Yamaha NTX-700, Solid and dependable electro-classical < Back Yamaha NTX-700 No Number The NTX-700 is a thin body electro-classical that features the ART pick-up system - 2 pick-ups under the saddle that focus on E-D, and G-E allowing you to tailor the signal from each to really micro-manage the tones. Together with the 3 band EQ , this guitar is very versatile and will cover all nylon string requirements from bright and snappy through to muted flamenco. This model has 14 frets to the body. The guitar has Nato (eco-alternative to Mahogany) back, sides and neck; a Spruce top and Rosewood board. The tuners feel very good and It has just been serviced and now wears new Thomastik-Infeld Classic S Rope-core strings, and is ready for everything from living room to the stage. Yamaha have always had a solid reputation for quality and are careful to take that quality to their non-Japanese production sites and have been making guitars for 20 years in the Hangzhou plant. This guitar has always been very well looked after and is a reluctant sale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMXt_XWEM3o Price Availability £475 Sold Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2015 Pick-ups ART twin piezo Selector N/A Bridge Rosewood Board Rosewood TBC Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

1973 Greco EG-380B, The ultimate bolt-on < Back 1973 Greco EG-380B Pre-serial Number Here is a great example of an early Fujigen built model, the gold metalwork has aged as gracefully as possible; aside from one corner of the headstock, the binding is still in one piece and faded to that perfect cream colour. The original Maxon humbuckers deliver the creamy warmth at the neck, and the growl at the bridge - full of the character they are renowned for. No need to upgrade these. Double bound with the 3 ply binding continuing around the fretboard, this really has the Custom look. At 3.7kg (8lbs 4oz) it is neither a boat anchor nor a super flyweight - just the right weight and balance to hang off the shoulder for a long set. The world is waking up to these magnificent copies - the Greco models feeling like the real thing when compared to the cheaper export models such as Columbus and other shop-branded models that we saw in the UK and Europe in the mid-70s. Grecos were mostly domestic market models when import taxes put real Gibsons out of reach for most people. It has a chunky neck, not a super skinny one as found on the 360s and many 420s, and this has put a smile on a few faces of folk who have "real ones" from this era. It is of course a bolt-one neck, so of no interest to purists, but that is not what this guitar is for. It isn't trying to be a £5,000 Black Beauty, but for the values these have, they punch well above their weight. Perfect for gigging - the sounds are spot on, the looks are spot on - no-one sees the neck plate from the audience. A good 53 year old guitar will almost always feel more friendly and be more soulful than a new Chinese one. If a guitar this old has made it this far in this condition and with this playability, you know it is a good one and not even half way through its life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrfPYopGN5A Price Availability £££ Sold Recommendation Bring a bolt-on into your life... Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1973 Pick-ups Maxon Selector 3-Way Bridge Original ToM Board Rosewood 3.7kg; 8lbs 4oz Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

Aria Pro-II ST-400, Time-warp mid 1970's Matsumoku at their finest < Back Aria Pro-II ST-400 K770468 To think this was an entry model to the Stagecaster range is to understand why so many guitarists stuck with the brand and gradually upgraded to the upper end. A lovely full C profile neck, so almost impossible to put down, and never failing to bring the best out of your capabilities wherever on the scale they may be. Still featuring its tremolo cover and original arm, this guitar looks and feels almost new. There are 2 parking dents along the underside - other than that, there are new instruments hanging in Music Stores with more signs of life. The SP-II single coils are characterful; some may say this guitar deserves an upgrade, but have a listen to the video and maybe these are good enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QikB-KxmFKw SP-II and their PU-100 equivalents are actually pretty damn nice sounding pick-ups - Maxons have a firm following - after a modern Strat at this price point, these will feel like upgraded already. Price Availability FLASH SALE! Click Buy button to reveal latest price. Sold Recommendation See how good entry level instruments were back then Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups SP-II Selector 3-way Bridge Vintage tremolo Board Maple 3.66kg; 8lbs 1oz Modifications String Tree (Gotoh) Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

