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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 10:22:45 GMT -7
I've been a fan of Chris Swope's guitars for a while. Ronnie Wood plays one as does Kenny Vaughn. Chris is a former Sadowsky guy (really the best luthier in NYC for a long time) and he moved back to Kansas City a few years ago. I've played a few of his guitars and he's played some of my favorites too like my big Stonetree and my chambered Les Pauls. A while back he announced a new model he was doing called the Biscayne. Chambered swamp ash with masonite top and back, faux binding, stripped down production with lighter finish on the neck, wood burned logo, a few other things to make it both more basic but leave room for some customizing. I've posted about that Duesenberg LesTrem before. I thought it was a terrific unit. Light weight, perfect Bigsby type travel. Easier string loading but it let me down on the Les Pauls as it was too bulky for me that close to the bridge. I figured this might work with Chris's Biscayne. We did discuss how far from the bridge it should go and ultimately went way back sort of like Malcomb's Gretsch. Chris sunk the tremolo into the body to get the good string break angle over the bridge. I purposely didn't spec too many of the details as I wanted it to be the builder's guitar. Went with his own Tele and Strat pickups. The only thing I did was send him the tremolo, my strings and a .001 cap for the volume control. What I got was a fantastic, very lively guitar with three great sounds and the tremolo never worked better. The whole thing weighs in at 7 pounds 3 ounces. I'm pretty excited about it.
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Post by digs57 on Jan 28, 2019 13:04:04 GMT -7
that's bad arse eric...have you thought about stainless for saddles (wear n tear?)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 15:15:47 GMT -7
that's bad arse eric...have you thought about stainless for saddles (wear n tear?) Thank you! I'll see how they wear. I'm really trying to live with new guitars before swapping out parts.
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Post by Christopher on Jan 28, 2019 15:50:49 GMT -7
How'd it do on that session? Looks stellar, sir. I'd love to hear it with the twang and the fab tremolo. Congratulations on a unique instrument.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 17:09:30 GMT -7
How'd it do on that session? Looks stellar, sir. I'd love to hear it with the twang and the fab tremolo. Congratulations on a unique instrument. Worked out great. I used it all day on Saturday except for one song that demanded a 12 string. All 3 pickup positions sound really great. Very lively.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jan 28, 2019 19:25:39 GMT -7
That is SWEET, Roscoe...how's it for bending, I bet it's slinky with the low string angle.
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Post by Russell B on Jan 28, 2019 19:30:02 GMT -7
Very nice!
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Jan 28, 2019 20:18:16 GMT -7
Wow that is really slick. It appears traditional in its sonic/ electronic layout, but unique in appearance and tremolo. Congrats on a fun axe.
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Post by dcarver on Jan 28, 2019 21:56:34 GMT -7
Just finished reading his web site. Thanks for the link.
That's a beautiful and unique guitar Eric. Love to hear what it sounds like. (through a Maz 8 :-)
One question: In the bottom picture, it looks like the side is covered with leather. Is that a finish treatment, or is it actually leather ?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2019 5:28:53 GMT -7
Man, that's a nice one Eric! Congratulations!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2019 7:37:27 GMT -7
Just finished reading his web site. Thanks for the link. That's a beautiful and unique guitar Eric. Love to hear what it sounds like. (through a Maz 8 :-) One question: In the bottom picture, it looks like the side is covered with leather. Is that a finish treatment, or is it actually leather ? Thanks much. I believe it's Naugahyde, like on a Dano or Jerry Jones. Goes with the Masonite.
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Post by Maddog on Jan 29, 2019 8:34:58 GMT -7
Very, very cool, Eric. I LOVE everything about this one! You refer to it being "Stripped-Down" and the name Biscayne is perfect as any 60's car guy will remember, if you couldn't afford a Chevy Impala, you bought a stripped down version; the Chevy Biscayne. I love the Danelectro, Sears, Monkey Wards guitars anyway, and this one is all that and more....Dig the Duesy LesTrem as well! Enjoy that honey!!!
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Post by nicholas on Jan 29, 2019 9:26:45 GMT -7
That's real cool. Lots to like about it. Never heard of the builder nor have I seen any of his work before. The headstock shape stands out to me as particularly nice. Sometimes that can ruin an otherwise beautiful guitar. Not the case here
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Post by Jefferson on Jan 29, 2019 11:04:17 GMT -7
cool guitar Eric! question, why not just go with a strat style trem or even a bigsby on that thing? what was your thinking on this? just curious, maybe I missed something somewhere else...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2019 13:11:07 GMT -7
cool guitar Eric! question, why not just go with a strat style trem or even a bigsby on that thing? what was your thinking on this? just curious, maybe I missed something somewhere else... I can’t use a Strat type Tremolo. When I do a double stop that bends one string the other always goes flat. I like Bigsby’s a lot. I bought this trem because it’s similar and much lighter. It also gives much more options for arm placement. I had the Tremolo and wanted to incorporate it into a custom build.
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Post by purpletele on Jan 29, 2019 13:16:00 GMT -7
Very cool. I am going to get to meet Doug Kauer of Kauer Guitars on Saturday. He is hosting The Gear Page California Get Together. I have been checking out his guitars and they look very cool as well. Kauer Guitars
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Post by helmi on Jan 29, 2019 15:55:44 GMT -7
I imagine with the swamp ash it's quite "lively"?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2019 17:11:03 GMT -7
I imagine with the swamp ash it's quite "lively"? Indeed Between that, the chambering, the Masonite and all the string length behind the bridge, yes!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2019 7:51:17 GMT -7
Here's a CAD drawing that Chris sent me when we were working on the guitar. Options for locating the LesTrem. I went for option #3 on the right.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2019 11:54:39 GMT -7
Ok, you guys know I hate clips but I made a short iPhone video cycling through the 3 pickup positions and using the bar a little bit. This was at my home so I used my smallest Supro and tried to play similar licks in each position.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2019 13:32:22 GMT -7
Worked out great on the gig!
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Post by Maddog on Feb 6, 2019 16:18:11 GMT -7
^^^^ THAT is a GREAT pic! Love it!!!
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Post by Maddog on Feb 6, 2019 16:20:04 GMT -7
That's also a badazz looking tele the young lady's playing..... Care to elaborate on it, Eric???
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2019 17:32:38 GMT -7
That's also a badazz looking tele the young lady's playing..... Care to elaborate on it, Eric??? I lent Sarah Borges my Stonetree Roscoe Special after she snapped the headstock off of her Guild on the Outlaw Cruise last year. It's got Fralin's in it and a super lightweight Korina body.
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Post by The Bad Poodle Experience on Feb 6, 2019 17:55:07 GMT -7
really like that smooth play in the deusenberg vibrato... very cool.
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Post by Maddog on Feb 6, 2019 19:17:55 GMT -7
DOH.... didn't recognize Sarah..... Super cool axe anyway!!!
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Post by John on Feb 7, 2019 5:07:54 GMT -7
I lent Sarah Borges my Stonetree Roscoe Special after she snapped the headstock off of her Guild on the Outlaw Cruise last year.
That wouldn't have been my 'loaner of choice'!
Oh...you just snapped your headstock off? Uh...here's my $200 Indonesian strat...try that.
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