Hils HZ7 first impression & upgrade recommendations
TL;DR: Tried a Hils HZ7 on vacation and loved the fretwork, 12" radius, sustain, and ergonomics, despite muddy pickups, a plastic nut, and stiff tuners. Ordering one from Thomann and planning immediate upgrades.
I am looking for versatile, active/rail-type pickup recommendations (with great coil splits) and an alternative source to buy the Hils bridge ball bearings.
Hi all! I was on the fence about the Hils HZ7 due to a lack of local availability and reviews, but I managed to play one while on vacation in Europe.
As someone who owns a Schecter KM-7 II and several 6-string guitars, this thing blew me away!
The fretwork is amazing, the 12-inch radius feels surprisingly perfect, and the sustain and compact body shape are top-tier.
It does have a few drawbacks, though: * Pickups: Muddy and bass-heavy. * Plastic nut * Tuners: Stiff and hard to use (dropping to Drop A felt like the tuner suddenly released).
Despite those issues, the playability is so good that I'm going to order one from Thomann and upgrade it. I’d love your recommendations on two things:
* Pickups: Since it's active and has a battery compartment, I'm considering Fishman Fluence sets. Which set offers the best versatility beyond just metal? If you recommend a different set, they must be rail-type humbuckers (for string-to-cavity alignment on the Hils) and offer great coil-split sounds. * Bridge Bearings: I want to add the Hils ball bearings for the bridge, but Thomann doesn't sells them. Where else can I order them (e.g., AliExpress or elsewhere)?
Thank!