ourmaninthenorth
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Messages
- 7,124
Here’s a short review of this superb guitar.
Singularly handmade by Matt Hughes, fellow member of the LPF and owner of Banker Guitars, for Charlie Starr and now residing under English skies.
The ancient Mahogany originates from the Monkey River in Belize, best guess puts this at 300+ years old. Benjamin Franklin was just a boy when this was felled.
A one-piece body, replete with forearm and belly contours, finished in a thin coat of nitro, and coupled with a hand carved, soft V shaped neck from the same wood rings like a bell and sustains forever. Unplugged, and striking an open E chord, I had time to go and make a cup of tea before it stopped resonating. This guitar is alive all over the body and neck…it’s extraordinary. I’d estimate it’s about 8 ½ lb’s on the strap.
An East Indian board is finished to perfection with medium Stewmac 154 wire, the fretwork is exemplary.
Damascus steel makes up the ironwork, beautiful patterns picked out by acid on this folded steel process adds a touch of real class to this already gorgeous looking guitar. I haven’t captured it very well in the photos, but in real life it’s stunning.
The pickups are a set of Bob Tyson 57 P90’s – have a search around, some great reviews, and a couple of Doug and Pat Road Trip videos meeting with the man himself. I love P90’s, and have played enough old ones to say that I couldn’t pick these ones out as new ones. Plenty in the locker for a tear up, yet with a lovely rounded full voice. Across the range they are fantastic.
I believe it’s a pointless exercise trying to describe sound, and even if it isn’t, I don’t have the skill to do it. However, I will say this, it took me 10 seconds to realise that I’m going to love owning this master-built guitar for many many years to come, indeed it feels as though I’ve been playing it for decades already. I know you know what I mean.
The obligatory shot...
Bravo Matt, truly.
Singularly handmade by Matt Hughes, fellow member of the LPF and owner of Banker Guitars, for Charlie Starr and now residing under English skies.
The ancient Mahogany originates from the Monkey River in Belize, best guess puts this at 300+ years old. Benjamin Franklin was just a boy when this was felled.
A one-piece body, replete with forearm and belly contours, finished in a thin coat of nitro, and coupled with a hand carved, soft V shaped neck from the same wood rings like a bell and sustains forever. Unplugged, and striking an open E chord, I had time to go and make a cup of tea before it stopped resonating. This guitar is alive all over the body and neck…it’s extraordinary. I’d estimate it’s about 8 ½ lb’s on the strap.
An East Indian board is finished to perfection with medium Stewmac 154 wire, the fretwork is exemplary.
Damascus steel makes up the ironwork, beautiful patterns picked out by acid on this folded steel process adds a touch of real class to this already gorgeous looking guitar. I haven’t captured it very well in the photos, but in real life it’s stunning.
The pickups are a set of Bob Tyson 57 P90’s – have a search around, some great reviews, and a couple of Doug and Pat Road Trip videos meeting with the man himself. I love P90’s, and have played enough old ones to say that I couldn’t pick these ones out as new ones. Plenty in the locker for a tear up, yet with a lovely rounded full voice. Across the range they are fantastic.
I believe it’s a pointless exercise trying to describe sound, and even if it isn’t, I don’t have the skill to do it. However, I will say this, it took me 10 seconds to realise that I’m going to love owning this master-built guitar for many many years to come, indeed it feels as though I’ve been playing it for decades already. I know you know what I mean.
The obligatory shot...
Bravo Matt, truly.