Welcome to Chris' Guitars, always on sale, best price on the web

NAVIGATING THIS SITE: If you're not familiar with my site, it's simple, and you'll love it or hate it: (1) This page has gear that has recently arrived; (2) Links at the bottom of this page take you to most of our gear, logically arranged by manufacturer or type, e.g. Fender, Gibson Effects, Parts, Amps, PRS, etc. (3) Lastly, my "Semi-Just In" Page (click here), contains a lot of gear that hasn't made it back to the proper pages yet and is sort of in limbo until I move it. It's not a fancy site but it remains unchanged since '98 and I firmly believe, "if it ain't broke - don't fix it." All guitars and other gear have pictures. Just click on any underlined text and it should open a picture; if you move your cursor over the pic and there's a magnifying glass displayed instead of your cursor, click the pic and it will expand it to larger size.

JUST IN Section below - see links at bottom of page for 1000's more pieces of gear.

NOTE: This page has finally been cleared off. As usual, most of the gear that appeared here yesterday has been temporarily moved to my "Semi-Just In" Page (click here), on its way to the proper page (Fender, Amps, Effect, etc.). If you saw something but it seems to "disappeared", just check the semi-just in page and if not found, check the specific page.

60's Harmony Sovereign 5-String Banjo, (front), (back), (side), (headstock 5th string peg), (case). I'm far from an expert on banjos. I mainly know that they sound very annoying in the hands of a non-player (like myself), but like guitars you can gauge the quality by appointments and hardware. This one definitely isn't base model and it has some nice appointments such as mother of pearl block inlays, good quality friction tuners, bound neck, closed back body, arm rest, 30 rim brackets, and nickel plated hardware. Appears to be all original other than, perhaps, the 5th string tuner which has a pearloid button instead of black. It fingers with very comfortable action and we'll set it up with a fresh set of strings prior to shipping. It "feels" like a quality banjo to me for what that's worth, and is probably a good buy at $250. Includes an old chipboard case.

Electro-Voice EV PLDK5 Drum Pack, (EV PL33), (EV PL35). You don't have to spend a fortune piecing together pro quality mics for a drum kit. This EV kit can mic just about any drum kit and provide quality sound that won't drive your sound tech crazy trying to EQ out feedback caused by mics with a low gain before feedback or an unfriendly frequency response. This kit contains one PL33 dynamic supercardoid kick drum mic and four PL35 dynamic supercardioid tom/snare mics, complete with a quality, firm-exterior 600 Denier nylon gig bag with shoulder strap. The EV PL33 kick drum mic delivers tight, low-end and punctuation for kick drums and low frequency instruments, and the PL35 dynamic supercardioid tom and snare microphone, with its unique body design, integrated swivel and drum rim clamp is voiced for exceptionally natural tom and snare drum sounds. Its unique body design with the shaft at an angle eliminates the need for right-angle XLR connectors and minimizes cable clutter over the drum and under cymbals. Each one includes a DRC-1 snap-on drum rim clamp that mounts the mic directly to just about any brand drum rim. They're voiced for exceptionally natural tom and snare content, with superior isolation and a frequency response - 50 Hz - 16 kHz. The EV Gig Bag is firm and durable with 600 Denier nylon exterior Form cutouts for up to 10 PL drum mics, padded handle and shoulder strap, zippered rear compartment for sheet music, sticks, and accessories. This set has received great reviews in various publications and sites, such as this one on epinions.com. With a list price of $775, these sell online (Google) for $322-$459. If you're looking for EV quality at a no-name price here's a nice savings on this bundle, just $225 for the pack, which equates to just $45 per mic AND I'll also include five 20' cables.

MXL 603S Condenser Mic. I only have one of these left, but it if you need an overhead mic to go with the EV Pack above, this will do the job quite nicely. In reviews it was compared as being almost identical to the popular Oktava MC012 in sound, with a wide cardioid pattern, almost approaching omni. Runs on Phantom power only so you need a phantom-equipped mixer or external power supply. $129 list; this last one's new in the box for $69.

Shure Beta 58A Vocal Mic, (close). The latest and greatest from the premier mic manufacturer in the world. Shure has owned the performance mic market for over 35 years, primarily with the venerable SM57 and SM58 mics. Although they still make the 57/58, for more than a decade most pro's have switched to the Beta 58, with its powerful Neodymium magnets and better all around performance. You can't watch a concert on TV without seeing most of the vocalists now using the Beta series, easily identifiable by the thin blue band around the grill. The 58A sells new for $159 and never goes on sale. This one's in excellent condition in the box with case, clip, and all paperwork, and just $110. (Add a new 20' cable, if desired, for $8.99)

Shure 588SDX Vocal Mic. Excellent vocal mic that will give the Beta a run for its money. Like the Bet it features Neodymium magnet for high sensitivity (6 dB improvement over previous 588SD). Also has on/off switch and lock, plus it's easily switchable from Hi to Low-Z. For full specs click here for Shure. Clean shape in box with case and paperwork. Sells new for $73.99 but this one's super clean in original box and just $45. (Add a new 20' cable, if desired, for $8.99)

Shure 585SA Dynamic Mic. Good quality vintage Dynamic Hi-Impedance Mic. Best used for vocals and harp which earned it the name "James Cotton Model", so named as it was the mic of choice by the harp legend. These mics have a much wider frequency range than the Controlled Magnetic or Controlled Reluctance elements, which cut off pretty sharply at about 7-8000 Hz, while the 585 goes up to 13,000 Hz. Includes old-style cable with screw on connector to 1/4" jack. SSN is lightly etched in case but otherwise nice vintage condition. $55. (Add a new 20' cable, if desired, for $8.99)

Shure SM48 Vocal Mic, (close). Good alternative to the SM58 for musicians on a budget. It costs 50% less but sounds 90% as good. For full specs click here for Shure. Clean shape in box with case and paperwork. $35. (Add a new 20' cable, if desired, for $8.99)

Behringer Super XM2000 Vocal Mic. For the musician on a really tight budget, this isn't a bad sounding mic at all and while it wouldn't be my first choice for my lead vocalist, its a suitable choose for backup vocals. Nice solid feel with cast metal frame, steel mesh screen, matte black finish. $15. (Add a new 20' cable, if desired, for $8.99)

2010 Marshall MG50FX 1X12 Combo - upgraded speaker. One year newer but otherwise identical to the one below including speaker upgraded with a Celestion Rocket 50. Super clean condition other than an MDF dent on the back corner (shown here). We will do a cosmetic repair with epoxy upon request but there's no issue with structural integrity. Would make a killer stereo set up if you want to buy the pair. So many rock/metal players go chasing tube amps and the fact is, for many of them a well engineered solid state model like this is probably just the tone their looking for. It also has a much better clean channel than tube Marshalls. When Marshall says 50 watts it ain't no joke - this thing is loud...plenty of power to play any average size club, for just $219.

2009 Marshall MG50FX 1X12 Combo - upgraded speaker, (panel), (top), (back), (speaker), (footswitch). Includes footswitch and speaker upgraded to Celestion Rocket 50 (G12E50). Marshall's latest in the highly successful MG4 line which has taken solid state to an even higher plane and, in fact, many players will prefer the tone and response of this MG50FX over their tube models. This amp has about everything you could want in a 50-watt combo, including 4 channels (Clean, Crunch, Overdrive 1, and Overdrive 2), and lets you quickly and easily dial in your favorite settings and save them, plus the front panel is outfitted with 8 LED's so you can see you're settings at a glance. It also features onboard digital effects including Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Delay, and Reverb. The settings for each channel can be customized to your liking—with effects if desired—and saved for instant recall. It features one 12" speaker, an external effects loop, power amp damping which is a subtle but very impressive feature, a headphone/line out jack with speaker emulation, a line in for an MP3 player, and a two-button footswitch which lets you access all 4 channels. There's plenty of info online about this amp and for a good video overview, click here for Guitar World's demo and Click here for full specs and more at Marshall. Marshall has always been conservative with their wattage ratings and this 50 watts sounds louder than competing brands 100-120 watts. With a list price of $580, this is an incredible value on a 50-watt combo with this much power and versatility at just $239. Includes Marshall footswitch in box.

Marshall MG50FX 12" Speakers. Pair available. Removed from above pair of MG50FX combo's when new thus mint condition. $25/each. $45/pair.

2007 Gibson Les Paul Custom - Ebony, (front), (headstock), (back), (case). First year this model was named "Custom Les Paul Custom" as it was now a custom shop instrument, which, I suppose, was necessary to substantiate the hefty list price tag, which is currently $5504. From all I can see, it's the same quality as the '06 and earlier "regular" Les Paul Custom which is to say it's a fine Les Paul. Since the 50's the Custom has been the Cadillac of Les Pauls. From the multi-ply binding around the body and headstock, to the multi-ply pickguard, large block inlays, split diamond headstock inlay, gold hardware, and dark ebony fretboard, this guitar has all of Gibson's high-end appointments. With its roots in the mid-50's "Black Beauty" Custom, it's crafted with a hand-carved maple top atop a solid piece of mahogany. The 24 ¾ scale neck, also made from a solid piece of mahogany, is topped by a 22-fret ebony fingerboard outfitted with figured acrylic block inlays with Gibson’s traditional rounded profile. The pickups are Gibson’s 490R in the neck position, which offers the tonal characteristics of the original PAFs, and the 498T in the bridge position, which swaps the 490R’s Alnico II magnet for an Alnico V, resulting in a markedly hotter output with increased mids and highs. Other appointments include a Nashville Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, metal tulip tuners, multi-ply white and black binding on both the top and back, gold hardware, 1 11/16” nut width, and custom shop seal on back of headstock. Excellent condition with just minor flaws in the clear coat, most of which will go away when Martin does a nice buffing job. Frets are in great shape and the gold has only minor gold wear. Like you would expect in a Custom, the playability is superb with excellent sustain and a very fat tone, with a little extra "snap" with the ebony fretboard. This model currently sells new discounted to $3899. I'm happy to offer this fine Custom for $1700 less than new, just $2199.

Z-Vox Box of Rock, (pic2). Z.Vex Effect's first "distortion" pedal, highly specialized to simulate the "everything on 10" sound of a classic Marshall JTM45 non-master-volume amplifier. You may use the Box of Rock effectively with many any amplifiers, but it's especially great on a Marshal. It's both a boost and distortion pedal with separate on/off switches, which gives you 4 tone selections (bypassed, boost only, distortion only, distortion with boost). One of the best pedals made for using your guitar's volume control to adjust for the exact amount of distortion you need, all the way down to very clean and clear with most drive settings. Z.Vex is noted for some of the coolest pedals on the market and this distortion is way cool indeed. Click here for YouTube demo and a few comparisons to other boutique pedals and here for Zvex's demo. Don't pay $199 for a new one when you can have this nice used one for $129.

