Customer Testimonials

 

Chuck, I just realised that I had not updated you (i thought I had).

 

Chuck,
I received the Professional yesterday and really must applaud you on your efforts. The guitar is simply beautiful and the fit and finish is second to none. What really sold me though was sitting down last night and plugging it in. I can’t remember the last time I just sat and played for  hours without any purpose or reason other than just for the fun of it. It plays so effortlessly and the tone is flawless. I guess the highest compliment I could give you is that the guitar inspired me, for the first time in a long time.
I’ll be using it for some light recording and a show next weekend and I must say, I can’t wait to see what comes out of it next. I’m sold, I’ll be back for more.
Thank you, Sean

Now that I’ve spent a few hours with my Jazz Elite, I can tell  you that I think it’s absolutely great.  The tone is lush and gorgeous. And – here’s something I REALLY love – in any pickup position and any tone control setting, the sound is very similar to all the other sounds.  It’s one big tonal family.  This is just the opposite of lots of electric guitars with multiple pickups.  On my ********, for example, when I switch to the bridge pickup, it’s like I’ve switched to a completely different guitar that clashes with the same guitar with the neck pickup on.  I hate that.  With the Jazz Elite, I can randomly switch pickups and tonal settings (and where on the strings I’m plucking), and I get sounds that are totally compatible with each other.  It’s not like the bridge is “tele-like”, but not really.  And the neck is not archtop-like, but not really. They are all Jazz Elite, pure and simple, with various moods and colors to choose from.  My theory about how that happens is that the basic character of the tone is supplied by the body of the guitar, not the electronics. The fine, transparent electronics merely let different parts of the vibrating string/body complex come to the forefront. It’s just great.

Oh, and just to top it off, it looks beautiful, and it’s  comfortable to play.  I’m extremely happy with it.

Not coincidentally, I brought 3 of my solid body electrics to ****** yesterday.  He’s going to do a setup on them and tell me what they’re worth.  I don’t think I need them any more, but I might keep them to give to my nieces when they get a little older. They all have an interest in the guitar.  One of them – Alex – is in high school and has started taking lessons.  If she sticks with it, I’ll probably give her one.

I have one favor to ask of you.  While it’s all fresh in your mind, can you write down all the information about the electronic components you used?  You told me on the phone, but it’s all Greek to me.  If I decide to keep some of the solid body guitars, I’ll have ******* replace all those components with what you used.  I was amazed, by the way,  at how great the tone and volume controls work on the Jazz Elite.  You were absolutely right – every setting is beautiful.  This is unlike any of my other electrics.

So that’s it.   I absolutely love it.  Thanks so much for putting  in all that extra work into the electronics.  It was worth it.  You should probably just make  that level of quality standard for all your instruments.  They’re worth it.

I’ll be in touch as I things of more things to say.  I wish you  all the best with your enterprise.  You deserve it.

Thanks again,
-Don C

Yes it came Thursday. It’s very beautiful & sounds great acoustically. The set up, frets & fingerboard work are by far the best I’ve ever seen. I need to spend more time with it,  & I’ve been going non stop for the past week or so. I’ll do so in the up coming week. Last night I took it over my friend house (Holger Obenaus / Gourmet – Guitars) & was playing it though my Mojave loud I wish I had more time to dial in the sound better, with that amp. Too many people standing around. This morning I was playing it into my 1957 GA-20 Gibson Les Paul amp & was getting some crunchy tones. That kind of stuff takes a little time for me.

Great work Chuck.

I’m proud to be able to own it, and happy you were able to make it.

I’ll keep you posted

Thanks so much Chuck

Kind regards, Dan G.

Chuck, I haven’t had nearly as much time as I’d like to spend with it (kind of a crazy time of year) but I am head over heels in love with the guitar! I was telling George (cc’d here) that every time I open the case I catch my breath, and although the color of the guitar with the western maple top ended up different than what I was expecting I must admit that I now like it more than the eastern bursts. Doesn’t hurt that my wife really likes it too!

