It was time to dabble a bit outside of the Gibson/Fender/Martin sphere of influence. This is a Duesenberg Starplayer Catalina in Avalon Blue. Drop dead gorgeous, and it plays like a dream. I had noticed a number of my favorite guitarists on their player’s list, so figured there had to be something there….they were right. Made in Germany and built like a BMW, the craftsmanship is far beyond many builders. They create everything
(pickups/tuners/vibrato/knobs/etc.) in their factory, except for a couple electronic pieces. The top is actually Spruce rather than the typical maple, with maple sides and back (a little flame on the back as well). This model combines a P-90 in the neck with a Humbucker in the bridge, and blending them is quite a delight. I highly recommend you give one of these a try!
What a find! Gibson Custom Shop ‘58 Reissue in Kindred Burst from Wildwood Guitars. Finding these guitars with a flame top is a needle in the haystack scenario these days. Somehow the Gibson CS only seems to put plain tops on the ‘58 RIs these days and save the flame tops for the ’59s and ’60s (for an extra $1500). Hmmm…I seem to remember plenty of flamed out ‘58 Les Pauls back in the day! (rhetorical). Anyway, once in a while Wildwood gets one, and I jumped on it. The funny thing is that the neck is more like a ‘59 carve!….go figure…maybe Gibson screwed up. Either way, its in the collection and looks, plays, and sounds like a dream
Does simply but elegant apply here? Doesn’t get much simpler, does it. This is a Gibson USA Les Paul Junior from Wildwood Guitars. She’s a bit on the hefty side at 8lbs, but it pays off in the sustain…it is incredibly resonant! Its new, but a couple years old so I gave her the 2 hour setup/beauty routine, and it plays like a Custom Shop. Pickup is the in your face, Leslie West tone, through the Marshall, Magnatone, and Vox amps. Working the tone knob gives an incredible range of tone. Hell, who needs 2 pickups anyway!
This is probably the most stunning acoustic guitar I’ve ever owned….and I’ve had, and still own a few. This is a special edition Martin D-42 Purple Martin #40 of 100. Purple Martin is the Pennsylvania state bird, so given Martin’s history there, they created this run. The top is heavy Bear Claw Engelman Spruce and much like German Spruce has wide sonic qualities. It yields more harmonics versus Sitka. The back and sides are flamed Myrtle….yes, Myrtle with a beautiful purple stain to keep with the theme. Hard to describe, but it highlights each part of the tonal spectrum, Rosewood lows, Mahogany mids, and Maple highs. Perhaps its the combination of the top and sides/back, but whatever…..it is probably the most rounded sounding acoustic I’ve heard. The Purple Martin inlays are displayed with mountain laurel; the state’s flower. Tone Shop Guitars in Dallas had this one; one of the finest independents in the DFW area, and with an ever growing web presence. It’s run by one of the best, Tommy Roberts. If you get the opportunity to play one, don’t; very dangerous to the wallet!
Ok its a boring Sunburst Strat. I mean, how much more homogeneous can you get, right?! Well, perhaps a little more clarity will make it more interesting. Its the new Eric Johnson Virginia ‘54 Strat modeled after the guitar he used on the legendary Tones, Ah Via Musicom, and Venus Isle recordings. Yes, I’ve bought EJ models in the past and eventually sold them, and do you think I’d learned my lesson by now?..evidently not. The very cool thing about it is that the wood is Sassafras rather than Ash. Evidently, Leo Fender purchased Sassafras wood in late ‘53 and used it on the first issues of the Strat in 1954. The difference I hear is that it resonates longer than the Ash, and you feel that vibration in the body as the tone slowly decays. The pickups are ‘57/’62 issue in the neck and middle, and a Di-Marzio in the bridge. Also, the 4th position (middle and neck) is wired out of phase which sort of gets you to that Peter Green tone. The pickups are very clear sounding; whether is the wood or not I can’t say, but it a nice lookin’ and playin’ piece..(yes I know, boring too), and I’ll have my fun with it for quite some time!
Well, its been about a year since I’ve bought a new guitar. A record no doubt, but when you have a great collection, its tough to augment! I’ve had my eye on this for some time now. It’s a Gibson J-45 30th Anniversary Montana Custom from WIldwood Guitars. Quite the beauty indeed with the anniversary headstock inlay, and the buffalo skulls in the fingerboard and pickguard. But that’s not the half of it…the tone is monstrous. Adirondack Spruce top along with figured Mahogany sides and back. The tonal spectrum is extensive with a clarity you’d be challenged to find in most mahogany guitars. Will be on this honeymoon for a while!!