1998 Epiphone Dot - Ltd. Ed - Blonde & Gold, (front), (headstock/neck), (back), (gigbag). Another fine Korean Epi. If you're budget doesn't quite fit into the '82 Dot Reissue below, these Korean models are very well made guitars that set up nicely and sound good. This was a Limited Edition model in '98, which I believe was the natural finish ("blonde" in Gibson parlance) with gold hardware. In all fairness, Gibson lowered the list price of the Dot when production was moved from Korea to China, but these older Korean models are better guitars have become highly sought after by many players, including working musicians. Compared to the current China models, on this guitar the fretwork is more precise, the binding and inlay work is top notch, and the tonewoods are better and probably better seasoned. I'm not taking anything away from the Chinese Dots. For $399, I think they're an excellent value, but the MIK models are a better value. The Epi Dot features the same laminated maple body with white binding, gloss finish, and set maple neck as the Gibson 335, but at a more wallet-friendly price. Other authentic touches include the stop tailpiece and Tuneomatic bridge, gold tophat knobs, and orange oval sticker visible through the upper f-hole. This is a well made guitar in very nice condition. With medium sized frets, comfortably low action, and thin neck, it's a pleasure to play and the body design with its center block inside the body, lends itself to many styles of play, from jazz to jump, country, blues, or rock - pretty much anything but hard rock and metal. If you're looking for a quality semi-hollowbody and want something that's a step up from the current model, this one's just $379 and includes a very well padded gigbag made specifically for a thinline archtop.

1982 Gibson ES-335 Dot Reissue, (front), (headstock), (back), (label), (case). One of the earliest Dot reissue I've had, from Jun 15, 1982, Nashville Plant. Although a few Dots were shipped in '81, 1982 was the first full year for the Dot Reissue and they're highly regarded by players. I recall the '82/'83 models selling for a premium as far back as my first guitar show in '94. I'm not sure if they're significantly better than the later models, or if it's a case of "older is better". One thing you can't deny, production numbers were way lower 30 years ago which could indicate overall higher quality control and better selection/seasoning of woods. It's in nice vintage condition, all original (original bridge in case), with no cracks or other issues, little to no checking, and just light scratches in the clear coat, although it does have a small finish chip on the back (shown here). One thing is certain, this is a wonderful sounding Dot perhaps due to the age and in part to the quality pickups which I think are the Shaw PAF's. I'll verify if necessary. I got this from a player who puts jumbo frets on his guitars so it has been refretted with jumbos (see pic). Its a top notch, pro job, factory quality and the frets are in great shape. It has a super nice setup and at 30 years the maple has developed a voice that you won't find in a new one off the rack. For the player looking for a Dot that's *almost* as good as a '59, especially a player who wants jumbos, you'll save the $200 refret charge and take this one right to a gig. Own this great Dot for $2450.

1988 Fender American Vintage '62 Stratocaster - Olympic White, (front), (headstock), (back), (neck name/date), (case). Incredibly clean V62, especially for 21 years with no buckle wear and a very nice 8.5 condition plus a nice weight at 7.6 lbs. It has a few minor finish chips (shown here) but has been well cared for its entire life so there's no buckle wear or other wear patterns anywhere on the body or neck. The body has yellowed to almost a vintage white and the neck has turned a lovely vintage orange from the nitro lacquer aging. If you want to get careless with it, it's just 50 gigs away from having the appearance of a custom shop relic. An interesting aspect as this one has John Cruz's stamp (pic) which was obviously before his Master Builder status. This is a super nice player with a resonant Alder body. I got this from a player who puts jumbo frets on his guitars so it has been refretted with jumbos (see pic) and you'll also note in the pic the fretboard is the darkest rosewood you'll find - looks like ebony. The refret is a top notch, pro job, factory quality and the frets are in great shape. 80's Fenders, especially the higher end American Vintage series, have been going up the past few years, at a time when older vintage has stalled. At $1150(SOLD-Woodchuck), it's a nicer guitar than the current models and if you're not a fan of vintage frets used on these, you're already $175 up on a fret job! Includes original tweed case in decent shape although the original handle has some tape reinforcing it.

Peters Hell Cat, (front1 front2), (headstock), (back), (side), (features/appointments), (case). Perfect example of "guitars as art", with the beauty of fine exotic woods, gorgeous curves and angles, mixed in woods and metals. When I opened the case it took my breath away for a moment. This guitar brings to mind some of the early Warrior guitars but even those were largely, albeit loosely, based on a Strat, Paul, PRS, etc. This guitar was based on nothing other than an artist's conception. Shad Peters is a true artisan, hand-crafting guitars one at a time, and each one is virtually a one-off. He does offer some basic styles, some of which are merely sketches until a customer elects to have it built (link to sketchbook). There are numerous unique aspects to this guitar such as the acoustic archtop style tailpiece, elevated wooden bridge with gold saddles, wooden pickup covers, copper inlay used in the logo and around the fretboard inlays, and the burled buckeye top with intricate figuring you can get lost in. A close inspection of this guitar reveals the hand-built aspect - hand tool tolerances aren't as tight as on a CNC machine so you might see uneven gaps around the pickups and in fact a small notch in the corner of the bridge pickup but nothing that detracts from the overall beauty and wonderful tone you can coax out of this guitar. Features of this beauty include 25" scale, curly eastern black walnut neck, with a 2-way adjustable truss rod. copper wire inlay logo, buckeye burl veneer on the front and back, East Indian rosewood fretboard, neck and headstock bound with curly maple, back has a soft maple core with eastern black walnut wings, abalone set in copper inlays, abalone side dots, tailpiece-bridge-pickup covers-control knobs are Claro walnut burl, electronics cavities shielded and grounded with conductive paint, vintage jumbo fret wire of standard nickel/silver. I think the pickups are DiMarzio Virtual Vintage, but I'll check on that. Each pickup has a 3 way mini toggle that allows you to do split coil/ parallel / series, wired to a master volume and tone. You would think a guitar like this would be heavy but, in fact, it's not at all heavy, and it's very well balanced. Please note one change to this guitar. Original owner didn't know how to work the locking, found them hard to work with, and had them replaced. I have the originals and will re-install without expense, with no visual sign that they had ever been changed. Check out Shad Peters site here, where this very guitar is featured on the main page, with detailed info and pics here. Peters posted more pics at Flickr (link). This guitar has seen very little playing time since new and has no player's wear. The new cost was $2850 including a custom-fitted case ($250) that hugs the body on all sides and is actually heavier than the guitar. It is remarkable guitar at that price considering all the hand-craftsmanship involved. If you're looking for something truly unique--and a work of art--this guitar plays and sounds as good as it looks and is nice buy at $2099.

Rahbek COS-T, (front), (headstock), (back), (heel/cutaway), (frets), (Vintage Rails/bridge), (Fralin pickup), (case). Peter Rahbek builds fine guitars in his native Denmark, where Rahbeck guitars are the choice of pros from his country. From what I gather, his shop can be considered sort of the Tom Anderson of Denmark, in fact his new headstock resembles Anderson, and Suhr for that matter. He offers three standard models, with enough custom options to make every guitar as unique as you'd like it to be. He offers this COS-T, (short for "Cozmic" Tele), as well a Standard (Strat) and Classic. His guitars aren't cheap but considering that they're *genuinely* hand-made, informed players won't feel like they're over priced. One look at this one and you think "Esquire", but it's so much more. One thing that really sets it apart from traditional Fenders is Rahbek's neck joint which is considerably deeper than a Fender and beveled to be very thin where your hand comes around. You won't find a Tele that's easier to play in the upper register. Also, they went with neck screws recessed into the body, rather than through a neckplate, with a greater distance between the screws to increase stability. One of my favorite features as far as maintenance is concerned, is the truss rod adjustment, a wheel style located at the base of the neck (Musicman style) which adjusts with any small bar or steel pin and doesn't require you to gash up the body trying to squeeze and Allen wrench into the adjustment screw. Features include lightweight swamp ash body, quartersawn maple neck with medium depth, nicely rounded in back with a 9.5" radius, stainless steel frets, and staggered Gotoh locking tuners that retain the vintage look from the front. Switching is currently set up vintage style: (1) tone control out of circuit, (2) tone control adjustable, and (3) tone control turned all the way back, utilizing 3 capacitors for a dark (aka mud) tone. The installed Duncan is a 4-conductor so it can be wired single coil-humbucker-out of phase. Stock pickup is a Lindy Fralin Blues Special, which is included in the case, as well as a Duncan Vintage Rails humbucker currently installed. This guitar hasn't seen much playing time, fret are near perfect and cosmetically it's in excellent condition with only very minor flaws. It has had the bridge replaced which left three small holes barely visible (see here). Some builders don't favor the vintage bridge, believing that it makes the pickup more harmonic and prone to squealing. The Wilkinson bridge that's installed is a good compromise between vintage and modern. It retains the back half of the traditional bridge but doesn't surround the pickup, therefore eliminating the shortcomings of the vintage bridge. The brass saddles are compensated for more accurate intonation. If you want a vintage style bridge and/or want to cover up the holes, we can swap out the bridge to a Fender-stamped or identical vintage aftermarket bridge. Click here for links to in-depth reviews by Vintage Guitar and other magazines. As I mentioned, Rahbeks aren't cheap and their line runs around $2700 to $3500, but compared to other small companies with very little hand-craftsmanship, they're worth the money. This guitar is a fantastic player with a well-chosen resonant piece of ash, perfectly dressed and seated frets, and immaculately constructed. I feel it's an excellent *value* for $1599.

Keeley Boss BD-2 Blues Driver Phat Mod. Used by players in groups from Steely Dan to Brad Paisley and even "The Edge" uses one. The BD-2 Phat Mod is a Transparent Overdrive with Full Range sound, which lets your guitar tone shine through regardless of how you set it. It's not simply a distortion pedal but rather a tone tool that adds to your guitar tone, supplying really nice lows, crystal clear high frequency, great picking response and detail. It differs from, say, a TS9, by its full-range sound, which is much more transparent and, when cranked, it offers a grittier/more-edgy tone. It's extremely dynamic and works wonders using your guitar's volume control to dial in the amount of drive you want. It is perfect for Hendrix to Country. It's also noted for having that cranked Fender Super amplifier sound. The "Phat switch" to allows even more of your natural low end through for those times when you need a little more beef. It's also noted for having tremendous volume output and can be used as a clean boost, driving your amp into natural sounding overdrive. New these are $199 from Keeley. This one's in clean shape and just $125(HOLD-Donald 1/26). (Note: for box fans, I have one mint in the box for $139).