I was a bit embarrassed describing my amp collection to George-until he told me what he has! So far, I have tried the Blues Queen in my Dr Z Carmen Ghia (18 watt-EL84′s), my blackface Deluxe Reverb, blackface Pro Reverb and a brown Super. They all sounded good however the Deluxe and the Pro are absolutely stellar.  The 12 inch speakers seem to be the perfect match. Every time I plug in I forget that it isn’t a solid body and I’m surprised at the hollow body tone. Never having owned a P90 guitar I am reall impressed with the warmth and clarity in the neck position. I’ve always loved that out-of phase tone in the middle position of a Tele and the Blues Queen seems to have that in spades. And of course the bridge pickup snarl when things are cranked up is very inspiring!  The clarity and individual string definition when playing chords is incredible.

Like a lot of players I’ve spent quite a bit of time assembling a pedal board to help shape my tone. The problem is that now all I want is the Blues Queen plugged straight into a cranked up amp! I still have yet to try my Super Reverb and a couple of old Princetons (brown and tweed).

I’m hoping that over the holidays I’ll be able to spend some serious time with it but it didn’t take long to confirm what George has been telling me for a couple of years now-CP Thornton guitars kick ass!

Paul M.

just a quick note to let you know that BQ is absolutely the nuts!  To my surprise, it is absolutely the best Jazz box anyone could ever imagine.  I’m leaving the GHS strings on for a 12/27 Jazz gig and will try a set of D’Addarios after that to see how much brighter they will sound.

When I was playing the BQ at home, I felt something tapping my gut.  I turned off the volume and it was still there: the guitar is so alive that the notes actually move the back enough to physically ‘punch’ you in the stomach!  Amazing…

I know this is sick, but I really want to order a second CP Thornton guitar already!

All the best to you guys for the holidays and thanks again,

Gian W.

I am sure you’ve heard this before, so indulge me. Everyone that sees my guitar for the first time cannot believe the workmanship, detail and tones that it produces.  I never use a pick and I believe it lends to greater versatility.

Peace,

David L.

I have just returned from an extended session with my band in my  state of the art, climate controlled, professionally designed GAS  member endorsed recording studio (the guest bedroom where I have a  Fender G-DEC next to the bathroom with a toilet that gurgles).  After  about an hour of insulting various Blues musicians, trying some new  stuff and being asked to “turn that mess down” I realized I had  played only two of the many top shelf guitars in my CCPDGASMERS  guitar vault, a C.P.Thornton Professional and a sleek jet black  Fusion by the same genius builder.

I can honestly say that I have enjoyed this Fusion more than any new guitar I have ever owned, the Professional keeps getting better as I  get better acquainted.  I find myself in an unenviable situation that dictates the sale of several very nice guitars including a couple of  John Suhr’s works as well as a couple of Terry McInturff’s killers.   While trying to figure out what to sacrifice I still can’t help but  trying to figure exactly what the Blues Queen I want to order should  look like.

Bruce T.
I received the guitar on Thursday, the day after you shipped it, and wanted to wait a couple of days before responding.

It’s the perfect guitar for me.  After playing it a while, I took some time and tried to imagine what a better guitar might be for me, and I couldn’t.  The weight is perfect (light as a feather and not neck-heavy), and the playability surpasses anything I’ve played.  It has a very balanced tone, with perhaps an emphasis on the mids that I’m assuming comes from the spruce top.  The volume is balanced all the way to the upper-most registers, which is remarkable – I’ve not owned a guitar that sounded this nice at the 19th fret.  I enjoy playing it very much, and look forward to the instrument “breaking-in”.  The pickups you recommended are also right for me.  That being said, I’ve been mostly playing it unamplified these first couple of days.

The guitar’s fit and finish, and tight tolerances are greater than what I expected.  The way the fretboard lays on the on the instrument is something.  What I didn’t anticipate is how pretty the instrument is – pictures don’t do these instruments justice.  You were right to recommend darkening the wood on the other side of the top binding.  It has an almost purple-heart look to it that blends well with the rest of the honey finish, and I love the look of purple-heart.  You should consider making this an option, as it must have been a huge PITA to finish.  There are some very subtle lines on the instrument that I didn’t notice at first, like the fine lines running the length of the fingerboard on the low and high “E” strings.  And the binding that butts up against the purple-heart.

Thankfully, my search for a semi-hollow archtop comes to an end.  Thanks so much for this instrument – it inspires me to improve my musicianship.

Todd L.

I got the guitar yesterday, and got to play it late last night…  it is amazing, and I do love it…  you do fantastic work, I am very happy.

