Hottie Guitars Confronts U.S. Trademark Infringements
At the last Winter NAMM show in...
Hottie Amps® …
Can I play my Hottie Amp through a speaker cabinet? Hell yes! You’ll be surprised how powerfully your Hottie Amp will drive a cab. Hottie Amps will power any 4, 8, or 16Ω speaker cabinet.
Do all Hottie Amps sound the same? Most Hottie Amps sound similar to one another. You can dramatically alter the sound of any Hottie by resting them on their side or upside down. Through a speaker cabinet they sound exactly the same. Check out our Video Demo page to see (and listen to) Guitar World’s video review. I suggest you choose the Hottie Amp that makes you smile when you look at it.
Can you turn my toaster into Hottie Amp? Sure. Please have your Hottie dealer contact us with special requests. Keep in mind, most vintage toasters can be turned into Hottie Amps, but not all of them. Modern toasters, for example, don’t utilize a strong enough metal gauge to support a speaker. The toaster must be large enough to house a 6″ speaker and small electronics. We remove all of the toaster’s machinery and install an amp circuit, speaker, and other parts. If your toaster will not support a speaker and amp we’ll return it to you at our expense.
Do Hottie Amps have tone and volume controls? Hottie Amps have an input jack and an output jack … that’s it. Volume and tone can be adjusted via your guitar’s volume and tone controls. Dialing back the volume on your guitar will clean up your sound considerably. Dialing back your guitar’s tone knob will warm up your sound providing a fat bluesy tone.
Do you build Hottie Amps with new toasters? We only use vintage American toasters (Old New Stock?). Some look like they’ve never toasted a slice of bread. Other toasters look as if they’ve burned down a house. If you have a preference either way, please let us know when ordering.
Do you provide kits for building my own Hottie Amp? Sorry, we do not offer any proprietary components.
Do I need to disconnect my Hottie Amp’s battery when I’m finished playing? The Input Jack acts as a power on switch. Therefore, the battery doesn’t need to be unplugged when you’re finished playing. A fresh 9-volt battery will provide you with hours of power.
Hottie Guitars® …
Are Hottie Guitars entirely made in the U.S.A.? Yes! Every Hottie Guitar is hand-built in Portland, Oregon by master luthier Saul Koll of Koll Guitars. At every opportunity we utilize the finest American components (bridge, strings, pickups, case, etc…).
How many instruments do you build per year? At our current production levels we’ll build and deliver 15-20 guitars in 2013. Some models will be offered as Limited Editions.
The Hottie 454 is listed as a Limited Edition guitar. How many will be made? We’ll build only ten Hottie Limited Edition 454 guitars.
You seem to really like one pickup guitars. Why? Everything about the design of Hottie Guitars, including weight and wood selection, is built for tone, sustain, and maximum resonance. For the same reason that you may not want a guitar with 3 humbuckers (magnetic pull from pickup dampens tone and kills sustain) I prefer one pickup models with series parallel wiring. However we build two pickup models as well (Humbuckers or P90s). Because we choose the finest pickups and components available you’ll find a lot of versatility in every guitar we build.
Can I custom order a Hottie Guitar? Yes. For a Hottie Guitar Custom Order Form please e-mail info@hottieguitars.com
Can I order a Custom Hottie Guitar through a guitar dealer? Yes. For a list of U.S. and International Delears visit our How to Buy page.
Hottie Pickups® …
Can I order Hottie Pickups with gold covers or other custom options? Sure. Please contact sales@hottieguitars.com with special requests.
I see that Hottie Pickups are made with single conductor braided cable. Can I order a pickup with four conductor wiring for coil splitting and series parallel wiring? Yes. We now offer Hottie Pickups with single conductor braided cable as well as four conductor wiring? Please contact sales@hottieguitars.com with special requests.
What is your pickup return/exchange policy? Hottie Amplifiers Inc. warrants all Hottie Amps and Hottie Pickups against failure and defects in workmanship. Please contact tech@hottieguitars.com or your Hottie dealer directly for returns and exchanges.
Do I have to use a “neck” pickup in the neck and a “bridge” pickup in the bridge position? Terms like “neck” and “bridge” models aren’t meant to be rules. The only rule that’s good to follow is to not put a pickup in the neck position that’s louder than the bridge pickup. String vibration is stronger at the neck position, so it may be difficult or impossible to balance neck and bridge pickups if the neck pickup is louder than the bridge pickup.
How high should I adjust my pickups for the best sound? There is no specific distance that works best for everyone. We measure string height from the top of the pole-piece to the bottom of the string when the string (usually the high or low E) is held down at the highest fret. A reasonable starting point for the bridge pickup is at least 1/16″ (1.5mm) from the high E and 5/64″ (2 mm) from the low E. Once the bridge pickup is adjusted to a useful distance, the neck pickup can be adjusted by ear for a good balance.
What happens if I adjust my pickup too close to the strings? The closer the pickup gets to the strings, the stronger the signal that’s sent to the amp. However, getting a pickup close to the strings brings the magnetic field closer, too. If the magnetic field is strong enough, it alters string vibration enough to make the guitar sound out of tune, and it can also cause string buzz and reduce sustain.
What are the adjustable pole-pieces for? Pole-piece adjustment is intended to balance the volume between individual strings. The factory setting works for most players. If you don’t hear any imbalance between the strings, there’s no reason to adjust the poles.
Is it difficult to install pickups? If you’re already handy with tools, installing pickups is rather easy. But if you have no experience handling red-hot soldering irons, you’d be well advised to take your new pickup and your guitar to a qualified guitar tech.
Steps for pickup installation:
1. Remove the strings from your guitar.
2. Remove the back plate and flip it over.
3. De-solder the original pickup’s wires from the controls and make sure to remember where they were
connected.
4. Remove the original pickup from the pickup cavity.
5. Place the pickup into the pickup cavity.
6. Tin the wires from the pickup, and then solder them into place.
7. Replace the back plate.
8. Re-string your guitar and adjust the pickup height so that your new pickup is set between 1/8” and 1/16”
from the strings (when they are pressed down at the highest fret on the neck).
How do I connect a humbucking pickup? Wiring Diagrams for Hottie Pickups:
