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Topic: This could become my #1 giggin' guitar............ |
Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 6 Feb 2008 9:30 am |
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I think this "PartsCaster" is almost finished. I originally had it set up like an Esquire with only a bridge pickup but had some things added and it sounds as good if not better than my main Tele. Here's what's in it........
Fender Highway One Telecaster body.
Warmouth "old profile" Tele neck w/maple fretboard.
vintage style Kluson tuning pegs.
All Parts "pearl" pickguard
Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounder neck pickup.
Seymore Duncan Hot Rails pickup in the bridge position which is hooked to a mini toggle switch between the volume & tone control which has the following settings: humbucking/tapped/both coils in series.
Pull pot on the reversed control plate which adds an "out of phase" sound. Also when using the mini toggle you actually get three different out of phase sounds.
Parsons/Green B-bender (the HipShot version) which was installed by Brian Friend in SoCal.
Joe Barden bridge unit with three brass saddles that can be intonated...
I put an old cover from an old bass guitar over the pulling hub of the bender for a different look.
I'm adding some Keith/Scruggs tuners to strings 1 and 6 at a later date.
I'm also posting a shot of the Telecaster it'll be replacing. Does anyone else have a bender guitar they could show us?.......JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Dave Boothroyd
From:
Staffordshire Moorlands
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Posted 6 Feb 2008 9:41 am
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What I like about that, especially with the Bass cover, is that it looks so innocent.
People will never work out how you are doing those bends.
I hope you are cultivating an "It's nothing! Can't everybody do it?" look.
Great idea, beautifully done.
cheers
Dave |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 6 Feb 2008 10:01 am Re: This could become my #1 giggin' guitar............
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| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
| Does anyone else have a bender guitar they could show us? |
Here's mine. It's a 1968 Tele, with the very rare maple neck with a separate maple fretboard instead of the frets inserted directly into the neck itself..
The bender was made by my father. He also inlaid my name in the guitar. This guitar was stolen on 1980, and found its way back to me 9 months later, because of the inlay.
Note the B-bender, and the Bigsby palm pedal on the 3rd string.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 7 Feb 2008 8:19 am
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Mike, that's one sweet guitar! Is the pickguard clear showing the wood underneath or is is a wooden pickguard? My old eyes can't tell. Also, did you do the swing arm lever yourself as Palm Pedals usually have a solid arm except for the newer ones that Dan Balde makes?....JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 7 Feb 2008 9:01 am
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Jerry, the pick guard is regular plastic, covered with bird's eye maple veneer, as is the pick guard on this guitar.
I also have 2 guitars with solid wood pick guards. I just like the way they look.
The palm pedal was split that way when I got it. I like being able to move it out of the way when I'm not using it.
BTW the tele was the guitar I was playing the night we first met when we were playing in those neighboring clubs. At the time it was my only guitar.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 10:14 am
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Guys, please forgive the hype, but if you like Teles, this one from Ravenwest is really sweet.
My feelings about the guitar are of course colored by my association with the company, so I loaned mine to Eric West so he could give an unbiased opinion. Eric, would you mind telling everybody what you think of it?
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Brian Herder
From:
Philadelphia, Pa. USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 1:03 pm
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Here's one I don't have anymore. Had a great sounding Velvet Hammer pickup.
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 3:11 pm My "review" of Mike's Beautiful Bubinga Tele.
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In short, I loved it!
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To begin with, I'm not an "industry tele guy". I've been playing couch guitar for the whole time I've been playing PSG, and only got back seriously into it on the bandstand a couple years ago.
I'm just now at the point where I'm not taking constructive critism like I did for too many years on PSG. (It always comes from people that need too much of it themselves..)
Enough about me..
This Tele knock off is flooring me as much as the Fender Squiers that fill my music room. More in some ways.
I have NO idea how so much work and craftsmanship goes into this new wave of guitars. Let alone "for the money".
Inasmuch, I can't and won't compare this Laminated Neck Thru exotic wood string-thru-body gem to my other guitars.
To begin with, I'll list the things I "don't like" about it as I go. That's fair, though I'm usually not "fair".
Fairness, as they say, is the enemy of justice..
The neck is laminated perfectly, and formed in a "standard" shape. 1 11/16 (1.6875") as close as my dial caliper will measure at the nut.
That said, it is finished well but porous. Just my personal preference, but I like to put the "pores" in myself. It feels "friendly" and maybe moreso than the well worn standards owned and played by friends on the bandstand I've come across. I like a more unfriendly glass finish myself.
The neck otherwise is flawless, frets not protruding at all, and the neck binding is perfect. I'd guess it's not "ebony" but I'd guess rosewood. Inlayed with MOP in a fashion I don't think you could get for 300$ alone. Not gaudy, but a nice little scorpion in addition to the MOP fret markers.
Where it meets the body, in a ramped heel, the 21st fret is TOTALLY accessable to fretting, as is the 22nd, with VERY slight motion.
I think that's the best feature of this guitar, and I have no idea like I said how so much obviously labor intensive things are on this guitar. Like the laminations, I don't see a flaw in ANY of the glue joints, or any filler spots.
The headstock shape and contour where it meets the neck is comfortable and not out of what I'd expect. The shape is a little closer to the F word than I'd do it, but I'm not a lawyer, though I did stay at a...
The top is about 1/4" of beautiful "Bubbinga" wood, that reminds me of and smells like teak, without the weight. Easier to explain by looking at the picture. Unbound, and again, PERFECT lamination, with no filler, or gaps. Maybe the corners are a little sharper than I'd do it, but it only shows, to my thinking, being unafraid of wood defects. My guess is that finding the pieces to match up for the lamination alone would take more time than a lot of guitars take tobuild.
