New Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Amos Signature model?

Uncle Gary · Mar 21, 2018

Stevie C. said:
They don’t say US on them obviously, but they are definitely 3/8” posts, so I see no reason to think that they aren’t US? They definitely aren’t M8 metric!

The pots are indeed, 3/8 thread, but they have metric coarse splines to fit standard metric Epiphone knobs. CTS has many options, and apparently will build to whatever specifications you're willing to pay for.

My only beef with them is that they are the typical linear taper pots and not the audio taper I prefer, so I have a new wiring harness under construction (including real Switchcraft switch and jack and paper-in-oil cap) that will be going in when I get the ambition.

Stevie C. · Mar 21, 2018

Uncle Gary said:
The pots are indeed, 3/8 thread, but they have metric coarse splines to fit standard metric Epiphone knobs. CTS has many options, and apparently will build to whatever specifications you're willing to pay for.

My only beef with them is that they are the typical linear taper pots and not the audio taper I prefer, so I have a new wiring harness under construction (including real Switchcraft switch and jack and paper-in-oil cap) that will be going in when I get the ambition.

Wow, that's weird that they do that.. Thanks for letting me know though! I was thinking about getting some different knobs, and that will def save me a headache! :dude:

DrRobert · Mar 25, 2018

The Sam Ash in the west Chicago suburbs has one. It has a finish crack around the right side of the neck to body joint, but the neck looks solid. They're offering it for $800 including tax. It is definitely a veneer but it's a really good job. It played and sounded great.

Stevie C. · Mar 25, 2018

DrRobert said:
The Sam Ash in the west Chicago suburbs has one. It has a finish crack around the right side of the neck to body joint, but the neck looks solid. They're offering it for $800 including tax. It is definitely a veneer but it's a really good job. It played and sounded great.

I think that is the 4th one I’ve heard about with a finish crack at the neck joint... I wonder what the deal is with that? Just from flex from bringing it in tune?

deytookerjaabs · Mar 25, 2018

DrRobert said:
The Sam Ash in the west Chicago suburbs has one. It has a finish crack around the right side of the neck to body joint, but the neck looks solid. They're offering it for $800 including tax. It is definitely a veneer but it's a really good job. It played and sounded great.

Is that near Enchanted Castle??

Ah, my old boyhood stomping grounds!!

DrRobert · Mar 25, 2018

Why yes, yes it is!

Uncle Gary · Mar 26, 2018

Stevie C. said:
I think that is the 4th one I’ve heard about with a finish crack at the neck joint... I wonder what the deal is with that? Just from flex from bringing it in tune?

I seriously doubt the neck is flexing from tuning or playing. I've had mine apart and, although it's covered by the veneer, it's definitely a "deep tenon" neck joint. You can see where the neck joint runs completely through the neck pickup cavity to end midway between the pickups. Just like a 1958 V.

I wonder if it's from differential shrinkage of the neck wood versus the body. It's a very thick, brittle finish over what I suspect is fairly soft wood.

Mine has the finish crack on the treble side, but the neck is absolutely solid.

RicOkc · Mar 30, 2018

It's amazing that so many people are expecting so much for an imported guitar that costs under a grand!

Uncle Gary · Apr 2, 2018

RicOkc said:
It's amazing that so many people are expecting so much for an imported guitar that costs under a grand!

Well, believe it or not, a "grand" is still a sizable amount of money to many people. As for me, I'm delighted with the guitar, minor issues notwithstanding. The look, tone and playability is outstanding, even for a much more expensive guitar, IMO.

ADP · Apr 4, 2018

DrRobert said:
The Sam Ash in the west Chicago suburbs has one. It has a finish crack around the right side of the neck to body joint, but the neck looks solid. They're offering it for $800 including tax. It is definitely a veneer but it's a really good job. It played and sounded great.

I bought this guitar on 4/3/2018. I just set it up with some fresh LaBella strings and it sounds amazing. I'm overwhelmingly impressed by the quality of it. I didn't want to like it, but I did and had to buy it. I got them down to basically nothing and paid less than $800 out the door!

viper007 · Apr 4, 2018

ADP said:
I bought this guitar on 4/3/2018. I just set it up with some fresh LaBella strings and it sounds amazing. I'm overwhelmingly impressed by the quality of it. I didn't want to like it, but I did and had to buy it. I got them down to basically nothing and paid less than $800 out the door!

Very Nice!!!

Keefoman · Apr 4, 2018

Indeed a nice one that too! :hank

ADP · Apr 5, 2018

John Galt said:
Hi guys, joined the forum today just for this thread.

