Gustavvson/Anderson guys: how Paul-like?

[Defendant]

Hi all,

Real simple question: Do the more Tele-shaped Gibson-styled guitars being made by Gustavvson and Anderson really get that LP sound?

-if there are differences, what are they?

I ask because in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics I'd much rather play a tele-shaped LP-type guitar than an LP, but I do really like LP standard and Custom tones.

thanks in advance!

[bluesforstevie]

Hi all,

Real simple question: Do the more Tele-shaped Gibson-styled guitars being made by Gustavvson and Anderson really get that LP sound?

-if there are differences, what are they?

I ask because in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics I'd much rather play a tele-shaped LP-type guitar than an LP, but I do really like LP standard and Custom tones.

thanks in advance!

On one hand you can definitely put them in the Les Paul category when it comes to sound. Absolutely...made from the same materials, in the same relative weight class.....they have a definite LP vibe.

But, they also have their own thing going. Who knows...its the mojo factor...different builders, maybe different wood sources, different methods of construction.

Its just like the Collings guitar that is built like an LP special....it definitely owes 95% or so of its tone to the vintage guitar it is patterned after, but its got about 5% of its own thing going on.

You know?

I got an Anderson primarily because....there are so many LP's out there...which mind you, are killer guitars, but I wanted something with hide glue, no truss rod condom etc., and also one that I had something of myself invested in too....I chose the top, I am going to choose the color, the neck size etc...and so, at my age 50, I wanted something a little more special than the Historic LP of which several thousand are made each year?

Plus...and this is the best part. I now have a good friend in Ian. He's so damned talented and yet humble enough to talk with me as long as I'd like about guitars and life in general. He's a terrific person.

I hope I answered your question...Ian makes some of the best sounding, playing and classiest looking guitars out there. At the price he is selling them for....it was a NO BRAINER to get one...yeah the wait is a little tortuous for my impatient ass at times....but I know it will be well worth it and then some.

[Tramp]

In my experience, both the Anderson and the Gustaavson are going to be more articulate than most Les Pauls. Probably as much the pickups as the body shape. I do find the tele-Paul shape works for me.

Both shops make killer guitars. My experience, FWIW: sold a Les Paul to buy an Anderson Cobra, sold to buy a Grosh Set Neck, sold to buy a Trussart Steeltop, sold to buy a McInturff Carolina, sold to buy a Bluesmaster. That was three years ago and I've not look at a LP-style guitar since.

[matte]

jg opinion (from a guy who has several bursts for direct comparison.)


These guitars have, by far, the closest tone to a real Les Paul sunburst(from the 50's). They have all the desirable tonal features of a burst....the double tones, the hollow growl, the complexity of notes....all of those superlatives, which, when I see myself using them.....I get embarassed!
__________________
http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10035/normal_Blues5.jpg

It SMOKES any Historic I've ever played. It hangs right in there with the bursts.....Yes...it is THAT good.:RoCkIn

[bluesforstevie]

I believe the OP is talking about an Ian Anderson....is he not?

[edwarddavis]

to give my two cents , owning a few guitars that are in the tele shape but LP category , If you really want a les paul , get a les paul . That being said I dont miss the playing les pauls after playing what I have and I owe a few lps

The few plus`s of the others far out weigh the lp in my opinion , but I still am keeoing them

[Defendant]

I believe the OP is talking about an Ian Anderson....is he not?

Good point. I'm talking about Ian's Standard, not Tom's Cobra. It seems like the respondents have gotten it right sofar, but clarification is always useful.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I'm guessing that if these types of guitar get close enough to a Paul I'd be happy enough to wear some difference. But I'd definitely not be interested if the difference was getting more toward, say, those between a Lester and a PRS Singlecut.

A real LP is always an option, of course. I just like to play tele-shaped guitars. I've been thinking of getting a guitar built that is an LP special with a tele shape for years now and that will become a reality.

[bluesforstevie]

Did you hear Ian's guitars on YouTube? Just look up Ian Anderson Standard and there are at least a few good examples of the tone of his guitars. I'd say Ian's are a little livlier, more woody and articulate sounding, especially in the bottom end and lower midrange where sometimes Historics can be muddy. This is also the difference between many real bursts and Historics too.

Ians may lack the very bottom end oomph that you get from a Lester, but it is more than made up for with the overall resonance and woodiness of the guitar. IMO.

You've heard what Charlie says about the Gustavsson. If you've got that kind of coin...hey I dont think you can do better outside of buying a vintage Lester.

