In previous posts, I have asked what the best all-rounder guitar might be. I mentioned various types of guitar, eventually settling on a 335 style guitar such as my Harley Benton HB-35 Plus.
I also praised the Stratocaster, another guitar I have more than one of, in various forms. I certainly mentioned the Telecaster, but when I read the articles back, I feel like I was unfair to the first ever commercially produced electric guitar. Why?
The answer is probably because I have hardly played one in comparison to Strats or other guitars. And while over a dozen Strats have passed through my guitar collection in the last quarter of a century, I have never owned a Telecaster of any kind.
The more I think about it, the more striking that is, especially when considering how many of my favourite guitar players used Teles. These include guitarists from literally every genre you can imagine, including (but not remotely limited to):
Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
Steve Cropper (legendary guitarist on some of the world’s best known soul recordings)
Jimmy Page (who recorded Led Zeppelin’s debut album entirely on a paisley telecaster)
Roy Buchanan (influencial sideman known as ‘the guitarists’ guitarist’s guitarist’)
Bob Dylan (who infamously went electric at a folk festival by plugging in a Telecaster)
George Harrison (in the later years of The Beatles, including during their legendary rooftop concert)
Tommy Tedesco (legendary session guitarist)
Bill Frizell, Mike Stern & Julian Lage (amazing Tele-playing jazz guitarists)
James Burton (Elvis Presley)
Bruce Springsteen (The Boss)
Joe Strummer (The Clash)
PJ Harvey (lauded British singer-songwriter)
Andy Summers (The Police)
Graham Coxon (Blur)
Chrissie Hyde (The Pretenders)
Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Rick Parfitt & Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
Muddy Waters & Albert Collins (blues legends)
Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Fleetwood Mac)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine; Audioslave)
Waylon Jemnings (country legend)
Matt Bellamy (Muse)
Mike Bloomfield (blues & session guitarist who worked with Dylan, among others)
Jeff Buckley (revered singer-songwriter)
Anna Calvin (three times Mercury-nominated artist)
Richie Kotzen (Poison; Mr Big)
Jerry Donahue (insanely talented country-fusion string bender)
Brad Paisley (one of several amazing country guitarists wielding Teles)
…and did you know Hendrix used a Telecaster (borrowed from his bass player, Noel Redding) to record the solo to Purple Haze?
A handful of famous Telecaster players. Clockwise from top left: Bruce Springsteen, PJ Harvey, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Keith Richards, Prince.
It goes without saying that the above list is by no means exhaustive, and also that many of the artists listed above used other guitars. However, the vast majority of them relied on a Telecaster for their most seminal recordings or the bulk of their live work – as have so many others.
So why haven’t I?
I think I started off by buying a Stratocaster as my first proper guitar, and fell in love. I became a Strat Guy, and in many ways, remain one. It’s the guitar in the hands of many of my earliest guitar heroes and was the dream guitar of my teenage years. And as I have said previously, the Stratocaster is an incredibly versatile guitar. But I wonder if this has led me to overlook Telecasters as a result?
Perhaps it’s time to change that. Any recommendations for the best value Telecaster to buy? I’ve a few in mind, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
And of course, if/when I eventually get to put a Tele through it’s paces, I’ll report back…
I an article earlier this year, I weighed-up which two guitars in my collection would be the ultimate top two – the two I could take along to any gig any be comfortable they would cover (almost) any style of music being played. This is especially useful for me at studio dates, where surprise requests can often occur, and I don’t usually have capacity to take my entire guitar collection along to every session!
In the end, after examining different types of guitar (differentiated largely by their pickups), I concluded that – for me – one of my Stratocasters and a p90-type guitar (in my case this Gould Stormbird) made a winning combination in terms of tones and range of genres. With these two, I could cover everything from jazz and funk to classic rock and noisy indie, and everything in-between.
But what if you could only take one guitar out? Which one would it be?
In the original post, I sang the praises of the 335-type guitar, which only just missed out on making it into the ‘top two’. I love my own 335 copy, but I felt more confident taking a Strat to a gig with multiple (or unknown) genres on the go, mainly because the single-pickup solid body cleans up better, is far less prone to feedback onstage (especially when playing heavier styles), and offers more tonal options. Also, I think the fact that I’ve played Strats since I was sixteen likely played a part in my thought process. I sometimes take a job where I don’t know exactly what I’ll be asked to play until I arrive, so familiarity with an instrument I trust is crucial.
However, I might have been a little unfair to the 335, and feel like I’ve changed my opinion in the last few months. I’ve certainly been using one as my main guitar for 80% of my gigs this year so far, and it performed perfectly at my most recent studio bookings – but would I be happy with it as my only guitar for any gig?
Let’s look at the three types of guitar by pickup type again, with a summary of what I use them for, as well as a few examples of where I use them professionally.
