LR 24 August 2016 - Sausages and Heavy Metal guitars

Lunch today was a hot dog, made with carefully selected low quality ingredients as I believe is the secret to junk food. It wasn't very good. I lived for 18 months in Germany and living there set the bar for sausage-in-bread incredibly high. Same with beer. And speed limits.

Custom guitars from small makers
Have you had a custom guitar made? How did it turn out? Did you get a chance to play one made by the same person/company before purchasing one for yourself?

I've currently got one on order from a local builder and cant wait to get it, but that won't be until March next year. Most of his stuff is 'heavy metal' oriented, but mine will be a Tele shape. I've been lacking a guitar with humbuckers for a long time (and a Strat but more on that in a week or so ) and this one will fill that void. I've played a couple his instruments that he's had at the workshop when I've visited and they are solid as they come. They actually make an ASAT feel like an SG in comparison they're that solid, seriously! All top quality hardware and woods, are infinitely playable, impeccably finished and the setups have been first class. Options aren't particularly huge - he's got set stuff like neck shape, scale length, has to have humbuckers (or something humbucker sized) but I like that, its like going to a restaurant with only a couple of choices - you know its going to be good. Pretty much like speccing out a G&L really, but they're all built by one guy and largely by hand. Prices are very reasonable, all things considered. With the exchange rate like it is, I'm getting one for about what a new ASAT with a few options would cost me.

G&L
What other brands have piqued your interest? How has it turned out - still got them?

I've been through a Fender Japan phase over the last year and a bit. I've bought five of them, had 3 max at any one time and ultimately I've kept none. Why? Well just about everyone knows the answer to this, but for those that don't here's a pictorial clue:



And for a video - this has been doing the internet rounds recently. Amazing playing by any standards, to put it brashly a kind of a cross between Yngwie Malmsteen and Hank Marvin playing a Morricone score for a European film from the mid '80s. Enjoy!

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Yes I have had custom guitars built but the companies were not that small. Both Heritage guitars and G&L have popped out a guitar for me and they exceeded my expectations.

This guitar player in your video is impressive. He is doing something to get that interesting effect and it is really cool. I hope there is more film out there with this guy playing.

Your new guitar sounds interesting and I look forward to seeing it when it is completed. Keep us updated.

y2kc

Hey Jamie!

Thanks, I was getting hungry for a Lunch Report.

We have a German restaurant locally if I want good sausages, but typically I wind up with store bought varieties, which my taste buds have just gotten used to. I really do like getting a good bratwurst when possible however.

The closest thing I have to a custom build are the G&L mods I've done. Since I know the designer, I really like the way they turned out. Yours sounds pretty cool, post pics when it lands. Post pics of anything else they have done in the mean time.

The only other brand that piqued my interest have been Gadow guitars and Jack Dent Guitars, both out of North Carolina. I played a Gadow with P90's I liked. Great neck and they sound pretty rich. Heard about Jack Dent guitars through Steve Rothery, who I like his playing quite a bit, so will look for one sometime. North Carolina is becoming a haven for great guitars. I have a couple of Fender Japan 62 re-issues that I will probably always have. Well, maybe one will always have, could see one leaving sometime.

Super video. Maybe black guitars do sound better.

Hi Jamie,

That's an interesting video. Based on the speed, quarter-step bends and picking style, I'd guess that this guy is an oud player doubling on guitar. Several years ago I played upright bass with a couple of Middle Eastern and African drummers, and picked up an oud to add some variety. It wasn't hard going from the upright to the oud, as they are both fretless and have some tuning similarities. Going from oud to guitar would be a completely different story. I'm impressed by how smoothly the player in the video incorporated bends to approximate the small fingertip shifts you can do on an oud.

Aside from G&L, I've tried to like PRS but it just hasn't worked out. Living a couple of miles from their factory, I've felt like I should support them. The instruments are incredibly well built, and friends get great tones from theirs. The feel of the guitar necks and bodies just don't work for me, though. I've owned two PRS basses since I moved here. One was their take on a Fender Jazz, with a ten-top and bird inlays. It felt great in my hands, but the tone was so average compared to my G&Ls that I just couldn't bind with it. The other PRS bass, which I still own, is one of their four-strings from the late 1980s. It is a keeper. It's not as versatile as an L-2K or SB-2, desspite having three single coil pickups and a dummy coil in the back. It is amazing for reggae and dub, though. I'd put it in the same tonal ballpark as a 'hog L-1K with the OMG switch on.

