Strat that thinks its a Tele

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Even if they are regarded in many circles as highly unoriginal, I am still a fan of the all pervading Stratocaster and I don't care who wants to moan about them. It's a pity really that the design has been diluted and trivialised by so many (often mediocre) copies. Is it any wonder that the likes of Rickenbacker are so aggressive in their opposition to look-a-likes and counterfeits, when you see that the designs of Fender have effectively become public domain?

The one thing, however, that I have never liked about the Fender Strat is the one feature that many love it for. The tremolo. Personally, I've always found it a complete waste of time. Perhaps I never developed a good tremolo playing technique, but all it ever did for me was to send the guitar out of tune. And so, with every Strat I've had I take the trem arm off and either leave it in the guitar case or else lose it.

The idea of a hardtail Strat has always appealed to me. I'd love to try one out and compare it to my trem-equipped Strats, because even though I remove the arm, of course the trem block and springs are always present and correct. Some would argue, and rightfully so, that the springs in the back of the Strat contribute to its distinctive sound; they act like a built-in spring reverb. I appreciate this fully, but still the idea of a proper hardtail Strat continues to appeal to me.

Could the Haywire Stratotelia pictured here (currently for sale on eBay) be the ultimate hardtail Strat? It has through-body stringing and uses a Telecaster bridge with its larger footprint for increased sustain and a Telecaster-style bridge pickup. It would be interesting to see if indeed it plays like a hybrid Tele/Strat. (Previously the only hybrid Tele/Strat I've seen have had Tele-style bodies with a Strat's hardware. I never could see the point. Surely, that's just a Strat with the upper horn lopped off?)

The neck is by Warmoth (and as such is Fender licensed) and Haywire claim that the guitar has the ability to accommodate either 25-1/2" (Fender) or a 24-3/4 (Gibson) scale neck with no body or neck modifications. So you could have yourself a Strat/Tele/Gibson hybrid too. They also offer a choice of Strat or Tele headstocks.

It's a quality instrument, but with a base price of $1750.00, some might not like having a relatively unknown brandname on the headstock.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Caparison Dellinger Chris Amott Signature

guitarz.blogspot.com

On the comments of the previous post we've been debating about what is a superstrat. For me this Caparison Dellinger is a perfect example: based on Leo Fender's 1954 double cutaway design, it has its horns elongated while the back on the guitar stays classic, and the headstock is pointy because a superstrat has to be pointy. The main pickup is the bridge humbucker, the trem is a Floyd Rose, there are only two knobs, and there are 24 frets on the neck.

You don't take risks with such a guitar, it's tasteful though a little bit boring, and you can play plenty of notes very fast with it I assume.

Bertram

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Hohner Revelation RTX in marblish finish

guitarz.blogspot.com

I've stated here a few times that I don't like strats, and not shredding either, so of course superstrats are not particularly my cup of tea. However, this early 90s Hohner Revelation RTX caught my eye, first because of its bizarre finish I guess, but also because its shape reaches a strange mix of elegance and extreme pointiness that you usually find in Japanese early 70s guitars such as the Tokai Hummingbird...

Unfortunatly I couldn't find much information about the Revelation, Hohner is more known for its current ergonomic and headless guitars and basses (and great harmonicas, I have a few of them), but beside the shape I like the H|S blade pickups, the 4 + 2 headstock, and the Wilkinson trem bridge.

bertram

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Kapa Minstrel 12-string electric teardrop

guitarz.blogspot.com:
Here's another Kapa guitar, this time it's a Vox-inspired teardrop-shaped Minstrel 12-string electric solidbody, complete with a Jazzmaster-style tremolo. I like that it's not a straight copy of the Vox, but that Kapa have created their own interpretation of the teardrop.

So, it's an American "copy" of a British guitar design from well before the USA-made Vox reissues and Phantom-branded replicas.

Currently for sale on eBay here.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Kapa Cobra 1960s vintage American electric guitar

guitarz.blogspot.com:
Here we see a Kapa Cobra single-pickup electric guitar, manufactured by Kapa guitars from the early 1960s up until 1970 in Hyattsville Maryland, USA. It's a simple guitar with a design which, to my mind, owes elements to both Fender and Mosrite. It's good to see the the Jazzmaster-style tremolo system appears to be all present and correct other than the tip of the plastic on the end of the arm being broken off. The only negative as far as I'm concerned is that the colour is rather bland. (Apparently it was originally black but someone decided to give it an amateur refinish. Why did they choose such a nondescript colour? It's beige, for crying out loud!) These guitars were also available in other colours including a rather gorgeous cherry.

In 1965 this guitar would have cost $119.50. I wonder what price this example, currently for sale on eBay, will fetch.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Hondo Flash headless bass designed by Harry Fleishman

guitarz.blogspot.com:
Hondo guitars don't have the best of reputations. Those that remember their poorly executed copies of Gibson and Fender designs recall them with a shudder and rarely have a good word to say about them. In the early 1980s Hondo brought in luthier Harry Fleishman as a design consultant, and jumping on the minimalistic headless bass bandwagon, together they came up with this, the Hondo Flash Bass.

It has the appearance of being all neck. Indeed, the fretboard sports 30 frets (unless I miscounted) and I think you can safely say that access to the upper frets is unhindered. The volume and tone controls are mounted on the upper edge (reminiscent of the LaBaye 2x4) and the Hondo/Fleishman team have come up with quite an elegant solution to the problem of where to locate the tuners. The bass has a single J-style pickup and allegedly a piezo pickup system too.

The seller keeps referring to it as a "travel guitar", but you'll see in the photo of it next to a Jazz-esque Bass that it's about the same length. The length subtracted from the head has simply been added behind the bridge. However, if you're talking body mass, then yes, it's a lot smaller but it's still going to have to fit inside a lengthy case or gig bag.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Watch this eBay listing get pulled...

guitarz.blogspot.com:
Rickenbacker are known to be particularly zealous when it comes to copyright infringements based on their brand name, designs and trademarks. They are known to trawl the eBay listings looking for cheaper copy guitars listed in conjunction with the Rickenbacker brand being mentioned. The best a seller of a Ricky rip-off can do is to display good clear photos so the buyer can see what they are getting, and avoid mentioning the R-word anywhere in the text. Even derivatives of the name, e.g. Ricky, aren't advised, as these will get pounced on too.

With a feedback score approaching 1000, you wouldn't have suspected the seller of this Greco of being that green in this respect, but he or she is really asking for it when listing this guitar thusly: "1984 Greco Rickenbacker Vintage and Rare COOL!"

They are only making matters worse for themselves when they say:

If you have been craving a Rickenbacker but don't have the funds then this might just be for you, it's a made in Japan 1984 Greco Ricky copy with 3 toaster pick ups and the all important blend knob which helps give it it's (sic) distinctive sound, it plays nice and looks the part, in fact you only need change the tail piece and truss cover to rickenbacker ones and nobody will know it's not the real thing.

Shooting yourself in the foot or what?

Anyone want to bet how long it is before this listing gets pulled?

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!