Single-coil solid body guitars (Strat, Tele, Danelectro, etc)
Classic guitar tones – bright and clear with lots of twang or spank to their sound Sound great overdriven, but retain some of their original character Sit well in a mix with other instruments/guitars Reliable, solid instruments which are easy to mod Perfect for: pop, funk, country, blues, rock, indie Can be noisy, especially in high-gain settings
P90 solid body guitars (Stormbird, Some PRS models, some Teles, etc)
Beefed-up version of a classic single-coil sound Beautifully warm, yet still clear, distorted sound Great ‘best of both worlds’ between a single-coil and humbucking pickup Covers most styles (but volume has to be rolled back slightly for cleaner sounds) Can be very noisy in certain settings
Humbucker solid body guitars (Les Paul, SG, PRS)
The classic overdriven guitar sound, warm but aggressive Warm, full sound for jazz (with the volume rolled back a little) Perfect for: Rock of all types, jazz and blues Not as good as single-coils for those iconic glassy clean sounds
A humbucking guitar with a slightly airier sound Lighter than a Les Paul (to save your poor back!) Capable to playing most styles imaginable Perfect for: jazz, funk, soul, blues, classic rock Neck & Bridge pickups together gives a wonderful funk tone Prone to feedback onstage, especially in higher-gain settings
Picture credit: Music Radar
Final thoughts
Which would I choose? I still couldn’t say for certain. It depends so much on the gig in question, but if I wasn’t sure what I was going to asked to play, I expect it would be the Strat or the 335 I’d be reaching for. I guess it comes down to a choice between a solid body or (semi) hollow bodied guitar; whether I’m seeking the thicker snap of the Strat, or the airier sound of the 335.
And of course, bear in mind that we’ve only been discussing electric guitar options here – if I was really unsure about the requirements for a studio date, I’d have an acoustic packed into the car too!
But what about you? Obviously, what works for me doesn’t necessarily work for everyone, which is why I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch!
When looking up reviews if new guitars, I often come across the acronym GAS, or Gear Acquisition Syndrome. This humorous shorthand phrase sums up the seemingly inante drive in many guitarists to buy more equipment, from amps and effects pedals to, of course, guitars.
But how many guitars do we really need? Can one setup (be that one guitar, plus a backup, or two guitars used equally) be used in a wide variety of styles and genres?
For many guitarists working in more than one band, this feels like an impossible question – perhaps only slightly easier to answer than asking what one guitar would easily cover all bases for every type of gig you play?
Let’s work on the assumption that most players cross genres in one way or another, and begin with a few opening questions…
How many different genres do you play? And how varied are they?
If you only play one style of rock, metal or punk, then this might be quite simple. Similarly, if you rarely stray out of jazz or soul, you likely have couple of guitars which provide all the sounds and textures you are looking for, and fit the sound of your groups quite well. But what if you’re expected to hop from one extreme to another on different gigs – or even (such as some cruise ship or theatre pit musician gigs) in the course of one gig? Do your guitars cover as many options as possible?
Which guitars in your collection are the most practical?
For most of us, stage space is at a premium, so it’s unreasonable (and widely impractical) to bring four or five guitars to an average show.
Most of the working musicians I know (myself included) soon find themselves reaching for the same two or three guitars in their armoury, confident that these instruments deliver the goods time and again at any gig they bring it to. These instruments are usually well set up and hold their tune reliably, and are often not the most expensive or luxurious instrument option. As lovely as that vintage jazz hollow-body from the 1930s is, it only really does one sound well, and the rest of the time would be sitting there waiting to get knocked over and damaged beyond repair! (it probably feeds back like no one’s business in a live setting, too!)
To sum up, a few questions to consider…
Could this guitar play an entire show?
Is it reliable & comfortable enough to play for long periods of time?
Am I crippled with fear of it getting damaged?
These are the factors we have consider in making a choice such as this. Now let’s look at some of the obvious contenders…
Single-coil guitars (e.g., Stratocaster or Telecaster)
Generally the lowest output pickups (although there’s a world of variations out there), single-coils have been fitted as standard on Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters since they first appeared on the market in the early 1950s. Played clean, these have a wonderful clear sound, and with a little push from the amp or overdrive pedals, breakup beautifully. They aren’t best suited to heavier styles of music, but they perform brilliantly in almost everything else. Think of Buddy Holly and Hank Marvin inspiring millions of future guitar players with the original Strats, as well as the countless players who pushed the instrument beyond expectations such as Jimi Hendrix. For blues, look at Buddy Guy’s searing attack or Stevie Ray Vaughn’s much-too-imitated blues sound (pushing the neck pickup of his Strats through a Tubescreamer pedal)…
Some of the Strat players who have left a significant influence on how we approach the electric guitar. All of them finding their unique voice on the same instrument (Clockwise from top right: Hank Marvin, Buddy Guy, Nile Rogers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, Rory Gallagher, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly)
Telecasters have had a similarly lasting effect on music history, from the early country musicians and Dylan ‘going electric’ with one in 1965, to it’s emergence as a reliable solid body jazz instrument and the soulful stylings of Stax and Blues Brothers legend Steve Cropper. And let’s not forget that the Telecaster was often the unsung hero in the studio, used on more sessions and hit records than you might imagine – Jimmy Page used one to record pretty much all of Led Zeppelin’s debut album!
Of course, there are far more than Strats and Teles in the world of single-coil guitars. Danelectro make use of their unique ‘lipstick’ pickups, as well as all the weird and wonderful guitars which came out of Japan and Eastern Europe during the 1960s and 1970s. But the guitars made by Fender were by far the market leaders this area, and even if it’s not a Strat or Tele on that record you love, if it’s a single-coil sound, it’s most likely inspired by one.
