EdwardMarlowe

Saw these a while ago. Some good vids on the youtube. The concept is interesting, though there's too much functionality for me that I wouldn't use. I like the idea of an acoustic in non-traditional materials, but that's about all I'd need, really.

Not done it muself, but I have been to a friend's gig where the guitar player she worked with was playing a Strat through a laptop into the PA. In truth had I not known, the only giveaway was that the sound he had was nailed down at a much lower volume than seemed "real". I honestly think we'll see more and more of this going forward.

That would be interesting... I suppose a lot might depend on what it would cost to have a fret job done. Be interesting to compare that with the cost of the file... The comparison will be interesting, particularly I think on a Tele. The 20 vs 62 spec on the Strats I think the differences are more obvious - it's all about the trem system, the block and all the rest.

That's a stunning piece of work, really lovely. Definitely look forward to hear the soundclips!

Lovely! Interesting this version has a skunk stripe. I'd wondered if they were using the 62 delineation as a time-related thing. Some of the HB guitars seem to have a nod to the design era in the name (like the PB-50), others don't. The S types with the 62 in the name don't have a truss rod, which would have been the case with Fenders from, roughly, 59-71 (always there are outliers as Fender had a real habit of using up old stock and phasing in the changes gradually). The skunk stripe disappeared originally as it wasn't needed when the fingerboard became a separate piece - rosewood - after 1959. When they brought them back in 71 it's cause they'd simplified the manufacturing processes, and all necks had them irrespective of whether they were one piece or the board added separately. I've always liked that utilitarian approach with Fender designs. The skunk stripe looks beautifully finished. I like the binding too. Reminds me of Muddy Waters' Tele Custom, save in black rather than red - just needs a couple of Fender amp knobs on the pots! Intrigued by the caramelised maple. Is there any indication as to what that means anywhere with the packaging? I did previously assume it was another term for roasted maple, but I see HB are also separately referring to some of their guitars as having roasted maple necks. Wonder if it's a question of degree? Either way, it has a really lovely amber tone to it that I think gives them a real cosmetic boost. My old Fender is from that mid 90s period when the maple looked crazily anaemic - a few years of sun exposure helped a lot there. Interesting to see laurel as an alternative to rosewood here. Looks a dead ringer - I doubt anyone could really tell the difference by sound, though tbh I've always maintained that the notion you can hear differences between different woods on an F type dubious. An acoustic, sure, But an electric guitar? Through fuzz, drive, an amp...? Eh. Personally, I think the much bigger deal with the Tele sound is mounting the bridge pick-up in the steel bridge like that. It's a thing of sonic beauty. I spent years trying to replicate Hendrix's lead tones on Purple Haze with a Strat - only to discover that on the night he recorded those, he'd earlier smashed his Strat's headstock on the low ceiling in (I think) the 100 Club, and played that session on a borrowed Telecaster, restrung lefty... I like that they've kept a three saddle bridge, too - a defining feature of the telecaster type for me. At the other end, I'm really enjoying the HB headstocks. Just different enough than their original inspiration to stand proud as their own thing, but that also look really good too, seem balanced with the body shape and everything. I'll have to hold off for a while now on buying anything new (recently bought an MR Classic, my loyalty sale DC Jnr arrives Monday, and I should have a JA25th when they are back in stock early September), but I'll be really interested in your review on this and how it sings when it's plugged in. The T52 model is calling me like a siren...

Nice looking instrument. The First Act guitars of which I was aware (never tried one, though) were very much an entry-level affair, but this looks much more serious...

Nice! Black Teles with a rosewood board always remind me of Joe's number one: Joe's was, from memory, a 66 burst that he oversprayed black - body and guard both. I have half an eye on the HB 52 style Tele myself. Seems like it should compare very favourably to the Squier CV 50s Tele or the JHS Vintage 52 style model, but at a more easily justified price...

Sale link... https://www.thomannmusic.no/social_harley-benton-25.html Runs til 3 August. The Classic MR and MR Modern Mosrite types are in it too if anyone has been looking at those...

