pickups ever. Sounds killer for low tunings and has an awesome midrange growl. The BH-IIR isn't as high output and I don't like it nearly as much. Also not a fan of their single coils.
3) Average weight I'd say.
4) Yes, it's every bit as nice as an OFR. I actually like them better because they're stiffer in feel and they sit a little bit higher than an OFR.
5) Not in my opinion other than the fact that they can be hard to find used.

The TAT is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played. I've owned 21 Caparisons and about 7 or 8 TAT's. One thing I really like about them is the low mid growl that they have. Plus the TAT sounds equally good in standard or really low tunings IMO.

 

[EvilBatman]

350mm-400mm radius is what the site says. That's roughly a 14"-16" compound radius.

I'd love to get a TAT II in Frozen Sky but it's looking less and less likely due to money issues for me.

 

[eaeolian]

350mm-400mm radius is what the site says. That's roughly a 14"-16" compound radius.

Not surprising at all, given the company's Jackson roots.

Schallers are the only other trem I like other than the OFR. There are a few little differences, but for the most part they're identical. Set up correctly, they'll stay in tune no matter what you do.

 

[mrp5150]

First off the questions...
1) What is the neck radius(s)?
2) How do the pickups sound?
3) How are they weight wise?
4) Does the Schaller bridge stay in tune even with heavy whammy use?
5) Anything that can be really "bothersome" about them?

I would also like your honest opinions on them sound wise and quality wise. I've pretty much read nothing but great things, but I want to hear all you got to say about them as I am seriously considering getting a TAT II Red Sunset! Thanks!

1) They have a compound radius neck. I'm not sure what the exact number is. I think it's listed on their website somewhere. Too lazy to look it up.
2) The PH-R is one of my favorite bridge pickups ever. Sounds kilelr for low tunings and has an awesome midrange growl. The BH-IIR isn't as high output and I don't like it nearly as much. Also not a fan of their single coils.
3) Average weight I'd say.
4) Yes, it's every bit as nice as an OFR. I actually like them better because they're stiffer in feel and they sit a little bit higher than an OFR.
5) Not in my opinion other than the fact that they can be hard to find used.

The TAT is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played. I've owned 21 Caparisons and about 7 or 8 TAT's. One thing I really like about them is the low mid growl that they have. Plus the TAT sounds equally good in standard or really low tunings IMO.

Since you really like the Caps, how many do you own?

Haha, none because I can't afford to have one right now.

 

[mrp5150]

350mm-400mm radius is what the site says. That's roughly a 14"-16" compound radius.

I'd love to get a TAT II in Frozen Sky but it's looking less and less likely due to money issues for me.

Frozen Sky

 

[mctallica1]

I owned a Caparison BSG...forget which model. It was sort of like a double cutaway with a stop tailpiece.

My 100% honest opinion is that is felt like a toy.

Construction seemed pretty good, but I did not think it was worth even half the price tag.


Not trying to bash the company and I only owned the one, so maybe the one I had was bad.


I also played a couple with whammy bars that looked similar to the one Mark posted above (not the paint job, but that general style).... Don't really remember much about them.

 

[cyndicate]

Compared to other Superstrats I have owned in the Past the Caparison TAT II neck is definitely thicker. It took me awhile to get used to it, but like my previous review the back of the neck isn't completely round so it's pretty comfortable playing over extended periods of time.

For the money I wouldn't buy one new again, wait it out and find a Frozen Sky used on eBay or something, I only bought it new because I wanted that specific color and I had extra cash but I kind of regret it now. Overall its a nice guitar, but I still kind of wish I just re-bought a used Jackson Soloist just because of personal preference in neck radius.

TAT II's necks are finished as well, if you don't like that characteristics in guitar necks stay away from them, it is just as sticky/finished as a Jackson Soloist. Only reason it doesn't bother me is I played a Soloist for so long that I got used to it. However, I still prefer my necks to be unfinished.

Also I thought the upperfret access wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, being that its neck-thru and all. I guess its just because of the bigger radius, also note this is all IMO and I have pretty small hands

 

[mrp5150]

I've owned 3 or 4 Angelus models and they felt absolutely nothing like a toy. They were all very heavy guitars and sounded huge, except the one with EMG's.

 

[mrp5150]

it is just as sticky/finished as a Jackson Soloist.

I don't find the TAT necks to be sticky at all, but I haven't played a 2008 model like the one you have. I can't imagine they changed anything though?

 

[cyndicate]

it is just as sticky/finished as a Jackson Soloist.

I don't find the TAT necks to be sticky at all, but I haven't played a 2008 model like the one you have. I can't imagine they changed anything though?

Well it's not sticky, but the finished neck just has more resistance against your thumb than unfinished necks, not really sure what to call that. It's basically the same feel as playing on a Soloist with just a bigger neck radius

 

[mrp5150]

Well yeah, it's obviously not as nice as an unfinished neck, but they're WAY better than a painted Gibson neck for example. Those are horrible.

 

[cyndicate]

So far through the Herbert it sounds really nice, still haven't down tuned it yet to try with the ENGL 570/2502 setup

Mine came in Standard, what guage strings do you recommend for drop c?

 

[mrp5150]

I never play in Drop C, but I'd probably use something like 11-56 for that. Maybe 11-58. I like thicker strings, especially for rhythm stuff.

 

[cyndicate]

What about for all the way down to B?

 

[jonny toetags]

Mine's tuned in E and needs a new home

 

[mrp5150]

What about for all the way down to B?

For a 25.5" guitar like the TAT I use 13 17 26 36 46 58 for B standard.

 

[cyndicate]

What about for all the way down to B?

For a 25.5" guitar like the TAT I use 13 17 26 36 46 58 for B standard.

Damn thats some freaken huge ass strings

 

[mrp5150]

What about for all the way down to B?

For a 25.5" guitar like the TAT I use 13 17 26 36 46 58 for B standard.

Damn thats some freaken huge ass strings

They don't feel that thick when you're tuned down that low, but they don't feel loose at all, which I like.