Saturday, January 5, 2008

Breedlove Acoustic Guitars


Here are some examples of performances using Breedlove guitars. This one is called "Ain't got nothing but the blues" originally by Duke Ellington and performed here by Steve Fairclough. This song was also covered by Robben Ford on his Talk to your Daughter album albeit some what differently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAMf5HOhquU


Here is another performance by Steve Fairclough called "Coast to Coast" featuring this time the Breedlove Guitars Custom Twelve string. Breedlove makes what is considered the finest 12 string acoustic guitar around but this clip shows you what a fine 12 string guitar can sound like. http://www.imagineguitars.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb80gCRBt18

Rick Derringer Model Guitar from Warrior


Imagine you are at a local guitar show and Rick Derringer walks up and asks to play his guitar thru your amp for while. Here is a link of that very thing. Rick is playing his signature Rick Derringer model from Warrior guitars. Even I am impressed with his varied style. There is a lot more there than just Rock n Roll Hoochi Choo.
www.imagineguitars.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TDjYNV_pnc

McNaught Guitar Demo


If you have ever wondered what a McNaught Guitar sounds like when played well, here is a link I think you will enjoy. This is performed on a new McNaught Custom V5 through a Splawn Quick Rod amp. Enjoy! www.imagineguitars.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q-1YvuGr8w

Breedlove Guitars


Known primarily as a high end boutique acoustic guitar maker, Breedlove Guitars has introduced a new line of exceptional electric guitars called the Mark Series. The first model, the Mark I, was inspired by their award winning CM acoustic guitar and has that same asymmetrically shape. It is a chambered body design that keeps the over all weight down but is also tuned and voiced to have wonderful resonance. They come standard with premium Jason Lollar Imperial Humbuckers and Gotoh Tuners and hardware. Pulling from Breedlove's amazing stock of tone woods from their years of making acoustic guitars, the new Mark series can be made with a wide array of Custom and Retirement grade Maple, Koa, or Redwood Burl and finished in a wide array of colors. They are also fully customizable with intricately detailed inlays and exotic bindings. The Mark II model resembles the double horns of a Gibson SG but more aggressively styled with one in front of the other and a stylized tail. It is available with Lollar Imperials or P-90's as well. There are plans for a Mark III in the summer and a Mark IV that will debut at this months NAMM show. Unlike other acoustic guitar makers who decide to enter the electric guitar market, Breedlove has decided to take the high road and offer instruments of refinement with the best materials and options. They are fully customizable from the selection of wood combinations to the amount of Inlay and finish color choices. The attached photo is a Mark I with a Redwood Burl top that amazingly has no color added to it just a clear coat over what is a spectacular piece of wood. See this one and many other Breedlove electric and acoust instruments at www.imagineguitars.com .

McNaught Guitars


David Thomas McNaught and his wizard in the finish room, Dave Mansell, are making some of the finest electric guitars on the market today. With such technical features as a deep set neck for maximum sustain (more details here http://www.mcnaughtguitars.com/index15.htm ) and a variety of the best boutique pickup selections such as Wagner and Jason Lollar, these instruments sound and play like few others. When it comes to the look of their instruments, David has an uncanny ability to find the most exceptional rare woods that make the most house hold guitar names pale in comparison. His Diamond Quilt Maple tops have almost three dimensional qualities to them. When the other Dave gets his hands on them these exceptional tops take on additional depth with vibrant color combinations few can match. These colors range from "Ruby Red" to Reptile Green to a Blue Hawaiian Ice that over a Diamond Quilt top looks so much like the tropical ocean that it makes you want to buy a new swim suit and dive right in. Sometimes the the wood is so exceptional only a fine clear coat finish is all that is needed as in the attached photo of the Phoenix Rising Model here. Who knew Maple could look like liquid Toffee? We keep challenging McNaught Guitars to impress us with each new guitar we get, and so far it is getting harder to keep setting the bar even higher each time. All of their guitars are fully customizable with a variety of inlays available and pickup selections. See this guitar in more detail at www.imagineguitars.com .

Friday, January 4, 2008

Welcome to the Boutique Guitars blog!

This was created to introduce you to some of the finest examples of boutique guitars made today from some of the most talented craftsmen and musicians around. Each are unique in their own style and expression, but all are of the highest quality and technical precision that you will find in an instrument any where.

Many of these instruments border on works of art, but all of them are fantastic examples of the varied selection of one of a kind instruments that are available today. No longer do you have to venture down to your local Guitar Mega Store and choose from an aging list of the same old thing. You can choose an instrument that is as unique as you are.















This month we are introducing many of you to New Orleans Guitars. This is a Master Craftsman from the city of New Orleans who is designing and making some of the most sought after instruments made today. He uses unique materials such as Burled Swamp Ash and Splated Cypress that has been recovered from under the water in the bayous of Louisiana. Then they are finished to perfection. There is no wonder these instruments are sought after by musicians of the Big Easy. What do you think?

This is a Voodoo model with a Redwood Burl top, Black Limba (Korina) body and neck and a great Cocobolo fret board with New Orleans signature Flame inlay. See this instrument an others like it at www.imagineguitars.com .