[smalahove]

How does the (Ian) Anderson std compare to the Gustavsson std?

[traviswalk]

How does the (Ian) Anderson std compare to the Gustavsson std?

I now have a JG Bluesmaster, and then my Ian Anderson Standard should be completed in the next few months...so stand by for a proper comparison someday! As of right now I'm digging the daylights out of the JG, incredible instrument.

[smalahove]

Excellent! Look forward to your comparison :-)

[eddie101]

I now have a JG Bluesmaster,... .


Well,

:worthless

[kingsleyd]

Well,

:worthless


Yeah, it's SOOO tough to find photos of TGP members' Bluesmasters on this forum... :bonk

[eddie101]

Yeah, it's SOOO tough to find photos of TGP members' Bluesmasters on this forum... :bonk


I don't think he's posted pix of his Bluesmaster YET. I did a quick search but no cigar. :huh

[kingsleyd]

Anyway, I own a few vintage Les Pauls, a couple of Gustavsson Bluesmasters, and a Historic Les Paul. Never touched one of Ian A's guitars. StockRock's point about "what LP sound are we talking about?" is spot on. There's so much variation within LPs that it's a little hard to speak generally about how Gustavssons compare. I've been told by other people in my band(s) that they prefer the sound of my LPs to my tiger-eye JG when it's "Les Paul time," but to my ears that's because they're hearing with their eyes AND because they're thinking of that thicker, bassier Historic tone as "Les Paul tone." OTOH, another friend has pointed out that he thinks the tiger-eye JG is a dead ringer for Dickey Betts' LP from the Fillmore records. So... ...which LP are we talking about?

Put it this way, when I'm playing either JG, I rarely wish I was playing a LP instead, at least not for sonic reasons.

FWIW: Personally, I find the JG body shape far more comfortable/ergonomic, especially sitting down, than a LP body shape, because it balances better -- the waist on the JG is in a better place than on the LP, which seems to have been designed specifically to suit Les himself, who held the guitar in a pretty odd position due to the way his right arm was after his car accident.

[Mac Daddy 355]

Well,

:worthless

Originally Posted by traviswalk
I now have a JG Bluesmaster,... .


**********************************

I hope Todd doesn't mind

Here's a shot of Todd's JG

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/bduds/jgpg1.jpg

[eddie101]

Originally Posted by traviswalk
I now have a JG Bluesmaster,... .


**********************************

I hope Todd doesn't mind

Here's a shot of Todd's JG

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/bduds/jgpg1.jpg


Wow, very nice. Is it chambered?

[Defendant]

Anyway, I own a few vintage Les Pauls, a couple of Gustavsson Bluesmasters, and a Historic Les Paul. Never touched one of Ian A's guitars. StockRock's point about "what LP sound are we talking about?" is spot on. There's so much variation within LPs that it's a little hard to speak generally about how Gustavssons compare. I've been told by other people in my band(s) that they prefer the sound of my LPs to my tiger-eye JG when it's "Les Paul time," but to my ears that's because they're hearing with their eyes AND because they're thinking of that thicker, bassier Historic tone as "Les Paul tone." OTOH, another friend has pointed out that he thinks the tiger-eye JG is a dead ringer for Dickey Betts' LP from the Fillmore records. So... ...which LP are we talking about?

Put it this way, when I'm playing either JG, I rarely wish I was playing a LP instead, at least not for sonic reasons.

FWIW: Personally, I find the JG body shape far more comfortable/ergonomic, especially sitting down, than a LP body shape, because it balances better -- the waist on the JG is in a better place than on the LP, which seems to have been designed specifically to suit Les himself, who held the guitar in a pretty odd position due to the way his right arm was after his car accident.

Yeah, Pauls do vary greatly. Especially when you bring standards v customs into the mix.

So am I to surmise that the JG is Les Paul-like in overall sound, but not as bassy as some pauls can be?

[traviswalk]

Wow, very nice. Is it chambered?

Yup, '06 chambered with Wolfetones.

Here are some pics:

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5499.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5500.jpg

[traviswalk]

Also, just started picking out tops for my Anderson...wonderful days indeed!!

[Mac Daddy 355]

Yup, '06 chambered with Wolfetones.

Here are some pics:

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5499.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5500.jpg

I love the pair ;)

[traviswalk]

I love the pair ;)


Didn't think about that! That's funny!! It's like a picture at your house two years earlier :bonk

[eddie101]

Yup, '06 chambered with Wolfetones.

Here are some pics:

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5499.jpg

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5500.jpg


Great lookin' pair! How did you know that I had affinity for Twin R? I just :love: them! '65 or '66 I guess?

