Firestorm wrote:Wood makes so much difference it's crazy. When Mike Detemple was a session player, he stumbled on a standard production Strat where everything was just insanely perfect. So nice, that apparently Clapton offered to trade Blackie for it.
Now Mike replicates the guitar: tap tunes all the wood. Even the neck.
There's definitely some "accidental magic" that comes from the big guitar companies from time to time. I played a lefty Les Paul Custom back in the eighties that just sang without even being plugged in. I've never played another Les Paul that came close to that one. Like an idiot I didn't buy it.
Good to know there are people that have found a way to repro that magic.
Firestorm wrote:Wood makes so much difference it's crazy. When Mike Detemple was a session player, he stumbled on a standard production Strat where everything was just insanely perfect. So nice, that apparently Clapton offered to trade Blackie for it.
Now Mike replicates the guitar: tap tunes all the wood. Even the neck.
There's definitely some "accidental magic" that comes from the big guitar companies from time to time. I played a lefty Les Paul Custom back in the eighties that just sang without even being plugged in. I've never played another Les Paul that came close to that one. Like an idiot I didn't buy it.
Good to know there are people that have found a way to repro that magic.
The best wood i,ve seen on a guitar is on a mid 90's Patrick Eggle Wall, yep it resides in my collection, 20 year mahogany, highly figured maple front and a maple neck with brazillian rosewood fret board, it was a factory build not production, great sustain and pretty light plus a big block custom floyd
I have one Les Paul that weighs 7 pounds and a feather. Best guitar ever. It feels like you aren't even wearing it. It taps out really high and deep. Stiff wood from a flood plain. I wish I could find another one.. once in a life!
You guys have to try an easteren cedar(Juniper)body.Its light strong way harder than alder.I would say its close to cherry or honduran mahogany in hardness.Machines great.You have to be special to find big thick peices without knots and such.I think it has great tone.
If I can find the right piece I want to try and acoustic top with it.Probably be a disaster though
Most of the Artist and Signature models are not Custom Shop built.
They are regular US, Mex or Japan built production line guitars with particular features and maybe another level of QC.
Even the true Custom Shop guitars have various levels such as "team built" and 'Master built", and are priced accordingly.
vibratoking wrote:I visited the DeTemple website. Wow, that's a strat style guitar with a base price of $6268.00. That better be some good wood.
Mike takes it a little over the top. Hand built, hand carved, titanium trem/vibrato block. Bought a case from him once; couldn't afford a guitar. Waiting list is pretty deep, so somebody thinks he knows what he's doing. Apparently knows/knew HAD. (Ah! That's where the pricing comes from ). Not trying to steer any business his way; just pointing out that you can chase that tone.
Spruce makes a very good electric guitar. Not good if you want to bang on it so much, but I don't care about that myself. Paulonia with a red spruce slab is a great combo that weighs nothing but ends up stiffer than steel.
"The conclusion on the Titanium Saddles™ on my ’93 historic reissue Les Paul, is that the sustaining ability and tonal responses are absolutely stunning. The improvement is awesome. I owe you a dinner sometime for sure. In showing the Les Paul to a few people, they were all impressed to great degree. At some point I think that you will be getting some calls from these guys, but I’ll give you a heads-up in time to provide you with warning. On your pickups, I’ll be performing the tests and measurements this coming week. As the data is compiled, I’ll send it all to you. The test bed guitar will be one my ’64 Strats. This guitar is getting the Titanium Saddles™ and trem block as well. So this should be very interesting."
). Not trying to steer any business his way; just pointing out that you can chase that tone.