Gibson Burstbucker Pro (Nickel) Set. Rhythm Pro and Lead Pro set in nice shape. Excellent choice for modern rock tones while retaining much of the vintage sound. These are running $196/each in stores but here's a clean set for $175/pair.

Gibson Burstbucker Pro (Zebra) Set. Rhythm Pro and Lead Pro set in nice shape. Excellent choice for modern rock tones while retaining much of the vintage sound. Zebra coils for that Jimmy Page/Peter Green look. Nice shape, $175/pair.

Gibson '57 Classic (Nickel) Set. Nice shape. Favored by many players over the BB Pros for players who are looking for that genuine vintage tone. $150/pair.

ca. '60-'62 Fender Concert Brownface - LOT!!!. (Sold as a lot of 5 only). Four years ago I bought these from a collector in Maryland. Yet another year has passed and I've never had the spare time to go through each one and sort out the specifics as far as replaced components and performance. I tested each one when I bought them and all of them do work. A few sounded great, while others sounded like they needed filter caps or other minor tune-ups. You can expect a range of originality and condition, for example, one of them is missing the back panel, replaced with a piece of uncovered plywood. Another one has two added switches for speaker select (all 4 speakers, 2 speakers, or one speaker). Some have replaced speakers. I am NOT looking to sell any of these individually as it could be another 4 years before I dedicate a half a day to go through them. I AM looking for a collector or dealer who wants a cool brownface Concert collection. Maybe ask a few buddies if they want to team up for a group purchase. If I were to list these individually they would be $1300 to $2300, I'm guessing with very little bench time required to get them all up to spec. Here's the deal: $1300/each X 5 = $6500 takes 'em all. Price takes into account the range of condition and performance so I'm not open to dropping the price. Since 5 large amps are involved, it should be worth the time for you to make the drive which is desirable since I'm not looking to ship them. In closing I'd like to say that I'm not selling them individually. Also, I am looking for a local pickup by the buyers or a freight company who can safely transport them. Did I mention that I'm only selling them as a lot...

Frenzel FM-5E3 Deluxe Plus III Head, (panel), (top), (back). Frenzels are possibly the best kept secret in hand-wired, point-to-point, American made amps and at prices under 1/2 of most the competition, with some great design innovations and sweet tones, I predict the word is quickly spreading. The FM-5E3 DP3 has received rave reviews all over the world. It was *inspired* by the 50's Fender Deluxe 5E3, but it is a much more than a clone. Frenzel added a Marshall JTM45 channel and replaced the 6V6''s with 6L6's and boosted the power to 25 watts with a 4-8-16 ohm speaker selector. The voice is controlled by a three band tone stack accentuated by a Bassman Presence control with an "Edge" switch to remove the negative feedback and a Master control which allows you to control and shape the preamp and output stage overdrive tones. The F and M channels have separate input jacks and gain controls which allows you to use an AB/Y switch to select one channel for clean and one for boost - or blend them together for unique soaring dynamic tones. When playing clean, this amp will faithfully reproduce what you put into it, and when you stomp on it, it will produce tones you have never heard before! The amp comes with 3 - 12AX7, 2 - 6L6, 1 - 5U4, but you can substitute 12AT7's or 12AU7's in the preamp and driver for different tones and less preamp overdrive. You can also substitute 5881's, KT66's, KT88's, 6550's, or EL34's and KT77's (when using EL34's or KT77's they will be running in Class B bias mode). You can also use JJ 6V6's or similar new manufacture tubes that will take 400 volts on the plates, but please note the power output will be reduced to about 15 watts. It works great with guitar, mandolin, bass, organ, piano, harp and strings. Think of it as a 5E3 on steroids! It is small in size (and just 17 lbs), but huge in tone. For a full run down of features check out Frenzel's site here. There are also a bunch you YouTube demo's available (click here). Frenzel offers a few options and this one has two: the steel cage ($100) and cathode/fixed bias switch ($50). Even with these options, this amp sells direct for just $645. Some of you are saying, yeah, I've tried some of the budget amps before and they sound like crap. Not so with the Frenzels. They have quality tone that you would expect from the expensive boutique builders. This is a versatile and fine sounding amp and at $479(HOLD-Ryan 1/24), the best value I've seen in a point-to-point 25-watt amp.

Frenzel HBX - WC30 "Hot Box Wild Cat 30" Head, (panel), (top), (back). Same deal as the FM-5E3 above, hand-wired, point-to-point, American made, and this one is one of Frenzels higher-end models. This design was *inspired* by the classic Matchless Hot Box and the Hot Cat 30. The preamps have three stages of high gain and are modeled after the classic Hot Box preamp. Frenzel added separate HI - LO inputs, gain controls, tone stacks, and master level controls to give you maximum tone control. This allows you to set each channel for the exact tones and overdrive you want, and then to select or blend both channels with an AB/Y footswitch. The output stage uses a pair of cathode biased Class A EL34's that will give you 30 watts of pure sound reproduction. And to finish things off they added a custom Presence control with an Edge pull switch to contour the sound. This amp is truly a "wild cat" and will drive you crazy with all the tonal variations possible, some which you have never heard before! It features a 5U4EH heavy duty rectifier for optimum pick attack and sag selection - or you can use a 5AR4, or SS plug-in for different amounts of sag. It uses 4 12AX7's in the preamp and a pair of EL34's in the power section. For a full run down of features check out Frenzel's site here. Frenzel offers a few options and this one has two: the steel cage ($100) and effects loop ($50). Even with these options, this amp sells direct for just $845. Better yet, this one has seen very little home use and is just $629. (Note: I have a variety of cabs, including some Avatar 1X12's below).

Avatar 1X12 with Celestion Alnico Gold, (back), (side), (top), (speaker). Avatar has earned a reputation as one of the premier builders of fine speaker cabinets. This 1X12 is built with high quality 18mm voidless 13-ply Baltic Birch plywood, with rabbet and dado interlocking side joints for extreme strength. The grill is secured by screws, not cheap velcro, and has two 1/4 inch in/out jacks (for daisy chaining with another speaker cab) mounted on the steel input panel. It has protective nickel corners, and large rubber feet. The dimensions are22"W x 18"H x 12"D. The 50 watt Celestion Alnico Gold would be the ultimate speaker for this cab. It is voiced similarly to the 15 watt Alnico Blue with wonderful creamy chime tone but has a higher power capacity. The precisely tuned midrange and crisp defined highs give an aggressive crunch sound that punches through the mix while the mid-range warmth and detail give weight and depth to single notes. With the oval open back panel, you get plenty of mids coming off of the back of the cone and radiating out into the room. It is rear loaded with T Nuts which makes it easy to swap out speakers for tone experimenting. Sells new from Avatar for $439 (+$45 ship). This one's in perfect condition and a quality cab for just $299(HOLD-Rob 1/23).

Avatar 1X12 with Celestion G12-65, (back), (side), (top). The G12-65's were originally created as a higher-power handling variant of the G12M Greenback. Their fast attack and tightly controlled low-end, attained legend status in the ’80s with hard rock players. With the closed back panel, you get a very focused sound coming off of the front of the speaker cones but with a strong bass. Other specs are the same as the oval back Alnico Gold-loaded cab above. Sells new from Avatar for $359 (+$45 ship). This one's in perfect condition and a quality cab for just $250(HOLD-Rob 1/23).

2003 Gretsch G6120DSW Chet Atkins Hollowbody, (front), (headstock/neck), (back), (case). Nothing says "Gretsch" vibe like a G-branded 50's Chet Atkins. From the early days of the "vintage" guitar market, the G-Brand 6120 was the *only* Gretsch than many dealers would buy. They remain the most highly cherished model to this day. This 2003 reissue pays tribute to the early Chet Hollow Body models of the mid-'50s featuring full western appointments such as the iconic G-brand on the upper bout, and a steer's head headstock inlay. and western-engraved fingerboard inlays (cactus, steer head, fences). Other features include a 2-3/4"-deep laminated maple body with arched top 16" lower bout, 3-piece maple neck, 22 fret rosewood fretboard w/aged vintage wide-block inlays, aged fretboard & headstock binding, 24.6" scale, bound oversized F-holes, dual DynaSonic single-coil pickups, polished Bigsby vibrato tailpiece with vintage flat handle, Grover Sta-Tite tuners, arrow knobs, aged binding, gold hardware, orange stained finish, 2 volume controls (1 for each pickup), 1 master volume & 1 master tone controls, 3-way toggle switch, rosewood based Bigsby compensated bridge, polished aluminum B6 Bigsby tailpiece, gold "Nashville" pickguard, and knurled strap buttons. This is a fantastic playing guitar in excellent condition. These Japanese reissues are very well crafted guitars and, although time will tell, I'm certain that they will hold up better over time than the originals. 2003 is an especially desirable year for Gretsch - they were allowed to use Chet's name on the guitars and this year also featured CTS pots and Switchcraft switches and jack. With a new one running $2325, this one's an excellent value at just $1525(SOLD-Robert D).

1998 Fred Stuart Prototype of the Ltd Ed 1950 Dual-Pickup Esquire, (front), (headstock/neck), (back), (back-2), (control plate), (bridge), (heel markings), (case). (Fretted Americana Documentation and Web Site Form). A piece of Fender history, built solely by Master Builder Fred Stuart himself. It was recently purchased from Fretted Americana, who acquired it from the family of Master Builder John English (RIP John). In addition to being one of the finest sounding, very resonant Teles I've had, it has the chunkiest neck I've ever seen on a Fender at 1.06" to 1.10", which I'm sure was necessary to compensate for the lack of a truss rod. Most of the information that follows was taken from their web site and documentation included from the store. In order to keep this page brief I've created a page (click here) that has details on this fine, unique instrument. Fretted Americana sold this guitar to a collector friend of mine for $5700/shipped, and saw perhaps 5 hours of use under his ownership. It's hard to put a price on a prototype but based on it being a Fred Stuart Master Built guitar, it's an exceptional deal at $3500.