[narad]

Yup, '06 chambered with Wolfetones.

Here are some pics:
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/traviswalk/IMG_5500.jpg

The finish at this angle kills me. I severely wanted to purchase that one but I figure if I have 2 JGs, one should probably be solid. Great snag man!

[traviswalk]

Great lookin' pair! How did you know that I had affinity for Twin R? I just :love: them! '65 or '66 I guess?

'65, and deep down don't we all have an affinity for a great BFTR?!?

The finish at this angle kills me. I severely wanted to purchase that one but I figure if I have 2 JGs, one should probably be solid. Great snag man!

Thanks man, definitely lucky to pull the trigger on this one and you've always had great taste in gear thinking back to your old HenBev that tempted me for so long!

[kingsleyd]

So am I to surmise that the JG is Les Paul-like in overall sound, but not as bassy as some pauls can be?

Well... yeah, but... some JGs have, as Matte puts it, a whole lotta ass. It's just that they also have a whole lotta clarity,which can be a bit disconcerting if one is used to modern production LPs which, on average, don't have so much clarity.

Also, JGs vary just as much as LPs do. Not just as a result of chambering vs. not, but just randomly between guitars. Each Bluesmaster has a very distinct personality, so I'm not sure it would be accurate to generalize about them except in terms like "unusually resonant" and "extremely well-made" and "feels and responds like a vintage Gibson."

[kingsleyd]

I love the pair ;)

I do too! A Bluesmaster and a Fender Twin says one thing to me:

Bruce Conte

ToP, baby! :bow

[Defendant]

Well... yeah, but... some JGs have, as Matte puts it, a whole lotta ass. It's just that they also have a whole lotta clarity,which can be a bit disconcerting if one is used to modern production LPs which, on average, don't have so much clarity.

Also, JGs vary just as much as LPs do. Not just as a result of chambering vs. not, but just randomly between guitars. Each Bluesmaster has a very distinct personality, so I'm not sure it would be accurate to generalize about them except in terms like "unusually resonant" and "extremely well-made" and "feels and responds like a vintage Gibson."

I can dig it. Pieces of wood, after all. Ta for the input.

[wichita]

Ian's guitar that I had here did not lack any bottom.


Did you hear Ian's guitars on YouTube? Just look up Ian Anderson Standard and there are at least a few good examples of the tone of his guitars. I'd say Ian's are a little livlier, more woody and articulate sounding, especially in the bottom end and lower midrange where sometimes Historics can be muddy. This is also the difference between many real bursts and Historics too.

Ians may lack the very bottom end oomph that you get from a Lester, but it is more than made up for with the overall resonance and woodiness of the guitar. IMO.

You've heard what Charlie says about the Gustavsson. If you've got that kind of coin...hey I dont think you can do better outside of buying a vintage Lester.

[Shark21]

These threads just kill me. The comparison isn't valid. Hell, I've owned dozens and dozens of Les Pauls. No two guitars are identical. I know I could find minute differences in the tone and playability of any IA, JG or Les Paul.

Those bent on finding similarities amongst the instruments are missing the fun. And they're missing the primary justification for GAS. They're all different. Right?

[GAT]

I just shipped off my last Les Paul today. I've really bonded with my JG, its gets those Les Paul sounds as much as any Les Paul does. Obviously, all guitars sound different, but it's definitely in the Les Paul camp. More clarity, balance and a nice shimmer to the high end.

I love the way they feel too, just more ergonomic to me.

[fugot]

Cool pics, and always interesting to read up on these 2 builders.

[paintguy]

I just shipped off my last Les Paul today. I've really bonded with my JG, its gets those Les Paul sounds as much as any Les Paul does. Obviously, all guitars sound different, but it's definitely in the Les Paul camp. More clarity, balance and a nice shimmer to the high end.

I love the way they feel too, just more ergonomic to me.

I'm sort of in the same camp. I have played Les Pauls for the better part of 30 plus years and always said they were my favorite guitar and just felt like home to me. I usually own at least 2 at any given time.

Shortly after I got my Gustavsson, I sold off my last Les Paul. I'd still love another Les Paul (who wouldn't), but I do feel quite content with the Gus.

[amc]

How does the (Ian) Anderson std compare to the Gustavsson std?
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/IASIDEBYSIDE-1.jpg
the ian anderson standard compares favorably to the gustavsson bluesmaster.

in no particular order, some of the master luthiers that also create instruments of the highest calibre that compare favorably to johan's and ian's guitars.
michael stevens, jack briggs, gene baker, terry mcinturff, david mcnaught, nik huber, joe driskill, bill collings, paul reed smith, scott heatley, etc, etc...................

