State of the Stable

[kidsmoke*]

since I don't own any of the "big" name guitars, I thought I'd post a family shot here in the "other brands" forum. This represents all of my electrics. Unlike Spud or Krash, I can fit them all in one shot, don't even need a wide angle. Nice guitars, not a lemon in the bunch, but still I feel gluttonous...trying to decide what to part with

so...front to back

A Benford Tele with Bill Lawrence L-200's - kind of a stacked humbucker but not quite. Not 'bucker, not single coil. Meaty sound. Meaty birdseye neck. Built in Wisconsin by Steve Benford. Basically a Mighty Mite kit professionally turned out.

A Ron Kirn BarnBurner. Baseball bat neck, Kirn custom wound true single coil p'ups, 160 yr old pine floor body, 4 way switch. This represents the epitome of thoughtless GAS and indulgence. I had no business buying this guitar. I have two significant problems with it. It weighs 11 pounds. It sounds frickin' AMAZING and plays like butter. Ok, that's three.

A Larrivee RS2. The sleeper of the bunch. Handmade American guitar with Larrivee wound custom humbuckers that costs less than an epiphone. Note the Hell poker chip.

A Heritage 150 with Fralin PAFs.

A Heritage 535 with Sheptone PAF's and Faber hardware everywhere.

I am not worthy. What do I sell?




Show your current assemblage!!!

[tjcurtin1]

11 lbs! That's gotta be costing you a bundle in chiropractor fees!

Boy, tough call. I have the same problem - why do I have quite so many guitars...? For my part, they were all had pretty cheap (two CV Squires, one traded for, and an Epiphone Wildkat that needed repair - so it's easy to rationalize hanging on to them - it wouldn't return me much to sell one. Those Heritage gits look too beauteous to lose, and you need one single coil...

[kidsmoke*]

well, the back is ok, it's the torn labrum in my left shoulder that starts screaming at me within minutes....but seriously, easiest neck I've ever played (i think it's just the set up) and sounds fantastic, particularly when paired with my DVM Klone and DVM Champlifier (those are my go to with ANY guitar I play, but with the Kirn, it's off the hook)

[Tig***]

I'd gladly own any of these over their more famous counterparts.
Heritage really out performs Gibson in quality and can usually be had for a better price.

[deeaa*]

Here's my electric line save for the stone guitar which resides on the rec room wall.

Left to right:

- 'Puke' i.e. a Hondo neck/Washburn Nuno bastard w/ Tesla pups. The only one in need or work; will be giving it a good fret finish job and likely strip and refinish the whole shebang. Work in progress. We'll see if I can make it worthy of a permanent stay in the stable. Still needs Gotoh tuners which I put in all my axes and maybe some other stuff. Funny enough this sounds very strat-like (the neck pup is single despite looks). Probably will receive an EMG Afterburner also when I get around to revamping it. Shows promise but currently is no better than your usual factory-made axe.

One of the key things I require from my axes is they may not need truss rod adjustments. I don't need no lax-necked crap sounding dead axes; I sell off everything I find needs its neck adjusted more than once in a few years at maximum. I firmly feel a guitar thrives on how resonant and sturdy its neck is, nevermind how thin or thick. That's why pretty much all my guitars are built around necks I've have made, had had made, or reshaped to my liking AND found rock solid.

- 2004 Gibson Faded SG which I completely stripped and re-finished after reshaping the neck...light strings, super low action on vintage frets = terrific solo ripper. Open coil 49x pups scream; one piece mahogany body and quality roller bridge replaces the crap original Gibson HW and it just resonates so beautifully. Asymmetric V neck with quite thick bottom makes for fluid playing & super sustain and stability, yet very stable for an SG. Finally managed to build me a Gibson I can love without reservations and that needs no constant adjustment & surpasses their usual quality.

- 'Davette' which I built from Charvette (pre 1000 serial US rock maple neck) parts mostly circa 2006. EMG 85 + SA + fine tune roller bridge, light and agile and ultra comfortable with 9 tops and thick bottoms custom set. This one is a super trustworthy yet very agile a guitar built for gigging comfort and versatility. Gave it a semi-V shaped thin taper neck but it's super rigid. This can be played for days with comfort and never break a string either or go outta tune. I'll never ever part with this guitar as I've never played a better guitar in my life. Never needed a neck adjust since inception. It's also an axe everybody keeps wanting to play if I have it somewhere where guitarists meet. People always love how it feels and many have asked to buy it off me but I never will.

- The 'Alumitop' started life as Yamaha RGX, again a 30 year old rock maple neck I found so rock solid it was worth building a guitar around it. Aluminum laminated top, BC Rich saddle, 24 frets. Has EMG85, EMG SPC and EMG PA-2 built in and tuned to dropped B with .60 bottom string. Jumbo frets. A metal monster if there ever was one. Superb player. Didn't need a neck adjustment even when changing from 440 E to drop B tuning. The only gripe I have is the BC rich bridge is not exactly superb quality, so am considering putting in a proper Schaller with fine-tuning adjustment which would be handy with the low tuning that is so particular about being just right or it sounds like just mush.

- 'Stratoblaster', a completely custom Strat-alike (the body is much smaller than normal strat actually, gibson style bridge etc.). This, kinda like the SG, was built to get me a 'Fender' that would actually be a great guitar and not just the usual factory grade stuff.
It has a custom-handmade deep V neck made in '91 and not once required adjustment...jumbo frets, magnificent all-round player. Very strong and sturdy acoustically. EMG 85 + SA, Wilkinson tremolo. This is one guitar that never fails and if I got to keep only one axe, I might keep this over Davette because it's slightly more versatile since it has a trem and sounds very big and warm because the 85 is positioned farther from the bridge as usual.