Fine Guitar Consultants Guitar List 5


From Our Sample Gallery...2004 Rodriguez solidbody archtop electric s.n. #118 Tom Rodriguez has what it takes to make beautifully designed, great playing electrics. You don't have to know or be familiar with the names of a lot of these luthiers. You can trust us to find the solid, consistent guitar makers who never dissapoint. Tom Rodriguez has a winner guitar here. This is a light to medium weight Korina wood body and neck. Capping the neck is a 50+ year old Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with low, wide fret wire. While he has more of these boards, you will get one on your guitar, as well. Lindy Fralin Humbuckers and Gotoh 510 tuners with an 18:1 tuning ratio add creamy clear sound and tuning accuracy. Don't worry about intonation problems with the aluminum wrap-around bridge and stop tailpiece. You'll get a solid sound with no moving parts. Simplicity is key here in this no-nonsense electric guitar that has stellar acoustic properties, as well. The way to judge a solidbody's tone is to play it before plugging it in! This guitar is lively with full, ringing sustain. A long neck tenon extending under the neck pickup lends extra stability and tonal integrity. The Nitrocellulose lacquer finish emulates an acoustic 1930's Gibson Sunburst. Very cool on all levels. $5,000 with about a 6-month wait.

2001 Robertson "Small Jumbo DeLuxe" #8201 This SJ DeLuxe utilizes select woods. Highest standards are used for both tonal selection and aesthetics here. A smooth and lively tone rolls out like a crisp lightening crack followed by thunder. This instrument has a striped Macassar Ebony back and matched sides. A one-piece Honduran Mahogany neck is beautifully carved to a medium thickness. Chrome Schaller SM6 tuning machines complement the look. Says Jeff, "I chose this particular Master Grade Sitka spruce top for this "DeLuxe" model for its nice even color and tightness of grain and because it is a perfect tonal match for the ebony. I like the extra headroom that Sitka provides. Together they produce a nice clear, even, balanced tone. You will notice that there is no back strip on this guitar. On almost all of the instruments I build I prefer joining the backs without a back strip...I've always enjoyed the clean look of a perfectly joined back...All back braces are consecutive cuts from the same piece of brace stock...as are all braces on my tops..." $3,700 with Cedar Creek case. (reduced demo price, sold as new with full warranty)

2004 Mark Geiger Mini-jumbo Mark Geiger paid us a visit recently. We are both members of the Guild of American Luthiers. I met Mark recently at the GAL meeting that takes place every 3 years in Tacoma, Washington. Mark brought this guitar to leave on consignment with us at his regular price. After playing it, I was instantly reminded of how this instrument affected me so strongly when I played it at GAL. It has all the winning mechanical characteristics of a fine hand made instrument. It is even, balanced, loud, responsive, "et cetera, et cetera, et cetera," (to quote the King of Siam)...But none of that begins to describe the alive energy and the magical sustaining, singing properties of this instrument. This is typical of a fine guitar that you'll find at Fine Guitar Consultants, every day of the week. That is to say: It is several cuts above what you will typically find in a store. The dancing harmonics and overtones in this guitar are typical of European Spruce. Ethereal Claro Walnut back and sides give the tone a nutty flavor. (Can you tell that I just got back from vacation?) A 1 3/4" nut width and a nicely hand carved medium thicknessed Honduran Mahogany neck would suggest it is a good fingerstyle candidate. Beyond that capability, this guitar begs to be strummed with whatever grooves you can throw at it. Tons of headroom. Click on the thumbnail photo at right to see the close-ups. Does it appeal to your senses? Grab it while you can! Next, Mark will do a 12-fret cutaway "Lucky 12" topped guitar for us. I just approved a full size drawing, and it is a gorgeous design. Stay tuned! $4,200