[fretnot]

I could never get rid of every last Les Paul if I still wanted to plug in and hear a Les Paul. The JG and IA and other similar spec guitars are awesome and produce killer tones, but they are not LP clones or replicas.

[enharmonic]

I preferred the sound of the Ian Anderson prototype to any Les Paul I'd ever owned. Same ballpark to be certain, but not a sonic clone of anything IMO.

I've nit had the pleasure of owning or playing a JG.

[KennethC]

Hi all,

Real simple question: Do the more Tele-shaped Gibson-styled guitars being made by Gustavvson and Anderson really get that LP sound?

-if there are differences, what are they?

I ask because in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics I'd much rather play a tele-shaped LP-type guitar than an LP, but I do really like LP standard and Custom tones.

thanks in advance!

Check this out OP:

8NIWc8avR70&feature=player_embedded

To my ears, the IA is definitely in the LP ballpark, but an outstanding one (with no muddiness in the low-end). The pigtail bridge also has its own thing (zing) going on, it seems. Love the tones in this video.


Somehow, Lance's IA demo seems to be a universal answer to IA-related Qs. Thanks again for the awesome demo, Lance. :JAM

[narad]

I imagine the primary difference is just whether they are chambered or not. Most of the time when you're talking Gustavsson you're talking chambered, and while I do like mine as it's sort of mix between an LP and 335 sound, it is not an LP clone. However, take away that chamber and I assume you're going to be tonally in some vintage LP territory.

[DWB1960]

If you really want a les paul , get a les paul . .

Ok.

(every LP "like" fiddle I've ever played hasn't copped the whole picture for me. My R9 with Will Boggs' pups does. Disclamer: Never played a JG or an Anderson, but since this guitar covers all LP bases for me, no need to seek either out.)

http://donniebs.ipower.com/pics/r91.JPG

[kingsleyd]

Well, Donnie, there IS that... ...in my case, old wood and real PAFs...

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10098/amber_with_CC_case.jpg

[DWB1960]

Well, Donnie, there IS that... ...in my case, old wood and real PAFs...



:eek:

[clint]

That's some cool looking old wood^^
If you have the loot, nothing beats a great example of the real thing.
While I totally understand why many folks continue to lust after bursts, e.g., emotional, rarity, cool factor, etc, I have a JG that has completely squashed my desire for old wood.

[kingsleyd]

While I totally understand why many folks continue to lust after bursts, e.g., emotional, rarity, cool factor, etc, I have a JG that has completely squashed my desire for old wood.

I *sorta* get that -- obviously I have a couple of JGs myself -- but nothing else really SOUNDS like my Amber. The whole idea of "Les Paul tone" is a bit of a stereotype; I get so much more than that out of this guitar.

Example:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=939428&songID=7702807

[clint]

Absolutely. There is no one "Les Paul sound." Kossoff, Bloomfield, Allmond, Page, Slash, Gibbons etc.

[kingsleyd]

Absolutely. There is no one "Les Paul sound." Kossoff, Bloomfield, Allmond, Page, Slash, Gibbons etc.

Well those are all the usual suspects (I'd add Peter Green and Mick Taylor), but although they all have unique and readily identifiable sounds, they fall within a somewhat narrow range of musical genres and overall approach (singing, legato, bluesy). Some of my favorite LP sounds are from Bruce Conte (Tower of Power), who plays pretty straight-up clean jazz/funk on a '57 goldtop.

[paintguy]

I imagine the primary difference is just whether they are chambered or not. Most of the time when you're talking Gustavsson you're talking chambered, and while I do like mine as it's sort of mix between an LP and 335 sound, it is not an LP clone. However, take away that chamber and I assume you're going to be tonally in some vintage LP territory.

My Gustavsson is supposed to be a solid one and it's definitely in the Les Paul "territory". Like others have said, which Les Paul? They are all across the map tonally.

My ideal Les Paul is probably different than most. I actually like the tone of the heavier ones that I have owned or played as they just sound bigger, fatter and heavier to me. If I could get a light one that sounded like a heavy one, I would really be happy.:)

[clint]

The one I was referring to is a solidbody as well.
Chambered ones have a little more 335 "air" to them with great woody mids and less bottom than a typical burst from my experience.