I've also been somewhat interested in Knaggs guitars, which are made locally by former PRS builders. I've gotten some playing time on a friend's Knaggs acoustic, which is one of the nicest acoustics I've ever tried. I just looked at their website and saw they've added basses to the lineup, so that seed might be planted now...

You mentioned bonding with your SC-2 in a recent post. How's the old girl doing? I'd love to see pics if you've done any restoration.

Ken

I hadn't seen that vid, thanks. I like your Marvicongve description.
I hear things akin to Les Paul's tape wizardry, only now I can see fingers doing it.


Never orderd a custom guitar, but I've made a few that turned out close to the original order

Knagg really has the eye candy down. This Scala caught my eye, nice lines and the bit of brass for an anchor seems
like a great idea.


I've had a few Mosrites, funky but really nice. I still have one but I never play it. Anyone here play one?

Mr Robot is on..BBL

y2kc - I believe that effect is all small 1/4 tone bends and whammy technique. Its very, very impressive.

Sam - Are the 62 reissues strats or tele? The one I could have ket was a 62 RI Tele, great necks on them.

Elwood - I like the look of that big brass chunk!

Ken - Those Knaggs guitars are very pricey, but do look nice. I bet they play well too. The SC-2 took me quite a while to get set up and its still not perfect but its good enough. I'm still on the lookout for a black crinkle bridge for it, those things are scarce.

Jamie,

Both are tele's.

#1 Sunburst with a broadcaster bridge pup added
#2. Red with middle pup and 5 way switch added. Had two sunburst at one time. But after some trades now have a "Nashville" 62 reissue. Not sure what the middle pup is but sounds ok by me.

Lunch today was a Clif bar in the car on the way to work.

Nope, never had a custom guitar made. But I am interested in the guitar that you have coming. It will be March before we know it.

Other brands, I have a Gibson AJ that was the first nice guitar that I bought which I have had for about 8 years or so. I also have a 61 re-issue SG that I picked up almost 2 years ago. I did not have a Humbucker guitar either. I was considering a Fallout, but I had always wanted an SG and I like those 57 classic pickups.... and it was Black and it had a small pick guard and its 7 pounds and it was used and I still have it. Actually play it a lot more than I thought I would. My Bass is a 2012 American Standard precision that I bought because it has a great neck and I got a great deal on it. That bass would have been a G&L if there was one to be played in a Metropolitan area of approx 2 million people but alas , there was not.

Video: Talented yes. Just not my style I guess.

Thanks for the LR

P.S.

About a month ago I came across a ( Live ) Aussie rules football match and I watched the whole game. I really don't remember the teams . Brisbane maybe ? Anyway, it was entertaining and I would actually watch it again. Gotta love the guys in the hats ( at the goal posts ). You probably hate Aussie rules. pretend I never mentioned it.

P.S.S.

I forgot to mention Fano guitars. I have never played one but the headstocks look really cool. There is a 1980 Roland GR-202 for sale on craigslist that looks really awesome too. Lots of mojo. 1000 bucks though. No synth, just the " Controller " ( guitar ). That would be something different.

I had an SG for a little while, a Derek Truck Signature model which is pretty much a 61 reissue. Very nice guitars if not a little precarious - they're so thin I keep expecting them to break. The SG is easily my favourite Gibson. I'd like to try a Fano one day, they have some very cool rehashed designs.

You're right, I don't like Aussie rules football! Its a pretty interesting game in that its not like anything else and is full of action. Its virtually the only sport you can follow with any ease in Australia without having Pay-TV. The goal umpires are fun, they take their jobs incredibly seriously thus making themselves a bit of a joke.

Jamie, good to see a lunch report. Looks like you have resettled in the Highlands area and I hope that your career is going well.

Good video. The guy is fast!

I 've had a recent custom build. It is the Emerald Bass that I received last October. It is a lifetime bass, the best I have ever owned especially at 7 lbs. I wish It were mine years ago.

I still own 13 G&Ls and have sold a few in the last year. As I reduce my total count the G&ls will be reduced. I have been turned down on a couple of build requests and am not looking for any new ones. My last G&L was early 2014 and I have added some Fenders, Suhr and Anderson since then.

I have just recovered from my second Carpal Tunnel surgery and wish that I had done it a long time ago. I gigged 2 weeks after having the last (left) done. Made a huge difference as my fingers were getting numb while playing.
Have a great Saturday everyone. -- Darwin

Hey Darwin, great news about the surgery and that you can be out playing so soon afterwards!