2002 Huerga "Paloma" 18 1/2" carved archtop
This is a Diego Huerga single braced archtop guitar, inspired by the Stromberg design. This is the guitar that our "Lady of Justice" holds up in our full page ad. The beautiful natural-toned spruce over big leaf Maple is made with fine seasoned tone woods. An old, high altitude Spruce sounboard kick out a big, sweet jazz tone. Ebony appointments and top line Grover Imperial tuners add flair and function to this hand carved guitar. (As is Diego's style, the instrument was made with no power tools--completely by hand knives, planes and chisels. The instrument has crisp acoustic volume and its tone is rich and round. The guitar was completely french polished, then 3 extremely thin coats of Nitrocellulose laquer were applied. Mother of Pearl, Bronze and Turquoise were used in the "Paloma" ("dove of peace") inlaid in the headstock. A Huerga instrument is a thrill to own. This instrument was hand carried to us when Diego came to stay with us on a visit. The same instrument, when built on a custom order, will cost $12,500
$11,500 (for this new one, now available)

1988 PRS Employee Signature Series Solid Body Electric Guitar s.n. #83131
One of the perks at PRS has been the opportunity for employees to make a guitar for themselves at the PRS shop. We can imagine that some would be better than others, depending on the skill level of that employee. Recently, I got to examine another nice PRS that was made with fine skills by the PRS Final Assembly Manager, himself. Needless to say, this guitar is not only unique--but is very much "dialed in." This is a very near-mint Royal Blue with an unusual black sunburst over the top. Another feature you won't often find is a custom routing that alows the tremolo arm to be pulled up as well as pushed down. Controls, beside the master volume, are a 5-way Rotary pickup slector and a "Sweet Switch" which cuts the highs while adding capacitance, warming up the sound. In the neck position is a "standard bass" PRS pickup; in the bridge position: a "standard treble" PRS pickup. Employee name engraved on back of headstock, with Paul Reed Smith's signature on the front of the head. The light glints off the birds in flight along the ebony fretboard. This is a super clean and unique guitar that comes from PRS at its peak.
$6,700 with case.

Fine Guitar Consultants' Flattop "Tone Lover's Ensemble" #1/03
Aside from attaining a beautiful sounding acoustic guitar from an experienced lutherie, many face the challenge of searching for the right natural sounding amplification to make that tone "larger than life" --naturally. Enjoy it at home or take your sound on the road. Fine Guitar Consultants has done something new to make it easy for you. Richard, our head "matchmaker", has matched every component in the sound chain so you don't even have to think about it. In Richard's words: "Don't think that any single component here would necessarily be our top recomendation on its own. This carefully selected "sound chain" (every component choice from the pickup, onward) is a particular combination of elements that work exceedingly well, in my opinion. I will assemble other such ensembles for different music situations, from time to time. I am very excited about this approach. I want to take the agony out of possible years of experimentation and searching for the kind of individual who responds to this concept. As a music teacher, I advocate getting the most inspirational instrument and the most natural sound (if you need to increase the volume of your guitar). Then, with the gear search over--enjoy the years of practice and playing on a much higher level!" Click here to get an itemized list of what this "Tone Lover's Ensemble" includes.
$10,700

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Why consider New Custom guitars from us?Custom Guitars are an important part of what we do. We offer a balanced range of gifted, consistent luthiers. Prices from us are the same as direct from the maker. We will guide you to the likliest guitar builder and particular models that best match your needs. Let's talk guitars and have some fun together! We are here to serve you in a straight forward way. Give us a call. Often, a new instrument, coupled with new strong direction from a teacher with whom you have good communication can blast you out of your "rut."Let's work together to make your music more satisfying. Live life to the fullest. As a musician, this is what money is for!