[tejastubes]

I take each guitar on a case by case basis. I can safely say that every BM I have owned has blown away any Historic I have played, and I only kept 4 BM's so the ones I kept were killer. I traded a Max and the 4 BM's I kept are all superior to the Max as is the McInturff Carolina Custom proto #2 which I like a fool, sold, but was fortunate enough to get back. Its completely different than the JG's and I have yet to hear a LP type guitar that sounds more like a holy grail LP than the Carolina Proto #2. It weighs 10LB's, but when you play it you would'nt care if it weghed 20.

IMHO, real PAF's(early pat#'s) or real P-90, vintage PIO caps, and vintage pots are the necessary finishing touches on well built current production chassis'. You can try to say it doesn't matter but to my ears they really make a difference. The Throbaks are killer, and only thing I have heard thus far which are better are the Ron Ellis PAF's I played in his guitar out is San Diego. Can't wait until those are available!!!

[clint]

IMHO, real PAF's(early pat#'s) or real P-90, vintage PIO caps, and vintage pots are the necessary finishing touches on well built current production chassis'. You can try to say it doesn't matter but to my ears they really make a difference. The Throbaks are killer, and only thing I have heard thus far which are better are the Ron Ellis PAF's I played in his guitar out is San Diego. Can't wait until those are available!!!

I agree with you Joshua about those finishing touches if anyone needs to squeeze that extra 5% or so of vintage mojo out of the JG.
BTW that IA Standard clip with Lance above sounds pretty killer, too!

[paintguy]

BTW that IA Standard clip with Lance above sounds pretty killer, too!

Not to take away from the IA clip, but I have found Lance's demos make every guitar he plays sound extremely good.

[kingsleyd]

Not to take away from the IA clip, but I have found Lance's demos make every guitar he plays sound extremely good.

Clips can be lots of fun, and Lance always does a nice job, but they don't come within a country mile of telling the truth about any piece of gear.

[wichita]

I guess everybody is going to sound how "they" sound through a piece of gear but if you look at a demo I did with guitar A and then listen to one I did with guitar B it might give you some point of reference if you have never played either.

[morren]

Clips can be lots of fun, and Lance always does a nice job, but they don't come within a country mile of telling the truth about any piece of gear.

On the other hand, they come a lot closer than verbal descriptions from complete strangers (like the guys who write Web copy on dealer sites).

[narad]

I guess everybody is going to sound how "they" sound through a piece of gear but if you look at a demo I did with guitar A and then listen to one I did with guitar B it might give you some point of reference if you have never played either.

Exactly - I'm pretty anti-clip but this is the one context where it could provide some worth. However, I think the differences between guitars are greatly mitigated - there is so much Lance in these clips that even semihollows start to sound like telecasters and the like. If DAG sold any cheap guitars I'm sure people would be making threads with argumentative titles "X vs Y - Is Y worth 5x more" all day.

And while I'm a bit against the whole "it's in the hands" kind of argument for the most part, because I can sit down here and get a very different sound through my hahn tele vs. my caparison shredder vs. my gustavsson BM vs. my underwood strat, but the closest I've ever come to being swayed is probably through something like Lance's DAG demos. Some players just bring a whole lot more of themselves to the equation I guess?

That's the biggest claim to me that clips are extremely over-rated: that I can sit down with a few guitars that are all also demoed on youtube by one guy, and in my hands I can appreciate the differences between them, but in demos they sound much more of the same.

[matte]

some buy to admire.
for them a jpeg or a video will suffice.

some buy to play.
for them, there is no substitute for the tactile.

there are probably 5 people on earth whose opinions i will trust when it comes to guitars. 3 of them are builders, who have each built no less than 5 guitars for me.

[morren]

some buy to admire.
for them a jpeg or a video will suffice.

some buy to play.
for them, there is no substitute for the tactile.

If we're talking about a guitar at a dealer within driving distance, of course -- just go and find out for yourself.

But that is often not true for guitars discussed on this board, especially those in the Small Company Luthiers forum.

For instance: I wonder, if Tejastubes gets his wish and turns up a Sakashta on which to drop $20K or more, what his next step will be... if the owner lives in Morocco.

Will he simply buy it based on never hearing or playing it at all? (Well, he might; Sakashtas are mighty hard to find and almost certainly a winning investment, even if he never played a note on it. But I wouldn't.)

Will he fly to Morocco just to try it? Most would find that unimaginable.

Anyone who places a custom order is, basically, investing in a nonexistent guitar on which he can't possibly have played a note. No one has. He is investing in an idea, not a tactile experience or a sound.

As for me, I wouldn't buy a guitar just based on clips, but I think they have their place as an initial (if limited) source of information.

