Rick Kelly Guitars: PART IV

[V. Siren]

Same exact thing happened when I got my first tele. It was this weird orange shellac color that I wasn't so into. I forgot what I wanted. And I also really wanted a double D neck, but it had a slightly less fat Maple neck. But when I played it the sound was just so gorgeous, that it quickly became my baby.

I eventually switched necks to a fir one, like the one you have. I believe the wood comes from beams of the Chelsea Hotel.

And my old maple neck I had Rick put on an another body.

The pickups too I switched out to Don Mares. Originally Rick had put some pups in that were waxed and used by the great Robert Quine, who played guitar for Lou for a number of years. I wonder if Rick knew something.....

Anyway, good to see you're hearing and enjoying what is most important and beautiful about it: the sound!

Yep. The guitar I received is amazing. No complaints at all!

 

[Maggie_O]

My Quine guitar has those Rio Grandes that Quine installed and waxed and they're pretty great. I got it from the estate sale that Rick oversaw.


Quine Telecaster In Tiny Amp Town, January, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

It's a 50's MIJ with a nice v neck.

 

[whitedogbanana]

Just got my 2 bowery pine teles. One with DD Chelsea fir trussless neck; the other has a smaller DD old maple neck with russrod. They sound / feel different to each other and both are super resonant!

 

[Jahn]

Look at the flame on that maple neck! Congrats!

 

[Jerrod]

I suspect a Bowery Pine T will be making its way to the Emporium soon. Just a hunch. Maybe a blackguard.

 

[Maggie_O]

That's a gorgeous pair of Bowery Pines!

 

[Longer]

Just got my 2 bowery pine teles. One with DD Chelsea fir trussless neck; the other has a smaller DD old maple neck with russrod. They sound / feel different to each other and both are super resonant!

Do they have the same pups?
And do you have a favorite neck yet?
Congrats BTW, very sweet!

 

[whitedogbanana]

Do they have the same pups?
And do you have a favorite neck yet?
Congrats BTW, very sweet!

Thanks, very happy indeed.

The maple neck one has Don Mare Super Sports and the fir one has Done Mare Hayrides. Rick thinks Hayrides are better for an all pine guitar. At the moment I prefer the hayrides but am looking to spend some time dialling in the pickups in the next few weeks.

Although Rick mistakenly cut the maple neck smaller than I wanted and it has some flaws, I am really loving the neck and it fits my small hands well. It really captures the feel of all the vintage teles I have played. On the other hand, the fir neck just seems to get better each day as it settles in.

My plan is to let both settle first and then have my local luthier to go through some finer details (fret polish, neck alignment etc). I am already looking at saddle upgrades (possibly Glendale).....

 

[Kmaz]

Is Rick still using Fralin Vintage Hots? Those are in both of my Kellys, although they are not Pine. Both Ash.

 

[whitedogbanana]

Is Rick still using Fralin Vintage Hots? Those are in both of my Kellys, although they are not Pine. Both Ash.

Yes he is. If I was getting a strat I would ask for Fralins - the VHs are great pus.

 

[vanguard]

JK! Not for sale anymore because it kills. I'll find something else to sell :]

 

[skintknuckle]

^^^That neck! ...........................

 

[Kmaz]

All that neck wood must make for some beautiful and 'woody' tone!

 

[vanguard]

All that neck wood must make for some beautiful and 'woody' tone!

Yeah, of the three Kelly Bowery teles I've had, this one sounds, feels, and plays the best. Really snappy and lively.

 

[vanguard]

Yeah, of the three Kelly Bowery teles I've had, this one sounds, feels, and plays the best. Really snappy and lively.

****.

So I made the mistake of playing the damn thing. It's not leaving. Turns out this jerk of a guitar is exactly what I've been seeking in a tele all these years. It kills the other Kelly's I've had—along with, honestly, all the other teles I've had. Wow. I'm once again a believer. I've gotta sell something else now to make ends meet . . . ugggh.

Specs are ****ed up, build is sloppy, and it is THE best tele I've ever played.

 

[Maggie_O]

A certain one-piece Bowery Pine and Paduk Tele arrived at its new home last week-


Bowery Pine Tele With Paduk Neck, November 26, 2016 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

The neck is even bigger than the one on (I can't believe I'm writing this) my first BP Tele. Different, but still wonderful. The carve is unlike anything I've ever held; every position seems to have a different carve that perfectly fits with the spot on the neck. It's wild, really.

A joy to play.

 

[telecrazy]

That looks killer @Maggie_O, congrats! These guitars are really something special, my Kelly is completely different to my other guitars. It`s got it own special voice! The reason I`m selling mine is because the neck is just too big for me, too bad really. But I think that much of the sound is in the huge neck, don`t think it would be the same with a smaller neck with trussrod. My Kelly neck makes my .95 Lentz neck feel small

 

[zephyr01]

A certain one-piece Bowery Pine and Paduk Tele arrived at its new home last week-


Bowery Pine Tele With Paduk Neck, November 26, 2016 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

The neck is even bigger than the one on (I can't believe I'm writing this) my first BP Tele. Different, but still wonderful. The carve is unlike anything I've ever held; every position seems to have a different carve that perfectly fits with the spot on the neck. It's wild, really.

A joy to play.

 

[zephyr01]

I have a black walnut with Padauk neck. Most original guitar I have ever played.

 

[Maggie_O]

That looks killer @Maggie_O, congrats! These guitars are really something special, my Kelly is completely different to my other guitars. It`s got it own special voice! The reason I`m selling mine is because the neck is just too big for me, too bad really. But I think that much of the sound is in the huge neck, don`t think it would be the same with a smaller neck with trussrod. My Kelly neck makes my .95 Lentz neck feel small

What's odd is after playing the Paduk, my maple-necked #1's neck suddenly feels small and crowded. That was totally unexpected, as my Kelly had, up until now, the biggest neck of any of my guitars.