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Full rescue! < Back Aria Pro II LS600D VS Free Consultation Book Now Restoration Most folk only realise how great these guitars are after they have traded them in for Gibsons. Sure, the brand doesn't have the universal aspirational appeal of the Gibson, but the actual guitar itself punches well above its weight - back in the 1980s, these were actually obtainable; not a huge volume available, but at a price that could be saved up for. Functionally, this was the model with all the toys - massively powerful pick-ups that blow hot T-Tops into the weeds, 2 albums worth of tones, and that probably unnecessary booster, but always nce to have even more on tap. Silky smooth to play, a decent weight and materials that compare favourably with any high end contemporary Gibson - everyone that traded theirs in eventually regretted it. This one had undergone a very traumatic attempt to recommission - I think the technician probably came off worse than the guitar - these are complicated beasts. No reliable formal technical guides exist for them, and you either know how these go together or you don't. Luckily we do - it is what we exist for. With only the bridge pick-up making any noise, and the mini-toggles behaving like kill-switches, a valiant attempt had been made to re-install the original pick-ups. This really was a rip it up and start again full re-wire, and now we have the coil splits and the phase reversal doing their jobs, and that lovely creamy neck pick-up is back. The booster and Varitone are now configured correctly again, all the little details are right. This now feels like its a few years old - beautifully played in; but most importantly has all its functions again. They really don't make them like this any more. It's hard to believe, and easy to fall for all the super-slick marketing efforts of modern brands, but until you play one like this, you don't have the right benchmark. They were built to outlast us all, maybe provide a nervous breakdown for Gibson worshipping technicians, but look after them and they'll look after you. Gallery ← Previous Next→

Jimmy Page Conversion < Back Epiphone Les Paul Upgrade Free Consultation Book Now Full Electrics Upgrade Once understood, the complexity of this configuration is always forgiven as the enormous range and types of tone now available gives you ample reason to include a few timeless classics in the set-list because you can nail the exact sound. Knowing the riff is fair enough, but getting the sound as well will get you more appreciation. You are likely to fiddle around with the push pulls and declare "that's that sound!" more than once. This configuration can be achieved for any 4-conductor pick-ups, but I strongly advise you to opt for Tony Edwards' Jimmy Page humbucker set (in any look you wish, we just adore zebra) and then it is the best of all worlds - these medium output pick-ups are sublime, and if you are used to the mid-heavy raunch of mega-DCR pick-ups, just pull up the neck tone knob and bring in more DCR - tailor the sound precisely. If you need a Mustang skinny punk riff, it's there; if you need a bluesy neck Strat tone, a damn close version is there. This is not just for Jimmy Page covers. Peter Green is there, just about any Les Paul tone is there or close enough. Swiss army knife with magnifying glass and tweezers and toothpick. Only CTS pots are used - we can work with skinny bodied guitars - even SG's have been achieved. No silliness with mega-bucks BumbleBee caps unless you have the budget for it - there is not a lot of room in the cavity for all this wizardry - stick to Sozo, it will sound the same. Gallery ← Previous Next→

Never forget your first... < Back Framus Strato 6 10230 Free Consultation Book Now Recommissioning Unfairly ranked amongst the 1970s starter guitars such as Guyatone, Satellite and Teisco - the ones sold in department stores, the Framus models were a cut above. Like Kent, Avon and a few other cheap but good guitars from the era, they were eventually relegated to the attic when the Fender came along, or the adverts in the Guitarist magazine lured you into the world of Hohner Professional, or in this case, Washburn. Those that didn't get dumped at the charity shop eventually become victims of parents downscaling; attics cleared and reunions happen - usually, they just need mild recommissioning as Framus guitars were built to survive. Good quality electrics mean a forensic clean, a bit of joint reflowing and a gentle appointment with a can of Silvo will remove the tarnish. This Strato 6 simply needed a nut and bolt rebuild, a deep clean and some adjustments to join the collection of posh moderns on the wall - it joins them and stands proudly next to them. The pick-ups have such character, the mystery of the lower tone control solved and now it dials in and out the lower mid-range frequencies to suit. Take a listen to the video to see how these can and should live amongst the modern stuff. Since these photos were taken, the one and only weak-spot of these models has been addressed - the tuners are now replaced with Gotoh SG-381 - the only quality (affordable) products that fit the headstock design. Gallery ← Previous Next→