You can consider every CD or album a form of clip, and I think it's fair to say that we've all been heavily influenced and educated by them. Most of us wouldn't even be here without them.

[kingsleyd]

If we're talking about a guitar at a dealer within driving distance, of course -- just go and find out for yourself.

But that is often not true for guitars discussed on this board, especially those in the Small Company Luthiers forum.

I guess I wouldn't limit myself to "driving distance" -- if I really wanted to KNOW a little more about a $5K or $10K guitar, I'd hop on a plane, rent a car, and pay for a hotel room and make a vacation out of it. (actually I used to travel a lot for work, which was a boon to my guitar explorations...)

OTOH, as Matte noted, there are a handful of people whose POV on guitars I trust, and I'm willing to pony up the $$$ to have a guitar built based on that trust, and deal with the consequences if it doesn't measure up at the end of the day. Ultimately I have to spend a fair amount of time with a piece of gear -- as in "own it and use it daily" before I *really* know anything. My point, a few posts back, was that clips and videos on the internet are a far cry from that. So far as to be "not especially helpful" in my opinion.

Anyone who places a custom order is, basically, investing in a nonexistent guitar on which he can't possibly have played a note. No one has. He is investing in an idea, not a tactile experience or a sound.
Unless, of course, one has a fair amount of experience with a given custom luthier, in which case it's more a matter of faith that the luthier can hit a clearly specified target. Which is an idea, but in my experience one of the most significant ones when it comes to acquiring instruments that prove to be useful over the long term.

[v-verb]

Well, Donnie, there IS that... ...in my case, old wood and real PAFs...

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10098/amber_with_CC_case.jpg

Oh dear lord that could be the best looking Lester ever - real burst?

[matte]

none of these (and i could post 30 plus guitars from different builders to underline my examples through the paper) existed in any form that i was aware before placing my order. that being said, i was familiar enough with each builder's work/vocabulary and i gave ample specs, knowing that there shouldn't be any issues.

in each case? i was correct.
1997 stevens lj 7 prototype
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj1.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj2.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj3.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj4.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj6.jpeg
http://www.mattemusic.com/tlj8.jpeg

2008 jg mh sig bruisemonster 6
http://www.jgguitars.com/pix/m2sign_03.jpg
http://www.jgguitars.com/pix/m2sign_02.jpg
http://www.jgguitars.com/pix/m2sign_04.jpg
http://www.jgguitars.com/pix/m2sign_05.jpg

2010 jg futuremaster

http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm1.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm2.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm3.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm4.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm5.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm6.jpg
http://www.mattemusic.com/jgfm7.jpg







Anyone who places a custom order is, basically, investing in a nonexistent guitar on which he can't possibly have played a note. No one has. He is investing in an idea, not a tactile experience or a sound.

[Timmo]

Oh dear lord that could be the best looking Lester ever - real burst?

That LP is plain OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

:omg

[Drowned Rabbit]

Every time I see that one I get weak in the knees. The pickup choices, the
finish, the figuring on the Maple, the knob on the pick guard.... everything
about that JG is awesome.

One of the coolest guitar I've ever seen in my life.




2008 jg mh sig bruisemonster 6
http://www.jgguitars.com/pix/m2sign_03.jpg

[pfrischmann]

Ok.

(every LP "like" fiddle I've ever played hasn't copped the whole picture for me. My R9 with Will Boggs' pups does. Disclamer: Never played a JG or an Anderson, but since this guitar covers all LP bases for me, no need to seek either out.)

http://donniebs.ipower.com/pics/r91.JPG

Stunning!
Are those the original frets? They seem much bigger/taller than Gibson's usual fare.

[pfrischmann]

Not to take away from the IA clip, but I have found Lance's demos make every guitar he plays sound extremely good.

I know what you mean. It's like hearing Eric Johnson play different gear. It's hard to determine how much is the gear and how much is just there because of a really good player.

[kingsleyd]

Oh dear lord that could be the best looking Lester ever - real burst?

Amber's life story, in bullet form:


started life as a 1952 gold top

suffered a hatchet-job conversion somewhere along the way, in which the top was shaved down to accommodate the ABR

ended up at Johan G's for a full retop and restoration/conversion (inside & out), which JG executed according to his very high standards

was fitted out with vintage hardware, plastic, and electronics (except for the pickup rings, which are repro)


Looks are one thing -- but I sure think it's the best SOUNDING Lester ever. ;)

[kingsleyd]

I know what you mean. It's like hearing Eric Johnson play different gear. It's hard to determine how much is the gear and how much is just there because of a really good player.

