Gibson celebrates itself again
Gibson, Gibson, Gibson... where do I begin? All you seem to do these days is make guitars that people either do not want, or re-make guitars people want but can't afford. Wait a second! This new 50th Anniversary tops out at just over $6000. That is almost affordable. Almost.
I do have a soft spot for the 335. It has beautiful lines, great sound and versatility. Not exactly value for money though.
Gibson recreates the 1960 Gibson ES-335TD
Gibson Guitar has announced the highly anticipated arrival of the 50th Anniversary 1960 Gibson ES-335TD. Back in the late 1950s, Gibson was boldly pushing the envelope on electric guitar design. The effort resulted in several models that were just too far ahead of their time to sink in with players of the day—the Flying V and Explorer being cases in point — and were gone from the catalogue by 1960. The ES-335 however was an instant classic, embraced by blues, rock, country and jazz players the world over. By 1960, this model was hitting its stride though it was certainly a year of transition for the iconic model.
In the beginning of 1960, the ES-335TDs were built to the same specs as the 1959 versions and were offered in only Natural and Sunburst finishes. By about midyear, neck specs began to change to a thinner and more elliptical feel and ultimately, production of the Natural ES-335TD would cease and the Cherry finish would take its place in the latter part of the year. It is this later version that many argue the 1960 ES-335TD’s features had settled into their optimum form. With a fast new neck profile, striking new “insert” or “reflector” tone and volume knobs, the ES-335TD still retained early-spec details such as the dot fingerboard inlays, a double cutaway profile, full-length maple centerblock, and nickel-plated hardware that players have long seen as indicative of the model’s zenith.
All these and more are brought back to life in the Custom Shop 50th Anniversary 1960 ES-335TD, a reincarnation of one of the most legendary semi-hollow electric guitar of all time, handcrafted by Gibson Custom’s Memphis division to celebrate the model’s “golden anniversary”. For this celebration, Gibson Custom is offering the later 1960 “fast neck profile” version, the most unique of the year, and is available in three finishes Antique Vintage Sunburst, Antique Faded Cherry or Antique Natural, all aged in Gibson’s acclaimed VOS (Vintage Original Specs) process, and loaded with period-correct hardware including “insert” volume and tone knobs, double band tuners and a pair of accurate PAF-style 57 Classic humbucking pickups. The Custom Shop 50th Anniversary 1960 ES-335TD is equipped with pickups and electronics that accurately reflect the original units of the most desirable ES-335TDs ever made. A pair of ’57 Classic pickups capture that highly sought-after “PAF” style tone, noted for its unparalleled blend of warmth, richness and clarity, while quality CTS potentiometers with “bumblebee” tone caps and a Switchcraft selector and output jack translate the signal in pure vintage style
Additionally the neck features a holly head veneer, tortoise shell side dot material and has been completely re-tooled with accurate truss rod channel depth and profile based on scans by the Gibson Custom Shop Engineering Team. The Custom Shop 50th Anniversary 1960 ES-335TD is the closest today’s player can come to obtaining the look, feel and tone of an original dot-neck 1960 ES-335TD.
The original ES-335TD (“TD” for “thinline, double-pickup”) was a huge hit simply because it addressed so many different guitarists’ needs in one new design. The arched top and f-holes appealed to jazz and dance-band players who were still attached to the look of traditional Gibson “jazz boxes”, but who appreciated advancements such as a thinline, double-cutaway body. The maple center block that ran from neck tenon to end pin reduced feedback and provided the sharper, snappier tone that rock and roll and country players demanded, and also enabled the use of Gibson’s solid new Tune-o-matic bridge and stop-bar tailpiece pairing, which further aided tone and sustain. In one form or another the ES-335TD (and its siblings, the ES-345 and ES-355) would land in the hands of Eric Clapton, Alvin Lee, Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Larry Carlton, and countless other groundbreaking guitarists.