Short scale, angry when you need, furious at all other times < Back Matsumoku Ibi JKL No.2 Price £2,600 GBP | SOLD Add to Cart Chat with Us Missed out on this model? Talk to us for a rebuild! I'm assuming you've already read the description of the red one - that gives the background to these Ibi JKLs. My rock-star buddy had "settled" for a Telecaster, and despite the obvious delights of a decent well set-up Tele, I could see he wished it was something else. These Concords defintitely had the Tele in mind with their twin singles laid out like that. After evaluating a lot of different pick-ups, I settled on Jaime's amazing Creamery creations - opting for clarity and power, and a 2 speed gearbox on the bridge. To keep the purity of the look and the specific sound I wanted here, a tapped single coil is the correct answer to the question that a splittable humbucker can never answer properly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yxcz7vHCJI The original neck pick-up on these Concords were always surprisingly soulful and powerful - this P-90 style replacement takes that sound and solidifies it, fills in the gaps, and delivers something I have not heard anywhere else. Good, that's the whole point. The bridge pickup in low gear begs for a loud crunch setting on the amp and is like throwing glass bottles at a wall. Bang the tone pot to change into high gear, and it's like throwing a crate of glass bottles at a wall. All in a good way, of course. All you can do is play it to see what this delivers - there really is very little else out there to compare it to. I can do something similar or identical to your Westone / Vantage / Matsumoku guitar. Or I can find a suitable donor instrument for you. This one can be for sale - any excuse to build another one!!! Details The Look This guitar retains the orignal finish complete with 40 years of parking knocks. The same shape scratchplate is used, but now features a yellow stripe and is cut to suit the Creamery pick-ups. The output jack is now at the bottom edge. That yellow headstock completes the new look. Headstock The tuners are upgraded to Gotoh SGS510 in black - the highest quality locking tuners suiting the look and feel of the guitar, and allowing fast string changes. Neck This is the original neck with the original skinny frets - just tidied up. Pick-ups A Creamery Tele-P90 for the neck position and a Creamery Tapped Tele for the bridge. Bridge A Gotoh FX6 in black gives this guitar stability, great intonation and more sustain than the original. Controls 3 way toggle with master volume and tone pots - a push push on the tone changes gear on the bridge pick-up. This thickens up the middle position as well as the obvious changes at the bridge position. Gallery ← Previous Next→

Rickenbacker 1997 Rose Morris 1967, < Back Rickenbacker 1997 Rose Morris 1967 GA194 Another fantastic vintage guitar that we can trace back to the day it left Shaftesbury Avenue for the first time. Not all f-hole Rickenbackers are Rose Morris guitars, but this one is. This is the 1997 model - twin pick-up no vibrato version of the 335S. GA194 has had a busy life, but used less and less in the last 20 years. A recent recommissioning returned a Trapeze to the bridge where a Gibson tailpiece had replaced the original in the 1970s. 2 new OEM knobs and a saddle cover replaced broken and missing originals, but the remaining parts and components are original and in fine health. This is neither an unused case-queen, nor an over-restored museum piece - it is an honest old Rickenbacker that still gets occasional serious use, and never fails to deliver the look, the sound and the delight of playing the right guitar for the right song. Have a listen to the video - that's GA194 through a clean Marshall with some reverb from the GT-Pro. The previous owner assures us that despite not being silver, the case is the case it left the shop for the first time in. Contact us via the website if you want to see it over a videocall to check the condition and how it performs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoqxaWjuj6w Price Availability £6,395 Sold Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1967 Pick-ups Toaster Selector 3 way Bridge Trapeze Board Rosewood 3.15 kg; 6lbs 15 oz Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

Jackson JS11 & Marshall G15R Starter Pack, The ideal starter package < Back Jackson JS11 & Marshall G15R Starter Pack CWJ2055609 The first guitar is so important if progress is to be made, interest is to be retained and of equal importance, confidence is to be built. It makes sense that minimal investment seems sensible at the outset, but there is a point at which bargain prices start to erode the chances of the previously mentioned aspects succeeding. Generic shopping platforms are full of guitars for the price of a pub meal, but these are false economies. These guitars are generally speaking, toys, and not proper instruments. They will not have seen a technician’s bench and will be uncomfortable to play, impossible to keep in tune, and they suck the enthusiasm out of a beginner. They arrive with transport strings which serve only to cause pain rather than toughen the fingertips. These guitars require two thirds of their purchase price to be made playable for a beginner – a set of proper strings, neck relief made good, high frets banged in, intonation corrected so that scales are in fact scales, and not some micro-tonal experimental Middle Eastern folk music. Starter packages often include a baby amplifier too. Some of them even work properly – not many though. Here is a solution: a great looking full-scale Jackson JS11, a Marshall 15W amplifier, a decent stand and a decent cable. The Jackson guitar is classified as an entry-level model, but once they have had an hour on a luthier bench, they are actually perfectly adequate guitars – better to play than many 3 or 4 times their price. The pick-ups are decent, the neck very slick and comfy for beginners. This one has had our attention – great for younger beginners. The Marshall amp is quiet enough not to annoy, but plenty loud enough to either be yelled at to turn it down, or more importantly, enough for the first band practice. From Angus Young, through Led Zepp and up to Van Halen, mini-versions of these sounds can be enjoyed with this amp. With the pick-up selector in the middle position, the amp gain turned down, a very pleasant clean sound can be the default for scale practice. This is a proper compromise between paying the least amount of money for a terrible guitar that will feel like a punishment rather than a reward; and making incremental upgrades as talent emerges – that is expensive. I am aiming this squarely at our local market here in East Anglia, as it makes no financial sense to pack and post amplifiers. Collection only therefore, and most importantly the chance to sit down and try it for a while to be sure. A decent quaity cable and a proper stand also included. Price Availability £275 1 at Ketteringham Hall Recommendation Don't pay more, don't pay less. Sweetspot attained Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2020 Pick-ups Jackson High Output Selector 3 Way Bridge 2 Point Tremolo Board Amaranth 3.16kg; 6lbs 15oz Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

