January 19th, 2012
Hi Everybody,
The latest batch is up in our gallery.
This batch introduces the new Legend Special Contour, with a hollow back, arm cut, and tummy tuck. This guitar was designed for a customer who needed the lighter weight and ergonomics of a contoured instrument. I just love it.
Chuck threw in 4 extra guitars this batch, so we’ve got them for sale. There are two Legends, a Legend Special, and one of the new Legend Special Contour guitars.
Rich
January 22nd, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Handsome batch of guitars Chuck & Rich!
Thanks for the Pelham Blue Special. It’s great & love the feel of the finish & the smaller size frets. Well done!
January 26th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
I got #294 Legend Special from this batch. This has been the hardest CpT of them all to put down. Right out of the box I realized that NOT ONE of the gallery images tells how stunning this guitar truly is. Then after some serious fondling, I realized that NONE the big to-do about the minibuckers created the expectation of such a wonderful tone nor such a wide palate of voices. You’d think I had come to expect such wonders from Chuck’s hands by now. Perhaps the greatest surprise of this model is the feel & fit of it in my hands and against my body. It’s like embracing an old friend. There simply is not a better feeling neck on the planet. And the light body feels right when standing, sitting, pacing, leaning, etc. The first time, it truly felt like I’d been “wearing” it for years. The lightness, balance, & ergonomics of this specimen of art are immediately noticeable and belie what a true tone monster it can be. Those buckers can bark with the big dogs but can also be tamed into one of the sweetest voices I’ve ever heard. The fingerboard is smooth, precise. The action is slightly lower than normal and just awesome.
Although the knobs provide hours of fun finding sweet spots hiding in an unbelievably wide sonic spectrum, it is the feeling of the fit that makes me smile. It’s like jumping into old jeans, a sweatshirt, & sneakers after wearing a suit & tie all day. How could a neck & fingerboard feel so right, so soon? And my picking hand just wants to live in that homeland between the buckers. Bends, stops, vibrato…. they seem to happen with less effort, less thought. What an fountain of inspiration. What a vessel of tone. What a source of one pleasant surprise after another. Country, jazz, blues, rock, …. it has to be one of the most versatile guitars ever made. And it doesn’t just do one or some better than others; it will get-er-done in a big way with either. You can thin it out or fatten it up to suit the most discerning ears. I’ve run it through a Carr Rambler, Fuchs ODS30, Dr Z Maz 18, Fender Deluxe Reverb, Chicago Blues Box 18, Fender Vibro King, & a Swart AST – it just excels with either.
My Legend Special #294 is the hardest guitar to stop playing I’ve ever seen in my life. It would be an understatement to call it a keeper. It would be an injustice to say that it is typical CpT workmanship. And it would be a huge mistake to think any of Chuck’s previous models might contain more genius or tone than a Legend Special. I am glad that this model has the word “Special” as part of its name, because it is VERY special.
I am comfortable holding up my Legend Special as an example of Chuck Thornton’s finest work. I am also very comfortable predicting that anyone who plays a CpT Legend Special will want one.
Jay Wright; Anderson, SC
January 27th, 2012 at 6:37 am
The Legend Special is my first CP Thornton guitar (I have the mini humbucker version).
It is a truly astounding instrument. This guitar has a very special voice, equipped with more bite and purity of voice than I would ever have believed possible from this configuration of wood and pickups, and possessing an open ‘breathy’ / ‘woody’ air to the notes that is an absolutely joy.
The best way I can sum it up is to say the guitar draws you in to play with it rather than to play on it.
Everything Chuck has done in making the instrument is sublime, but the result is more than a beautifully made guitar, it’s greater than any of the individual elements that have been designed, selected and crafted with such care.
I’ve played a lot of guitars, this is the best.
That I’m lucky enough to own it is a universe beyond fortunate.
Philip Graves, England
January 27th, 2012 at 8:26 am
I’m the proud owner of Legend Special #291, my first CP Thornton guitar. To echo the previous comments, this is an extraordinary instrument. The workmanship is second to none and the tone is outstanding. Chuck does a great job on the neck – very comfortable. The profile is thinner than some of my guitars, allowing me to move a tad faster (not that I’m all that fast), but has enough girth that I don’t have any hand fatigue even when playing repetitive barre chords. It just fits my hand right.
I took my LS to a gig three days after it arrived. I tuned up before we started and never had to touch a tuning peg again through 4 sets. Got to love that. I never put the LS down and left my former #1 in the case all night. I found the middle position to be very useful, and the bridge pickup had great clarity and a girth to the tone that worked very well with any of my OD pedals. Throaty, meaty overdrive with good clarity is tough to beat! I don’t use the neck pickup much, but I used it more than usual with the LS. None of the muddiness usually associated with full size neck humbuckers.
The pictures on Chuck’s website really don’t do this guitar justice. The finish has depth and warmth that doesn’t come through in a photograph. I was stunned when I opened the case. Simple beauty. Just can’t beat it.
As I said initially, this is my first Thornton, but it won’t be my last. Thanks for building such a great guitar, Chuck!
Brian
February 12th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Hi All
I am the proud new owner of . . . LS 292 . . . and what a magnificent guitar she is indeed!
There is nothing about this guitar that does not ooze . . . quality . . . the workmanship and craftsmanship is beyond reproach!
The LS nestles comfortably into one’s arms and is pure joy to play . . . the neck is smooth and fast . . . and the action is exacting all along the fret board.
The myriad of tones with subtle tweaks of the tone and volume knobs is amazing . . . it is all there.
The guitar is a lightweight . . . and an absolute pleasure to play . . . it doesn’t get much better than this!
Chuck has hit a home run with the LS . . . grab one if you can!!!
Bryan Griffith
Vancouver, BC