My wife and daughter gave this to me as a 50th birthday present, and they are happy as well – both because I love the guitar and because it is drop dead gorgeous.

Thank you very much, I hope to call you in the future to order another – maybe a Blues Queen (I love P-90s) or a Fusion…  but first I have to sell off a bunch of lesser guitars.  But for now, I am going to enjoy my beautiful Elite.

Best regards and happy Holidays,

David S.
I received my guitar yesterday and my whole office screamed in delight – it is gorgeous.

I PLAYED my guitar yesterday and I have to tell you that it is the nicest neck I have ever played. My favorite guitar hands down is a ’91 Gibson Les Paul plus top – and this guitar has a nicer neck than that. I played for an hour last night – with an amp – family and kids all running for cover…and it was heaven.  There are so many subtleties with your craftsmanship – the wood binding, the acoustic pop, such a bright tone…my desire to play the guitar is renewed and my drive to get better is turbocharged. I have a bolt-on Nash Tonequest Telecaster with a crummy neck and poor nut/fretboard placement – and your words about the value of your instruments are crystal clear!

Loving it!

Looking for a good year despite all the negativity – and I’ll be back.

Thanks,

Tom C.
Chuck: the guitar is a masterpiece. I haven’t plugged it in yet, but I’m about to in a few hours….still at the office.  It is stunning, STUNNING!!

Can’t wait to hear it Chuck…..I’ll call this afternoon…….

thanks my friend!

Bill S.

I have been a player for 44yrs. I’ve had a Gibson SG Special, Les Paul Deluxe, ES 335, and a Fender Strat. Currently, I own two Paul Reed Smiths, which have been my main guitars for quite awhile now. All of these are well known for their respective tones. I recently purchased your Blues Queen. Why? The picture of it on your website is quite nice, but suggested to me that it SCREAMS tone for days! So, I took a chance. The picture, though nice, doesn’t do it justice. I received the guitar today, and I’m still looking at it! (LOL!) First off, its beautiful. The classic lines, the black finish, matching headstock, cream soapbars, and gold hardware, simply exquisite! Now, the fact that this is a hollow body, though minus the F-holes, gives it a wonderful acoustic sound without the amp. I could have stopped right there, but oh no! Dudes and Dudettes, this is a guitar that is surprisingly versatile! You think, P-90′s, oh its just single coil. Play with the controls a little and you can coax jazz sounds by rolling back the tone controls. Blues, of course is not a problem, hence the name. Tone controls all opened, pickup selector on bridge pickup, crank your gain/distortion, and you can get metal! I’m playing through a Mesa Boogie MK III, which has an excellent distortion channel. I originally wanted to pick up the guitar rather having it shipped, therefore not buying it sight unseen, but that fell through. Needless to say the guitar arrived perfectly. I can’t say enough about the tones coming out of this guitar. As a guitarist, tone is an ongoing search, but one must have that one guitar. Because, the intimacy a guitarist shares with that “one” guitar is unlike anything else. A guitar doesn’t say; “not tonight, my strings ache”! Chuck, and all, I thank you for delivering that one guitar.

A fews days later …

Having just bought a Blues Queen, I need to say one more thing; The neck carve at the heel is to die for! The most comfortable I’ve ever played! The neck through on an archtop is genius. That is innovation! Ok, I guess that amounts to four things. Now you make a three pickup version? I guess its time for a sister…

And again …

The more I play my BQ, the more I find out about her. The control layout not only makes sense, but is within hand reach. Isn’t that supposed to be the point? Finally, someone gets it right! Regarding the pics? Chuck, I must say you’ve got some of the most luscious finishes I’ve ever seen. Its like walking along the buffet table; I’ll have a little BQ with a light tobacco, sandwiched between a gold top, and black, finishing off with a BQ GT 3P/up. Yummy!

Dave A.

Hi, Chuck.  The BQ just arrived.  It’s Perfect!  Truly, you are an artiste.  Your craftsmanship is impeccable.  I love the sound, and it’s beautiful to look at.  The neck shape could not be better.  If I had to choose only one electric guitar, it would be this one.  I love it!  Many thanks.  Enjoy the holidays.

Edward A.