2001 Larrivee P01W Parlor Guitar - Walnut, (front), (headstock/fretboard), (back), (side), (case.). All solid woods, with a solid Sitka spruce top, solid walnut sides, solid walnut back, plus an ebony fretboard, ebony bridge and headstock veneer, and solid South American Mahogany Dovetail Neck. Everybody who owns more than 2-3 guitars should have a parlor size in their collection. It's the perfect guitar to keep in the family room or den, keep one in the office, take it camping, etc., and makes a very good recording guitar. It's smaller size travels well but the tone definitely isn't small. Larrivee made a brief run of these P01's in '01-'02, with a variety of body woods including mahogany, rosewood, flamed maple, koa, and walnut. Among the 5 models, walnut is the most rare and generally believed to be the most desirable of tonewoods. For a parlor size, typically lacking low end, it has surprisingly balanced bass, and has a very rich tone for its diminutive size. It's wide nut and slightly shorter scale make it a nice guitar for finger style work. Other features include forward shifted X-bracing, hand fitted dovetail neck joint, all solid wood construction, bound neck, satin finish, dovetail neck joint, Godin/Ping mini tuners 18:1 ratio, clear pickguard, Tusq nut and saddle, and compound radius neck (16" to 21"). Body size is Lower Bout: 13.125"; Upper Bout: 9.125"; Waist: 7.875"; Depth: 4"; Scale Length: 24"; Nut Width: 1-3/4. Exceptionally clean condition, with the only flaw being a tiny rub on the edge of the headstock (pic). These came stock with a gigbag but this one comes with a perfect fitting high quality hardshell case. An exceptional buy from an exceptional maker - just $650(HOLD-Tom H 1/23) including case.

Headstrong Lil' King-S 1X12 Combo, (panel), (top), (back), (speaker), (tube chart). A truly fine hand-wired amp made by one of the premier boutique builders of our day, Wayne Jones. His fine reputation has been earned by building the best Fender replicas possible. Each Headstrong Amplifier chassis is hand wired by Wayne using the best parts on the market: transformers are made by Heyboer using original data sheets on replica amps, and custom-wound interleaved transformers on original designs; Sprague and JJ Electrolytic capacitors; Carbon Composition resistors; 150 Series coupling caps; and solid steel chassis. Cabinets are hand built by Wayne's brother Jesse in Concord, NC using solid finger-jointed pine for the shells and void-free birch plywood for the baffles and back panels. All covering and finish work is also done by Jesse. Before they leave the factory, every amp is put through a strenuous quality control process to ensure years of care free service. Weighing just 35 lbs. this is a deceptively small powerhouse of an amp. Wayne's idea in designing the Lil King-S was to create an amp that Fender never made during the 60's, a 25-30 watt amp between a Deluxe Reverb and a Vibrolux Reverb but not as bulky or heavy as either. The other idea was to take a stock Lil' King, which was based on the Princeton circuit, change it to 6L6 power, and see how far he could push it without changing the inefficient Phase Inverter found in the original circuit. The overall goal: to create a higher powered version with more headroom and bottom end definition, but when overdriven would retain some of the classic small amp character. It cranks around 30 watts of pure tonal heaven through a 12" Weber Ferromax Vintage Series, using a pair of 6L6 power tubes (upgraded to Tung Sol on this one), with four 12AX7's in the preamp, and a GZ34 rectifier. It features tube driven reverb and tremolo with the front panel controls - Hi/Lo inputs, Volume-Treble-Bass, Reverb, Tremolo Speed, and Tremolo Intensity. The back panel features and easy access bias pot, standby switch, 8 ohm speaker jack, 8 ohm ext. jack, footswitch jacks for both reverb and tremolo, Reverb Out and Reverb In. This amp goes from sweet, clear tones at lower levels, through a seductive subtle chiming effect that sounds great with warm jazz humbuckers, to a wonderfully responsive Texas- approved crunch with the volume peaked. With humbuckers and you can nail those early ZZ Top licks - swap to a Strat or Tele and it can ooze Danny Gatton type licks. Buddy Whittington or Danny Gatton-style riffs; it's a very rewarding experience and the Weber Alnico classic's exceptionally rich tones complement the amp perfectly. It's 30 watt output is the perfect amount of power and headroom for the average unmic'd gig. Also, this era Lil' King-S, although not guaranteed, should work on a pair of 6V6's. The Lil' King-S lists for $2100 and sells at minimal discount, perhaps $1950 if you shop around. This one has seen very little use, in the home only, and is in beautiful shape, for just $1350.

WD Exotic Tele Neck - Birdseye/Pao Ferro, (headstock). Birdseye/flamed Maple with Pao Ferro Fretboard, medium jumbo frets, 9.5” radius, 1 11/16" nut width. New, never installed. Pro installed logo with multiple coats of nitro clear coat front headstock; rest of neck has a sealer coat only, like an old Charvel or Jackson. I had around a dozen of these 8 years ago when they had a list of $375. We jut found this one and it's ready to complete your Tele project for $245.

Carr Hammerhead 2X10 Combo, (top), (panel), (back), (cover). The Hammerhead is hand-built and truly point-to-point wiring, no PCB used, with only the best components and masterful cabinetry which makes it lightweight and durable. It's a Class A amp, dual EL34 powered, modestly rated at 28 watts, with a pair of 12AX7's in the preamp driving a pair of Carr/Eminence Kingpin 10" speakers. This amp is made for the player who appreciates a super simple signal path, thus there's no bells and whistles such as push/pulls, extra switches, and a long row of dials. The stripped down signal means more pure tone and it shines at anything from semi-clean to singing, sweet overdrive. Rather than the usual bass-mid-treb-pres, Carr used parallel tone controls, labeled "Impact" and Grip. It may seem foreign but you'll get used to it in an hour and will quickly find the sweet spot for your humbucker, P90, or Fender single coil guitars. The "Impact" control is interactive with the Volume and has the most effect with the Volume at "3" and below. The 4 stops are: (1) flat response; (2) high treble like a Blackface; (3) high treble and upper midrange like and early 70's metal-face British amp; (4) high treble and full midrange like a late 60's British amp. The "Grip" control is another 4-position rotary with increasing amounts of preamp gain and drive from "1" to "3", while "4" maintains the gain of position "3" while adding more focused response to the leading edge of notes. The Master controls the overall output, i.e. strength of signal to the output tubes and as Carr recommends, a setting of "10" or more yields the best tone. They recommend setting the Master very high, and then bringing the Volume up to set the overall loudness. What they're saying, again, is this amp is meant to be driven hard. There's not a lot of info on the web about this original model, which I gather was made for around 3 years. Carr has a manual for the later model MK II which added a tone control, but otherwise all the info you need is contained in a .pdf manual online at this link. The retro styling reminds me of a 50's Gretsch combo. This amp has seen very limited home use and is offered in near perfect condition, other than a slight rub of the black spots on the lower left side. There are a number of YouTube clips for the MK II with tone control - check them out and you'll have an idea of how great this amp sounds. Steve Carr builds all his amps at his shop in North Carolina and he's come on strong the past few years, due largely to a lot of word-of-mouth advertising and more recently some cool press ads. The Hammerhead was one of Carr's earliest models and to me it's hard to imagine a better straight ahead rock/blues combo. At $999 it's amazingly affordable for a true hand-wired of this quality and in this condition. Check my amps page for another Hammerhead in a 1X12 format.

Rocktron Banshee Talk Box, (front), (side). A modern version of a classic 60's/70's guitar effect. The talk box really came to fame with Peter Frampton's "Frampton Comes Alive" with songs like "Show Me The Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do". Other great songs that used the effect are Aerosmith on "Sweet Emotion", Joe Walsh on "Country Mountain Way", and "Livin' on a Prayer" plus recently, "It's My Life", by Bon Jovi. A talk box is basically a small guitar amp in stomp box form with a small speaker that's connected to a rubber tube which, when put in the guitarist's mouth, allows the guitar to "speak" words. The tube is usually run up a mic stand, ending in the vicinity of a microphone and as the sound comes out of the mouth, it's picked up by the mic and sent to the PA system. This Banshee unit sounds as good as any of the ones I've heard on the hits mentioned above. It produces a wide range of clean and dirty preamp tones that can be dialed in with plenty of saturation for high gain sounds. In addition to the talkbox mode, it includes an extra jack for hookup with an extension speaker to allow the Banshee to act as a practice amp. These run around $169 new but this used one's in nice shape and comes with manual, tube, and power supply, for $115(HOLD-Mike W 1/19). If you've always wanted to try one of these, here's your chance.

2006 Ibanez SZ720FM With PRS Pickups, (PRS Eagle/Santana II pickups), (front), (headstock), (back), (abalone trim), (rounded heel). This is one gorgeous guitar and another good example of the quality of Ibanez's Korean manufacture. While they continue to build decent guitars in China and Indonesia, close inspection will show the superiority of this guitar when compared to newer models. The SZ720FM DAS, finished in dark amber sunburst, features a set-neck design with a mahogany neck and mahogany body with flamed maple top. It is truly a thing of beauty with the body abalone purfling surrounding the entire top, as well as the edge of the headstock. Acoustic guitar companies like Taylor would add a $1500 upcharge for these abalone appointment. Looks aside, this is a killer playing guitar, with some quality pickups installed to make it sound as good as it looks. A PRS Eagle pickup in the neck, and a PRS Santana II pickup in the bridge. To my knowledge PRS has never offered the Santana pickup as an accessory. The only way to get one is to remove it from a Santana. Carlos' early tone was coaxed from a mahogany Ibanez and, indeed, you can get some fine early Santana tones from this baby. The 720 body is slightly thicker than other Ibanez models and it's a tad heavier, but still falls easily in the medium weight range. Likewise, the neck is slightly thicker than the Wizard neck, but it's still on the thin side. Other features include a simple fixed Gibraltar III bridge strung through the body, bound neck, bound headstock with abalone trim, nickel hardware, SZ flame fretboard inlays, pearloid logo, and a 25.1 scale rather than the 25.5 found on most Ibanez. With a list of $867, these sold in stores around $599. This one is beautiful shape, set up to perfection, and with these pickups you get the superb tone of a $1000 guitar for a fraction of the price. $439(HOLD-Johnny, local 1/20).

