Oh, mercy! My new Cp Thornton Legend Special!

[jaystrings]

Anyone else seen or played Chuck's latest model, the Legend Special? I have owned every one of his models, but this is, hands down, my all-time favorite guitar. Aside from Chuck's usual world class quality craftsmanship, this is one of the most toneful machines ever. It covers every genre I love, from jazz to hard rock - and it covers them well.

I got the model with the Lollar minibuckers & am amazed how they can bite so nastily & then croon so creamy sweet. In fact, between the neck pickup & bridge pickup volume & tone control combinations, I've never heard such a wide or responsive voice pallate. Helped along by that wraparound bridge on the all-mahogany body & neck. And the location of the 3-way switch makes it a much more user-friendly guitar Between the neck feel & its balance, it is SO ergonomically friendly & wears as comfortably as an old pair of jeans & a sweatshirt. I still can't believe it only weighs about 7#.

It sounds wonderful through my Deluxe Reverb, Carr Rambler, & Dr. Z. Cranked or clean, it is a drool inducer. It's beauty seemed a bit understated at first, now I can't take my eyes off it or put it down. I have found that playing for hours doesn't even tire the hands or the back. I've owned guitars that cost twice as much, but not one of them is on an overall par with this work of art.

Anyone else own one? Similar or different opinion?






Happy camper, Jay

 

[edwarddavis]

that looks fantastic , hopefully I can check one out some time
enjoy it look great , is that a matte finish .
Looks very cool

 

[BluesWannabe]

Wow!

 

[Occam]

Beautifully functional, understated and classy...love it!
I'm assuming that's the tone pro's wraparound adjustable bridge. I think every stop tail style bridge should be replaced with that one...it's such a better design for adding more string vibration and resonance to the body.

 

[rockinlespaul]

All hog...yummy! Congrats!

 

[burningyen]

Holy wow! I love that color and finish, is it Tru-Oil or something?

 

[Route234]

I saw those on Destroy all Guitars. Just really nice, classy looking guitars.

 

[Ches]

I picked up #291. It's an outstanding guitar. The neck feels like a perfect fit, and the workmanship is about as good as it gets. Great tone from those Lollar mini's, and those pickups just sound 'right' in a solid mahogany guitar - clean, dirty, whatever. I gigged mine as soon as I got it and I'm hooked. In fact, I decided to order another Thornton - a Legend. Another real work of art!

The bridge is a Faber compensated bridge. No intonation problems at all. Seems like a very good design.

Chuck builds a top notch guitar at a reasonable price. I'll have to agree with your comment about the switch placement. As a former Strat guy, that switch is in just the right place. Another great idea from CpT!

 

[artguy47]

I am gassing soooo badly for a Thornton or two! Probably start with a Professional, then maybe a Legend.

Not in the budget at present, got start thinning the herd. Question is what do I want to sell, love them all...

 

[John Thigpen]

Wow, Jay! I like the hell out of that!

John

 

[boogie_phil]

My LS was in Chuck's last batch.

It is, without question, the most astonishing instrument I have ever played.

I know everyone raves about their new guitar purchase, but the thing with the LS is that it is a complete work of art: Chuck's design innovations are astonishing... check out the neck joint... and his craftsmanship is first class. That means that the wood is selected with great care, crafted with great care and built unlike any other guitar that might, at first glance, appear similar.

The result is an instrument with a quality quite unlike any other I've played (and I've played hundreds and own around twenty). It has an open resonant woody tone when played clean and it positively breathes under your fingers.

I've been playing guitar for thirty years and, the best way I can express it is, this is the first instrument I've owned that has invited me to interact with it, rather than play on it.

I don't doubt there are lots of great luthiers building stunning guitars with great care. But Chuck Thornton is designing beautiful musical instruments and the results are best judged in terms of the way they play.

For me, this guitar is the equivalent of a Stradivarius to a violin player... and to achieve similar magic with a solid-bodied instrument is quite a feat.

 

[simplecomplexity]

wow congrats! looks really clean and cool!