By the way… and I hate being such a fan of any thing, I just had to let you know.  I recently moved homes and as part of the process I moved all my guitars.  After the move, many were in their cases and as I took them out, I played them.  I am using a Valvetech amp which I recently purchased so I am still getting used to it.   With each guitar I pulled out, I played with the amp settings and tone controls on the guitars and I was starting to be of the opinion that the amp was “corked” and just couldn’t get any good sounds out of it.  It is an amp know for sounding different with each guitar and with it being the new item in the chain I just figured it wasn’t as good as I had hoped… Until last night…  last night I finally got to playing your fusion again… The amp rocked!  Again I was able to get a wide range of strat and tele tones (didn’t play much with the humbucker last night) and I was so relieved to have quality tone coming out of the speaker… Obviously the difference was your guitar.  All I can continue to say is that the Fusion is an incredible guitar and I wish there were some way I could effectively let more people know because they are really missing out.
Have a wonderful day!
Isaac F.

Chuck:
Oh, how I wish you were nearby.  I’d be shaking your hand like I was running for office!!!   These MUST be 2 of the finest pieces to ever come out of your shop.  You weren’t kidding about the exquisite birds eye maple on those necks.  WOW!!  Stunning is the word.
BUT let me tell you what I’m most impressed with.  I’ve come to expect great workmanship from you, but the extra time you took to “thin” the necks a bit just for me made it soooooooo worth it.  I don’t know what you did, but it worked.  They are so perfect that I’m going to be drawn to them every time I walk in that room.  These have exactly the “thinness / fullness” feel that I get on G&L’s #2 neck.  I didn’t think anyone could impress me as much as the G&L necks have in the past.  Taylor comes close, but most really miss the heck out of it.   Oh – and by the way – the fretting on the neck seems to be perfect from one end to the other.  It is so nice to play a guitar that has the same good action all up and down the neck and no “surprises” now and then.
I got a much closer, longer look at the Fusion today than I did when John unveiled his.  I’m starting to really appreciate the neck – body fit from an engineering standpoint.  Plus, I also appreciate the ergonomic features of the guitar and the way the contours work to create and also keep the fine balance.  This guitar really hangs right and feels right.
They arrived completely in tune and with perfect setups.  I hadn’t told Anne that the serial numbers had her initials and birthdate on the vintage creme one and her initials and our anniversary date on the tobaccoburst one.  When she saw that she melted.  She loved the guitars, me, you, the world, etc.  It was a fantastic guitar moment.  Her mother [who is 88] always takes great interest in my guitars, so we opened the boxes at her house, which is nearby.  You would have thought the family had won the lottery or something with all the oooohhhhhing and aaaaahhhhhing going on with the serial numbers and then the unveiling of the guitars themselves.
I think I’ve found a new peacemaker strategy for wives of GASaholics!
The only amp I’ve played them thru so far is my Chicago Blues Box.  Man, talk about sweet!!  I got in the 5th switch position [neck] and then messed with the blend knob …..   and WOAH…..  I found some perfect blues tones.  Nothing thin or wimpy at all – and on that amp they really sounded like humbuckers, … very bold.  I found a great sweet spot for jazz with the switch in position 5, the tone knob on about 4, and the blend knob about 0 - that’s a clean neck pickup with some treble rolled off.  That middle position [3] with the tone maxed is killer for  rock and blues.
The vintage creme one is more resonant and has a bit more sparkle than the burst.  The burst seems more warm and tame.  Of course, I’m still experimenting with only the one amp, so I’m sure some tone surprises lie ahead.  I’m looking forward to getting them hooked into my Fender Jazz King and also my Dr. Z.  Also I have a 70′s Ampeg 112 in the basement that will really tell the tale about their sonic performance on a rock, blues, or country outdoor setting.  That should be fun.  I’ll put them through my highly distorted Little Terror Orange amp, but that will be more fun than interesting.  Lotsa playtime ahead.
Chuck, my friend, you have got it goin’ on………………  THANKS!
Jay B.

Chuck, I obviously don’t need to tell you how perfect my new guitar is, but I at least wanted to let you know how much I love the pre war tone.  I think it was a stroke of genius, and a reflection of how much attention you pay to your customers’ styles and requests.  And the magnetic/piezo blend knob is also perfect.  In fact, the whole instrument is a masterpiece!  I’ve tried to think of ways to express my admiration and gratitude, but I can’t find one that is adequate.  I just can’t put it down!  I had extremely high expectations, and you blew them away.  Thank you — a thousand times.
Bob S.