I’ve been a Stratocaster player since I was sixteen years old, using them for everything from funk & soul to classic rock, with loads of blues and indie-rock in-between. It’s hard to keep count, but I’ve probably had at least ten different Strats in my possession (not all at the same time, I hasten to add!), and I keep coming back to them for a number of reasons, but that clear single-coil sound is chief amongst them.
Both of my current Strats are fitted with alnico iii (3) magnets, like the very first Strats produced in 1954 (although they soon switched to Alnico V and have stuck with them ever since). The 3’s are slightly lower output and vintage sounding, breaking up nicely through a slightly driven amp, and still retaining crisp clarity when paired with a classic Marshall overdrive sound. One of them (the orange one, above right) also features a button to engage the neck and bridge pickups at the same time, giving me the so-called Tele mod, and allowing me the sounds of both guitars in one. A lot of my function gigs in recent have involved numerous switches in musical style, and these two guitars do a great job of handing whatever I throw at them.
Humbucking guitars (e.g., Les Paul, SG, 335)
Humbuckers are, in essence, two single-coils wound together. The two magnets combined create a higher output sound, and their opposing polarity cancels out the 60-cycle hum which occurs in single-magnet pickups, hence the name hum-bucker. These two factors make humbuckers ideal for heaver guitar sounds, from classic rock to metal and beyond. The original humbuckers tended o sound a little ‘dark’ at lower gain settings, but this (along with their inherent noise-cancelling properties) made them an ideal choice for jazz guitarists, and they remain so to this day.
Examples of different guitarists who have used humbucking guitars in a wide array of genres, from jazz & blues to metal & avant-garde (Clockwise from top right: BB King, Frank Zappa, Michael Schenker, Billy Gibbons, Peter Green, Wes Montgomery)
Semi-hollow guitars (such as the 335 style Harley Benton, below left) offer a great hybrid for playing jazz, funk and soul, as well as dirtier blues, rock, pop and indie.
Both of my humbucker-equipped guitars (the Harley Benton and my custom Elderwood, above right), have the option to split the coils, giving a single-coil sound when needed. This is a really useful option, although the split sound is a little too ‘thin’ sounding to use too often; sometimes it’s better to wind back the volume slight on a full humbucker, or find a pickup that’s a good halfway point between a single-coil and humbuckng pickup…
P90 guitars
P90s sit somewhere between the clarity of a single-coil and the power of a humbucker, meaning that they can be a useful cover-all option for gigs that require both heavier and gentler sounds. With careful listening and judicious use of the volume control, you should have the full gamut of sounds available. It’s also worth noting that quite a lot of the classic pop & rock music you love was in fact recorded with p90-equiped guitars – although that’s a story for another time…
I have a triple p90 Gould Stormbird (a copy of a non-reverse Firebird with Entwhistle pickup) which acts as my main guitar for one of my original projects (dirty psychedelic funk), as well as the backup to my Strats and humbucking guitars, at a range of shows. These pickups clean up wonderfully and can produce enough grit for the styles of music I regularly play.
Gould Stormbird, based on a Gibson non-reverse Firebird, with three p90 pickups
One of the main drawbacks to a p90 is that they can be quite noisy, even more so than with single-coil pickups, due to their increased output. This is especially apparent in venues with lots of mixed lighting circuits (such as stage lights with timers and dimmers), so you have to be ready to mute your sound between songs. Is it worth it? In my opinion, yes. I currently only have one p90 guitar, and it’s become so essential to my rig that I need to look at getting another p90 guitar to act as a spare in case anything goes wrong with this one…
So what are my ultimate two?
Let me start by saying I think every guitarist should at least try out a 335-style guitar. They are incredibly versatile and comfortable instruments, capable of covering a wide range of bases. If I was ever in the position where I could only take one guitar to a session (be it live or in the studio), I think a 335 (or in my case, the HB-35 Plus) would be my safest bet.
However, in terms of covering the most styles possible while remaining comfortable and reliable, I would choose one of my Strats and the p90-loaded Gould. Between these two guitars, I can go from clean to quite heavy, with a high degree of note clarity, and little (if any) risk of onstage feedback. Both axes are well built and well setup solid bodied instruments that rarely present any issues while working. Although I’m sure I’d find myself missing the 335 before too long…
Final thoughts
Of course, these are my opinions, based on my own experience and current work. As always, I’d love to hear from you – what two guitars would you take out as your cover-all-bases setup?
You’ve probably played a Cort guitar before, without even realising it.
The Korean firm is one of the largest guitar building companies in the world. Yet most of their operations are to serve as contractors, building the lower-budget guitars of several major brands over the last few decades, including Ibanez, Squier, Schecter, PRS, Musicman and G&L, to name but a few.
So guitars sold under their own name should be treated with respect, considering the expertise and resources behind their creation. Their CJ range of acoustic guitars are a good value alternative for players on a tighter budget and offer high quality instruments at a more than reasonable price.