I purchased my JB Amos on 12/14/2017 at Big Apple Music in New Hartford, NY, the day after they received two of them, I got the lighter of the two. The owner indicated to me that these were the first two shipped to dealers. I would like to try to confirm that . . . After all, this is Joe B's hometown.

[.........]

So . . . I wonder if there is any interest in starting a serial number registry here . . . mine is 17102301962. I assume they are sequential, I have seen two other serial numbers that were purchased several weeks after mine, they were 40-50 numbers higher.

Peace \ /

I have 17102301961 from Sam Ash - Lombard, IL
_____
After a full day of owning it, I can say I'll likely keep this guitar forever. After a lot of truss rod adjusting, over the course of the last 24 hrs, the neck has become straight as an arrow! I'm a fan of the jumbo frets and nut width of 44mm (1 11/16"). I am also fan of the weight, 7.3lbs. I took it to my tech and he told me the minor cracks in the clear coat are nothing to worry about. He also confirmed that there is no veneer, at least on my particular guitar. Overall he was very impressed with the whole thing and usually doesn't like "V's".

The pickups sound pretty good but I've got a set of the "aged gold" Seymour Duncan custom shop Amos pickups on the way and will throw those in there this weekend. I'm wondering if I should change out the bridge for a tone-pros vintage ABR - but I'm not sure what the best option might be.

The tuners are great and I really don't think I'm going to change them. The CTS pots are beautiful but I'm not 100% sold on the switch, so I'll likely change that when I put in the Seymour Duncans in. Overall I give this particular Joe Bonamassa Amos Flying V a 10/10! This guitar is absolutely special. Mojo right from the beginning, I knew I'd own it right away and I'm thrilled I bought it.

I hope we get to find the whole history on the serial numbers and how many were totally built.

Uncle Gary · Apr 5, 2018

ADP said:
I have 17102301961 from Sam Ash - Lombard, IL
_____
After a full day of owning it, I can say I'll likely keep this guitar forever. After a lot of truss rod adjusting, over the course of the last 24 hrs, the neck has become straight as an arrow! I'm a fan of the jumbo frets and nut width of 44mm (1 11/16"). I am also fan of the weight, 7.3lbs. I took it to my tech and he told me the minor cracks in the clear coat are nothing to worry about. He also confirmed that there is no veneer, at least on my particular guitar. Overall he was very impressed with the whole thing and usually doesn't like "V's".

The pickups sound pretty good but I've got a set of the "aged gold" Seymour Duncan custom shop Amos pickups on the way and will throw those in there this weekend. I'm wondering if I should change out the bridge for a tone-pros vintage ABR - but I'm not sure what the best option might be.

The tuners are great and I really don't think I'm going to change them. The CTS pots are beautiful but I'm not 100% sold on the switch, so I'll likely change that when I put in the Seymour Duncans in. Overall I give this particular Joe Bonamassa Amos Flying V a 10/10! This guitar is absolutely special. Mojo right from the beginning, I knew I'd own it right away and I'm thrilled I bought it.

I hope we get to find the whole history on the serial numbers and how many were totally built.

Mine is 17102302319.

I have changed the tuners for a set of "Golden Age" tuners from Stew-Mac (nothing wrong with the originals, function wise, but I like the button color of the replacements much better).

The CTS pots are a nice touch, but, they're linear taper pots, and I prefer audio taper pots for my purposes, so they had to go. While I was at it I replaced the switch and output jack with genuine Switchcraft parts, and put in a NOS paper in oil .022uf capacitor I had. I added knob pointers while it was apart.

I also didn't like the "short" pickup rings. Fortunately, DiMarzio pickup rings were a perfect fit, so I now have the "vintage correct" tall rings on the guitar.

So far, I'm liking the stock pickups just fine. I see that SD has the "Amos" set, but I think they're missing an opportunity by not offering them in "unaged" gold finish. The aged gold doesn't look right with the rest of the guitar looking "new". They must realize that a lot of those "Amos" pickups would find their way to this guitar.

viper007 · Apr 5, 2018

I have 17102302038.

ADP · Apr 5, 2018

Uncle Gary said:
Mine is 17102302319.

I have changed the tuners for a set of "Golden Age" tuners from Stew-Mac (nothing wrong with the originals, function wise, but I like the button color of the replacements much better).