This gem is a limited edition (70 made) Gibson SJ-200 Vine. This is acoustic eye candy if I ever saw any, as the ornamentation is loaded with abalone color and detail. I wanted a true Super Jumbo with maple sides and back so off Jeri and I went to Wildwood Guitars and tried out 4 different versions. After an hour and a half, the winner emerged. I had a vine fingerboard once before, but found it was a bit difficult to play, as I would lose myself on the fingerboard. What Gibson did here though was place vine flowers, or whatever they are, at the same spot where the markers would be, so subsequently its easy. The tone is just an in your face blast of sound that is big and clear.
With all the trading I’ve done over the last year and a half, I found myself without any P-90s. WHAT?????? Unacceptable! So a hunting I went, and came across this beauty; a Gibson ES-330 in Pelham Blue, purchased at Wildwood guitars, with Wildwood Specs. These specs include a rolled ‘59 neck, Adirondack Spruce bracing, and sonically delicious pickups. They are a bit hotter than usual, so they really snarl when cranked, but can clean up to jazz tone heaven. It’s hard to put it down, and really has a large sonic palette depending on the amp; from super clean AC30 to overdriven 100 Marshall Superbass.
The Arlington Guitar Show has done it’s usual damage to my wallet. 🙂 From Fuller’s Vintage in Houston, I present a Martin Custom Shop 000 14 fret, made with Ziricote back, sides and headstock, and a Swiss Spruce top. This is a 1 of 15 issue. Mike said that at the Winter Namm show, all the dealers that were interested, put their names in a hat, and if they were chosen, they had the opportunity to buy the Guitar from Martin! Pretty wild. The inlays are truly amazing with Pua and Abalone, along with hard maple binding. The tone just fills the entire spectrum, and rings for days. Won’t be plugging in for awhile, as this is the main squeeze for now!
Ok, this is a good one. Jeri and I decide to fly up to Denver on Memorial Day to do a little hiking and get a little mountain air. Before you know it, it’s Tuesday morning and BAM, we’re at the Wildwood Guitar door at 10 am! Contrived? perhaps, but none the less, this baby fell into my arms and there was no turning back. A Custom Shop American Custom NOS Tele. Beautiful, and not to often seen Sage Green, with a tinted, full C, birdseye maple neck; a feel that is TO DIE FOR! Also has a compound fingerboard which is 9.5 on the lower register, graduating up to 12 in the upper. To that effect, was able to set the action like a fast Les Paul. I LOVE IT!!!!!
One of the finest guitars ever made. A 2013 Gibson Custom Shop reissue of a ‘59 ES 335 in natural. Purchased this one from The Music Zoo in NY. These guitars are made to play anything from Rock to Jazz, and sound as good as any solid body or archtop. Play the neck pickup through a Deluxe Reverb, and you’re in Wes Montgomery heaven. Play it on the bridge pickup through a Marshall Plexi, and you’re in Crossroads territory. The pups are well balanced; all you need is a little reverb and a cranked amp, and you’re off!
This is a 2014 Gibson Les Paul Custom. First day of retirement, Jeri and I headed up to Wildwood Guitars in Colorado to pay them my first visit. I’d been buying from them for over 10 years, but never had the chance to introduce myself. Of course during the course of the visit, this lovely Black Beauty shows up. Strong pups, but not harsh. Silky feel over the entire neck. A true dream to play, and not too bad to look at either.
Well, I was just browsing when I shouldn’t have been and….WOW!!!!…there is was! A Gibson 50th Anniversary Korina Explorer, the brother to my Korina Flying V. Limited to 100, they’ve been hard to locate, but my friends at Rumble Seat Music (Carmel Location) had one for an unbelievable price. Even my lovely wife agreed it was a bargain. PUPs register in the 7s range, and it sounds great with all my British issue amps…especially the AC 30. It plays like a dream with low action and a fast fingerboard. I must now put my wife issued straight jacket back on, and keep my fingers off the “purchase” button.