I've sat in the dressing room with Eric while he played a few different Strats (or very Strat-like guitars) through a Fender Harvard amp, with none of his usual pedals/effects in the signal chain. The differences between guitars were pretty obvious in that scenario, even to me as the listener.

Do the same thing through Eric's stage rig, with lots of 'verb/chorus/echo/gain, and put the observer at the end of a chain of recording and reproduction rather than in the room, and differences between guitars of similar specs and overall quality get much much harder to reliably detect. I feel the same way about Lance's clips, generally speaking. There's a lot of AMP in the mix in L's clips -- the amps always sound great, plus Lance really knows how to draw that good stuff out of an amp/guitar setup -- but it doesn't always tell me much about how the particular guitar he's playing would sound or feel in my hands and with the way I set up amps, and the amount of gain tends to obscure some elements of the guitar's response that are really important to me.

It's not impossible to create a scenario where clips can convey a pretty strong and accurate impression of the differences between very similar guitars -- e.g., Hogy's vintage Strat clip-fest, which is one of the best ever examples of how to do a comparison with audio clips IMO. Clean amp settings, no effects, really short and simple segments that are exactly the same with each guitar. That set of clips conveyed a lot more of the sonic information *I* listen for: balance across the frequency spectrum, balance across time (ADSR envelope), and dynamic range being the main things.

[clint]

Yeah, I'd have to agree that all the clips I've seen from Lance sound great, though I thought the IA clip was a killer one, you can tell he was digging it.

I tend to plug straight into Fendery amps either clean or with moderate gain so I can always hear the differences between guitars. Would be great if more comparison clips were done that way.

[PAF]

My IA is very (vintage) Paul-like ... need to get my recording rig back online after a move & hopefully will get a clip up soon. I've heard the same sentiment from JG owners as well

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o473/Wonder_Warthog/DSC00294.jpg

[polifemo]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/IASIDEBYSIDE-1.jpg


The shape of the Gustavsson Bluesmaster body is "perfect".
(Not a big fan of the head shape though).

[Defendant]

Check this out OP:

8NIWc8avR70&feature=player_embedded

To my ears, the IA is definitely in the LP ballpark, but an outstanding one (with no muddiness in the low-end). The pigtail bridge also has its own thing (zing) going on, it seems. Love the tones in this video.


Somehow, Lance's IA demo seems to be a universal answer to IA-related Qs. Thanks again for the awesome demo, Lance. :JAM

That does indeed inform greatly. Thanks for posting!

[KennethC]

That does indeed inform greatly. Thanks for posting!

You're welcome :rockin

[DWB1960]

Stunning!
Are those the original frets? They seem much bigger/taller than Gibson's usual fare.

Yes. It's an optical illusion because of the severe angle of the sunlight.

[morren]

there are a handful of people whose POV on guitars I trust, and I'm willing to pony up the $$$ to have a guitar built based on that trust, and deal with the consequences if it doesn't measure up at the end of the day

Well, I feel the same way, which is why, right now, I am discussing a Unicorn with Juha Ruokangas.

That said, it is certainly not a guitar I have seen, played, or heard through an amp in person. It's in Finland and I'm not going to drop half the cost of the instrument just to try it out. Nor can I try a different Unicorn easily, since to my knowledge, there isn't one for sale in North America.

And so, by the standards of Matte's original remarks, I must be a collector to be considering buying it -- someone who is content with .jpgs -- right?

Well, not so much. I know a great deal about these guitars, about this builder, about his standards and interests and the extent to which they reflect mine, his choices in woods, the logic behind his development process, and so on.

I've gotten that info in a lot of ways. And it certainly helps that Juha extensively documented all of the above in a long series of Youtube clips. Those clips amount to far more than pictures; they tell a detailed story of creation, from conception through actual implementation and every stage along the way. That story has been backed up by a considerable amount of supporting data I've acquired in many other ways, all of which is very consistent.

I also think all of those clips are a great deal more useful and meaningful than, say, the second-hand, non-verbatim quote that a certain player thought a certain recently-sold Gustavsson was "killer" and "resonant," as reported on a dealer's site. That has to be the shallowest, weakest argument for buying a high-end guitar I've run across in quite some time.

And if I should turn up similarly high-end guitars from that player in the Emporium, why, I would be tempted to ask him why on Earth I should buy them.

After all, I haven't touched them, haven't played them, haven't heard them, and so, by his own logic, I would have to be a non-player even to consider plunking down for them. Since I'm a player, I must logically reject each and every one.