Whoops.... accidentally found the HB25th Ann "loyalty sale" 25% off 25 products..... That DC Junior type on my list is now on its way to me. I'll have to save a little more for that 25th Ann series J bass.... (Next step will obs be to have a custom torty guard made up for it and play it loud... LAMF.)

Yes, there's quite a lot of that.... I can sort of see people trying to claw back some of the cost of "upgrades", but nakedly trying to flip something with an upcharge when it can be bought new for less.... You'd think so, yes.... tbh, though, I think eBay are so big now they don't care... and they've long wanted to get away from little guy sellers to the big low price, high volume unit shifters, so maybe it's not a market they care about not losing.... shame, though. The number of even fakes now no there are shocking.

Sound wise, yeah, it's a bit like the old maple / rosewood board debate on a Strat. To my mind, the primary benefit would be their durability more than affect on the sound. Not yet - thanks for the steer, I'll check that out.

On the plus side, there are a lot of genuine deals out there too. If I was right handed, I'd have a bid in on this one... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334933526697?hash=item4dfb9808a9:g:UbEAAOSwJ75koIly&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwAvsgjrLmMPCecbgr%2FahbksSjlrFOLgccRZrHBOZILsVvU0w6%2BphO1mzp8JYiZgxbFnxSrlZ4%2FM7h1Q2VLKE%2FLda62zSaIsM2XgjIhv%2F1tW1h0HKsJWdaxNPcfctuG9fBIt1hbaeNJWrA7brjPjem0YZ8Vgso654ebR3sXNxiDwxpe8Rb%2FlCPv4xq6rNYREc3TfA1b7TcPZQ5j1eDfSmzCobQdLJvCZs%2BSSmJhZCH2m%2FRN3oJlEZYsXiaDjp3uD5Gg%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6CIw-mkYg

That'll be great! Met Matlock at Rough Trade East a few weeks ago when he did a solo appearance / Q&A / signing. Lovely guy. He picked up on the accent and mentioned he would be doing this show. Naturally I made a complete tit of myself mumbling "you wrote songs that changed my life, thank-you." He was probably thinking "Bloody Pistols fans, I've done so much else!"

I know many people place a lot of stock in the invisible hand of the market, but I often think there out to be a rule against people listing readily available items for sale on eBay at much more than the item is readily available for new... I was recently thinking this about this auction in particular - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165726661876?hash=item2696142cf4:g:jDwAAOSwAEtjSbSd&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0PXzv7Zcej2j53JwUAg%2FDYoACkhdAnErAgNVtYnfHpQz%2BjmwFF6Miu51SMPwiWNpEzPzxC4GvGctYAwpc6pV%2BH9Deeb%2FkS8pHq6Y1VImTeKunSf%2BY%2FvgNX%2Bp061TA3BuBDl1kpMPKVoRfSUASUZUhz%2BKrnZh31Froo%2BaQZ2JrGvEQv4VeYjjJ8vCyQA6P5qk0ctmiwLXN7gtTIPSEeo0y%2F8xudHuzMGtB8StLDpdpz%2FeJwk96lCYJ%2BMZwgVVHiRDlcA2o4UL1MqdOx%2FzuMRQQc8%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4bk5emkYg - Available new on Thomann for £150 odds, start price here £325, and today I stumbled across this rather special auction: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225640944287?hash=item34893f929f:g:Y-wAAOSwDvZkmles&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4LEU%2BJbiDArpHgtRyTZ1mHGF6P9ga13h3f9TlpkKgylkHqwhim%2BCoe3y%2FkR6cHumMKwlZfx1ZFoMp0ccIaj1S4z9QILFHk7vWLxiY53L9t2ijJlNqlasQ2nnkgkPGHtMfAfMLyXDLhUAaSHiMmnzV28OBz5qsPsny2sWvDyGHi0ZZB6TTOy1mUcfN51Vf0ItVZWmO9f7l%2FBTlsGslmquhU%2BBwxv%2FEs7Y%2BkFNAfx3L3zFMTfUAK3GYswkcZRgtJ8q1ndjmVVu67mbqtmrHzB13c2Ff1Q0bUKo0Vb%2Fs%2F%2BwFeH0|tkp%3ABk9SR-7VzOmkYg Just over £800 (plus seventy odd quid shipping from Japan!!!!) for a HB bass that sells for £100 new. I mean, they're great, but that seems.... optimistic. These are just stock items, not the expensive used ones people are trying to claw back the cost of putting big money pick-ups in or whatever... Anyone else seen bizarros like this? The only honest explanation (i.e. not trying to rip somebody off or money laundering) I can think of is "Of course, dear, I know I have too many guitars. I'll list some on ebay and if they sell there I suppose I can part with them......" <Puts them on ebay at a crazy price noone will pay>. Or maybe people who don't want to sell, but think that putting a crazy high reserve or start price but asking for offers is a good way of getting an idea of (or raising) market value?