Chuck, my band headlined a local music festival here in Macon, GA.
I played the entire show with the Elite (#46).  Still amazed at how great it plays, sounds, feels.  Its so versatile, I never have to switch guitars anymore!
Thought you would enjoy seeing the action shots…(See attached photos)
Thanks again for making such a wonderful instrument….I never regret selling my vintage Les Pauls.

Hello Chuck,
Indeed, I love my Fusion. It’s such an enormously inspiring guitar to play. I’ve owned a lot of nice guitars in my time, but nothing like what you’ve made for me. Thank you again Chuck.
It’s funny, I had heard about you through one of your customers who posted an eBay ad for a guitar he was selling, only to mention the reason for selling was to purchase a C.P. Thornton. Of course I immediately looked you up, and here we are. I’m selling my other guitars and will end up at least 3 Thorntons and a couple Goodalls. That should cover me just fine.
Gordon Z.

Mr. Chuck:
I’ve received Fusion # 117… and all I can do is grin. It’s so different from the Elite, yet it’s somewhat the same.
Below is most of my message to Mr. Rex, thought you might be interested in some of it.
Friday nite I went out to “play” with the FnGB (Friday nite Garage Band) where I took the Fusion and the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Man oh man. It was a screamin’ & squeezin’ delight. The neck is my friend already. There’s this Hendrix tune that I’ve been working on that uses a lot of 1st & 3rd finger octaves. I haven’t been able to reliably play it cleanly at the correct speed until I tried it on the Fusion. There it was. And again, laid it right down like I knew what I was doing. I’m really surprised at how different it is from the Elite, yet it plays like an old friend. Love that maple neck, I wouldn’t change a thing. I haven’t figured out all the controls yet, but I got all the different sounds I needed, from Clapton’s I Shot The Sheriff to Jimi’s All Along The Watchtower to this wonderful, thick, in your face, “The Fusion is IN the HOUSE!” kinda thing. I’ll study your message & the website, and dial it right in. Thanks again to you and Mr. Chuck for another fabulous guitar.

(A Short Time Later …)

Number 117 & I are still getting acquainted, and I’d like to mention the characteristics that stand-out so far. The neck is right. Shape and feel and all that is so subjective, all I can say is that for me, it’s RIGHT.
The pickups are amazing. The Elite is teaching me that there really is a whole ‘nother layer of expression available through playing style. The guitars you make can respond to the way the player feels; play it hard, you get that. Caress it, you get something completely different. The Fusion continues that training.
I’ve had guitars in my life for 43 years now, and your instruments are teaching me. I love that.
The case is very well done and presents the instrument nicely. Unbelievably, the guitar arrived in tune! (again, ’cause the Elite did too)
I love the color, the Sperzel tuners, the cool detail touches, I could go on & on. Mr. Thornton, you’ve done it again. Bravo!
Thanks again,
Mark & Mel H.
PS. The Elite gets played a LOT, out every Wednesday & Friday nite + personal time, and looks & acts new. Sits in the case in the car all day at 40 degrees,  then into the church at 70 degrees,  given a few minutes to normalize while I set up the amp, and we’re ready to rock. No cracks, no static, no nonsense. I’ll get a review of each to Harmony Central.

Hey Chuck,
It’s absolutely killer! I can see that I’ll be selling some of my other guitars as there isn’t much reason to play them now. Next week I may take the guitar over to show Lindy. Thanks so much.
Best,
Dave K.
PS I think the ’66 Pro Reverb may be the perfect match although I can only crank it to 3 1/2 in the house without killing the cats.

Chuck, I’ve put in about an hour and love the guitar.  Your workmanship is impressive, set up was impeccable and overall appearance is absolutely beautiful!  What’s all this noise about “vintage” instruments?!  Most of them play like shit and don’t look much better either…I’ve owned quite a few over the years and finally quit playing them and sold them off to build my studio.  Mahalo Chuck, I appreciate the chance to own such a fine instrument and am sure it will only grow in value over the years.  Aloha, Woody.
Lyndell W.

As the great Eric Clapton sang in “Worried Life Blues”……
This blacktop Blues Queen #92 is most awesome, sweetest playing guitar I’ve ever held.  it has a resonance and a voice that I can’t hear enough.  you have outdone yourself, and don’t you think for one second I won’t be spreading the word on The Gear Page, Harmony, etc. in the next few days.
right now, I’m just gonna have fun trying it thru different amps.
oh, man………………
Jay B.

