Studio vs. Artist

[LucSulla]

I'm kind of looking at getting another Studio, but I've also had GAS for an Artist for a while. Not really in a position to buy one of each, so it would be one or the other if anything at all. 

I was curious what the differences were in tone for those of you who have played both. 

[Cboss]

I have both, love both..the Artist is noticeably lighter and sounds fantastic acoustically, very rich.  They both benefit greatly from a graphtech nut (PT-6143) as the Hamer nut is plastic - huge upgrade

[RobB]

Artist. With the right amp and volume, you can really get them to sing.

[Kerry Marchman]

A little like the difference in a Les Paul and a 335. My Studios have a more immediate response and a little punchier sound, where the Artist 25th Anniversary I have is fat and warm sounding even though they have the same pickups. of course that could be more due to the fact that it is all mahogany. I had an Artist Custom with Seth lovers in it a long time ago. It was a great guitar, and I should have kept it, it sounded brighter than my current Artist, but not as punchy as my Studios. They all have their own personality, and you can't go wrong with any of them.

[Disturber]

It depends on what kind of music you play. And if is the P90 or humbucker version.

The tone chamber can make the P90's sound fatter in a good way. For himbuckers I think it matters less.

If you play harder rock or metal definitely go with the studio. They sound tighter and meaner. f you play more classic rock or pop the Artist can make more sense.

If you play loud. Especially loud with gain the studio makes more sense. But the P90 Artist loves it loud too.

If you play at normal rehearsal or studio levels the Artist is fun as the tone chamber gives a humbucker guitar a little more air. Good with Fender type of amps.

If you are a bedroom noodler it makes no difference at all, you won't notice the tone chamber.

As for changing you nut to graphtech I don't think it matters much. Hamer's lubricate nuts are very good. Gibson used nylon nuts back in 59, no one complains about the tone of old Les Pauls. I think much of these so called upgrades are snake oil. I bought a used Hamer with a Callaham bridge, swapped back to the original Schaller and it sounded better to my ears. Hamer knew what they were doing.

 

[LucSulla]

  On 4/10/2025 at 11:25 AM, Disturber said:

If you play harder rock or metal definitely go with the studio. They sound tighter and meaner. f you play more classic rock or pop the Artist can make more sense.

If you play at normal rehearsal or studio levels the Artist is fun as the tone chamber gives a humbucker guitar a little more air. Good with Fender type of amps.

As for changing you nut to graphtech I don't think it matters much. Hamer's lubricate nuts are very good. Gibson used nylon nuts back in 59, no one complains about the tone of old Les Pauls. I think much of these so called upgrades are snake oil. I bought a used Hamer with a Callaham bridge, swapped back to the original Schaller and it sounded better to my ears. Hamer knew what they were doing.

 

Expand  

I have a couple of dedicated metal guitars for the metal band that I'm not in, lol. But someday...

I was probably pushing about 105 dB out of the Shiva last night, which isn't unusual. Whatever it is will definitely get to eat. 

I tend to agree about nuts. I've gone back to using nylon nuts on Lesters. I think @murkat once said that those 50s LPs didn't tend to bind in the nut on the D and G strings as badly due to using nylon nuts back then. I've started using them when I replace a nut on a Lester, and low and behold...
 

Edited April 10 by LucSulla

[Dave Scepter]

  On 4/10/2025 at 3:58 PM, LucSulla said:

I have a couple of dedicated metal guitars for the metal

Expand  

Then definitely the Artist... they really are great guitars... regret selling mine and need to look for another "plain no frills" one🤘👽

[RobB]

My R0 has a nylon nut. No tuning issues and sustains forever. 

[Cboss]

  On 4/10/2025 at 4:10 PM, Dave Scepter said:

Then definitely the Artist... they really are great guitars... regret selling mine and need to look for another "plain no frills" one🤘👽

Expand  

Here you go- $975/offer with lollar p90

https://reverb.com/item/86291057-2001-hamer-usa-artist

Edited April 10 by Cboss

[Dave Scepter]

  On 4/10/2025 at 9:32 PM, Cboss said:

Here you go- $975/offer with lollar p90

https://reverb.com/item/86291057-2001-hamer-usa-artist

Expand  

Thanks, I was actually looking at this one but decided for humbucker routed and no headstock repairs...👍🏼

[Dutchman]

Since you've been playing Lester's I would go with the artist. That F hole is there for more than looks! 

[Jim85IROC]

By far the biggest difference I found was that the artist, at least the one I had, is extremely bass shy and is focused on upper mids.

 

The long story is that I have a 93 Special with Lollar p90s that I absolutely love the sound of, but I wanted something a little "nicer" with a fuller neck profile, so I bought an Artist to swap the lollars into.  I didn't like how the Artist sounded, but I attributed it to the hot ceramic Duncans. I swapped the Lollars in and it sounded much, much better, but also much different from the Special.  The lollars helped tame the ice-pick highs and the screeching upper mids, but were still very bass shy.  It probably would have sat really well in a mix, but it wasn't the full range, very PAF-ish sound that I loved in the Special. Lollars went back into the Special and the Artist went down the road.

 

I just recently picked up a p90 Studio, and I haven't swapped the Lollars in yet, but even with the stock Duncans the difference is night and day.  This guitar sounds fantastic.  Very full range, just like the Special.  No pokey upper mids, no ice-pick highs. I have high hopes that this one will give me the sound that I'm after with the Lollars.

 

(Seller's pic - I haven't really photographed this one yet)

Edited Friday at 11:51 AM by Jim85IROC

[LucSulla]

  On 4/18/2025 at 11:47 AM, Jim85IROC said:

By far the biggest difference I found was that the artist, at least the one I had, is extremely bass shy and is focused on upper mids.

 

The long story is that I have a 93 Special with Lollar p90s that I absolutely love the sound of, but I wanted something a little "nicer" with a fuller neck profile, so I bought an Artist to swap the lollars into.  I didn't like how the Artist sounded, but I attributed it to the hot ceramic Duncans. I swapped the Lollars in and it sounded much, much better, but also much different from the Special.  The lollars helped tame the ice-pick highs and the screeching upper mids, but were still very bass shy.  It probably would have sat really well in a mix, but it wasn't the full range, very PAF-ish sound that I loved in the Special. Lollars went back into the Special and the Artist went down the road.

 

I just recently picked up a p90 Studio, and I haven't swapped the Lollars in yet, but even with the stock Duncans the difference is night and day.  This guitar sounds fantastic.  Very full range, just like the Special.  No pokey upper mids, no ice-pick highs. I have high hopes that this one will give me the sound that I'm after with the Lollars.

 

(Seller's pic - I haven't really photographed this one yet)

Expand  

I had a pretty amazing Studio that I sold during a year-long employment drought. 

It was PERFECT. 

I saw it six months later on Reverb with a headstock repair. Still pisses me off.