For me, I need a guitar I can take out to live shows that will perform without me feeling anxious about it getting damaged. My Taylor acoustic’s endpin jack is coming loose again, despite several attempts at repairing this issue (never, ever buy a guitar where the jack input is part of the strap button – in my experience, it pays to keep these two important elements separate), so I have taken the decision to retire this guitar from regular gigging. I found the CJ Retro available on sale and loved the vintage aesthetic, and here we are…
The CJ Retro seems designed to put you roughly in mind of the Gibson J-160E acoustics famously played by John Lennon and George Harrison. Lennon in particular made use of his J-160 throughout his career, and the fact that his guitar was also all-laminate didn’t stop it from becoming the acoustic you hear on countless classic Beatles songs. The CJ is a different shape (a jumbo compared to the J-160E’s dreadnought shape), and with the soundhole-mounted pickup, it also projects a vibe harking back to the earliest days of pickup-equipped guitars (think Charlie Christian).
Specifications & dimensions
The CJ Retro is a jumbo-sized electro acoustic guitar at a budget price. Instead of a solid top, this guitar is constructed entirely out of laminated woods, so the sound won’t mature in the same way as a more expensive acoustic. But laminates have their own positive qualities, being more resistant to the elements than a solid top guitar – useful for regular gigging, especially if you play a lot of outdoor shows.
Here’s the basic specs & dimensions:
Top: Laminated Spruce
Back & sides: Laminated Mahogany
Fretboard & bridge: Merbau
Nut width: 43mm / 1 & 11/16th in
Scale length: 648mm / 25.5 in
Pickup: Fishman® Neo-D Humbucker (over soundhole)
Electronics: Fishman® VTB EQ passive system (Volume, Treble, Bass)
Length: 105cm / 41.5 in
Lower bout: 42cm / 16.5 in
Upper bout: 32cm / 12.5 in
Depth: 12.5 cm / 5 in
(all measurements are approximate).
The white double binding is well done and matches the simple single-ply pick guard. The off-white tuning pegs (attached to open gears on the back of the 3-a-side headstock) compliment the vintage feel of the matte sunburst finish and dual, overlapping rectangle position markers.
This is a loud guitar that projects well. The new set of strings which the guitar came with still have that treble-heavy ‘zing’ that needs playing out, but this all-laminate jumbo box certainly moves the airwaves.
It feels comfortable to play. The matte finish feels like the satin fimish found on some electric guitar necks and invites fluid movement. The neck shape itself feels comfortable and the frets have been well finished (no sharp edges here).
One thing I hadn’t noticed prior to purchase was the lack of a second strap button, meaning one end of the strap would have to be strung around the headstock. However, installing a second button on the treble side of the neck joint (with a small amount of careful drilling) allowed me to attach the strap here. This meant that playing felt a little more naturally ergonomic for me when standing up.
Sounds & playability
This really is one of the loudest acoustic guitars I’ve ever played. The combination of it’s jumbo size and the bright strings make for an instrument that cries out to be strummed, whether it’s big open chords or comping more complex jazz voicings. The strings are well balanced and all notes ring clear. This remains the case when fingerpicking, which sounds wonderful on this guitar. For single line playing, the Cort offers a midrange bite that’s perfect for bluesy leads (think acoustic Clapton).
Plugged in, the guitar’s acoustic ‘zing’ is a little muted but still present. Through a PA, this guitar sounds a little boxy, like the archtops of the 30s and 40s, which is a result of the position of the pickup (as opposed to the traditional place, inside the guitar, under the bridge). The treble and bass controls have a wide range and do a good job of rounding this out, although it took me little experimentation to tune my ears into the sound I wanted.
Final verdict
I didn’t need to worry too much about onstage monitoring with this guitar, as it is more than loud enough for me to hear it live acoustically while playing. The Cort has performed admirably at several shows already, and recieved compliments for it’s appearance and sound.
My main gripe is the difference in sound between the guitar’s natural acoustic tone and the pickup. Although this served as an advantage when I took it along to a recent studio date. At the overdubs session in question, I used the CJ to add a solo and harmonies to a song with a laid back, country rock feel. Here, the neutral sounding plugged-in tone of this guitar provided the engineer and producer with a natural sonic base they can shape and sculpt to fit the sound they’re looking for.
Overall, there could be improvements, but at this price, there’s little to complain about. The build quality is exceptional and I now have a guitar I am happy to take out to shows of all shapes and sizes.
At the end of last year, I acquired a new second-hand guitar. It even shipped with a hard case included as part of the sale! The guitar in question is a budget 335-style copy, made by Harley Benton, the in-house grand for the German musical instrument retailing giant Thomann. Or rather, I should say the Harley Benton HB-35 Plus…
What does plus mean?
Harley Benton already have the HB-35, their budget version of a 335-style guitar. Selling for just £175, they get good reviews and are an affordable way to try out Semi-hollow guitars for the first time. The HB-35 Plus retails at approximately £220 new, but has features which mark it out as a considerable upgrade on it’s cheaper sibling.
So what does that extra £45 get you? Block inlays, for a start, which look very classy. You also get more specialised vintage-voiced humbucking pickups (which can be split for a single-coil sound) and an arched maple top (hence the plus top moniker) in fancier colour options, such as the lemon drop colour reviewed here.