2008 Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus 60's Neck - Florence Pickups - Tonepros Tuners, (front), (headstock), (back), (Tonepros Tuners), (pickups), (case.). Very attractive AA flamed top that, to many players, is more desirable than the maple on steroids look of a Class 5 or Historic '59. This one, finished in a Cherry Sunburst, has wide flame that goes up to the edge of the upper bout. Stock pickups on this model are BurstBucker Pro's. The Burstbucker Pro's aren't appreciated by a number of players and I frequently get requests to swap them out, with various boutique sets or even Classic '57's. This guitar has been upgraded with what many on various Les Paul Forums believe to be the ultimate in genuine 'Burst tone, a set of Peter Florence '59 Voodoo with an Alnico 3 in the neck (7.80K) and an Alnico 5 in the bridge (8.34K). For details and sound clips, here's Peter's '59 page. At $300/pair, they have saved many owners from getting rid of an otherwise fine Les Paul. It also has a set of Tonepros Klusons installed, which are much higher quality than the Asian Gibson Deluxe. Lastly, Dunlop locking strap pins were installed. Don't confuse this with the Traditional Pro, which shares less similarities to the original LP models. As shown in the pickup cavity (shown here), this has the LP6+, which identifies it as a Standard Plus, as well as the vintage style wiring/cavity, rather than the new quick disconnect pickups and circuit board. This one has all the regular Les Paul specs including gloss lacquered Mahogany body with maple cap, chambered body - weighing in at just 7 1/2 lbs., maple neck with rosewood fretboard, tapered peghead, aged tuning keys, and nickel hardware. Also, in a nod toward the vintage look, Gibson doesn't include the "Standard" truss rod cover, opting for the vintage style plain cover. Cosmetically, it's not the cleanest Paul I've had but it's in nice shape for a used guitar with just some clear coat dings and scratches. Frets are in very nice shape. The set up, aided by Gibson's Plek machine, is fantastic, and with these Florence '59's, this baby sings like a fine Historic model. This model lists at $3448 in '08 and with these killer pickups and quality tuners, a nice buy at $1599. Includes SKB case with ATA latches.

Gibson Deluxe Tuners. From the '08 Standard Plus above, nickel with aged Keystone buttons. Work properly and a nice upgrade for your Epiphone or other 3+3 headstock. Includes screws. $35.

OFF-HOLD: ca. 1998 Fender Tele Jr., (front), (headstock), (back), (case). I haven't had one of these in years, and if you're talking ones with the "Tele Jr" logo, it's been around 10 years. From my experience, these are the most rare, and all of them have been tobacco sunburst. Some of you will remember a shoreline gold Jr. I had some years back that was from a small run in that color, and there were a number of small runs in various colors, as well as a bunch that were called the "Set Neck Telecaster", but this is THE one as far as I'm concerned. It's the only one where Fender was bold enough to call it a Junior right on the headstock, with the woods and finish of a Junior. What might be obvious is the fact that many of its construction and electronic features, like the all-mahogany construction, set-in neck, tortoise guard glued to the body, and P-90-style pickups, are more similar to those of a Gibson Les Paul Junior (hence the name) or LP Special. If you're a Junior/Special fan you'll appreciate this guitar, which holds its own with Gibsons versions. Here's a comparison pic to one of the many Ltd Ed runs, which looks much more like a Tele and less like a Jr, with larger screw on pickguard, painted finish, and plain Fender logo. This guitar has a searing tone, fatter than a Tele tone but not unlike a Tele in its articulation and clarity. Cosmetically, it's very near mint. The only flaw I see is a miniscule finish impression 1/2 the size of a grain of rice on the top, in the clear coat only. No scratches or wear otherwise. The setup is fantastic and with its light weight, it's a very comfortable guitar to play. No certificate with this one but at least you know on a set neck that it's not a Parts-O-Caster. A super nice Custom Shop for $1750.

1991 Fender '62 Reissue Telecaster - MIJ, (front), (headstock), (back), (neck ID), (body/control/pickup), (relic look). This is an "honest" reclic, a guitar that has earned the name through years of use playing in clubs - just check out the vibe of the bridge/pickup (here). Finished in what appears to be Artic White, you can see how the body is lighter under the protection of the pickguard in the body pic above. Body has misc dings and scratches, with a few small finish chips around the edge, hardware is discolored, and it has a real cigarette burn mark on the headstock. Serial number is on the bridge plate, A0-5 digits, but Fender Japan used pencil dates on the neck during this era which shows it's a '91. Body has the proper routing with a channel between the neck pickup and control cavity with string-thru body and brass saddles. This guitar sounds fantastic, thanks to a pickup upgrade to a set of Custom Shop Texas Specials. The only other non-original aspect are Schaller locking strap pins. It has some fret wear but unless you like super low action, doesn't need fret work yet, although I'll probably have Martin crown the frets if it doesn't turn into a complete level and dress. This guitar has very good sustain and plenty of Tele quack, Tele fans won't be disappointed. For around 1/3 the price of a factory Relic, you can get the real thing and a quality Fender Japan guitar. Just $649 with gigbag; $699 with a new hardshell case.

1998 Jackson Soloist SL-1, (front1 front2), (neck/headstock), (back) (case/etc.). Finished in the popular premium finish, "Eerie Dess". The Soloist is probably the all-time SuperStrat. It came on the scene during Stratomania in the 80's and has remained in the catalog since that time. I can't think of another brand and model that has been around that long. Simply put, the USA Soloist is the best shredding Strat you can get. Back in the 80's this model was called the "Soloist Custom", to distinguish it from the cheaper "Soloist Student", which didn't have neck and headstock binding, rosewood board instead of ebony, plain white logo, and dot inlays instead of shark fin. Features include quarter-sawn maple neck-thru with alder wings, Seymour Duncan humbuckers with a JB TB4 in the bridge and Classic Stacks in the middle and neck, Original Floyd Rose trem, ebony fingerboard, with mother-of-pearl shark fin inlays, MOP headstock logo, bound neck and headstock, 24 jumbo frets, 5-way pickup selector. It also has Jackson's compound-radius fingerboard with a more dramatic curve at the nut for easy chording and flattens out as it approaches the neck joint for low-action bends without fretting out - the best of both worlds. A new SL-1 in Eerie Dess lists at $3099 and sells at discount for $2349 (this one sold for $2020...in the 90's!). This one's 14 years old but it's in impeccable condition and you wouldn't think twice if it were hanging new in a store. The setup is low and fast, perfect for speed licks. Who doesn't like a new Jackson, but who can afford $2349. How about $1000 off the new cost for this barely touched beauty; just $1349. Includes Jackson case and stuff.

2011 Gibson SG Special '60s Tribute - Natural, (front), (back), (headstock), (gigbag). Very affordable version of an all time classic, the 60's SG Special, with it's all-mahogany construction and a pair of searing P90 single coils. Finished in Worn Natural, which has the appearance of either a faded Walnut, or even some Cherry finishes, which had all the color fade. This guitar's thin solid mahogany body offers a very lightweight package with a tone that's both subtle and aggressive, depending on your playing style. It has a rich resonance with lots of harmonic depth and sparkle. The solid mahogany neck is carved to a fast Slim Taper profile similar to SGs from the '60s, with a glued in deep-set, long-tenon neck/body joint and 17-degree back angled headstock, combine for a superior transfer of resonance from the neck to the body. Two Gibson P-90 single-coil pickups with Alnico V magnets are among the finest reproductions of vintage P-90s currently available producing warm, vocal neck tones to loads of snarl from the bridge position, with rounder, funkier tones in between. Gibson uses a PLEK-cut Corian nut to ensure maximum resonance and sustain. This guitar is finished in a thin nitrocellulose satin finish, which protects the wood while contributing to a more lively response. It will "age" rather fast and soon develop the look of a well-played vintage guitar. It's set up with low action and the ease of play, combined with the light weight, make this a great guitar to play, set after set. Offered in mint condition for $650, including original Gibson deluxe gigbag.

1986 Kramer American Pacer Custom - Flip Flop Red, (front), (back), (headstock), (color/shades), (case). Another beautiful Pacer in time capsule condition. I just sold the flip-flop blue '86 and right on the heels comes this one in Flip-Flop Red, which, depending on the viewing angle, can appear red, purple, or pink, clearly visible in the pics above. This is a true "under the bed" guitar with virtually no player's wear, and the only flaw are a few very minor impressions, the worst of which is (shown here), which are only visible from the right angle. No buckle/button scratches or pick scratches, frets are clean, headstock is clean, just a near perfect example of an ESP-era Kramer American. Features include non-recessed original Floyd Rose, Jackson-style sharp body edges, cannon output jack, Gotoh tuners with set screws straight down the side (never had any other tuners installed), droopy/pointy headstock, and 3-pc. maple neck with rosewood board. Pickups are an angled Duncan JB in the bridge with Duncan Vintage Staggered in the middle and neck, controlled by three mini on/off switches and a single volume knob, pretty much the simplicity of a Baretta in a 3-pickup version. This was one of my dream guitars back in the day but, alas, I was making $3.25/hr. and we sold these new in '86 for $799, basically around $2K by today's standards. Not just great looks, this baby has a great setup with very comfortable action, no problem bends, and the Floyd stays in tune perfectly. In this condition and this color, this is an excellent buy for the collector, or player, for $699. Includes new TKL case that's the same model as the mid-line Kramer case from the 80's.

1998 Epiphone Dot MIK with Upgrades, (front), (back), (headstock), (upgrades), (case). In desirable Natural ("blond" in vintage terminology) finish and a better quality Korean made archtop. In all fairness, Gibson lowered the list price of the Dot when production was moved to China, but these older Korean models are better guitars have become highly sought after by players on a moderate budget. The fretwork is more precise, the binding and inlay work is top notch, and the tonewoods are better and probably better seasoned. I'm not taking anything away from the Chinese Dots. For $399, I think they're an excellent value, but the MIK models are a better value. Although the stock pickups on these guitars are good, we get a lot of requests to do upgrades on Epi's, primarily changing the pickups. This one has received such an upgrade just 3 months ago with a pair of Seymour Duncans - a '59 Neck and '59 Bridge, as well as a USA 3-way switch and Gibson chrome dome knobs. The pickup upgrade for an archtop like this runs over $200, parts and labor - in addition to an Earvana nut, which runs $65/installed. Earvana nuts (details here), eliminate the intonation problems inherent with fretted instruments, so when you tune your guitar to open cowboy cords, it'll still be in tune when you play barre chords. The Epi Dot features the same laminated maple body with white binding, gloss finish, and set maple neck as the Gibson 335, but at a more wallet-friendly price. Other authentic touches include the stop tailpiece and Tuneomatic bridge, black bonnet knobs, and orange oval sticker visible through the upper f-hole. This is a well made guitar in beautiful condition. With medium sized frets, comfortably low action, and thin neck, this one's a joy to play. The body design with its center block inside the body, lends itself to many styles of play, from jazz to jump, country, blues, or rock - pretty much anything but hard rock and metal. If you're looking for a quality semi-hollowbody with around $300 in upgrades, and a desirable MIK model, this one's an easy recommendation for $459 - or $499(HOLD-Stan W 1/20) with a quality TKL case.