That's what my inital reaction to everything about this guitar was to begin with, and has gotten more clear as I get into it. There has to be more labor in it than any other "thing".
Hardware wise, as above. It's a non ash tray bridge plate which is not my preference. It is thick, and not screwed in at the top like non thru guitars I've checked out. I liked that. String through, like I said, and individual "barrels" as shown on the picture. I like them a LOT. Not wiggly or "tippy". The grover minis are great and solid. Switch is smooth. No "popping" like others, and Volume pots and controls are smooth, and not noisy as some in this "game" seem to be.
Pickups, I'll compare to my others.
I found them closer to "vintage" than my ASAT. More "bite" and slightly less signal though my ASATs are hellishly hot, and a little less brassy. I like them. Not even knowing what they are. Of course they're single coil, and in the B or N setting, they'll buzz like any other single coil when there's a big rheostat around. B/N, the buzz goes away, and the mixture is not muddy. Pretty much "standard".
One thing that does impress the heck out of me is the lack of a switch/knob plate. With a laminate/exotic wood this too takes balls. Not a nick or imperfection in a sharp edged rout. Input is the "ASAT" type, non-cup, which is my preference unless you carry epoxy for sticking the cups back in..
OK.
If it was "my guitar", and I was the one that designed it, I'd put a smaller than strat "rib contour" on it and maybe do a small forearm bevel, though with the 1/4" bubbinga top it'd be a noticed difference. These things would be in line with the contoured heel, and make for an overall picture of "aerodynamics".
Playing wise.
I've played it for a week here on my studies, and at one gig.
I found it to be every but as comfortable and clean as any guitar I've played. The particular guitar I have is set up with an aftermarket "Earvana" nut, which is not my preference, and I like a bone or "graphite" nut better. They just sound snappier, and I don't have intonation problems with any of my guitars with .011s. Besides, I like "sharp thirds". ( Teehehehe.)
Also, the body is 1.625" thick, and it NOT a "heavy guitar". In fact it is lighter than my SSH Squire, and the same as My ASAT Tribute. It weighs 8 lbs. My Indian SSH Fender Squier weighs 9, made out of "Indian Cedar".
"Sustain" is rather subjective, but If this guitar was shown to have more "Ed Packard Graphic Sustain™" I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Out of the open position "earvana damping" I notice that it's really active, and transfers the vibes as well as anything I've played.
That's about all I can say about this RWG Neck-thru laminate Bubbinga T Guitar.
It's got more hand work in it than I can imagine.
It plays well, and I don't know how they can make this wave of good guitars at the prices I've seen.
In my last couple years, Of these guitars I've bought and played, I'm wondering severely, on the "F" guitars, why they have the extra "1" in front of the price on the tag at GC..
I'd like one of these.
YMMV, of course.
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There ya go.
EJL/HFLE |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 3:14 pm
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Brian, that bender guitar looks like one of those Nashville West models that Stringpull (Mike Nihen) in Virginia used to build. Why did you get rid of it? Those are hard to find...
Doug, that's one hot looking (and playing no doubt) Tele you've got there. I wish it was in my collection!)
Mike, on your Ravenwest, I like that neck through body design. How many Ravenwests do you have now. I guess you're still associated with them, good luck with that!....JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
Last edited by Jerry Hayes on 9 Feb 2008 12:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Brian Herder
From:
Philadelphia, Pa. USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 6:08 pm
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| Jerry, that's a loaded body that Mike gave me a deal on at a guitar show. I had a neck that I liked and put it together. I sold it back to Mike at a time when I needed the money more than the bender.. what're ya gonna do? It was a really fun guitar- long stroke and VH's. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 10:20 pm
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Thanks Eric. I love the guitar, but when I say it, there is always the issue of my association with the company coloring my assessment. Coming from you, it's an honest review.
| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
Mike, on your Ravenwest, I like that neck through body design. How many Ravenwests do you have now. I guess you're still associated with them, good luck with that!....JH in Va. |
Jerry, I had 10, (Remember, I get them for free) but I gave 3 of them away to friends. Being a tele player, I like their tele most of all. I also really like the jazz guitar (which is unfortunately discontinued) and the PRS copies.
(Note My guitars have block inlays rather than vines.)
Besides the Tele whose pictures I posted, they also make a semi hollow one with 2 f holes, P-90 pickups, and a bolt on neck. It's sort of a cross between a tele and a 335. Here's a picture4 of that one
It too is a pretty decent guitar, but I prefer the neck through. Fortunately I didn't have to choose.
My association with the company is every guitar player's dream come true.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 9 Feb 2008 12:04 pm
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Hey Mike, the next time you get ready to give another guitar away, think of me. I'm a poor old destitute ex-SoCal player who's transplanted in the Old Dominion due to a wife (now ex) who I don't have any more.......Waaaah!!!! JH in Va.
P.S........I can pay shipping (I ain't that destitute!)
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 6:17 am Ole Jerry's not above begging.
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But give him another month and he will screw that guitar up just like he did with the Tele with the mini- Humbuckers, by putting pickguard material all over it and covering up some beautiful wood and that guitar had just been refinished too. Sorry my brother , but you need to learn when to leave well enough, alone. |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 4:07 pm
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| Well, John, what about Paul Bigsby covering up that pretty maple (on his guitars and mandolins) with pickguard material? Or putting that stuff all over Merle Travis' guitar, or, for that matter, putting a different NECK on Merle's Martin D-28? |
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