Chuck – those ads look great.
I finally got a chance to play that beautiful guitar through an amp yesterday and it is sweet. I know what you mean about the light strings, I’ll probably give them a try – the heavier gauge give it that Grant Green or Pat Martino sound, which is what I like. This axe is built for organ trio gigs. The MusicMan RD50 is a great amp for it. I’m going to try it with an extension speaker too. The biggest change from my L5 and leGrande is the complete control at high volume. It also has a great punch – the response is excellent. It’s what other makers of this style of guitar like the Ibanez George Benson model strived for – I think the Jazz Elite body has more muscle, and that translates into tone my friend.
Thank you again
Jim J.

Hi Chuck — Well, I’ve had your guitar for a few weeks now, and I have to say it is everything I hoped it would be.  It took me a while to get it dialed in on the amp (a Peavy Classic 30).  Also, I changed the strings to round wounds (TI Bebop 12s), which I think give a little cleaner attack in the bass.  At this point, I love it, family members who listen to me practice love it, by bandmates love it.  I will be gigging it for the first time two weekends from now.

I knew from my visit to you that the action and basic tone would be great.  What I am appreciating more now is the range of useful tones I can get while staying in the basic clean jazz spectrum.  I never had a guitar where so much of the tone control range produced different but nice sounds.  Also, I now see what people mean about blending in the bridge pickup to tighten up the basic sound of the instrument.  I am using positions 1, 2, and 3, sometimes in the course of one tune, to provide different tones for comping, chord melody, and single note runs.  Great stuff.  And it looks mah-velous.

Thanks, Chuck.  After 40 years of guitar playing and 15 years of trying to play jazz, I finally feel I have an instrument that is opening up possibilities for my playing rather than fighting me.  You have made this aging guitar player very happy.  Best of luck to you in your endeavors, you have a great thing going.
Mitch R.

Hi Chuck #71 arrived on fri. I’m floored as I expected. Playing this though my 35 watt Kendrick Tweed Rig amp with a Fane alnico is one of the best sounds I’ve ever heard for any style,loud or soft.

The gorgeous tilt back neck is awesome,as is the set up.Playing up high just as you described.

I’ve got a SRV strat with Kinmans and Tom Homes pickups, a Hendrix 60′s strat with custom pickups. And, I have plenty of other high end guitars for comparison. Bottom line there isn’t any.

This and my Jazz Elite have put me over the top.Thanks again. I’m glad I got in on these works of art.

Best ,Terry  S.

Chuck,
The guitar arrived today safe and sound. I got it around 4pm and am just putting it down now at 6 am – 14 hours later. (no worries – I pick lightly and had a towel around it the whole time!) I even subbed out my Broadway show tonight!

…

Simply said – you’re genius. You have in several important respects broken ground in furtherance of building the ultimate Semi-Hollowbody guitar. Your guitar is beyond anything I could have expected.

….

Thanks so very much,
Ed H.

Chuck,

I wanted you to know that I unpacked the Fusion tonight, and I could not be happier!

This guitar just reeks of quality….I will be posting a lengthy review of my love of this guitar on Harmony Central as well as the gearpage.  I really like the way it forms to your body and fells very much at home standing or sitting down.  I thought that a Strat was ergonomic, until I found out what ergonomic really is. The balance is outstanding.  I am planning on selling my Vintage Stratocaster and buying another Fusion, next time you make a batch with the Daphne Blue body and Bridge Zebra Coil Humbucker please let me know ahead of time. Once again, Sir, my hat is off to you.

(3 days later)

Chuck, 1st of all I played the Fusion for about 4 hours last night.  It has a very bright spanky response that I really like.  I think the combination of the maple board and the alder really helps the guitar cut through nicely. The pickups are fantastic also.  As a side note, when I received the guitar and opened it up out of the box, it was still in tune!  I couldn’t believe it!

Jay B

chuck:
I swear you are a genius!  It’s going to take me a number of hours to really come to appreciate all the features you have packed into this guitar. I really like the blend combinations.  The pickups are excellent and the neck is superb!  The body shape is wonderful and is extremely well thought out.  Give me a week and I’ll write the Harmony Central review……..what a pleasure!

you rock, dudezilla…….