2011 Gretsch Tennessee Rose G6119-1962HT, (front), (headstock), (back), (case). If the Tenn. Rose with Filter 'Trons and real F-holes (posted last week) isn't for you, here's a cool 1962 model. Beatles fans will note that this one will take you back to 60's Shea Stadium, one of the most recognizable icons of '60s Pop. With its vintage Hilo'Tron single coil pickups, "Rocking" bar bridge, Gretsch by Bigsby B6C Vibrato tailpiece, and simulated F holes, this quality thinline has all the features of the original 60's model. Other specs include single cutaway hollow body with burgundy stain finish, 16" lower bout, 2" body depth, arched laminated maple top with multiple binding, laminated maple back and sides, 3-piece maple neck, black headstock overlay, rosewood fingerboard, neo-classic "Thumbnail" inlays, 22 frets, 12" radius, 25.5" scale length, 1-11/16" nut width, zero nut, 2 Hi Lo 'Tron pickups, 3-way pickup selector switch, stand-by switch, neck volume - bridge volume - master volume knobs, 3-position master tone switch, chrome hardware, Knurled Strap Retainer Knobs, silver plexi pickguard with embossed "Chet Atkins" signature. In fact, all the cool features and all the vibe of the 60's model, but none of the problems - these are, quite simply, better guitars than the originals. For full specs click here for Gretsch. List price on this guitar is $3025, selling new for $2124. This is in unplayed condition, with plastic still on the pickguard, plus a killer set up and Gretsch vibe thrown in for free. $1550(SOLD-Gary S 1/26) includes original Gretsch case.

2007 Taylor 420CE SL Dreadnought Cutaway - Spring Limited Edition, (front), (headstock), (back), (appointments), (ES), (case/acc.). For around a decade, Taylor has been offering Fall (and later Spring) Limited Edition guitars with appointments and tonewoods not normally found in a particular series. Historically, they have offered an incredible value, such as guitars in the 400-series with features approaching that of an 800-series. In the spring of '07 they offered this lovely 420CE SL (Spring Limited), with the primary feature being the woods. Instead of the 410CE's spruce top with ovangkol back and sides, the 420CE features beautiful Hawaiian Koa, top-back-sides. Also, this LTD model features diamond inlays instead of dots. The difference between an X10 and X20 is the X20's have the same wood on top as used on the back/sides and it's not a different body size as found on the X12, X14, and X55. The 420CE is nicely appointed with multi-ply cream body binding, cream neck binding, multi-piece soundhole rosette, Ebony fretboard, and gloss finish on the solid Koa top. With a Venetian cutaway and Taylor's Expression System electronics, this dreadnought has a focused, assertive, tone with lots of presence. The 420CE acoustic-electric has a lustrous gloss finished top, while the back and sides have a textured satin finish. The ultraviolet cured finish developed by Taylor is durable, resistant to cold-checking, and is more environmentally friendly than traditional lacquer finishes. This guitar uses Taylor's Expression Electronics System for an unrivaled, natural live sound and this one feaures the improved 9V system rather than the AA batteries. Onboard tone controls provide added flavor, or set flat for an uncolored, exceptionally-clean amplified sound. Other features include Tusq nut and saddle, 25-1/2" scale, 1 3/4" nut width, 20 frets, 15" fretboard radius, 16" body width, and 4 5/8 body depth. Koa is expensive and Taylor usually gets a premium for any guitars built with this very desirable tone wood. The 420CE SL offers a chance to have a Koa Taylor at a price within the range of many working musicians. This one is in beautiful shape. Other than pickguard scratches, I can't see any noteworthy flaws anywhere, with a typical low Taylor setup, and a beautiful Taylor for just $1599(HOLD-Chris C 1/18).

2009 Fender Custom Shop '56 Relic Stratocaster, (front), (headstock/fretboard), (back), (detail-checking), (case/acc.). "As new" in "Relic Mint" condition, with zero player's wear and zero non-factory flaws, in fact, this guitar has never been retailed. A lightweight 7.6 lbs., this guitar has a much more "real" vibe than many other Relics. Finished is lightly checked all over, with realistic forearm and belly cut wear, through the paint at the sharp line over the lower edge of the belly contour, just like one that's been played for 55 years. It also has Realistic buckle rash and light finish chips around the edges, plus hardware realistically aged, but not totally rusted out as some of these are. Fretboard has wear in all the proper spots, but frets are like new. The set up on this guitar is phenomenal. Very few vintage radius guitars will allow low action without choking out on bends but this one, no problem. Neck is the 10/56 neck which is large, but not overly chunky. A new '56 is going to set you back $2950 and, who knows, it might have the right look, right weight, and be an insanely great player. For $950 less you can get this one, guaranteed to be one of the best. $1999 includes factory sealed accessory bag, leather strap, cable, factory hang tag, ash tray, factory-sealed custom care folder, certificate, and Fender/G&G tweed case.

Shure PG-58 Vocal Mic. Good utility mic without forking out $100 for an SM58. The PG58 uses a Neodymium magnet produces high output and crisp vocals. It has an Internal shockmount to minimize handling noise and a good quality pop filter to reduce distortion on "p's" and "t's". Used but in clean shape and includes a new 20' XLR cable. $39.

Samson SR-22 Wireless Mic with Shure SM58 Element, (mic), (receiver). Samson Channel 1. When it comes down to vocal wireless you have to start with quality mic. Many of the budget units on the market today might have clarity and good noise reduction, but ask yourself, would I choose THIS mic if I were going to use a cable mic? Don't buy a no-name wireless set when you can get a fantastic Shure SM58 mic for less. The SM58 has been the industry standard vocal mic for 4 decades. The Samson SR-22 operates within the VHF-FM band, with very little chance of interference from other devices. It's True Diversity system, with A/B channels - if it detects a weak signal, it switches to the other antenna. It has good a good quality noise reduction system, dbx, and has a standard 1/4" instrument cable output jack.. Bottom of the mic has a "Mute" switch to turn off the signal, plus an "On/Off" switch to turn off the mic, with a red LED to let you know it's on. Comes in original plastic case, in fair condition, with foam padding. This system works perfectly, sounds great, and for an SM58 wireless, nicely priced at $175.

Samson SR-2 Wireless Mic with EV BK-1 Element, (mic). Samson Channel 4. Similar specs to the SR-22 above, except with a single antenna receiver - but again with a killer microphone - the Electrovoice BK-1 Condenser mic. During much of my music career I used a wired BK-1. It was crisp and clear, and powerful enough to pick up the subtle nuances of my high falsetto backup vocals. My only issue with the cabled version was that it took a very expensive camera battery that cost 4X the price of a 9V. The SR-2 receiver has the same features (same VHF-FM band, dbx noise reduction, level control knob, 1/4" output jack) as the SR-22, but it's not dual diversity, meaning it only has one antenna. Is that a drawback? Technically I guess it is, but the fact is I've never used a dual diversity system and I've never had any drop-outs or interference with a Samson system. The SR-2 will do quite well, no worries. For

Shure TG-4 Guitar Wireless, (receiver), (transmitter), (case). Wow, a made in USA wireless! Shure knows how to do wireless. I used a Shure starting in '84 and had zero problems with it gig after gig, year after year. The TG system is more sophisticated but I'm sure the reliability is still there. It gives you a 300 foot range, dual diversity receiver to eliminate dropouts, and operates for 18 hours in a single alkaline battery. The T-Series receivers use a noise squelch circuit which analyzes signal quality instead of signal strength to eliminate the possibility of annoying burst of noise coming through the receiver. The T1G transmitter uses a standard 1/4" guitar cable, which is a great improvement over hard-wired units. On those, when the cable wears out you can throw the transmitter away, instead of simply buying a new cable. This unit sold new for $259. This used one's in nice condition and a great performing wireless for $139. Includes transmitter, receiver, carrying case, power supply, and 1/4" 3' cable to connect receiver to your amp.

2010 Fender Custom Shop '52 Esquire/Tele Relic, (front-1 front-2), (back-full), (back), (headstock), (case/acc.). Take your pick - Esquire or Tele! Fender uses Tele bodies for their Esquires so, with no routing required, original owner added a neck pickup and Tele pickguard - or if desired, we can remove the neck pickup and swap back to Esquire pickguard. Either way, you're getting one killer Tele. The way it's currently set up, it has a Duncan Alnico II Pro Tele (link) pickup in the neck, with the original relic Broadcaster pickup in the bridge. Fairly heavy factory relic process with major buckle wear on the back, arm wear, and numerous dings and chips in the finish, with a neck that looks like it's had 1000's of hours of use. Very lightweight at 7.1 lbs with a very loud acoustic sound and excellent sustain. It has a '52 U-shaped neck that's absolutely huge at the first fret, and retains pretty much the same thickness all the way up the neck. Nicely figured ash body with blonde nitro finish, and nitro-finished neck with back wear and fretboard wear in all the right spots. If you want something with more of a signature tone, we can sell it with a DiMarzio Area T bridge pickup (link) instead of the Broadcaster - your choice - same price. It's got the tone you want in a vintage Tele, without the hum. Collector owned and barely played, the accessory bag hasn't even been opened. Includes ash tray, polishing cloth, serialized hang tag and other tags and paperwork, COA, two pickguards, and Fender center pocket tweed case. Take your choice - Tele or Esquire - at just $1999 including parts to switch it over should you ever change your mind

1998 Epiphone Les Paul Signature Model (semi-hollow), (front), (headstock), (back), (side), (pickups/inlays), (case). Very rare model and a fine example of Korean craftsmanship. Built only from '98 to '00, this is reissue of Gibson's version from the 70's. As far as I know, neither Gibson nor Epiphone has built any of this model since this one was discontinued. One of the unique aspects of this model is the asymmetrical cutaways and offset waist, generally a Fender design feature. Features include offset double cutaway laminated maple semi-hollow body, laminated maple top, raised creme pickguard, set-in maple neck, 24.75 in. scale, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid fingerboard inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, Kluson-style tuners with keystone buttons, chrome hardware, 2 low impedance humbuckers, volume/tone controls, 3-way pickup selector, Vari-gain selector switch, Phase switch, and finished in Ebony, Metallic Gold, or Vintage Sunburst. Pickups are Electar JCB-1 low impedance Alnico VII, routed through a unique transformer circuit. There's a good selection of tones with the 3-way switch, in/out of phase selector, and Vari-gain switch which is centered at 50Hz, 250HZ, and 500Hz. As you might expect, the 50 Hz causes only has a negligible, if any, difference. It's in beautiful condition with no scratches, dings, or wear, with a perfectly applied gold finish, front and back, very neat binding, and immaculately seated white pearloid inlays. It's a perfect example of the quality of Korean manufacture, which is clearly well above Epi's Chinese guitars. Comes complete with original clean Epi hardshell case and a rare, and very nice semi-hollow for $679(HOLD-Barry C/H).