Make looking right sound right! < Back Gretsch G2622T Free Consultation Book Now Pick-up Upgrade An expensive Gretsch is a wonderful thing - an old White Falcon, a 6120-55 Chet Atkins and a custom-built Stephen Stern Penguin have impressed and challenged us in equal measure. Gretsches are also readily available with much lower price tags - they look right, but come with a specification that may underwhelm - especially the pick-ups. (Upgrade completed.) (Upgrade completed.) Maintaining and upgrading these lower order Gretsches is a proper nightmare - changing the pots and output jack makes the bench look like an operating theatre. But I am a sucker for these jobs and here are a couple that we have done recently: First up is a G2655T that has gracefully lost its Bigsby. It contained a pair of very mid-heavy Fidelisonic P-90s that despite having staples on the pick-up cover, are in fact ordinary round pole single coils underneath. Micro-budget mini-pots that fit through the f-holes are what Gretsch fit to meet the price. So, clear the room, fire up the coffee machine, Crosby Stills and Nash on the iPod Touch, and after more hours than I would admit to (or charge for!), this guitar now has a pair of TV Jones Magnatrons, each splitable with CTS push-pulls, and the master controls replaced with full size premium grade CTS pots. These Magnatrons are low output genuine humbuckers with plenty of "honk" and "twang" - the glassy jangly tones available when set to single coil. A titanium saddle piece and a set of remarkable DrBlues 011-050 completes this amazing upgrade. Secondly, enter a gorgeous blue G2622T with Broadtron humbuckers. When you have to check your volume controls are up on a Gretsch, you know there is a problem. Once again, TV Jones to the rescue; and a Powertron at the neck with a coil split function; and a Classic Plus at the bridge with a ‘coils in parallel’ option on the volume push-pull. The Powertron is the right pick-up for those heavier blues solos, and pulling up the volume pot (proper metal knobs now rather than those plastic slippery ones) gets you that sparkly DeArmond type of sound that you expect from a high end Gretsch at the neck. Flick the selector down to the bridge pick-up and the power and grit of the Classic Plus drives a valve amp beautifully, and without buzz. Pull up the volume control and the parallel setting nails that classic Gretsch clean bridge jangle. With the myriad of tones available in the middle setting, the versatility of this guitar is sensational. Neither of these projects were cheap, but both guitars would have cost 3 or 4 times more to buy new in this specification. What a smart way of getting a top-end Gretsch. I am not pretending to be Stephen Stern here, but without the lottery win, I’ll have to suffice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG3s3a_kxh8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=116gzZ1DtDI Gretsches are used for all sorts of different music styles, and after a chat with me, we can select the most appropriate pick-ups from the TV Jones range (or alternatives if necessary) to get you exactly where you want to be with it. Gallery ← Previous Next→