[kingsleyd]

RE Juha, I'm pretty close to delivery of a Unicorn myself. I agree with almost everything you said regarding information about that guitar -- the video comparison, in particular, was a shining example of how to do that well.

But I also got my butt up to Montreal for the guitar fest there, where I met Juha, played several of his guitars, including a couple of Unicorns, and learned that he is absolutely someone I trust to build me a guitar that will meet my needs. in the bargain, I got a great getaway weekend with my GF in one of my favorite cities. :)

[kingsleyd]

I also think all of those clips are a great deal more useful and meaningful than, say, the second-hand, non-verbatim quote that a certain player thought a certain recently-sold Gustavsson was "killer" and "resonant," as reported on a dealer's site. That has to be the shallowest, weakest argument for buying a high-end guitar I've run across in quite some time.

Might or might not mean anything. Depending on who the people are, that seemingly loose chain of commentary might very much pique my innarest. In fact I happened to discuss that very guitar with one of the principals involved, in person this morning. Based on that, I have no doubt that the guitar in question is a standout. :)

[fretnot]

Let's be honest...I don't care if it's a 59 Les Paul or a Squier Bullet. When someone is selling a guitar, especially a dealer, they will rarely say its a dog. It's always ideal to play a guitar before you buy it, but it's not always realistic.

[PAF]

Just for grins, side by side LP - IA

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o473/Wonder_Warthog/LPIA.jpg

[kingsleyd]

Let's be honest...I don't care if it's a 59 Les Paul or a Squier Bullet. When someone is selling a guitar, especially a dealer, they will rarely say its a dog. It's always ideal to play a guitar before you buy it, but it's not always realistic.

Sure, but sometimes it's absolutely true. The trick is learning when the "hype" is well- founded...

[eddie101]

Just for grins, side by side LP - IA

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o473/Wonder_Warthog/LPIA.jpg


Ok. I give up. What is this Lester of yours (I presume)? A conversion with a set of DW PAFs? :drool

[PAF]

Ok. I give up. What is this Lester of yours (I presume)? A conversion with a set of DW PAFs? :drool
this one's an '01 CA, florence pups

[bluesforstevie]

I don't know. I like the sound of the IA Lance played. Here it is in my hands...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkq7x5ixPXA

[artguy47]

Wish C Daughtrey and/or PAF would adopt me, ASAP! Super guitars, both of them give me gas and make me drool...!

[FlamingTop]

...

[artguy47]

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb395/artguy47/myGroshsetneck-1.jpg. My experience, FWIW: sold a Les Paul to buy an Anderson Cobra, sold to buy a Grosh Set Neck, sold to buy a Trussart Steeltop, sold to buy a McInturff Carolina, sold to buy a Bluesmaster. That was three years ago and I've not look at a LP-style guitar since.


Guess I'm at the Grosh set neck stage of getting rid of my GAS!:idea

Though can skip the steel top, guess the Carolina is my next stop, if I can't be patient enough (or part with enough!) to save for the Bluesmaster.

[artguy47]

Let me see, if I sold the Supreme and the strat, along with four of the Gibbys, I'd still need 4 or 5 thousand..., sigh!

BTW: What is a good price for a JG????

[bluesforstevie]

My Anderson sounds closer to my (ex) vintage 50's wood than any of my Historics did except an 07 R9 and I think that one was a freak!!

[narad]

BTW: What is a good price for a JG????

One in the emporium for about $8750 which is pretty good. The good thing about bluesmasters is that the specs aren't all off the wall, so as long as you like the top there's only so much flux - solid/chambered, BF or non-BF, and the top and finish, so I think you can be pretty confident that something will come along at a good used price that meets your specs closely.

Low $8k is probably a good price? Any lower and it starts pulling my arm when technically I'm not even in the market!

[wichita]

Dollar for dollar I would take a IA guitar over a Gibson any day.
The one I just played recently was stellar.

[bluesforstevie]

Dollar for dollar I would take a IA guitar over a Gibson any day.
The one I just played recently was stellar.

Yeah? Where did that one end up....I mean..Who's guitar is that one? ;)

[wichita]

You know I don't know. Ian had that one sold before it even got here for the demos.

[bluesforstevie]

You know I don't know. Ian had that one sold before it even got here for the demos.

It sure is beautiful don't you think? I mean whoever picked out the maple top, the color and the neck thickness...is a genius...don'chya think? :rotflmao

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg288/skydog47/marikoprofile.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg288/skydog47/IM008677.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg288/skydog47/IM008685.jpg