A small Alembic for large double bass duty!! < Back Alembic Essence Bass Free Consultation Book Now Recommissioning Alembics need little introduction - they are phenomenal instruments and this early 90s Essence is a small body light weight active model with the expected build quality and quality feel. All this needed was a good recommissioning as it had been in storage for a while. A few hours on the bench took out a slight bow on the neck - the dual rods in these make that nice and easy. A really good clean and levelling of 2 frets get this neck as good as it is supposed to be, and a thorough clean of the electrics removed the scratchiness of the pots. The pre-amp and pick-ups were perfect. The brass hardware now shines again and a set of nylon wrap flats now have this Alembic looking to get that double bass vibe - a small adjustment to the saddles for these strings required, but now it is wonderful. A professional grade bass with an interesting set-up for a talented professional. Gallery ← Previous Next→

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! 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→

Greco EG-480B K75, Affordable vintage soul < Back Greco EG-480B K75 K751013 A timeless alternative to a new Epiphone - there is a lot of sense in affordable vintage guitars over brand new ones; and yes, this is bolt on neck and therefore may present a challenge to a purist. If this isn't a complete turn-off, this guitar is a wonderful example of how well Fujigen were producing guitars in the mid-1970s. This one has a couple of parking knocks and dings to remind you it is 50 years old but nothing to detract. The 480 was the top of the range for the bolt-on models, and has superior hardware to the lower order 360s and 420s. The tuners are the evolution of the well regarded and reliable "star-tuners" - these have an action and feel missing from all but the most expensive tuners today. Once these guitars started receiving serial numbers, the star had been replaced with the Greco logo; but they are identical construction. The body is a chambered sycamore topped pancake mahogany construction, the weight is precisely 4.00kg (8lbs 13oz); and the acoustic resonance is very pleasing even before you plug it in. The maple neck is capped with an ebony fretboard - the scale is faithful and the neck has a substantial 50s-style C-shaped profile carve, measuring .890” deep at the 1st fret and .975” at the 12th. It has the feel of a far more prestigious brand. The Maxon pick-ups are never a disappointment, and have a soul, a warmth and can be as smooth or growly as you wish with the controls. By 1976, these pick-ups had a new name – U-1000. This is the type of guitar you can lose hours and hours with, and it defies its price tag, and hopes you'll give it a chance despite the presence of a neck plate. This November 1975 is one of the first EG-480s to receive a serial number. A 1975 Gibson will set you back many thousands of pounds or dollars - this one will be a tiny fraction of that and is a very viable alternative to a brand-new Epiphone. 50 year old guitars built by the big manufacturers in Japan are a bit of well-kept secret - nothing new of a comparable price will play like these, and while the top end Super Real and Mint Series Grecos now approach the astronomical price levels that rival the Gibsons themselves, make the most of this well-kept secret while it lasts and bring an EG480B into your life before the market pulls these prices up too. If you prefer the company of an older guitar rather than an underwhelming modern, give this one some serious thought. They are getting rarer in this condition - this one is ready for another 50 years Price £795 Availability 1 at Ketteringham Hall Recommendation Enjoy as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1975 Pick-ups Maxon U-1000 Selector 3-Way Bridge ToM Board Ebony Weight 4.00kg; 8lbs 13oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:37 Play Video Play Video 03:15 Play Video Play Video 05:58 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 02:27 Play Video Play Video 06:20 Play Video Play Video 02:28 Play Video Play Video 04:13