Charvel San Dimas Pro-Mod Limited Wild Card #7, (front), (headstock), (back), (Floyd), (box and case). "Primer Scream" was chosen as the finish for the 7th in the Pro-Mod Wild Card series. The Wild Cards aren't regular production but guitars with features, options and configurations that change every three months; when they're gone, they're gone. This Wild Card 7 is a rock 'n roll animal, finished in a gray primer color, with a great pair of Duncan pickups, JB in the bridge; Classic Stack (stacked humbucker) in the neck - controlled by a simple 3-way switch and volume control - with a great feeling ebony fretboard with yellow dot inlays. The new Pro Mod series replaced the USA Production Series San Dimas models. Now made in Japan, but with the same quality you've come to know from the short run of the USA models, and now featuring the great new SKB case instead of a gigbag. Charvel is known as the original "hot rod" guitar brand and this series are killer rock/metal axes in the Charvel tradition. They are tooled and built with the same specs as the originals including little touches like the recessed back plates and top of the line electronics and hardware. Features include Alder Body, 1-Piece Maple Neck, original-style San Dimas neckplate, Compound Radius neck 12" to 16", wide neck - 1 11/16" at the nut, genuine Floyd Rose Tremolo, Dunlop strap pins, Grover Mini Rotomatic Tuners, black hardware. Pickups are Seymour Duncans with a JB in the bridge and STK4 Classic Stack humbucker in the neck, direct mounted to the body. To me, San Dimas Charvels have always had one defining feature - the gunstock oil neck. As soon as you run your hand down it, it feels like the neck you've been looking for your whole life - and it's just as friendly to sweaty palms as it doesn't "stick" the way lacquer does. Click here for all specs on the Pro Mod Series. This Wild Card models sell new for just $999, which is a great price for a quality Japan-made guitar, where labor cost is as high as in the USA. If you've found factory setups on these guitars to be lackluster or fret ends a little sharp, rest assured that this one plays better than anything hanging in a store, thanks to a proper set up by Martin. Other than a small shiny spot under the pickups, this guitar is in unplayed condition with immaculate frets and not a scratch. It even comes with the original box. It's a great guitar for $775(HOLD-Richard 1/19). Includes Charvel/SKB case with ATA latches, original box, Dunlop strap pins and locks, Allen wrench holder (installs with one screw) and Allen wrenches, and trem arm.

2008 LTD 1959 Stratocaster Relic w/Braz Board Dealer Select Wildwood "10", (front), (headstock), (back), (neck), (checking), (relic wear), (case/acc.). Brand New Condition - collector owned and, apparently, not played. Now this is a fine Strat. Wildwood Guitars, the largest dealer of Custom Shop in the country, commissioned Fender to do a boat load of Strats and Teles, from various years. Some of their features include Brazilian rosewood fretboards; lightweight hand-selected tone woods; NOS, Relic or Heavy Relic “faded” thin nitrocellulose finishes available in multiple colors; custom-voiced pickups; customized neck shapes, a 10" radius and 6105 frets—a unique pairing of vintage collectibility and modern playability. They also come with either a straight-grain maple, quartersawn maple and AA flame maple necks. For an upcharge, guitars like this one were available with AAA flamed maple necks. Looking around their site, I don't see any of them that approach the figuring of this maple neck. Other features include select lightweight alder body with nitrocellulose lacquer finish, bone nut, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, 21 Dunlop 6105 narrow Jumbo frets, 10" fretboard radius, nitrocellulose neck finish, 1.6875" nut width, serialized neck plate, John Cruz Master Built Strat pickups, and Deluxe Limited Edition Black Hardshell Case with Black Crushed Velvet Interior and Embroidered Limited Edition Logo. The Relic treatment on this one is medium, with plenty of body checking, an authentic yellowed look to the finish, mint pickguard aged perfectly - yellowed near the edge, back cover aged, hardware oxidized or rusty, pickups covers properly rounded over on the edge with pole pieces properly corroded, moderate arm wear, and miscellaneous dings and finish chips on the body. Weighs in a 7.7 lbs. The neck on this is extremely chunky (profile) so I'm guessing it's the Nocaster U neck. It almost feels deeper at the first fret than at the 12th. I'll have Martin put the calipers on it to get the exact measurement. This is probably the best non-Master Built Strat I've had yet in terms of authentic look and overall build quality. It's a lively body acoustically and has commendable sustain when plugged in. The setup is spectacular, probably too low for most players. What really blows me away is the neck. I've had special order Strats before with upgraded neck wood but none approach the look of this one. Suffice it to say that in the Fender Custom Shop world, it rarely gets any better than this, unless you're talking Master Built at a few grand higher. For full specs on the Wildwood 10, click here for Fender's site and for a great selection of new guitars, click here for Wildwood's selection of 1959 Strat "10s". They *start* at $4K and this one was $4800 new. If you want a world class Strat with a total vintage vibe, but with some modern playability enhancements, this is a smoking deal at just $3200(HOLD-Kenny M 1/10). Includes LTD case with embroidered lid, strap, hang tags, LTD certificate, and factory sealed accessory bag with custom shop picks, bridge cover, cable, switch, polishing cloth, etc.

2006 Epiphone 1965 Elitist Casino, (front), (headstock), (back), (Beatles), (case), (specs). Simply as fine as it gets for a current Gibson/Epi hollowbody, and if you're a Bigsby fan (as shown by John, Paul, and George above), this one has had a genuine Bigsby added (original tailpiece included). I've had 5 of the USA Lennon signature Casino's and, quite honestly, this Japan models a better guitar. Of the 4 different Elitist models I've had, each one was a superb guitar and their quality control for the Elitist series seems to be above the Gibson plants. They are advertised as "instruments that approach custom shop perfection" but in my opinion, they *are* custom shop quality. As you may know, Epi's archtops paralleled Gibsons during the 60's and the Casino was Epi's version of the Gibson ES-330. Features include an all-maple laminated body, fully hollowbody (no center block) thinline, which give it improved acoustic properties compared to an ES-335 Dot which has a center block in the body, although the Casino is may feedback more in excessively high gain situations. Crafted with premium woods, fitted with American pickups and circuitry - even USA toggle switches and Grover tuners - they're made at a special factory devoted specifically to their manufacture where they are much more "hand built" than most of the Gibson counterparts. The Elite 1965 Casino is true to the original made famous by The Beatles, mostly closely associated with John's, which started out sunburst and ended up Natural, after he stripped it. Specs include a great sounding pair of USA P90's with chrome covers, nickel hardware, 5-ply maple top/back/sides, neck set at 16th fret, Bone nut, trapeze tailpiece with tuneomatic bridge, pearloid parallelogram inlays, and multi-ply pickguard. This one is in truly immaculate condition, other than a small lacquer crack behind the nut (shown here), which is 100% guaranteed to be lacquer only and not in the wood. It has seen very little living room use only, and has zero signs of actual play. With a list of $2498, these sell new for $1799, and if you want a Bigsby added, you're looking closer to $2K. Save a short lacquer check, this one is flawless, and a great guitar for the fan of collector, at just $1350(HOLD-Rob C 1/14). Includes Elitist case, warranty, manual, tools, and original trapeze tailpiece.

2005 Gretsch Tennessee Rose G6119-TR, (front), (headstock), (back), (case). Nothing says 60's and rockabilly vibe like a Gretsch. I remember George Harrison's 6119 and "The Monkees" playing various Gretsch's (hey, I was just a kid) and they became my dream guitar. Sadly, I had to settle on a Teisco. Who knows where I'd be if I had access to a quality axe when I was nine. Let me get back on track... The 6119TR differs from the 6119-1962 (listed lower on this page) in a many ways, major and minor. Technically they're both TR models, but this one has real F-holes, which give it a more open tone and louder acoustically, and this one also has "High Sensitive" Filter 'Trons humbuckers instead of the Hi Lo 'Trons single coils. The Hi Lo's have the jangly Gretsch sound but that seems to be limited by what amp you're playing through. The Filtertrons can sound very much like a Hi Lo, are much quieter, and they sound good through any amp, plus they're more powerful. In addition, the Adjusto-Matic bridge intonates where the straight bar on the '62 doesn't, the Grover Rotomatics stay in tune better, the HT has a much nicer ebony fretboard, and the zero-fret of the '62 is somewhat off-putting. Other features of this fine guitar include single cutaway hollow body with deep cherry stain finish, 16" lower bout, 2.5" body depth, arched laminated maple top with multiple binding, real f-holes, laminated maple back and sides, 3-piece maple neck, black headstock overlay, Bigsby B6C Vibrato tailpiece, Ebony fingerboard, neo-classic "Thumbnail" inlays, 22 frets, 12" radius, 25.5" scale length, 1-11/16" nut width, synthetic bone nut, 2 High Sensitive Filter 'Tron pickups, Adjusto-Matic Bridge with Ebony base, 3-way pickup selector switch, stand-by switch, neck volume - bridge volume - master volume knobs, 3-position master tone switch, chrome hardware, Knurled Strap Retainer Knobs, silver plexi pickguard with embossed logo and model. These reissues have all the cool features and all the vibe of the 60's models, but none of the problems. Quite likely, they'll stand the test of time much better than the original Gretsch's. They are, quite simply, better guitars than the originals. For full specs click here for Gretsch. List price on this guitar is $2950; this one is in immaculate condition, with quality tone and a pro setup, for just $1450. Includes original Gretsch case.

