Helliver (sniff and whine)

[JohnMS]

I am in the processing of parting ways with two guitars (an early series Catalyst Panthera and a 73 Strat) and thought I might as well have the whole intonation etc. adjusted by an expert, so I brought them to the friendly Oliver Kalischke of Helliver Guitars (www.helliver.de) right around the corner.

Oliver makes very fine guitars out of fine woods which start at 1400 for a basic model with one bridge pickup and end prolly at around 3000 euros.

His Pilot model, a twangy guitar feat. a mahagony frame and an aluminium top and back, is famous over here in Germany. Blues guitarists love it.

Anyway, I sat around and tried all of the guitars he had in stock. Unfortuanately for me, I fell in love with all of them. They played totally natural. The weight was ok to wonderfully light, the necks were wonderfully playable and I couldn't find one single deadspot on any guitar (in contrast to a Nik Huber I tried out once upon a time which had one or two beyond the 12th fret).

Just play well. The fingers can do their job without any resistance or whatever. Brilliant. He's on the same level of Tom Anderson or PRS for a comparably and competitively low price.

Anyway, turned out all the guitars I was interested in started at 1900 euros, which is unfortuanately just too much for me at the moment.

He's just starting out and he told me he will have to screw up the prices (woods, handmade by himself etc.) once he's really in business.

Excellent guitars, loads of sustain, crisp sound, organic, full and natural.

Damn.

Just have a look at his gallery:

http://www.helliver.de/index.php/helliver_galerie

*sniff*

[enharmonic]

I love the looks of those guitars. Kinda puts me in mind of a Trussart.

I can also see the marketing angle here in the states..."That's a Helliver guitar!"

:)

[JohnMS]

Haha, true, didn't think about that helliver/ helluva thingy. The name is probably derived from his first name "Oliver" - "Helliver". His guitars are good as hell, indeedy.

All handmade in his workshop. I'll be going there tomorrow again to pick my stuff up, perhaps I'll make a photo or two and post them here.

[koamarlin]

I am in the processing of parting ways with two guitars (an early series Catalyst Panthera and a 73 Strat) and thought I might as well have the whole intonation etc. adjusted by an expert, so I brought them to the friendly Oliver Kalischke of Helliver Guitars (www.helliver.de (http://www.helliver.de)) right around the corner.

Oliver makes very fine guitars out of fine woods which start at 1400 for a basic model with one bridge pickup and end prolly at around 3000 euros.

Anyway, I sat around and tried all of the guitars he had in stock. Unfortuanately for me, I fell in love with all of them. They played totally natural. The weight was ok to wonderfully light, the necks were wonderfully playable and I couldn't find one single deadspot on any guitar (in contrast to a Nik Huber I tried out once upon a time which had one or two beyond the 12th fret).



He's just starting out and he told me he will have to screw up the prices (woods, handmade by himself etc.) once he's really in business.

Excellent guitars, loads of sustain, crisp sound, organic, full and natural.

Damn.

Just have a look at his gallery:

http://www.helliver.de/index.php/helliver_galerie

*sniff*


Could you possibly describe where those deadspots would come from?:) :) :)

I happen to own a couple of Hubers and one of Oliver´s Pilot´s as well: I have to agree that Olivers guitars are well built and sound great ( not at all only twangy by the way!!)
Strange enough I never had any problems with deadspots on Nik´s guitars either......
Sure enough the better is the natural enemy of the good - but seldom it´s the other way around.
B.T.W.:I showed Oliver´s guitar to Nik and he was full of praise obout it- and when I told Oliver about it he was delighted to hear that!
So I really dont think there is any need to pretend there was a real competition going on between them:There would be none!
Fortunately those guys both are realistic and down to earth enough to respect each other as professionals.And that´s what I like most about them!!:D

[Mudder]

Those are real nice. The metal top looks a bit like a Zematis. I'd be very interested if there were a US dealer.

[Marcel]

The weight was ok to wonderfully light, the necks were wonderfully playable and I couldn't find one single deadspot on any guitar (in contrast to a Nik Huber I tried out once upon a time which had one or two beyond the 12th fret).