More Fine Guitars for Sale (a partial listing of guitars on hand... please call for others offered confidentially.) For all types of instruments shipping in soon, click here to read the "New Items Coming In Soon" page.
	Click for Close-Ups

From Our Sample Gallery...2003 "Concerto" Artisan Grand Concert As Tony Vines exclusive representative, Fine Guitar Consultants is proud to show this ornate hand made guitar to demonstrate many of the options available through us when you order a Vines guitar. The energy that courses through this instrument identifies the guitar as a member of the big leagues. Tony was singled out by Acoustic Guitar Magazine in Japan in their current issue, honoring his work. The feature (showing Tony holding this guitar) can be seen by clicking here. The Bear Claw German Spruce top was air dried and saved for this special instrument. Tony selected back and sides of unusually straight figured and streaked African Blackwood to compliment this sugary top both visually and tonally. You'll enjoy the rich, even, ringing tone of this guitar. Though sporting a 25.7" scale, the Vines guitars play easily. That easy feel is a Vines hallmark. Tony achieves that consistently. When you click on the small photo at the right, you will be taken to the detailed closeups of the tasty elements of "Concerto." Note the hand carved heel and the inlaid hummingbirds. There is gorgeous contrasting pearl at every turn--while staying in the borders of taste and fine design. We are taking orders for Tony's guitars, and we are having fun with our clients puting together wonderful wood choices (Tony has quite a hoard of especially well seasoned woods that he has stored for many years.) You can create your custom Vines guitar starting at only $3,725, and include a 5-piece laminated neck. These prices will not remain at this level long...Tony hasn't raised his prices in years, and when he joined hands with us, his prices remained the same. $10,250 (This is the guitar featured on the cover of the AMRUSA catalog for 2004)

2004 Vines Artisan Grand Concert Sounding and playing very much like the Vines guitar above, here is a simpler version for quieter tastes at a more affordable price. This is another ringing instrument that plays easily and satisfies deeply. The German Spruce over African Blackwood back and sides is a great combination. The harmonic overtones abound, crisply reflected by the Blackwood's Brazilian Rosewood-like sound. In fact, some African Blackwood now costs more than some Brazilian Rosewood. Both woods are rare and highly desirable. The guitar has a solid feel and plays as of it were equipped with power steering! A ring of abalone around the sound hole is joined by concentric rings of contrasting woods. An ebony fretboard sits atop the Ebony-bound 5-piece neck of Honduran Mahogany and Maple, creating a solid structural element that is low profile and easy to play. Ebony buttons on gold Schaller tuners add form and function. The music pours out of this guitar and shimmers in a way that pleases the player as well as the audience (even if your audience is a pet in the living room!) This is the kind of quality that makes a case for owning one special guitar...One can be enough if you play your cards right. $6,150

Premiering: SOLD, another on order 2003 David Enke "Therapy" neckthru electric one-off "This guitar was 3 years in the making. Pick-Up The World President (and mile-a-minute scientist/inventor) David Enke re-invents the piezo guitar pick-up constantly. His enthusiasm for the subject and his achievements in his field are huge. I have a similar degree of respect for Jeff and Don Lace at Lace Sensor Pickups. Recognizing that Lace Sensor pickups have pioneered and gained new territory in the magnetic and solenoid field, it was a natural for us to want to combine both companies' pickups into one system. This guitar may be the first project to bring the two systems together. David's "Stealth" pickup is installed under the bridge mechanism, and a pan pot on the guitar brings any amount in combination with the quiet and punchy Lace pickups, configured strat-style with a 5-position switch. David Enke is a guitar maker and a fine bass player, as well. He started making this guitar as a night time escape or "Therapy" to unwind in a kind of Zen state after a tough day of "Picking Up The World," so to speak. The instrument is virtually a wood sculpture. Uncountable hundreds of hours went into the making of this guitar. A thick slab of burled maple was sculpted to beautiful design proportions, after being fused to old, light weight Swamp Ash. A Birds-Eye Maple neck-thru section is seamlessly attached with rounded, sensuously shaped design detail. There are no hard angles anywhere on this guitar! It is indeed a wood sculpture that was meticulously carved, voiced, finished, and futzed with endlessly. David's "Therapy" can now be released into the world...decorated with inlaid worlds of decreasing size along the ebony board by David's talented wife, Annie. Sure, we have put a price on this guitar...but such a great piece is really priceless. If it calls to you, buy it and take inspiration from the beautifully balanced feel and voices it has to offer." --Richard