Testimonials
“Chihoe, you ____! I got my new Hahn in June 2010. Since
then, I have played 3 of my vintage teles twice each total.
I hate you! I might as well sell them now..."
-- Redd Volkaert
"They're
[228 and 1229] actually my only two guitars now, (two still
on sale but getting there) and i plan to keep it that way
for the time being as well, they do what i need across the
pair to be honest. I can go from a super fat 57 strat sound
on the 228 neck pickup, through to sizzling, rasping 60's
tele crossed with a LP junior on the 1229 bridge pickup.
The great thing about the 1229 is it doesn't have congested
honk of most mahogany designs (a sound that ultimately gets
on my nerves after a while), so when you lighten up it's
open and clear and articulate (it's wierd how you can
actually hear 'through' a 1229). When you attack the
strings you get the mid response from the bridge and the
mahogany. It gets so rude with gain- rasping, barking rock
and roll lead tones. Then you can even get a little BB
King, tweaking about with the tone knob a bit, mellow and
hollow (the thin body) but you still have the bright sizzle
(i think it's the rosewood), and the 6150s let you round
off the front of the note and get the sustain.
I did change to the Glendale from the stainless. Still has
the high snap and articulation but i like the mid response
and the slightly more rounded off high a bit better. It's
just a personal preference thing though, the stainless is
great on there too.
One thing i could do with changing, although i'm not in any
major hurry to do it, is to find a brighter, more strat
sounding neck pickup for the 1229. It's a Fralin std wind
at the moment, it's a great sound but i'd have more use for
a strattier sounding pickup i think. The Fralin +2% in the
bridge is perfect (see above!).
The 228 is perfect. Complete. Honestly, I could bore you
about that one all day. Has been my number one for nearly a
year now and i don't see that changing. This could actually
be the relationship! ...
It is asking a lot from two guitars i know but they can do
it :) The clarity of the Hahns i can't do without now, i
don't want to rave on about that too much but basically
aside from being a joy to play it's a massive advantage
when recording. It's a huge time saver AND the results are
way better ultimately. (i can engineer the mud out of other
guitars' sound but it then takes longer and the result
isn't going to be as good). Even if the guitar is in the
back of the mix i still want the clarity and detail in the
sound (especially then in fact). "
-- David H.
"These teles are twang machines!”
-- Solon Smith (Johnny Hiland Band)
“Absolute killer tone… nails it on all levels.”
-- The Rev. Danny G (Blazing Guitars)
"Chihoe Hahn is a master builder, producing some of the
finest guitars of this type in the world. I feel that his
instruments reveal a level of finesse and sensitivity
equivalent to those of the finest archtop builders. This is
a rare quality to find in a bolt-on neck solidbody. I knew
after playing one for just a few moments that something
very special was going on here!"
-- Elliot Easton
“I’ve played teles for years. This is the crisp 50s Tele
Tone you cannot find at any price.”
-- Richard Moore (Troggs)
“This is as good as it gets… an oasis for tele fans.”
-- Cash Calloway
“Stopped by the Hahn Booth at NAMM. Wow! These guitars are
wonderful to play and to see!”
-- Arlo West
“I Have a 52 Tele. This guitar sounds better and plays
great.”
-- Carl Nielsen
“This is definitely one of the best teles I have ever
played. Sound. Playability… perfect.”
-- Hiro Sase
“I can’t believe a guy can get this good that fast.”
-- Dan Erlewine
“Outstanding quality. As nice as anything out there.”
-- Cesar Sermiento
“Wonderful!”
-- Tim Wallis
"Walking this year's NAMM gave me an opportunity to play a
huge variety of guitars ranging from carved archtops and
flat tops to "Blues" and "Metal" guitars and designer
instruments incorporating the latest in technology. This
year, however, I continued to find myself back with Chihoe
Hahn at Hahn Guitars four or five different times during my
one day visit. For me, this oasis of tranquility and
familiarity were his 228's, instruments that, at first
glance, bear a striking resemblance to a Telecaster. This,
however, is where the similarities end. His butterscotch
beauties-maple neck and board, swamp ash bodies and Lollar
pickups offer the perfect marriage of form and function.
The neck begins with a vintage "V" which gently gives way
to a "C" allowing for more comfort and enhanced
playability. A nicely radiused fingerboard has all strings,
open and fretted, vibrating cleanly. String bending
couldn't be easier and cleaner and much to my surprise not
one string fretted out! (If only all my guitars played like
that). The Lollar pickups combined with "hand-tuned" bodies
bring out the true tonal characteristics of these
instruments. Sweet, twangy, biting, chimey, liquid, glassy
are some of tones that come to mind. Physically, the
instruments are very well balanced, comfortable and easy to
play. In fact, it felt as if these instruments played
themselves. Upon my last visit with Chihoe, as I was really
getting to know the instrument, we were visited by a member
of the NAMM music police who, with a dB meter, placed some
music in front of me in an attempt to get me to turn down.
As an excellent sight reader, this ploy proved unsuccessful
as Lovely Rita stood, listened, smiled then sauntered away.
Apparently she knows not to get in between a guitarist and
a great guitar. Now, if only he made amps also."
-- Darryl Berk