 

[jaystrings]

that looks fantastic , hopefully I can check one out some time. is that a matte finish? Looks very cool

Thanks; it actually plays EVEN BETTER than it looks. Only about 10 made so far, but I expect that to change as folks do get a chance to check them out. Don't know where you live, but 5 of them reside in South Carolina. And I know of 2 more that are going to be ordered in Chuck's next batch. I live halfway between Charlotte, NC & Atlanta. If you're ever in the area, you're welcome to test drive mine. I cannot imagine ANY guitarist checking this thing out & not exploding with GAS!! Chuck's liberal inspection period policy guarantees that it is worth ordering. If you didn't like it, you'd send it back & he'd give you a 100% refund when it sold. He's that sure of his work & so are all the CpT owners out there.

And, yes, it is a matte finish.

 

[jaystrings]

hopefully I can check one out some time
l

Man, I just noticed that you really don't live all that far from Chuck's shop in Maine. You could check out his guitars quite easily. It's a darn good thing I don't live that close to his shop.

Well, lots of you "northerners" come down I-85 occasionally [LOL], so my offer still stands to let me know & test drive mine.

 

[schultzvil]

I'll have to agree with your comment about the switch placement. As a former Strat guy, that switch is in just the right place. Another great idea from CpT!

so funny, that's the ONE thing I don't really dig about these guitars! Small point, no real deal-breaker, but IMHO does not do the guitar justice aesthetically and stylistically. I guess I can see it for former Strat-o-philes (lost souls that you are..)

 

[jaystrings]

Beautifully functional, understated and classy...love it!
I'm assuming that's the tone pro's wraparound adjustable bridge. I think every stop tail style bridge should be replaced with that one...it's such a better design for adding more string vibration and resonance to the body.

It is a Faber compensated bridge according to my spec sheet. I do believe it is playing a major role in the string vibration & resonance I'm getting. It is more than I remember from any guitar. I felt it right out of the box at the unveliing. The Fedex truck wasn't even out of sight before the drooling erupted.

It's kinda funny, thinking back to last May. I was visiting Chuck's shop, inspecting my in-process Improv. He happened to have the last one of his first batch of Legend Specials there in the shop before shipping the next day. Although I was there to see my Improv, I took the time to check out the Legend Special. I felt that resonance & heard the sustain acoustically & then on his Fender DR. I knew that day that this was a different animal - totally unlike any of his other models. I also knew one day I'd own one. Four months later, the GAS buildup was too much, so I called & placed the order. I had not been able to forget that resonance & a tone that went from airy to nasty with so many wonderful stops in between.

After spending more time with the Legend Special than I've ever spent with a new guitar in the first month, I have decided the following about why this guitar has been elevated to the top of my all-time keeper list:
~ it isn't a more superior design than normal for Chuck
~ it isn't finer construction quality than normal for Chuck
~ it isn't higher quality materials than normal for Chuck
~ it IS the overall combination of design, workmanship, & materials (which includes this bridge)

It is great to have so much completeness and versatility in one guitar. And it is also the most comfortable one to hold & play.

 

[Nada]

Happy camper, Jay

there is A LOT to love in those pics~ thank you for sharing!

 

[jaystrings]

I saw those on Destroy all Guitars. Just really nice, classy looking guitars.

Yep, they show some of CpThornton's finest guitars. My good friend got the one that was showing on Destroy All Guitars: #289. They have a black Legend Special shown that has "comfort cuts" & humbuckers. I'll bet it is just awesome, too. Thanks.

 

[jaystrings]

All hog...yummy! Congrats!

Thanks. I totally understand now why so many guitar builders & owners go for mahogany. On looks alone this thing is stunning; but having the all-hog body & neck with this combination of pickups & hardware is something to behold. And is it amazing that it weighs so little - 7 1/2#. I can't imagine anyone holding it & playing it & then walking away from it disappointed. The only time anyone is going to want to put this thing down is to go grab a drool towel.

 

[Ches]

so funny, that's the ONE thing I don't really dig about these guitars! Small point, no real deal-breaker, but IMHO does not do the guitar justice aesthetically and stylistically. I guess I can see it for former Strat-o-philes (lost souls that you are..)

In all honesty, I felt the same way initially. I want the toggle on a LP inspired guitar to be on the upper bout, but once I played a few of these I came to appreciate the design. Convenience trumps tradition!

I also prefer the location of the toggle on my SG and 335 over my Les Paul. Same idea, I suppose. Just a different look.