Image from Harley Benton’s website – note the original placement of the pickup selector
I love this colour, which appears more of a light orange-yellow to my eyes.
Furthermore, it seems that the nut is slightly more narrow (42mm to the original HB-35’s 43mm) and a slightly more curved fingerboard (12″ radius, compared to the older model’s 13.5″ or thereabouts), making this guitar feel a little more like the classic ‘jazz boxes’ of old.
Specifications & build quality
Having bought this guitar from another player, I received an instrument which had already been set up, and indeed, modified. This means I don’t know how this guitar would have arrived ‘from the box’, although I hear that like most guitars, a simple set up would be enough to get it in shape.
The guitar I received felt well balanced across the fretboard and is really comfortable to play. The classic Gibson scale length feels familiar and the neck is comfortable in my hand. In fact, it feels like they have copied the dimensions of the classic 335 very closely, which is no bad thing.
What’s more, the previous owner had moved the pickup selector switch from the top shoulder (where you would find it on a Les Paul) to a sit with the other controls, which is much more typical on a 335-style guitar. The only negative is that the original hole is still there (it was covered with a giant sticker when it arrived, which I quickly and carefully removed).
Here are the full specs of the guitar, according the Harley Benton:
Semi-hollow design with mahogany sustain block (Entandrophragma cylindricum)
Maple body with AAAA flamed maple archtop
Set-in maple neck
Pau Ferro fretboard with block fretboard inlays
Fretboard radius: 12 inches
22 medium jumbo Frets
Scale: 24.75 inches
Nut width: 42 mm
2 Roswell LAF Alnico-5 vintage-style humbucker pickups
2 Volume controls with push/pull function for split coil
Individual tone controls for each pickup
3-Way pickup toggle switch
Tune-O-Matic bridge
The main thing on my list to change, and indeed the only upgrade I feel this guitar needs, is to swap the plastic nut for one made of bone. I’ll probably get round to doing this later in the year, and for now it’s working fine and holding its tuning well.
How does it sound?
Before even plugging into an amp, this guitar sounds good (and surprisingly loud) completely acoustic, which is useful for playing at home.
Plugged in – it sounds exactly as a 335 should.
Played clean, single notes and chords ring out loud & clear, sounding even across the entire fretboard. The pickups, combined with the tone controls, allow for everything from jazz and blues to soul, pop, country and an almost Gretsch-like Chet Atkins vibe. Using the push-pull volume to split the humbuckers down to single-coils beings out an airier version of a Telecaster sound.
Throwing a little overdrive in makes this a very enjoyable guitar to play. As well as offering grittier takes on all the styles and sounds mentioned above, you also get some of the best classic rock tones out there. Add more distortion and it continues to sound very good and play incredibly well. The semi-hollow body allowing gentle feedback which helps add to note sustain.
Putting the HB-35+ through it’s paces at home
This guitar not only took any style I threw at it in its stride, but excelled across the board, even in higher-gain settings. Admittedly, I don’t play the more extreme metal genres, but even then, if you can work out the likely feedback issue, I have a feeling this guitar would surprise you…
Does it hold up well at live shows?
Since acquiring this guitar at the end of autumn last year, I’ve gigged it pretty regularly. It performed brilliantly when I put it through its paces at a recent soul review show, covering Steve Cropper style licks and jazzier solos and choral work. With one of my main covers acts, this quickly became my first choice guitar, covering everything from jangle and early 60s pop to classic rock, punk and Britpop, all in the space of one show. It is comfortable both to play and also to wear standing up for two hours.
Ask most professional session guitarists what the best ‘cover all bases’ guitars are, for studio work and live, and they will probably tell you to have a 335 handy. Obviously, this applies to any decent 335-style guitar, if not the gold standard Gibson original. But it certainly makes sense to snap up this significantly cheaper tribute, especially when it looks classy sounds fantastic and plays so well. It may be that they take a little post-purchase work to reach the decent playing standard I seem to have, but in my opinion, it’s worth it.
This guitar surprised me. I’d heard really good things about Harley Benton, but I still wasn’t prepared to be blown away as much as I was by this guitar. I’ve used it in various settings and with several different acts in the last couple of months, covering styles from Kuti to Kasabian and BB to The Buzzcocks, and I’m very impressed with how it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it.
Nowadays, the term ‘budget guitar’ doesn’t mean the same as it did twenty or even ten years ago, and shouldn’t arouse the kind of stigma which cling to those older, poorly constructed guitars. The quality on this instrument is very high, and I can’t stress enough just how fantastic those Roswell pickups sound!
After years (decades, even) of using Stratocasters as my main go-to guitar while others have come and gone from my collection, I might have found another guitar that I love just as much. I might even have to buy another of these, just in case something happens to this one – which at this price point, is an affordable prospect.
After commissioning my custom ukulele (which you can read more about here), I was more or less set in terms of the instruments I needed with my current musical projects. There was just one guitar which wasn’t quite right…
My oldest Stratocaster hasn’t seen much of the stage recently, and not just because of playing less gigs due to various lockdowns, etc. The action had felt off, and it seemed to be because of the bridge, or rather the saddles. After twenty-two years, the small screws in the saddles had corroded to the point that strings could not be raised high enough for my liking.
