Showmaster QMT HH Review

Killer tone with looks to match! The Fender Showmaster QMT HH offers warm sustain and playability with a beautiful carved highly figured quilted maple top. This stellar set-neck instrument offers easy access to the upper frets, two-point tremolo system and locking tuners, a pair of Seymour Duncan pickups, smoked chrome hardware and more!

Features:	9
Sound:	9.3
Action:	8.7
Reliability:	9
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	9
Users rating:	9.1
Comments:	5

overall: 9.4

Featured review by: matthew_z31, on november 17, 2005

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: The Showmaster was first introduced in Jan. of 2005. The 24 jumbo fret neck, which is made of Maple and has a rosewood fingerboard, measures 25.5" long. The neck also features a modern "C" shape and abalone dot inlays. The Strat-like body is made of basswood and features a carved quilt maple top. The bridge features a 2-point synchronized tremolo. The QMT HH features 1 Seymour Duncan '59 Reverse Polarity Humbucker in the bridge position and 1 Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus Humbucker in the neck position. The guitar also features a 5 way pickup selector, one volume and one tone knob which, like all of the hardware, is finished in smoked chrome. The tuners are cast/sealed locking tuner machines. // 10

Sound: To begin, this guitar really impressed me, which is ultimately why I bought it. I play through a Line 6 Flextone III, which, as you well know, is loaded with features thereby allowing me touch on virtually any style of music. The sound is generally rich and full. On any particular model that I choose, the guitar sounds great. The bridge pickup is nice, crisp, and clear when on a clean channel, and can go from mild to wild in the distortion department. The neck pickup also does a very good job on clean and distorted channels too. From Johnny Cash to BB King to Led Zeppelin to Nirvana, this guitar can handle it if you have the right amp. The guitar would also be very well suited for all you metal fanatics out there which, thank God, I am not. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The finish is virtually flawless. It truly is a beautiful instrument. The guitar hardly required tuning, and I didn't buy the one that was on display either. That's right, it was nearly in tune right out of the box. The setup was good, although I did raise the action up a bit to cure a bit of a buzz. The pickup selector can have a noticable click to it if you don't time your switching right. My main problem out of this guitar was the input jack coming loose. Yeah, I know, it's a common problem, but they could start putting Loc-tight on the jacks at the factories (which is how I fixed the problem). // 8

Reliability & Durability: Now that I have cured the self-loosening input jack, this guitar will surely last a lifetime with regular maintanence. The chromed hardware will surely last with no avail also. The strap buttons are very reliable I use a $5.00 nylon strap and haven't ever had a problem. I would and have gigged with this guitar without a backup, but then again, I take good care of my gear too. The finish will surely last, even without a pickguard, the guitar has very few scratched despite heavy playing. // 10

Impression: I play lots of classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc), grunge alternative (Silverchair, Nirvana, etc), bluesand the occassional country tune. The guitar suits my needs perfectly. Paired up with a good amp this thing will rock. If it were lost or stolen, I'd be thourghly pissed, I love that guitar. Despite playing a Jackson guitar, several Ibanez guitars, and a few Dean and Shecter guitars I chose this one. Why? Because I liked the way it played and sounded better than any of the rest. Despite an annoying input jack problem which was easily cured, this guitar is nothing less then truly amazing to play. // 9

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: MattIgoe0108, on august 17, 2007

Price paid: $ 650

Purchased from: Mannys Music Store, NYC

Features: This little beauty has a lot to offer. 24 Jumbo Frets with albalone dot inlays, Basswood body, set neck, Two coil-tapped Seymour Duncan humbuckers (Pearly Gates Plus in the bridge, and RP ’59 reverse-polarity in the neck), and locking tuners. It also offers one volume control, one tone control and a quilted maple top. The nut is graphite, and the hardware is smoked chrome. The bridge, as you can see, is a Standard Fender tremolo. // 9

Sound: the style of the guitar suits me perfectly. It's extremely veratile, and can deal with anything from blues, to country, to mid-high gain rock and metal. It's being run through a Vox AC30 and I can tell you there is no better combination than Vox and Fender. The basswood in the body really boosts the mids and allows it to cut through as a lead guitar. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The factory setup was pretty good. Played it straight out of the box and it was extremely well set up. needed some fine tweaking with the tuning, but otherwise played perfectly. The pickups were at a perfect hight for me (raised bridge and lowered neck), and all I nall, I wouldn't ask for more. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It is by fat the most durable guitar I have. Every other one I have (aside from my bass) is prone to picking up scratches and nets, whereas this one is fine. It worries me that should there ever be a problem, then the set neck might make repairing it difficult, but overall I would be quite happy to gig with this without a backup. // 9

Impression: I picked this up while I was in New York on a whim, and I'm so glad I did. A wonderful guitar. For the price it goes for you get a hell of an instrument. If it were lost or stolen, I would most likely buy another one simply because it complements my amp perfectly. It's probably not the best metal guitar in the world, though it can certainly pull it off, but everything else it can do exceptionally. // 10

overall: 8

Reviewed by: chaz30591, on july 11, 2005

Features: The Showmaster QMT HH guitar offers warm sustain and amazing playability thanks to its set-in, high-access, 24-fret necks, American-made Seymour Duncan pickups, five-way switching, and Smoked Chrome hardware - and a carved, highly-figured quilt (QMT) maple top. These instrument is stunningly beautiful, easy to play and loaded with superb tone! // 8

Sound: The Fender Showmaster is really designed for rock-things. Doesn't matter if it's blues-rock, classic-rock or kinds of metal but it's nothing for styles of jazz or something like that. Plays nice with clean and overdrive, nothing to compare hear. Warm and full clean sound; warm to cool overdrive (depends on the tunersettings). // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Nothing to compare at this point. Everything was clean and well adjusted. The photos all matched the guitars look. Very good service. // 8

Reliability & Durability: // 8

Impression: This guitar is very nice. It matches all I play: rock, metal, emo, blues! The only thing that disturbs on that guitar is her weight! You really notice that its some massive piece mahogany-wood you hold there. But that's something you will forget when you play. // 8

Comments

[franksciante]

how can a 2 pickup guitar have a 5 way switch? does it do some sorta crazy ass coil splitting or what?

[Mr_Die_Easy]

The guitar does have a coil spliter

[thayes93]

the 2nd review said it was made from heavy mahogany. its really lite basswood

[BillCenk]

I figured I'd mention this for anyone thinking about buying this guitar:
It's normally $900, I've seen it advertised for $600 and I bought it at a local sale for $500.

[Defaulted]

I recently bought this guitar and really like it. I got a really good price on it. When the stre first got it i was $1,038 and I bought it for $520. I really love the sound. Great Guitar!