With its historically accurate tone woods, electronics, and hardware, the Custom Shop 50th Anniversary 1960 ES-335TD packs all the tonal versatility of the original, and proves once again why the design has remained a favorite of guitarists from every genre of music since its introduction half a century ago. All Custom Shop 50th Anniversary 1960 ES-335TDs come with a silkscreened Gibson Custom Shop hard-shell case, a Certificate of Authenticity and a full complement of “how to” literature.
For more information, please visit www.gibson.com
Eastwood Airline Folkstar Resonator
I like Eastwood guitars. They are like the neighbour's quirky daughter, you'll never admit to it, but despite all her weirdness and awkwardness, you'd rerally love to play with it! I've been looking for a resonator, and this could possibly be the one.
Eastwood Guitars has started shipping the new Airline Folkstar Resonator guitar. This beautiful electric guitar was all the buzz at the Eastwood/Airline booth last month at NAMM in Anaheim California. The new Airline Folkstar Resonator is based off the early 60s model and in true Eastwood fashion it features many upgrades and improvements.
This chambered mahogany 24 3/4“ scale guitar features a biscuit resonator cone with a Piezo bridge pickup and a NY mini-humbucker neck pickup, which are controlled by a blend potentiometer. This smooth blending feature, combined with the volume and tone controls allows for unlimited sounds, which was unachievable on the non-electrified originals. The eye-catching Airline Folkstar is available in red or black and features the retro rubber body binding just like the Eastwood Airline Custom ’59 series. The bolt-on maple neck with rosewood fingerboard is set up with #12-52 bronze resonator strings, making this a “must have” guitar for both pro-touring and home recording players.
The Airline Folkstar is now shipping.
For more information, please visit www.eastwoodguitars.com
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Framus Panthera and Diablo
I've never heard of Framus, but Peter at IHG has a great post about some of their range. Two in particular stand out for me:
Panthera Legacy.
- Set neck
- Available as right-handed or left-handed*
- Mahogany body, carved top
- Mahogany neck
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Dot inlays
- Scale length: 24,75" (628 mm)
- Nut width: 43mm
- 22 medium standard frets
- Plek Technology is used for Guitar Set Up
- Original Seymour Duncan pickups: APH-1N Alnico II Pro (neck), SH-PG1B Pearly Gates (bridge)
- 3-way toggle switch
- 1 x volume control
- 1 x Push/pull tone control for humbucker splitting
- Finishes: natural satin, coloured oil, high polish top with satin back & neck or high polish top, back & neck
- Framus standard machine heads
- Bigsby chrome vibrato with Framus roller bridge
- Warwick security locks
- Chrome hardware
- Framus low friction nut
- Strings: Framus .010" - .046"
- Including Framus "User Kit"
- Comes with "Premium Line Plus" RockBag®
Panthera Studio Supreme
- Bolt in
- Available as right-handed or left-handed*
- Mahogany body with AAA Flamed Maple top, carved
- Ovangkol neck, natural oil finish
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Framus oval inlays
- Scale length: 25,5" (648 mm)
- Nut width: 43mm
- 22 medium standard frets
- Plek Technology is used for Guitar Set Up
- Original Seymour Duncan pickups: APH-1N Alnico II Pro (neck), APS-1 RW/RP Alnico Pro II staggered single coil (middle) SH-5 Custom (bridge)
- 2-way toggle switch „lead free“
- 5-way switch
- 1 x volume control
- 1 x Push/pull tone control for humbucker splitting
- Finish: high polish top with natural satin back or high polish top with natural high polish back
- Framus locking machine heads
- TonePros tune-o-matic bridge
- Warwick security locks
- Chrome hardware
- Framus low friction nut
- Strings: Framus .009" - .046"
- Including Framus "User Kit"
- Comes with RockCase® flight case
IKON Customs Arachnoid1
I remember being a kid and although I was useless on a skateboard, as a rite of passage I had to ride down Karloo St, a massive hill that is at the maximum inclination for a road. Sitting down on the board, I took off with no fear in my mind. After a good start, I got the speed wobbles, started gouging massive chunks out of my knuckles (scars still visible today) and came a cropper, ripping the skin off a third of my right arse cheek. It then scabbed over as it healed.