Aria Pro II ST-600D, DiMarzio equipped mid-range heaven < Back Aria Pro II ST-600D D800066 By 1980, these traditional Strats had stopped featuring in the catalogues as the Project Series' had really started to take off. They reappeared in the 1981 "LS and Others" brochures. We have found a few traditional models on 80 plates and this Strikin' Sound 600D is a great example. The D denotes DiMarzio pick-ups - this 600 featuring a set of fully functional FS-1 (Fat Strat). With an Inductance of 6.7 Henries and 13.4KOhms, these pick-ups have characteristics very different to the SP-II of the more junior ST ranges. Not to be confused with the ST-600 from the late seventies with their single volume single tone configuration and SP-1B pick-ups, this single owner guitar (prior to us) guitar has had a gentle life - just a little wear to the fret board and a few knocks to the body. This guitar is in the queue for a very special and completely reversible upgrade project, but is such a great player that it will reside in the studio to be enjoyed for the time being. Price Availability £850 Sold Recommendation Perfect donor for DreamBuild or sensitive upgrade Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1980 Pick-ups DiMarzio FS-1 Selector 3-way Bridge Vintage tremolo Board Maple 3.88kg; 8lbs 9oz Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

Greco TVB, Medium scale Fujigen built quality < Back Greco TVB B003716 From the heady days of the late 80s and early 90s, when the brand catalogues were over 100 pages long, there was so much to choose from. The vintage traditional models were still very popular, but there was strong calling for modernization - a new chapter in guitar and bass design was started. With pointy headstocks, outrageous hairstyles, carpets of effects pedals, and a sense of power being very important, this TVB was part of that movement. The general aesthetic is not a victim of fashion though - like the better known Yamaha RBX range, these guitars have stood the test of time well. 2 fine sounding humbuckers provide a very wide range of tones with the blending and simple tone controls - most styles are on call here. Don't confuse these pick-ups with the Select by EMG items - these are vastly better and hotter. We could give Coney Island a call to make us some passive Neodymium EMG crushers, but probably give these a go first - they are surprisingly good. We have replaced the original bridge with a new High Mass Gotoh unit - these are simple drop in replacements but they transform the character of the bass and add a depth to the sound as well as enhance the sustain. A modern looking medium scale bass, in great playing condition, and a requirement of its next owner to forgive a couple of dings on the back edges. No-one sees them from the front, and they are reminders that the bass is over 30 years old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OviJMVTNqNs It tips the scales at 3.68kg (8lbs 1oz) so no boat anchor - comfortable and balanced. It's ready for duty - begging to be gigged. Price Availability £675 Sold Recommendation Gig monster Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1990 Pick-ups Maxon Humbucker Selector Jazz Configuration Bridge Gotoh 201B-4 Board Rosewood 3.68kg; 8lbs 1oz Modifications Upgraded Bridge (brand new) Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

A very rare Rose Morris Rickenbacker recommissioned with the correct bridge < Back Rickenbacker 1997 Free Consultation Book Now General restoration to original specification Let’s pretend Pete Townshend didn’t smash so many of these into Marshalls for a moment and savour one he never got his hands upon! A 21-fret Rickie with an f-hole means only one thing – it’s a Rose Morris import – this isn’t a re-issue, it’s a best guess 1965. It’s a 1 o’clock model – only eight 2 o’clock models are known to exist. It has obviously had a decent and busy life in its early years – the owner put a fair few miles on the clock back then, but as with many beautiful old guitars like this, they get put in a case, left alone while life takes over, and then re-surfaces 40 years later looking just as good but not playing so well. This sensitive restoration involved replacing a Gibson tail-piece with a period-correct Trapeze style item, careful repair of a bent machine-head (don’t believe what you read on the forums, this can be done) to keep it as original as possible, replacement of chipped and broken knobs, an electrical service, a careful fret dress, a sensitive clean, new saddle cover and general recommissioning which thankfully requires a lot of testing, playing and having fun with. The goal with this one was to keep its fabulous patina, but make it play as smoothly and comfortably as it once did; the expression on the face of the owner as he was re-united with it spelled success. Always beautiful in looks and sounds, always a challenge, and the types of challenge we relish. Gallery ← Previous Next→