I contacted Elderwood Guitars (who built my beautiful semi-hollow guitar) to discuss repairs. I also decided to make a few changes while this axe was in the shop…
What’s new?
I don’t really have the need for an HSS guitar nowadays, so used this opportunity to have the bridge humbucker replaced with a Tonerider Vintage Blues single coil. This would better match the two City Limits pickups in the neck and middle positions. Barrie at Elderwood was able to change the pick guard and place the bridge pickup within the larger cavity in the guitar (cut out for the original humbucker).
I also asked for the ‘Tele mod’, i.e., a switch which allows me to activate the bridge pickup in any position, effectively giving my seven different pickup combinations, including the lovely sounding neck & bridge pairing. This is one sound Telecasters have always had that was not available on a standard Strat.
With a switch taking the place of the second tone control (the remaining tone control becoming a master for all three pickups), I now had a guitar that could provide this, as well as the classic ‘quack’ from the out-of-phase Strat positions (2 & 4) – the best of both worlds, in my mind (and to my ears).
Finally, I figured that since these modifications would result in a different sounding guitar, perhaps it ws worthwhile refreshing the instrument visually as well. The old Midnight Blue finish had certainly acquired its fair share of chips and dents over the years. Barrie smoothed these out before hand painting the guitar in a burnt orange hue, which you can see below…
Before (left) and after (right) shots of my oldest Strat (pic courtesy Elderwood Guitars)
To me, it looks very similar to the orangey shade of older, worn down fiesta red guitars. It lends a classic vibe to my oldest Strat – the oldest guitar in my collection, in fact. The vintage feel is aided by the off-white pickup covers and scratchplate.
How does it sound?
It sounds like a classic 60s Strat or Tele, depending on your pickup choices. The neck & bridge combination has widened the sonic pallette of this guitar, making it my main choice for soul, funk and rhythm & blues gigs – or as in the video above, for slightly overdriven funky licks. Another great job by Barrie!
What are the best mods you’ve made to your guitars? Get in touch and let me know!
Last year, I commissioned another custom-built instrument. I was in the market for a ukulele I could take out to gigs, as my existing concert sized one did not have a pickup or preamp attached. Knowing Neil McHardy in Cumbria has built a few ukes recently, I asked if he would consider making a tenor sized electro-acoustic model for me. McHardy guitars operate from a village in Cumbria, making acoustic instruments out of recycled wood. Some of you may remember built his first ever classical guitar at my request, mainly out of an old table (you can read the full review by clicking here).
This time around, I was happy to let Neil design it pretty much however he wished. I am a fan of his signature offset sound holes, and my only stipulation was to include a preamp so the ukulele could be used for concerts and recording. As always, Neil sent regular updates on how the build was progressing (see pictures) and was always happy to impart gems of guitar and uke building knowledge.
The start of the build (credit: Neil McHardy)
Size matters
So what is the difference between a concert and tenor sized ukulele? A tenor is larger than a concert, sometimes up to four inches longer, but they are tuned the same. In fact, soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles can all be tuned the same (G4, C4, E4, A4). The main difference is volume and depth of bass response which the larger bodied instruments benefit from.
An example of the size and scale differences between different types of ukulele
With tenor ukuleles, some players also use a G string which sounds an octave lower (G3), effectively making he open strings sound exactly the same as the highest four strings of a guitar at the fifth fret. I can see how some players might find this easier, especially if they are migrating to the ukulele from the guitar. Personally, if I needed that sound, I’d put a capo on one of my guitars, so I have opted for the more traditional uke tuning.
Progress updates I received from Neil as the build continued (credit: Neil McHardy)
Specifications
The finished instrument is made from recycled Douglas Fir and Spanish Cedar. The face plate and scratchplate (or golpe) are made from fallen trees Neil found on a walk, and feature the most stunning grain, on which Neil has placed the tuning pegs in a line (rather than two per side, as is traditional).
Finished at last(credit: Neil McHardy)
With the addition of a good value preamp (powered by an easily removable 9 volt battery), this new uke was fitted with strings and Neil contacted me to collect it.
I love the look of the grain on the golpe and faceplate, and was impressed with the instrument’s volume when strumming it unplugged for the first time. Plugged in, it sounded the same as it did acoustically, just with the potential to go a lot louder – which is exactly what I would expect.
Family photo with my previous McHardy build, my gorgeous classical guitar
Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to try it out onstage yet, but I plan to use it in an upcoming recording project (more details on that to follow). But when that material comes to the stage, this uke will be out on the road with me. I can’t wait.
I have never owned a semi-hollow guitar before, despite having played 335 style and ‘thinline’ guitars on several occasions. This year, I had the budget to rectify this, but with so many great options out there, I was undecided on where to invest my hard-earned money.
Enter Elderwood Guitars, a one-man operation based in Carlisle, in the north of Cumbria. I had seen a few Elderwood models for sale in a guitar shop in Newcastle, and a couple of players I know spoke highly of these instruments. Barrie, the man behind Elderwood Guitars, makes it his mission to create the guitar of your dreams at a more affordable price. You are involved in all aspects of the layout and design of your instrument, which is largely made up from recycled wood.