(2 ½ weeks later)

chuck:
well, now I’m starting to understand, and appreciate why you picked the Fralins.  My ear is beginning to hear the clarity, overtones, focus, and push on these pickups.  When I return to the Dimarzio’s they sound muddy and break-up losing tonal integrity.  Which surprises me.  At first the Fralins sounded harsh, but that was really an issue of mating the guitar to the amp settings.  Now it’s difficult to go back to the Grosh. My hand is starting to attend to the Fusion design and my ear loves the sonic signature of the Fusion.  Curious how a well designed guitar educates the musician????

Hey, my band won the Blues Band of 2007 Northwest Arkansas Music Awards last Wednesday…..that’s 3 in a row and now we will be retired for a few years from the nomination.  Now I know how Steve Morse feels (ha, ha, ha)

bill S.

Hi Chuck,

I received the guitar and have played it for a couple of hours. Wow, it’s very different but familiar at the same time. The tones are very nice and action is 2nd to none. Great job.

I’ll be keeping this and will talk to you about some other needs.

Kind Regards,
Sam C

Hi Chuck,

I’ve had the pleasure to play the guitars for hours and hours and I am sure this guitar has got IT.

After putting the LaBella strings and adjusting the neck since it moved a bit with the softer tension Labellas, (by the way, the neck is the most precise neck I have had the chance to adjust.  I was able to adjust it in a minute manner to get the action exact) the chords have a surreal beauty to it.  I grew up as a classical pianist and it reminds me of the difference when I used to play beautiful chords on the home piano as to a great concert Steinway.  Each note sounds and vibrates the air beautifully and equally.  I hear the chords in such a new way with this guitar.

The single lines have a kind of a growl to it that is the most inspiring.   The neck is perfect.  It allows each note to pop and has the elusive quality that I hear in Glenn Gould (pianist) recordings.  The 1 3/4 inch neck width seems to have its own sound and is very comfortable to play.

…

The Gotoh 510 tuners are great.  The 1:21 ratio allows me to tune very fine which is what I’ve been needing.  I have very sensitive ears to pitch and slight “outness” in pitch drives me crazy.  No guitar is perfect in tuneness but with these tuners and your neck, it sounds great.  Now, if I can get the string makers to make strings that is in tune.  This set of Labellas had a bad G string.  It flats out and is really not about the intonation adjustment.  Simply a bad string.  Not too uncommon with the flatwounds out there…  I just happen to like the sound of these Labellas with the black nylon tape though.

Finally, the guitar is gorgeous.  Bravo to you!  I wish you all the success with your craft/art.  I submitted a review at Harmony Central.  It wasn’t there yet.  I guess it takes a few days for them to look over it.

I’ll be recording my next album later this year.  Looking forward to playing this guitar on it.  I’ll have to ask you to build me another instrument some day.

All the best,

Gene Ess (Gene endorses our guitars – Thank you Gene!!!)

Hello Chuck,
Ol’ # 57 is already starting to earn it’s keep. I had a four hour New Year’s Eve gig and the guitar was front and center the whole time. We’ve never played a double encore before. Maybe it’s a sign.
I love the guitar. The workmanship is top notch. The tone is excellent. The neck profile (which was my biggest worry) is very good; very similar to my acoustics, which makes my transition to electric all the more easily accomplished.

The sustain is incredible. I’m trying to learn to control it. Also learning my way around the pick-up selector and tone pots. The guitar is wonderful and I would heartily recommend your instruments to anyone seeking a premier guitar.

Best wishes,

Layne Y.

Dear Chuck:

I was planning on writing you tonight after having spent the weekend with the guitar.

IT’S JUST FABULOUS! I played it all weekend and New Year’s Eve. The band thought it sounded great and so did I.

You really made a very stunning guitar and is as close to perfection as a human being working with wood can get. I don’t remember if I told you that I have made an archtop (17in body, 3 in deep ala Benedetto) and also made an SG copy with my son, so I know a little about what goes into making a guitar, and what you have done is really remarkable. The workmanship, sound, everything, is just great.

…

Thanks for making me such a fine instrument.
Ken

The guitar you made for me is perfect. Thank you so much for the craftsmanship and fine design. The guitar speaks quickly, has a woody tone, and has the best separation between notes of any electric I have played. It is also very easy to get around on the instrument, with its well-shaped neck and clever cutaway.