Feast your eyes, this is a 1963 Gibson Firebird V in close to mint condition. I am the 3rd “caretaker” of this incredible guitar. 1963 was the first year of the Firebirds, and there were only 62 Firebird Vs made. With many Firebirds suffering headstock breaks, who knows where the other 61 are! Anyway, I got an incredible deal from the Grinning Elk boys outside of Atlanta. They were kind enough to bring it to the 2010 Arlington Guitar show and after I saw it, I through a deposit down. There is hardly any checking, just a few dings here and there, the frets nice and high, and the nickel is in fine shape. The 2nd owner bought it from the original one in the mid 70s, and it basically has been under the bed for the last 25 years (and it looks it too). Has a nice full C shaped neck and with the low action, it plays very fast. The Mini Humbuckers sound great through any of my amps, and when you dime the pups, they just ooze creamy sustained notes. Procuring this has been one of the highest points in my vintage guitar life!!!
This candy apple delight is a Fender Custom Shop ‘51 NoCaster Reissue from Wildwood Guitars. The neck is chubby, but it has a 9.5″ radius rather than the period correct 7.25″. The neck pickup is a screaming Seymour Duncan ‘59 and believe me, it adds a whole different dimension to the telecaster (ask Keef). Mixing it with the bridge PUP is a tonal category of its own, but it still has the signature Tele chickin’ pickin’ tone on the bridge setting. This guitar was a special order unclaimed, so I am the lucky recipient. Both an ear and eye candy delight!!
This is a scrumptious ‘60 Reissue Custom Shop Stratocaster in a rare Shell Pink finish. It was posted for less than a day at Wildwood Guitars in Colorado and I scooped ‘er up. The neck actually has a nice ‘59 feel to it as it is a full C cut from stem to stern. The pickups are strong in all 3 positions with a bell like tone. Nice dark rosewood board with lots of grain running through it. The neck and headstock are flamed out nicely. Sounds great through any of my amps. There’s just something addictive about these CS Strats! Hey, real men play PINK!!
Wow. After months and months of searching I found what many feel is the Holy Grail of SGs. This is 1963 Les Paul SG Standard. It has the Les Paul appointments (slightly larger headstock, LP trussrod cover), but what makes this guitar more favorable than its predicessors is that it has the Gibson Vibrola tailpiece rather than the difficult to manage Sideways Vibrola. This was one of the last SG Standards to have Les’ name on it. It has a nice full neck and the pickups are very early Patent Number PUPs, which basically means they’re the same as the PAFs. Thru a Marshall Super Bass??…OMG!!
Wow, this baby’s been under somebody’s bed for sometime!! This is a 1967 ES 345 in a rich dark Cherry finish, with a Bigsby. For all you Jefferson Airplane fans, this is the model Jorma Kaukonen played. A great find at Aloha Guitars in Monterey, CA. I barely had to clean her up!
A beautiful 1964 ES 355. An incredibly clean find at Hoboken Vintage. Completely original with the stereo wiring slightly altered to allow for the pickups to play in phase like a ES 335. Georgeous deep cherry finish with great luster and about 80% of the gold finish remain.
Gibson Hummingbird Custom. I was fortunate to have the “pick of the litter” from the Gibson Montana factory thanks to my friend Don Ruffato at Gibson. Don is the gentleman you’ll see at all the major guitar shows around the country in the Gibson Acoustic trailer. It has Koa sides and back, with incredible harmonic balance, and deep rich ringing tones with plenty of sustain. The Hummingbird has a legacy that can’t be overlooked. Throw on Beggar’s Banquet and play along with Keith!
2001 Gibson ‘58 Les Paul Historic Reissue in flamed butterscotch. A lucky find at the old Music Machine in Washington State that someone had on layaway for two years and never claimed! Chunky ‘58 neck profile and flame to die for! I got lucky here folks!
A 2004 Fender Custom Shop ‘56 NOS Mary Kay Strat. Soft V neck and fat tone. Probably the best CS Pickups I’ve ever heard; incredible bell tone.
2003 Gibson – ‘59Les Paul Reissue w/ certified Brazilian fretboard in flamed washed cherry. My Holy Grail reissue! Probably has the closest appointments to the original ‘59 that Gibson has ever issued. I was one of the lucky 674 in 2003 who got one with the Brazilian fingerboard! Right place at the right time at Guitar Center.
Gibson
The Gibson Les Paul has a dual humbucker design which allows it to produce a warm, dark tone that’s great for a range of genres like jazz, blues, metal and rock.
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster has two single-coil pickups. They are well known for producing twangy, bright tones, however, you can get a humming issue when you crank up the gain.
Feel
Both guitars have a single cutaway design and a flat shaped body, compared to something contoured like the Stratocaster.