Suhr Classic S HSS

The Suhr Classic S HSS is a guitar that manages to take a very familiar design and elevate it in ways that immediately become apparent once you spend some time with it. While the guitar will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has played a traditional S-style guitar, the level of refinement and attention to detail that Suhr puts into this instrument makes it feel like something a bit more special.

The first thing that stands out about the Classic S, and really any Suhr guitar, is the overall build quality. Suhr has built a reputation for producing exceptionally well-made instruments, and this guitar certainly reinforces that reputation. The fit and finish are outstanding, from the clean neck pocket to the impeccable fretwork. Everything feels solid and carefully put together, and the guitar gives the impression that the people who are making the instrument care about what they’re doing.

This particular guitar has Suhr’s 60s C Vintage Standard neck profile, which measures .810 - .930. My hands are fairly sensitive to different neck shapes, but I find the neck to be very comfortable. I also like the compound radius, which goes from 9”-12”. Whether you’re playing chords down low or bending notes further up the neck, the guitar feels smooth and responsive.

Sonically, the single-coil pickups have a clear and crisp character that works beautifully for clean tones. Chords ring out with plenty of definition, and individual notes remain articulate even when playing more complex passages. There is a hi-fi quality to the sound that allows the natural character of the guitar to come through very clearly.

The reason I went with the HSS configuration is for versatility. When switching to the bridge position, the guitar takes on a thicker, more powerful voice that works well for lead playing and higher-gain sounds. Even with the additional output of the humbucker, the tone still retains clarity and definition. Additionally, I don’t find the output difference to be all that noticeable when playing. There is a slight bit of difference, but these pickups are fairly well balanced across the spectrum.

One nice feature that seems fairly unique to Suhr is their SSCII (Silent Single Coil II) system. My understanding is that this system uses a dummy coil to reduce the 60-cycle hum. That allows Suhr to use standard single coil pickups while also reducing the hum. It works great. When playing with high gain, I find the single coil positions to actually be quieter than the humbucker position.

The hardware and overall setup are also excellent. The tremolo operates smoothly, tuning stability is solid, and the guitar feels very reliable overall.

I’ve owned several Suhr guitars over the years. Each one has been a high quality instrument that feels like a refinement over the guitar it’s based on. The craftsmanship is outstanding, the tones are clear and articulate, and the SSCII system does an excellent job of eliminating the usual single-coil hum while preserving the character of the pickups.

If the recent news has got you looking for a different company for S- or T-shaped guitars, I can highly recommend Suhr.