You may remember another guitar built for me, a nylon-strung classical guitar, which was also crafted by a solo luthier in Cumbria and made form recycled wood (and if not, you can read about that guitar by clicking here).
The two main principles of making something beautiful from old wood, as well as being able to design the guitar to my own specifications, was something which greatly appealed to me. To that end, I found myself in conversation with Barrie near the start of lockdown, and soon we went back-and-forth with ideas and draft designs. Rather than going for a more straightforward 335-style design, I was inspired by some of the beautiful high-end creations of small guitar companies such as Kauer. In the end, the final design looked like this:
The fifth & final draft of my custom design. Picture courtesy of Elderwood Guitars
My guitar would be an offset semi-hollow with a serious vintage feel to it. The two humbuckers and sound hole on the upper half would be covered in a gold foil/mesh, and the neck would feature block markers. For the finish, I requested as close to British Racing Green as he could manage, with cream for the pickguard, binding and truss rod cover, likening the overall colouring style to that of a classic Mini Cooper. You don’t see many green guitars and I have always wanted one. Now I just had to wait for it to be completed (although since lockdown meant that I wasn’t gigging, I was in no hurry).
Over the next few months, I received occasional updates from Barrie which always got me salivating:
The guitar starting to take shape. Photos courtney of Elderwood Guitars
Barrie checked back to confirm my preferences for pickups, tremelo, control layout, as well as general updates on progress. He seemed to be having a busy summer but as each guitar was finished and presented on his Facebook page, they continued to look and sound as high quality as I had been told they’d be.
At last it was ready to collect in early October, and it did not disappoint…
The first shots of my completed guitar, sent across by Barrie at Elderwood Guitars
Specifications
Offset semi-hollow body, made from recycled pine
Maple neck, with rosewood fingerboard featuring block position markers
3-a-side headstock
Bigsby-style vibrato system and ‘roller saddle’ bridge
2 x Vanson ’57 Alnico II humbuckers
1 x volume & 1 x tone control
3-way pickup selector switch, plus mini-switch for coil-tapping
Push button to bypass volume control (see below)
Side-mounted jack socket (secured by four screws for greater stability)
This guitar certainly looks the part. The green finish contrasts beautifully with the pickguard and copper coloured control knobs. After sharing the images above on my Facebook page, I was inundated with questions and compliments about the it. It’ll certainly make a visual impact at gigs (whenever they start back up again).
Sounds
Acoustically, this guitar is much louder than my other electrics. It’s interesting just how much difference the resonance of a semi-hollow together with the sound hole, can make. The matched PAF-style humbuckers give you all the tones you would expect from an early Les Paul, but with more airiness due to the mainly hollow body. These humbuckers are made by Vanson, a budget brand readily available on websites such as Amazon. Barrie shares my sentiment that one shouldn’t have to, and doesn’t need to, pay over the odds for a combination of magnets and copper wiring. I had said early on in the design process that I was happy with ‘budget’ pickups on this guitar, and they certainly sound as good as anything the big name brands churn out!
The bridge pickup provides everything I need, from classic rock crunch to an almost rockabilly style twang – the Bigsby certainly comes to the fore here. The neck pickup gives up warm jazz tones on a clean amp with the tone rolled back, and splitting the humbucker into ‘single coil mode’, I’m able to get a sound remarkably similar to a Strat or Tele in this position, which is no bad thing as far as I’m concerned. With both pickups engaged, I’m in my beloved funk and soul territory, great for rhythm playing and bluesy licks. Not only that, but it feels like BB King’s trademark singing lead tone is virtually built-in to this instrument.
Is it any good?
Oh yes, it’s very good. I love it! I’ve certainty enjoyed playing it so far, both through my amps and unplugged. It sits perfectly on a strap and the neck is comfortably chucky, like a true vintage instrument (which is exactly how I like it).
My only hurdle so far has been getting used to the Bigsby-style vibratio. I don’t use the vibratio arms on my Stratocasters, but as well as the right hand aspect, Bigsby units are notoriously tricky to keep in tune. However, this is something that can only be changed through practice and getting used to using it, rather than anything wrong with the guitar itself. Nonetheless, Barrie’s aftermarket service has been top drawer, offering all sorts of advice on how to get the most from the unit, as well as tips on maximisng tuning stability.
Finally collecting the new axe. Picture courtesy of Elderwood Guitars
I expect to be in the studio again in the coming weeks, recording a new LP with the Nick Gladdish Band, and this guitar will be coming along with me. I’ll share links to sounds and videos of this guitar in that (or any) setting as and when they become available…
If you are interested in your own custom-made guitar, Barrie can be contacted directly through Elderwood Guitar’s Facebook page. I’d recommend that you take a look through the numerous creations he has made, and make sure you have a good idea of what you are looking for when you drop him a line. Once you do, you will meet an affable and courteous man dedicated to making the best instruments he can, at a price point open to all of us – and that, like his guitars, is truly something to be admired.