Palir Titan Day of the Dead 2016, < Back Palir Titan Day of the Dead 2016 417164 A very rare opportunity to get hold of a Palir without a trip to Alabama, or Louisiana. Palir may not be a household name but they are extremely well regarded amongst household name players. It is not just about the looks with these, they play and sound incredible. This is one of a very few Day of the Dead Titans - a 2016 build. The guitar is as new - it formed part of an extensive collection, and other than an occasional light strum during maintenance routines, has never actually been played. Acoustically, there is the bright resonance that Swamp Ash usually provides, and the medium roasted maple neck is a C profile with a 7.25" radius maple fretboard and 21 6230 frets (Medium). This Titan features Porter 9T pick-ups, accompanied by an Emerson control panel with standard 3 way switching. These Porters give P-90 tones but can be dialled back to capture traditional Tele tones thanks to the Emerson trickery. The guitar is supplied with its original G&G case and Certificate of Authenticity. Body: Swamp Ash Neck: Medium Roast Maple Bridge: 3 barrel Tele Bridge Pick-ups: Porter 9T set Controls: 3 way Emerson Controls Fretboard: Maple Radius: 7.25" Frets: 21 medium Joint: 4 bolt Nut Width: 1 5/8 inch (41.3mm) Scale: 25 1/2" Machineheads: Gotoh SD91 Weight: 3.41kg (7lbs 8oz) Price Availability £1,850 Sold Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2016 Pick-ups Porter 9T set Selector 3 way Emerson Controls Bridge 3 barrel Tele Bridge Board Maple 3.41kg; 7lbs 8oz Modifications None Weight ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 03:33 Play Video Play Video 06:07 Play Video Play Video 07:01 Play Video Play Video 02:33 Play Video Play Video 03:30 Play Video Play Video 07:44 Play Video Play Video 02:41 Play Video Play Video 03:08

This is what it should have been < Back Matsumoku JPJ-9 Price £945 | SOLD Add to Cart Chat with Us Missed out on this model? Talk to us for a rebuild! The idea here is to take the opportunity to unlock a huge tonal variety and give you traditional tones, powerful tones and some tones of your own. No batteries required, no complex pre-amps, just making the most of a lot of very good pick-ups. Nice and light (3.9kg; 8lb 10oz), balanced and plenty of fret left, the action is highly adjustable from super slick theatrics to rattle free slap - I have it in the middle so plenty of both can be achieved. The rod has plenty of adjustment and is now fairly flat, but releasing it half a turn will get a decent bow without rattling the top frets. Lots of useable flexibility from this bass - not just a palette of every tone possible, just a selection of really good ones and a lot more intuitive than rows of mini-switches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAtRMd72ptI Tucked away on pages 20 and 21 of the 1986 Aria Pro-II catalogue was a new range - the Diamond Series. 2 guitars and 2 basses with specifications that seem like they were the spiritual successor to the Westones that had ceased production, but were still in demand. The JPJ-3 was the proper wild one - using the same pick-ups as the older Concord II and Thunder basses - amusingly but accurately titled Hard Puncher, this one punched and kept kicking. 3 pick-up basses are rare - a few boutique builders offer them with Strat control philosophy and a few folk have customised their favourite basses to try and just need one bass for a gig, and ended up with a scratchplate full of switches and a good memory to remember how to get sounds on the fly. The JPJ-3 had one major flaw in my opinion. The controls are similar to Gretsches where you have a choice of methods of how to reduce the volume. Even back then, a 3 way blade and a couple of push pulls would have unlocked the potential, but all you had was a blend, 2 volumes and a tone. This JPJ-3 keeps the original magnificent pick-ups and features a Freeway switch that has 2 banks of 3; and a further option for 3 more tones. The toggle has a left and right movement too. Point it towards the headstock and the upper position gives you the traditional Precision pickup. In the middle we have an alternative Precision tone where the two outer-most pick-ups deliver a slightly wider more open tone - still punchy, but more mellow. In the lower position we have the bridge pick-up like a Jazz bass. Move the toggle towards the bridge and in the upper position we have both precision pick-ups in series - shoulder barging a Music Man or similar big pole humbucker out of the way. The sound is as huge as you'd expect. In the middle we have both Precision pick-ups in parallel which offers a calmer very mellow open tone. In the lower position we have the alternative Precision pick-up and the bridge pick-up in series to provide a huge growl. There's more: if you pull up the volume control, the phase of the alternative Precision pick-up is reversed and the series options suddenly take you into new territory. Unless you are rocking a mega-bucks Alembic, Phase reversal on basses gives a very empty 'clacky' sound that can easily get lost in the mix. Not so here, Stevie Wonder's Superstition no longer needs a keys player. There is more variety to chase with the tone controls as they alter the phase relationship without affecting the volume. Details The Look 1980s and 90s pointy headstock nirvana - Headstock Gotoh GB-7 tuners Neck Slim fast and comfortable with big chunky frets Pick-ups 2 Super Boomers (HF-600B) with 1 Hard Puncher (SA-800B). Bridge Original Gotoh Controls 6 way Toggle for 6 great tones with a phase reversal on the Volume knob. Precision Pick-up Tone and Jazz pick-up Tone Gallery ← Previous Next→