When the scab fell off, it looked like this.
Custom guitar builder, Ikon Customs takes guitar building to a new level with unique custom body shapes and materials…all without sacrificing the tones and performance of the instrument.
Houston TX February 10, 2010 – Ikon Custom Guitars is introducing its first production models to the guitar market. The Arachnoid 1is 100% hand built in the USA using traditional and innovative techniques. After years of effort to challenge conventional appearances and styles of guitars, Ikon Customs feels it has finally reached a new pinnacle in guitar design, appearance and manufacturing.
The body of the Arachnoid 1is constructed of a poplar wood core for strength and tone and a proprietary resin compound that allows the builders to sculpt and shape finished bodies into new and innovative designs. The resin compound took many prototypes and years to finalize before committing to final production. In addition to the proprietary compounds, Ikon Customs also builds bodies using other materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar. Founder and President, Marc Anthony H. Bertone feels that with these new materials, his design concepts will be limitless.
The Arachnoid 1 is available in three models:
Arachnoid1 Weaver: Red Oak Neck and Fretboard
Dyed fretboard, printed graphic "tatooed" on
Poplar headstock with a walnut veneer
Death Dealer high output passive pickup
Top loading fixed IKON USA Bridge
IKON Grip USA locking tuners
Proprietary resin formula over Poplar body
Adjustable aluminum nut
Custom airbrushed paintjob
Available in Flat, Satin or High Gloss finish
chrome, black or gold hardware
25.5" scale, 24 jumbo frets, available in flat or 20" radius
MSRP: $999Arachnoid1 Recluse:
Maple, Walnut, Bloodwood or Purpleheart neck and fretboard
Inlaid Aliencult Skull logo
Poplar headstock with Carbon Fiber or exotic burl veneer
Death Dealer high output pickup or Stealth active pickup
Top loading fixed IKON USA Bridge
IKON Grip USA locking tuners
Proprietary resin formula with hand-laid fiberglass over Walnut body
Adjustable aluminum nut
Custom airbrushed paintjob
Available in Flat, Satin or High Gloss finish
chrome, black or gold hardware
25.5" scale, 24 jumbo frets, available in flat or 20" radius
MSRP: $1999Arachnoid1 Widow: Cocobolo or Bocote (or any other exotic wood; subject to availability and may affect final pricing) neck and fretboard
Inlaid Aliencult Skull logo, LED glowing fret markers
Poplar headstock with Carbon Fiber or exotic burl veneer
Death Dealer high output pickup or Stealth active pickup
Top loading fixed IKON USA Bridge
IKON Grip USA locking tuners
Proprietary resin formula with hand-laid fiberglass and carbon-fiber over Walnut body
Adjustable aluminum nut
Custom airbrushed paintjob; ours or your choice of colors
Available in Flat, Satin or High Gloss finish
chrome, black, gold or any painted color hardware
25.5" scale, 24 jumbo frets, available in flat or 20" radius
MSRP: $2999Ikon Customs is now actively seeking to establish domestic retailers and international distributors. For more information, visit www.ikoncustoms.com or www.myspace.com/ikoncustoms.
About Ikon Customs
Established in 2006 with the intent of changing the world of guitars and musical instruments, Founder and President Marc Anthony H. Bertone set out to find new and unique approaches to designing musical instruments that defied tradition and style. What started as a hobby in the garage has now turned into a lifetime pursuit and career. www.ikoncustoms.com
New Ibanez 2010 Range
Ibanez are showcasing a new series of guitars on their website, and unfortunately there is little to go one that I can find on some of the models.
There is the new XPT1400TW GP (catchy name!) that is a double neck six string / seven string combo, and new six sting base, and a new Darkstone Model, the DN! PRM that I have just fallen in love with. To have a look at all the pics head over to the Ibanez website.
