Review of GVCG Ultimate '55 Tele

CNP,

I couldn't agree with you more. I own the '55 Flatpole that is on Jonathon's site. It is an absolute 'stellar' guitar. Weighs in at 6.3lbs.-featherweight.

Jonathon's guitars don't need no stinkin' amp. They ring acoustically like the finest vintage fiddle's. This is when you know you have an exceptional instrument.

.......Of course an amp doesn't hurt.

Congrats on your acquisition.

These are the best, Terry

 

I should be getting my 53' blackguard by the end of Sept. Your review reinforced everything I'd already felt and heard about Johnathon's guitars. Great stuff!

 

CNP

Great review of a fantastic guitar. I own three of JW's creations and they are without a doubt the finest replicas I have ever had the pleasure to play. I don't know how he does it but they look and feel "and smell" like the real thing.
Congratultions. Play it well.

 

PM sent.

 

Hi, what's the link to his website?

 

CNP,

Ramble on. I'm so glad you are enjoying your GVCG. I have 5
of Jonathan's creations with a few more on the way. IMO,
Jonathan is one of the most talented and gifted builders
ever. I'm glad you feel the same and most importantly that you
are enjoying your guitar and that it will hopefully serve as a
source of inspiration for you for a long time to come.

 

I've been enjoying a 53 Esquire i picked up recently. It's down near the bottom of his web page (the one that was originally made for someone in NC). Really nice, a bit more playable than my old 59, rear pup, while not as arresting as my 59's in aggression, is actually more useful. Great job on the body paint and relicing. I also LOVE that he's taken pains to get old caps for the circuit. They really do make a difference... when i turn down the tone knob now i get a GREAT midrangey sound, not mud.
Some quibbles;
1- The finish on the neck is almost too sparse (which i can live with). The old Fenders that i've had or played had enough finish to cover the pores in the wood, creating a sheen, then age shrunk the finish back down into the pores . The necks then always felt fast due to the hardness of the finish. Jonathan has tried to simulate (on mine, anyhow) the old finish sunken into wood thing by going easy on the finish, but the "sheen ' , or hardness, isn't there. I'm not old enough to know what the mid 50's fenders felt like when they were new, but i'm betting the neck finish felt slightly thicker and smoother than what is on my Esquire. Of course many 50's fenders have had the finish worn away and blended with the oils and dirt form player's hands, the environments they were played in, etc... getting that effect is impossible. Jonathan's neck finishes feel really good to me, but not exactly like an old fenders.

2- Lack of router "hump" in cutaway. Automatically alerts one to the fact that it isn't a 50's , early 60's tele. I would've been REALLY impressed if he had gotten this one right.

BTW, my pup is referred to as a GVCG pup. Does anyone know what that is?

 

It's an Alnico 3 flatpole handmade by Jason Lollar for GVCG.
Your's is from the 1st run of these pickups. A second, larger run
has just recently been delivered. Your body was most likely
CNC'd and then hand shaped which is why it lacks the early
router hump, as you call it. All of the Esquires, '53 Blackguards
and '55 Flatpoles that he has cut and shaped by hand do have
this hump as well as the slight neck-pocket overhang and, as in
the case with my '53, a not perfect pickguard cut and shape.
My main '53 has fooled a few experts until they looked in the neck pocket and saw the dedication to me and some other telltale writings from it's creator. The aging under the pickguard,
in each cavity, under the neck plate and around each screw is
spot on.

 

Cliff,
good info. I was wondering when Fuzzy from the TDPRI expressed relief at the marks being made distinguishing the GCVG's from the real thing, as he said they were "too good", meaning the possibility of them being passed off as real was high. I knew that he wouldn't have missed the router hump.

 

57special,

Jonathan at GVCG is a true artist and does not want his pieces
out there as forgeries. On the ones that are dead on, he places
very prominent markings to let everyone know exactly what they
are. I was offered close to 20K for one of his pieces until
popping the neck off and having a good laugh when the
potential buyer learned what I knew all along. That fellow has
recently sold a '65 candy apple red Strat and bought a GVCG.

 

On the "T" style guitars, the bridge plates would be anyone's first clue, the castings are different, a small round indentation in the center.

 

Absolutely, unless he is using a bridge plate and hardware
from that period, which is the case with some of the guitars.

 

...let's see some frickin' pictures!



Please?

 

Scott,
Pictures incoming.

 

I thought I read he was making the East to West move. Is he up and running yet? Will there be a storefront location?

 

He's up and running and I'm the storefront and will have a new
website momentarily. I will add you to the email list as we have
somre incredible pieces in the works. Both "S" and "T" types.
Yes "S" types. We have a series of Ultimate models coming.
The next will be the Ultimate Blonde '60's Slab Board "T" . It
weighs in at under 6 pounds and I will be posting it for sale
before the weekend is out. Everyone opn the list will get the
email at the same time and the first to respond with the buy it
price , will be a happy camper. This guitar is possibly GVCG's
best work to date. In Jonathan's mind it is definitely a new
benchmark, and I couldn't agree more.

 

Cliff,
Please add my name to the list.

Thanks John