Of course it is also a beautiful object to look at. Although I don’t have a great deal of aesthetic sense, I know that it’s something to see because several of my friends and colleagues been struck at what a beautiful instrument it is as soon as I have taken it out of the case. I was almost reluctant to start performing with it, since my guitars take a beating. But my instruments have to work for a living and I’ve begun the dinging, denting, and scratching process already.

One of the features that wasn’t clear to me when I ordered the guitar was how few places the top and back contact the center strip, unlike most semi-hollows in which there is a plank running through the middle that prevents the top and back from moving much at all. Your combination of carved tops and backs and the minimal contact with the center strip lets the instrument vibrate nicely. I proved this to myself by tapping the top and back just about everywhere, but the evidence already existed in the guitar’s lively tone. Perhaps you should find a new term that better describes the construction. “Semi-hollow” doesn’t do your design justice.

The Fralin P-92s were a good choice for me as well (I’m humbucking-phobic). I like the P-92s earthy quality, definition, and responsiveness. It took a bit of time to adjust the pole pieces and pickup heights to optimize the balance and tone, but once that was done they really sang.

The layout of the controls is also nice. I can curl my right pinky around either the volume or tone control for the front pickup while I’m playing. That’s great, because they are by far the controls I use most. So that it would be easier to tweak the settings while playing, I changed the original plastic knobs for metal barrel knobs that have a knurled surface (see below). They are black and fit well with the instrument’s noire theme.

Having “off” and “out of phase” positions on the selector switch is also convenient. On many of the Neue Musik (New Music) gigs I play in Europe I am asked to move rapidly back and forth between electric and classical guitar. Switching the guitar off rather than turning one of the volume controls to zero allows me to preserve my settings. And the out-of-phase position is faster than using a pull-pot, which is how my previous guitar was set up. (The out-of-phase setting is also good for balancing the output of the pickups; when the pickups are balanced, the out-of-phase setting will have the most cancellation and so the least output.)

So, in short, I’m as satisfied as a customer could be. Thanks again.

All the best,

Scott Fields (Scott endorses our guitars – Thank you Scott!)

I am used to playing single coils on my strat and P-90’s in another guitar so maybe I am not used to the full sounding HB’s.  I plan on cranking it up this week.  The more I pick it up, the more impressed I am about the build quality and feel.  Great guitar.

John H.

I have only played it for about an hour, but it is worth every penny .

(One week later)

Chuck, I am not worthy of this guitar (#50). Of course you will have to pry it out of my dead cold fingers before I would ever let it go!!! It has an amazing acoustic tone. Truthfully, all the tones are rich. I am waiting to show it off to some of my guitar friends, They are more versed/experienced in comparing and evaluating gitas.   I am a hack player, ok songwriter and lucky enough to have more dollars then sense… I really hope they will help me describe/evalute the guitar, so I can post some reviews. I have held off reviewing, because I would not do any of your guitars justice in my feeble descriptions. That will change soon, as I am a member of the Ovation fan club
(I own over 50 Ovations/Adamas) and there are almost 5000 members there. Plus I am a member on the Gear page.  To me, as soon as enough of your guitars get into the hands of real players , the more people are going to want to buy your guitars. It is that simple-and it is why I am happy to buy from you now-before the secret is out and I have to wait for like 6 years to get another one :)

Mike J.

All I can say is purrrrrfectttt. I love them both. My highest compliments, Chuck.  Your workmanship is outstanding. The neck is the most comfortable I have ever felt. The tone on both guitars is amazing. The balance/feel is so so nice. I am trying to decide between an Elite or a Jazz for my next one. I like this neck profile so much I can’t decide whether to go for a 1 3/4 or not. Let me play them some more tonight and I will give you a call.
Very Very Pleased,

(3 hours later)

After three hours more playing I love them even more. That Blues Queen is a beast on the one hand and silk on the other. I love guitars that seem to lead you to think of doing a phrase a new way. Both your guitars are like that.

Kevin M.

…in a matter of just three or four days this guitar has risen to the top of my guitar collection as very possibly my best and favorite guitar.
It took a few days to get used to the hollowbody.
I really had no previous experience to speak of.
I always loved the sound of Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Johnnie A……etc.

Richard M.