Greetings guitar folk. We are back with a little bit of guitar gear news which seems to have dropped this morning…
Most guitar players have probably heard of Harley Benton before. The brand (owned by the European online music superstore Thomann) are well known for bringing surprisingly good guitars into the beginner/lower priced end of the market which have significantly better quality control than their rivals (their 335 copy is in high demand). They also offer a range of instruments and accessories that are useful for working musicians to have in their arsenal. To that end, they have introduced the GPA-100, a power amp that fits in your pedal board.
The GPA-100 features master volume, plus 3 band EQ (treble, middle, bass). It’s main purpose might be to save the day, should your main amp/floor unit fail. And £70 is a small price to pay for that piece of mind.
If I have the chance to test one out, I will drop a review on here. If you buy one, please let me know what you think! Bye for now!
I’ve noticed a few decent-looking guitars going for sale on eBay recently. In the past, I’ve picked up a few great instruments and amps, including the Strat which was my main touring guitar for a decade, as well as two Fender Mustang floor units, which I use for live work most of the time nowadays. However, buying something online, especially a musical instrument you haven’t played, or even held, can be a risky business. I therefore try to set an ‘absolute maximum’ price which I won’t go over. This is price is normally quite low, meaning I should be able to at least earn a small profit on any guitars I decide to move on – but it does mean I’m not usually the ‘winning bidder’ when interesting pieces catch my attention.
That is, until I saw this gem…
What is it?
This guitar is modeled on the Gibson non-reverse Firebird III, one of Gibson’s early forays into the offset market, only flipping the body to be a mirror image of the shape in the above picture, hence the term reverse. From 1965 to 1969, Gibson offered a non-reverse version, in a much more Jazzmaster style shape. The ‘III’ in the name is a reference to the guitar having three P90 pickups, unlike the two mini humbuckers on previous Firebird models. Because these non-reverse bodied, three pickup guitars were only available for around four years, they are considered highly collectible and even ones in poor condition go for thousands of pounds.
However, I knew from the price I paid for it alone that this guitar was not a real Gibson. Once it had been delivered, it was clear that the ‘Gibson’ logo on the headstock is actually a decal, added after the original purchase (although some of these copies were actually supplied with stickers such as this, or alternative truss rod covers that read ‘Gibson’, so perhaps it came with the instrument). An original Gibson of this style from the mid to late sixties would have looked slightly different, too – chrome hardware, black pickup covers and probably a Firebird decal somewhere on the pickguard. But I have to say, I quite like the gold hardware, and I’ve always preferred cream/aged white pickup covers, especially on retro-styled guitars such as these.
So who made it?
In my initial research, the Japanese manufacturer Tokai looked the most likely suspect. Tokai, along with Ibanez, were famous for their ‘lawsuit guitars’ in the seventies; the lawsuit occurred because they were making better Les Pauls than Gibson were (the 70s saw huge reductions in quality from both Gibson and Fender guitars, making the Japanese rip-offs much more appealing, and better value). Tokai have certainly released their own take on the Firebird design, but after a little more digging, I discovered that this model is the GouldStormbird. The almost completely unknown Gould brand are seemingly British-based, but put together in China, probably in the early 2000s, and possibly feature the talents of UK pickup legend Alan Entwistle behind the scenes. Very promising…
Is it any good?
Heck, yes. It sounds amazing, and reinforces my belief that sometimes, one is merely paying extra money for the right name on the headstock. This guitar plays really well, hangs nicely on a strap and has a good vintage-feel neck (i.e., it’s thicker than many modern guitars). The guitar’s budget P90 pickups sound as good as any other I have played, and the control layout of three-way toggle switch (neck / neck & bridge / bridge), shared volume for neck & bridge pickup, plus a separate volume control for the middle P90, allows for seven different pickup configurations, all of which can be tweaked by how you decide to blend pickups together. The master tone control appears to taper smoothly as well – rare for what is clearly a budget guitar. P90s sit somewhere between humbuckers and single-coil pickups in terms of output and ‘beefiness’, and I certainly get a ‘Strat on steroids’ vibe from this guitar. I love the sound of this guitar played clean, through a Fender Deluxe or Twin Reverb style amp as well as a more retro-styled dirty sound – a Fender Bass man plus a vintage tremelo effect sounded wonderfully evocative…
Could this instrument become my main guitar for soul work, replacing my main all-rounder, my vintage-voiced blonde Stratocaster?
There was one slight fault. The frets don’t seem to be the best quality, and a few were coming away slightly, causing bends to choke at certain points on the neck. I noticed the same issue might be happening in a few other places, so I sent the guitar off to my tech guy for a partial refret, which thankfully didn’t cost too much. Upon it’s return, the notes all sing beautifully, especially with those P90s…
Three great sounding P90s, giving seven different pickup combinations – and that gorgeous sunburst finish…
Pros and cons
Pros
Great build quality
Amazing triple P90 sound
Gorgeous sunburst finish (and general retro styling)
A really classy twist on the classic Jazzmaster shape
Great copy of an otherwise unattainable guitar
Neutrals
Neck might be too chunky for some (but just right for me)
Cons
Needed a partial refret
Resale value won’t be that high if I decide to sell it on
All in all, I think I’ve grabbed a bargain! Especially from a random purchase on eBay. At least it’ll give me a new toy to play with while I wait for my new custom guitar to be completed (more on that later this year…)
Tim Higgins, Guitarist 
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