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K-Line Truxton-SP, British Racing Telecaster! < Back K-Line Truxton-SP 170056 Yet another glorious Telecaster to tempt you with - K-Line is perhaps not the household name that Fender is, but like many of the 'boutique guitars' we have had here, this one feels like a traditional tele, well, a Cabronita style Tele, but has refinements and design details that are justified improvements. The Truxton range can be customized to your heart's content - Chris Kroenlein will always make sure departures from the standard specification work perfectly. Ordered by the previous owner to his ideal specification, this is a British Racing Green finish, and the darker hue similar to the Williams Grover Bugatti, rather than the D-types and Blower Bentleys. The light catches it and gives it an almost Kingfisher emerald sparkle. The Alder body has the upper body Strat-like contouring and belly cut which makes this such a comfortable guitar to play sitting or standing. The 21 fret Rosewood fretboard has a 10" radius with Dunlop 6125 frets (medium jumbo) on a maple neck and the familiar K-Line take on the Tele headstock shape. The nut is 1.65" and the neck profile is a Medium C. For sounds, a traditional 3-way selector provides the normal Tele configuration for the Lollar pick-ups. The neck has a Goldfoil unit with a 6.09kOhm DCR and a P-90 Soapbar with a 9.06kOhm DCR. They have a great deal of character individually and mix together perfectly. A slight departure from a traditional Telecaster, but that's the point - the goldfoil has a bright airy sound with plenty of presence, and the P-90 has a warmth and definition. It is a very expressive guitar. The Hipshot bridge provides a lot of sustain and a solid feel to the guitar. This will withstand heavy strumming with the saddles staying put against the side wall of the base unit. Standard master volume and tone govern the output in traditional Tele style. This Truxton-SP tips the scales at a nicely lightweight 3.29kg (7lbs 4oz) and is accompanied by the Certificate of Authenticity and specification label in its original G&G case. Available to try here at Ketteringham Hall, this is a very rare guitar in a possibly unique specification. It is virtually unused - in flawless condition. A new custom order equivalent build from Chris is likely to require a budget well in excess of £3,000 before the taxman has a look, so this is a great way of adding a K-Line to the collection without the wait and with a big saving too. Price ON SALE! Click Buy button to reveal latest price. Availability 1 at Ketteringham Hall Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2017 Pick-ups Lollar Selector 3-Way Bridge Hipshot Board Rosewood Weight 3.29kg (7lbs 4oz) Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:37 Play Video Play Video 03:15 Play Video Play Video 05:58 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 02:27 Play Video Play Video 06:20 Play Video Play Video 02:28 Play Video Play Video 04:13

This is what it should have been < Back Matsumoku JPJ-9 Price £945 | Just 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. 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→

1977 Aria ST-500N, 70's nirvana < Back 1977 Aria ST-500N E771352 Pure 1970's on offer here - the big headstock, a well-shouldered substantial C-shaped neck, natural finish and some growly single coils (5.4-5.5k). When the Greco range was transferred to Fujigen and became more and more faithful to US Fenders, Matsumoku continued to produce these guitars with their chosen characteristics - mostly retaining the chunkier neck profiles. Curiously, only the entry level 400 model featured a 5 way switch - all other 500 and 600 models retained 3 way simplicity. We have given this ST-500 the 5-way switch it so deserves so now you have the in-between tones - save the dexterity for the fretboard. While we were there, we allowed the lower tone control to govern the bridge pick-up too for some great rhythm tones. The condition of this guitar is outstanding - usually these late 70s guitars show a fair bit of wear and tear - not so this one. Ok, the sticker that graced the guitar behind the tremolo has left a tan-line, but that is the only real sign of it being 48 years old. Obviously cherished throughout its life, this is a recent arrival from Japan, and there really isn't too much more to say beyond it being a comfortable dependable fashion-proof instrument that is perfectly fine for home or gig duties. It tips the scales at 3.46kg (7lbs 10oz) so nice and light for an Ash/Maple combo. As most of the Stagecaster and Strikin' Sound guitars were small headstock guitars, this is a rare chance to get one with a large headstock. It's good to go as it is, but could serve as the basis for a nice upgrade project. Price ON SALE! Click Buy button to reveal latest price. Availability Sold Recommendation Great intro to vintage guitars Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups Maxon SP-II Selector 5-way Bridge Vintage Tremolo Board Maple Weight 3.46kg (7lbs 10oz) Modifications 5-way switch ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:37 Play Video Play Video 03:15 Play Video Play Video 05:58 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 02:27 Play Video Play Video 06:20 Play Video Play Video 02:28 Play Video Play Video 04:13