2009 Fender Standard Strat - Black Pearl Guard with Single Humbucker, (front), (back), (headstock), (gigbag). Tired of the same old Standard Strats, with SSS, HH, or HSS pickups? Do you want something with the simplicity and tone more like a Baretta, or the single humbucker Contemporary Strats of the 80's? This one has been modified by a black pearl pickguard housing a single Seymour Duncan JB Trembucker, and single volume knob. Specs include solid Alder body with maple neck and fretboard, 21 medium jumbo frets, 9.5" radius, vintage synchronized tremolo with stamped steel saddles, Fender/Ping tuners, gloss urethane body, satin urethane neck, and large headstock with CBS black/gold logo. This guitar plays fantastic, and this JB lends itself to many types of music. It's high enough output that you can use the volume control to switch from a clean to overdrive tone. It's in immaculate condition and a striking looking Strat for $350(HOLD-Ron M 1/9). Includes very thick Fender gigbag and trem arm. Note: If you also want single coil tones, we can change to a push/pull pot - or add a mini 2-way switch, to split the pickup and have the choice of a more traditional Strat tone - for $35 parts/labor.

2011 Fender Highway One HSS Stratocaster w/accessories, (front), (back), (headstock), (accessories), (gigbag). Barely touched, just a few hours of use, and great playing Strat. Highway One's offer the best value in a USA Strat featuring a nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the body, preferred by many players, but due to the satin lacquer finish, they're cheaper to manufacture and than a standard urethane gloss finish. Other than the satin finish, and a gigbag instead of a hardshell, the quality of the Highway series is the same as the American Standard, but priced around 25% less. Specs include: Alder body with black nitro finish, maple neck with modern "C" Shape profile, rosewood fingerboard with modern 9.5" Radius, 22 Jumbo Frets, '70s style large headstock; vintage tremolo with stamped steel saddles; Hot Single-Coil pickups with Alnico 3 magnets in the neck and middle positions with a Fender Atomic humbucker in the bridge; master volume; tone 1 = neck pickup with "greasebucket" (rolls of highs without adding bass) tone circuit; tone 2 = bridge pickup with "greasebucket"; Fender Ping tuners. The thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish lets the body wood's natural tone shine through. Although it doesn't require the buffing of a poly finish, nitro is a rather expensive finish to manufacture, mainly due to its long drying time and it's rarely found on a guitar in this price range. The top on this one has been lightly buffed out to have more of the gloss of a vintage Strat and it's in immaculate condition other than two minute impressions above the pickguard, no button scratches, pick scratches or wear of any kind and it, of course, has our usual in-house setup that's always better than factory. In addition to the Fender deluxe gigbag and trem arm, this one also came in with some accessories in the pouch which will be included: bottleneck slide, extra D'Addario 10 ga. strings, and a Planet Waves NS aluminum capo. All in all, a super nice package for $599. (Note: I have a mint HSS in sunburst (pic) on my Fender page for the same price).

2010 Fender American Deluxe Strat HSS - Tungsten, (front-1 front-2), (back), (headstock), (controls), (deluxe features), (case/acc.). Mint condition - in new finish "Tungsten", which is a cross between Pewter and Inca Silver. It looks great with the black & chrome hardware and plastic. This is the first of the new American Deluxes I've had, now with the new SCN N3 pickups, and I'm impressed. Other deluxe appointments include Fender locking tuners, pearl dot inlays, raised chrome logo, Wilkinson roller nut, rounded heel for easy access to the top frets, polished chrome bridge with "pop-in" trem arm, and S-1 switch (switching options) plus a small pushbutton called the "Passing Lane" switch, which bypasses the tone circuit completely. Another new feature is the compound radius fretboard which goes from 9.5" at the first fret to a flatter 14" at the top fret, which lets you form chords easily on the steeper curve of the lower frets, while the flatter upper frets are perfect for shredding, bending, and or soloing in general. The Deluxe HSS comes equipped with an Atomic Humbucker at the bridge, for an incredibly beefy tone loaded with harmonics. The new SCN N3 pickups are the latest and greatest from Fender for creating warm tone and responsive bite, a genuine vintage tone, but without the noise. In addition to a classic 5-way switch, it also includes a newly designed S-1 switch. This all-new "passing-lane" configuration cuts out the tone knob and instantly routs your output straight to the bridge, giving you a super-hot tone with great harmonics, which is perfect for kicking it into overdrive for solos. With a list of $2099, you're going to pay $1549 for a new one in Tungsten, but this one is flawless, with an incredible setup and excellent sustain, for $1050. Includes Fender case with ATA latches, Fender strap - cable - polishing cloth, Schaller strap locks, trem arm, serialized inspection tag, and various other paperwork.

Dekley SD-12 Pedal Steel, (back), (top), (sides), (case), (label/no.). Bear with me as I'm not an expert at pedal steels. It has Schaller tuners, of that I'm sure, and a soapbar pickup. It has a steel and wood frame, with 5 foot pedals and 4 knee levers. I'm guessing on the model number, but it appears to be the same as this one advertised on PedalSteelGuitars.org. Although mine only has 4 knee levers, it's the SD-12 is the only model I've found with 5 foot pedals. I don't know where the serial number is on this unit, but I only looked briefly. From what I read on the web, it's late 70s/early 80s. There is a protruding number on the underside, as well as an Ampeg label, but I think that's a part number for the chassis. Dekley was carried in the Ampeg catalog, at least for a period in their history. Martin, who took some pedal steel lessons many years ago, says this is a good sounding steel, in nice shape, with everything working properly. A 10-string with 3 pedals just sold at auction for $1001 w/shipping (link) in VG condition. This one easily qualifies at Excellent Condition and is a good value on a 12-string and a rather inexpensive way to get into a good quality pedal steel at just $1150. Manual is downloadable at: www.steelguitar.com/manuals/Dekley_OwnersManual.pdf.

1983 Fender USA Stratocaster - black w/mirror pickguard, (front-1 front-2), (back), (headstock), (tremolo). Black body with maple board and mirror guard gives this the vibe of an Iron Maiden signature model - say the word and we'll switch the covers and knobs to black (no charge) for an even more authentic version. '83 Strats are frequently maligned for several reasons, some of which aren't deserved. By reputation, they're among the heaviest Strats Fender has made but this one's just 7.6 lbs. The 2-knob (only one tone control) wasn't well-received; personally, I like having a single master tone which also provides tone control for the bridge pickup. Lastly, the surface-mounted Freeflyte tremolo system that wasn't Fender's best tremolo, but doesn't require the body to be routed all the way through and its design allows for more contact from tremolo to body, which is a sustain-enhancing design. When set up properly, the stay in tune almost as well as a vintage tremolo. Most of these detractors have been overlooked in recent years - while it took a long time for these to catch on in the vintage market, a few years ago they started to take off and now they command prices higher than a new Strat, i.e. they're now commanding vintage value at 29 years. The bottom line though, is many of these are excellent utility guitars. Fit and finish on these are actually better than the 70's 3-bolt Strats where "the gap" was commonplace, with a neck that didn't properly fit the body. Overall this one is very clean for 28 years, buffed out to a bright luster and other than one finish chip, the only flaws are in the clear coat, and the common edge of the fretboard (shown here). The finish chip (shown here), can be touched up easily if desired, for $25. It appears to have had a pro refret so the frets are in good shape. A 7.6 lb. '83 is almost unheard of, plus this one plays nice and has quality tone, one of the best Strats I've heard with these early American Standard pickups. Other than the pickguard, this baby's all original an one of the best '83's I've had. If you want a vintage Strat with a cool look, that would make a great utility guitar, this one's a nice buy at $850. Includes hardshell case, either a rough original or a nice aftermarket.

2007 Taylor 614-CE Grand Auditorium Cutaway Acoustic-Electric, (front), (back), (headstock), (top repair), (case). For you players who want a higher-end Taylor, but are working on a lower-end budget. Most Taylors I get in are meticulously presented, purchased, it appears, to reside in a museum. Unfortunately, their price tag reflects the pristine condition. Every now and then I get in one with a little honest wear and, gasp, a repaired top crack. Anyone who's ever had a repaired center seam can tell you that it doesn't affect the tone or structural integrity. Such is the case with this one. About this model: with the Taylor 614-CE's bold sounds of big leaf maple and Sitka spruce are enhanced by the Grand Auditorium body design. Together the woods create a bright, crystalline timbre with outstanding projection and warm overtones. Also, the Grand Auditorium cutaway body yields a strong treble zing across the tonal spectrum and sharpens the definition of individual notes. Aided by a wide 1 3/4" nut, it's a superb fingerpicking guitar that also adapts well to medium strumming. This is a newer model employing Taylor's acclaimed Expression System (ES), which replaced various Fishman units used during the 90's and early 00's. The ES utilizes patented Dynamic Sensors to capture top and string vibration like no other. Created in partnership with renowned audio pioneer, Rupert Neve, the Taylor ES is seamlessly integrated into the design of the guitar from the ground up. Onboard tone controls provide added flavor or set flat for an uncolored, exceptionally clean amplified sound. Features of the 614CE include Grand Auditorium body with Venetian cutaway, Big leaf maple back and sides, Sitka spruce top, Hard rock maple neck, Taylor Expression System electronics, Ebony headstock overlay, Ebony fretboard, Pearl Leaf pattern fretboard inlay, Abalone soundhole rosette, Ebony bridge, Tusq nut and saddle, three-stripe white body binding, white neck binding, Gold-plated Taylor tuners, 25-1/2" scale, 1-3/4" width at nut, 20 frets, Scalloped X-bracing, and Gloss finish. If you're looking for a great playing, great sounding 614CE and aren't afraid of a little honest wear and a non-problematic repaired seam, you can save big on this one. You're looking at $2950 on a new one, but if you're a working musician on a limited budget, this one's less than 1/2 the cost of new. Just $1429(HOLD-Bill P 1/23) for this one; includes Taylor luggage case. end xxxx

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Chris' Guitars, specializing in semi-vintage and clean utility guitars and basses within the price range of working musicians. My inventory generally leans toward Fender and Gibson, though I usually have a supply of PRS, Gretsch, Guild, Martin, Taylor, Jackson, etc., as well as an assortment of moderately priced--but very playable--less famous brands. I also have 100's of effects, tons of amps, PA/recording gear, and even some keyboard gear. Our price system is designed to keep prices below book value, rather than amassing a huge collection of full retail priced merchandise. On Vintage gear and higher end items, I tend to deal in all-original pieces but do my best to identify questionable features so there are no surprises when your new guitar arrives at your home. I’m always looking for trades. Thanks for checking out my web site and if you have any questions, please click on my email address above or at the top of any of the pages.....I'd like to take a moment to thank all of my customers who have made my humble little site such a phenomenal success, especially my valued regular customers—you are the greatest... Regards, Chris Grimmett, Owner

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