You naturaly don't remeber where you play'd that guitar or which one it was with the dead spot(s)....?

I'm telling you that Nik does NOT build guitars with your mentioned dead spot(s)! If you think you doing a good job by promoting Helliver Guitars here by telling negative stories about other respected Builders then I think you are slightly mistaken.

[JohnMS]

First off, I've only tried one Nik Huber guitar. I'm not trying to make Helliver better than Nik Huber's gear.

The Huber I tried out was at a music store in The Netherlands. Their was what I take to be a dead spot around the 15th or so fret - i.e. I played a note, but it died fast.

It may just as well have been the setup, or what do I know.

It certainly is not my purpose to talk down Huber, actually I wouldn't mind a Huber myself.

I'm actually just quite, no, very happy to know there's a guitar builder around the corner who a) builds great guitars and b) I can trust with anything on my guitars which comes along.

So let's all cool down. Have a look at some rabbits instead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg9x5mUjbH8

[Marcel]

First off, I've only tried one Nik Huber guitar. I'm not trying to make Helliver better than Nik Huber's gear.

The Huber I tried out was at a music store in The Netherlands. Their was what I take to be a dead spot around the 15th or so fret - i.e. I played a note, but it died fast.

Why not post the shop address -as I know most of the owners, to verify..?

[suttree]

So let's all cool down. Have a look at some rabbits instead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg9x5mUjbH8

post of the week!:AOK

no flame wars marcel, take it easy.. johnms is just sharing a builder he found.

[koamarlin]

Why not post the shop address -as I know most of the owners, to verify..?


Hey Marcel, cool down, JohnMS is just trying to advertise a product he likes - in an somewhat inapropriate way, I´m afraid., but I´m sure he does n´t mean no offence.
Everybody who knows the products will judge for himself. Nik won´t lose that competition - I´m sure.:AOK

[J Purcell]

Those are real nice. The metal top looks a bit like a Zematis. I'd be very interested if there were a US dealer.

There was an earlier thread on Helliver Guitars from a couple of months ago.
They were working with a US dealer but I don't remember who it was.
A search may turn up the old thread.

[J Purcell]

I just checked. It was 6th String Music. He posts here once in a while.
Their site still says Hellivers are coming soon.

[koamarlin]

There was an earlier thread on Helliver Guitars from a couple of months ago.
They were working with a US dealer but I don't remember who it was.
A search may turn up the old thread.

I did that threat on Helliver guitars: first in August 2005, the second in May 2006.: " Helliver guitars anyone?"

Best thing to do would be to conact Oliver himself via the link on his Website.

[koamarlin]

I just checked. It was 6th String Mus ic. He posts here once in a while.
Their site still says Hellivers are coming soon.

Ooops! Obviously missed out on some developments concerning US distributers!? Never mind... :worried

[Helliver]

Helliver Guitars are available directly from myself here in Germany and can be shipped worldwide. The work on an American distribution is on hold at the moment. Feel free to send any questions and orders to info@helliver.de . I will try to answer questions here in the forum aswell.

[Marcel]

Hey Marcel, cool down, JohnMS is just trying to advertise a product he likes - in an somewhat inapropriate way, I´m afraid., but I´m sure he does n´t mean no offence.
Everybody who knows the products will judge for himself. Nik won´t lose that competition - I´m sure.:AOK

OK, I know when I'm called off..:nono I go barking to the paperboy tomorow again :D .

[suttree]

OK, I know when I'm called off..:nono I go barking to the paperboy tomorow again :D .

2nd "post of the week" :AOK

[koamarlin]

OK, I know when I'm called off..:nono I go barking to the paperboy tomorow again :D .


Maybe I could attract your attention to that link? :D:D:D

http://www.nikhuberfanclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41&st=20

[Marcel]

Maybe I could attract your attention to that link? :D:D:D

http://www.nikhuberfanclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41&st=20

Been following that, very cool!

:angel Not to worry, newspaper delivery know's I bark but never bite :crazy .