The CTS pots are a nice touch, but, they're linear taper pots, and I prefer audio taper pots for my purposes, so they had to go. While I was at it I replaced the switch and output jack with genuine Switchcraft parts, and put in a NOS paper in oil .022uf capacitor I had. I added knob pointers while it was apart.

I also didn't like the "short" pickup rings. Fortunately, DiMarzio pickup rings were a perfect fit, so I now have the "vintage correct" tall rings on the guitar.

So far, I'm liking the stock pickups just fine. I see that SD has the "Amos" set, but I think they're missing an opportunity by not offering them in "unaged" gold finish. The aged gold doesn't look right with the rest of the guitar looking "new". They must realize that a lot of those "Amos" pickups would find their way to this guitar.

I agree on the "aged gold" SD pickups missing the mark, but that was my best option all things considered. I will have to get a set of the Dimarzio rings, do you happen to have a picture of how they look in the end? Also have you changed out the bridge? After last night the neck is now flawless and lightning fast, I love this guitar!

Uncle Gary · Apr 6, 2018

ADP said:
I agree on the "aged gold" SD pickups missing the mark, but that was my best option all things considered. I will have to get a set of the Dimarzio rings, do you happen to have a picture of how they look in the end? Also have you changed out the bridge? After last night the neck is now flawless and lightning fast, I love this guitar!

Sorry, I don't deal with photo hosting sites, so I have no pictures to show. I installed the DiMarzio rings using the included #2 flathead screws instead of the original #3 screws. They were a bit longer than the original screws so they hold just fine and are more "Gibson correct".

I have a Kluson (same as Gibson except no name underneath) ABR-1 bridge, but I haven't put it on yet. The bridge posts are 4mm (.156 dia.) instead of US standard 6-32 (.138 dia.). I haven't decided to drill out the holes in the new bridge or try to somehow fit the smaller 6-32 studs into the oversized metric holes.

It will probably wait until the next string change. I'm having too much fun playing the guitar for now. I also love this guitar.

mtheory · Apr 6, 2018

I really wouldn't get hung up on the "aged" aspect of the SD Amos pups, frankly. They're not the least bit hideous, they don't distract from the overall look of the guitar at all, and they sound absolutely fantastic. Well worth it.

They do offer the pups in various different cosmetic flavors, however.

Uncle Gary · Apr 6, 2018

mtheory said:
I really wouldn't get hung up on the "aged" aspect of the SD Amos pups, frankly. They're not the least bit hideous, they don't distract from the overall look of the guitar at all, and they sound absolutely fantastic. Well worth it.

They do offer the pups in various different cosmetic flavors, however.

I never said they were hideous, just that they look odd next to all the rest of the pristine gold plating on the guitar. Yes, they also offer them in unaged nickel plate, but that doesn't match, either. I'm sure they sound great, though.

I guess I could order them uncovered and buy the gold covers separately. Hmmmm, do I want to spend another $375??

DrRobert · Apr 7, 2018

ADP said:
I have 17102301961 from Sam Ash - Lombard, IL
_____
After a full day of owning it, I can say I'll likely keep this guitar forever. After a lot of truss rod adjusting, over the course of the last 24 hrs, the neck has become straight as an arrow! I'm a fan of the jumbo frets and nut width of 44mm (1 11/16"). I am also fan of the weight, 7.3lbs. I took it to my tech and he told me the minor cracks in the clear coat are nothing to worry about. He also confirmed that there is no veneer, at least on my particular guitar. Overall he was very impressed with the whole thing and usually doesn't like "V's".

The pickups sound pretty good but I've got a set of the "aged gold" Seymour Duncan custom shop Amos pickups on the way and will throw those in there this weekend. I'm wondering if I should change out the bridge for a tone-pros vintage ABR - but I'm not sure what the best option might be.

The tuners are great and I really don't think I'm going to change them. The CTS pots are beautiful but I'm not 100% sold on the switch, so I'll likely change that when I put in the Seymour Duncans in. Overall I give this particular Joe Bonamassa Amos Flying V a 10/10! This guitar is absolutely special. Mojo right from the beginning, I knew I'd own it right away and I'm thrilled I bought it.

I hope we get to find the whole history on the serial numbers and how many were totally built.

I played that guitar! I'd agree that it sounds great, is light, has a wonderful feeling neck, and the cracking in the finish is a non-issue really. Did they sell it to you for $800? Also, for that price, it's a really nice case. All that said, I'm pretty sure that one IS a veneer, I looked it over pretty carefully. Doesn't matter, though, it's a killer guitar! If I didn't have an 83 Korina V, it would have come home with me...

New Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Amos Signature model?

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