Dog Day Afternoon - yes, that's the one! Great show. Buzzcocks and Lambrini Girls on the bill too.

Sounds about right. No harm to the fella, but he can be overwhelming negative to the point where it comes over more like a Stewie Griffin rant than anything - even if some of his points are fair enough.

So..... I cracked and ordered one of these beauties a couple of weeks ago. Should be shipped in September or late August: I really want one of the JA60CCs in blue as well - the blue one I'll mod with a trem. They're not in stock currently either - I'm trying to hold off in the hope that post 2023, they do the anniversary spec as a DLX model in the CC colours. I'm indifferent on the "upgrade" of the body from basswood to alder, and the locking tuners instead of the standard, but stainless steel frets is a huge plus imo. The difference in price, once you take out the £20 gigbag is about the same as the upcharge for ss frets alone I've seen elsewhere. This sort of spec applied as a "DLX" model would be great elsewhere too - would love it on a 50s-model Strat type with 21 frets. (Probably my little, odd quirk as a player. It's not a deal breaker per se, but I do have a very marked preference for a 21 fret neck, shorn of that little 22nd overhang. I almost never play above fret 15 anyhow.... ) Left handed, with the 25th style specs, 21 frets, and a (roasted) maple fingerboard, LPB body... I honestly would buy that over the Tidepool Player Series strat currently on my want list... I'm really keen on the matching J bass for this as well - let's see if I can clear some space out at home to justify it before end 2023. I know it's easy to get carried away with "budget" guitars, but for a hobby player, this sort of spec could really be the perfect sweet spot between stock spec and price. Of course, HB's 'factory to buyer via Thomann's operation' makes all the difference. One of the best things is how broad their left handed range is. I just looked at Squier's website by comparison, very limited range. A lot of the big names are the same. Ironically, as a general rule I've often found over the years that the "copy" brands cater better to lefties than the "originals". I'm actually quite excited, to a sad degree, to be able to buy an LE like this. My old american Strat, bought new in 1994, was a 40th anniversary year American Standard. The AS guitars right handed that year had, as with much of the range, a special logo badge added, but for whatever reason (shape, probably) it was not put on the left handed models that year - nor anything in its place. HB score for remembering the lefties here! Full review to come when this lands. I've gotten a little excited about the offset shape all over again after watching one of Iggy Pop's guitarists wielding a brace of Fender offsets on Saturday night...

Aye. His videos can be interesting (I watched the one on Ed Roman the other day), but he's a bit tunnel vision about everything. On the spectrum, I think. (Which all men are, of course, to some degree - hence male hobbies. Like me wanting the same guitar in all the colours.....)

I've handled many's a Tanglewood in the last thirty odd years. There's a good reason they are (or were at least) to biggest selling acoustic brand in the UK. Vintage also make some very nice acoustics. Hear good things about Harley Benton's offerings in that vein, but not had a chance to try one.

Yes, I think that's fair. Not all left handers are fully on the left end of the spectrum - there are those for whom it is natural to play a guitar right handed. I'm like that with scissors, oddly enough - but very definitely not guitar.

His youtube videos are interesting - I particularly liked the ones he did about Vintage guitars, though I suspect he's not nice to be on the wrong side of (even if I share his frustrations about people having sometimes unreasonable expectations - "I bought this guitar for twenty pence and it's only 90% as good as that one at three grand - what a pile of shit!"). It's sad seeing Denmark Street go, it was so badly handled. I 'know' (online) a guy who was very involved in the campaign to save it. They had some successes (saved the building the Pistols rehearsed in and that Matlock and Jones lived in for a bit), but the level of shouting the developers do about celebrating its heritage is in direct proportion to the sheer destruction thereof they have committed. The really sad thing is I'm told they struggled to get some of the guitar shops on board until too late... Great place back a few years ago; at one time I used to be a semi-regular, unofficial 'announcer' for the host of a cabaret night there. Great, late nights in the Alley Cat, great afternoons window shopping. I bought my first bass there in 2001 - and a few years later a Bassman 1000 Silverface which I'll have to sell - damn thing turned out to be just too loud for home use, who'da thunk? Lovely, though.... So sad the old place is almost gone. A lot of the chains aren't the same, though to be fair I've had good experiences in every branch of Guitar Guitar I've been in - I think it's now owned by the workforce after a buyout of the management? (The latter being the guys who went on to buy over Burns, though the website holding page has been updated - sort of - from "coming in 2020" to "coming in 2022" (which it still has in the headline, with 2021 in the text, so I don't hold out much hope of seeing those again.).

Dick Dale used to play trumpet for part of his show... But yeah, that's.... special. Mrs Marlowe might be tempted to see if I could sound worse on that than guitar.... (the answer is yes, yes I could... I'd be like an angry, drunk goose.)

This may be a case of teenage exposure to early Bob Dylan talking, but sometimes an acoustic does just hit the spot that even with the time to plug up an electric won't. (Is that a reverse Judas? Ha!) That said, over the years I've had a weird enjoyment from playing my electrics entirely unplugged around the house. Like an acoustic, but much quieter! Can't hear it in the next room, doesn't drown out the TV if you're watching yourself and just want to noodle... I had an oddly great acoustic sound some years back from - no lie - a late 90s Chinese Squier Standard Stratocaster, with the plate / pots / pickups removed, and the bridge blocked with a synthetic wine cork. Of all things.... A semi (think 335 type) will give you the next level of volume up unplugged - though again without causing annoyance in the next room.

Was ever one man so indelibly associated with a specific guitar? Probably in that regard, Brian May and the Quo boys are the only ones that come close? Hendrix is a good example. He was associated with a few guitars, but I'll always picture him with an inverted Start. This image in particular in in my mind, as this photo was in a poster on my bedroom wall for years: Although my Strat is a 94 American Standard, actually left handed, and lack the big headstick of the CBS era, this is the reason it's a three-tone burst and a rosewood board. Of course, eventually I do want to have an actual Hendrix replica Strat. Either a Partscaster (most likely), or a black CIJ 68RI if ever a deal came up, or even a Squier Classic Vibe if they saw sense and did a 68 model.... Just like Black Beauty, Jimi's reputed favourite, and one of two (rumour has it three - that there was another white 68 other than the Woodstock guitar) he had towards the end of his life. I did once get to play this.... That is the actual Black Angel, Jimi's custom lefty Flying Vee. Now, ti might just have been my imagination, but never have I lifted a guitar with as much mojo as was seeping out of that one, and I normally don't even like Vees.... A spiritual experience. I wish I'd had the change o plug it in, but even playing it unplugged was such a rush. Particularly special as a left handed player, given most of my guitar heroes' instruments would be upside down for me. (Including, ironically, Dick Dale's).

Steve Jones and his legendary ivory white LP Custom: http://img.wennermedia.com/920-width/rs-136459-e03d576a3be5ca7cf841357d5e452e4ee019ab33.jpg (widely considered the "Bollocks" guitar, though the LP he actually played on the album was a black Custom - a 58, I think - with p90s!) Joe Strummer and his '66 Tele Dick Dale and The BeasT: