McSwain guitars

McSwain guitars, functional art

Never heard of McSwain guitars? Neither did I. No wonder; McSwain guitars is a very small, private Los Angeles USA based company, founded by Stephen McSwain. No mass production; McSwain guitars are all "Custom Shop ordered" built. His guitars are a mix between art and guitar, or as McSwain himself calls it: functional art.
It's difficult to describe the guitars built by Stephen McSwain as there is no standard range or series of guitars. You have to take a look at McSwain guitar pictures to get an idea of the individuality of each McSwain guitar. To confirm the unique, "arty" character of his guitars, Stephen McSwain creates his functional artworks in his so called "laboratory" (instead of an ordinary workshop), a converted garage in the heart of Los Angeles.

mcswain guitar body

McSwain guitars, owned by the happy few

McSwain guitars are no ordinary looking guitars; they just scream for attention, and maybe that's why there are some, not so ordinary, guitar players around, who are in the possession of a McSwain guitar. Some of the names: Slash, Tak Matsumoto, Steve Vai, Steve Jones and Tommy Lee. McSwain, on his website, pictures the guitars he built for his clients and tells about the the building process.

The first guitar McSwain built. (carved faces in the wood), carries no. 001, and is owned by Steve Vai. One of McSwain's latest projects was a surprise gift from a couple of friends, for Duff McKagan. This guitar was built in collaboration with "Chrome hearts", and is loaded with Chrome Hearts sterling silver crosses and pluses.

It appears that the building process of one McSwain guitar can take up to several weeks, so production, in term of numbers is limited, which makes these McSwain guitars very rare. Original, second hand McSwain guitars can't be found. Fretted Americana , linked as "friend" on McSwains website, has a "Budweiser" McSwain 2011 on sale for 10.000 USD; it's the only McSwain guitar for sale, as far as I know. Fretted Americana has information about the number of guitars Stephen McSwain produces: less than twenty-five guitars per year.

mcswain guitar headstock

MacSwain by OLP and Cort

With prices starting at 5000 USD, and the fact that McSwain produces less than twenty-five guitars per year, his guitars are only available for a few lucky guitar players / collectors. There are other options though. McSwain collaborated with Cort Guitars and OLP Guitars, to put some models in the market with the McSwain Guitars authentic look and feel, factory made, at affordable prices.

OLP Guitars, Officially Licensed Products, produced replicas of famous models from other guitar builders. OLP guitars were built in China, with hardware and electronics (probably) made in Korea and doesn't exist any more. Fore some period, McSwain Tin Top / Machinery and Anarchy models were manufactured by OLP. These McSwain / OLP Tin Top (metal) top guitars can easily be found on the internet. They are for example listed on Ebay for prices around 300 USD (used) and 650 USD (new).

In 2011, Cort Guitars came out with the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1 electric guitars, inspired on the McSwain Fuel Guitar, based on vintage gasoline and oil drums. The main difference between the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1, besides the graphics on the guitars, is the way the neck is mounted to the body.

The Cort McSwain Gasoline 1 has a set-in neck, and the Cort McSwain Motor Oil 1 comes with a bolt-on neck. Both Cort McSwain guitars share the same (aged) hardware and a black satin finish.
At present, Cort Guitars only offers the McSwain Gasoline 1 with ClassicRocker pickups.
Next to the Cort McSwain electric guitar models, Cort produced the McSwain Motor Oil 2 and Gasoline 2 acoustic guitars with Cort piezo pickup. These acoustic electric McSwain Corts can't be found anymore on the Cort website.

mcswain guitar fuel

McSwain miniature guitar (as seen in Guitar Hero 5)

Guitar Hero 5, released in 2009, featured several McSwain Guitar models. To celebrate, Stephen McSwain decided to offer a limited edition of miniature McSwain's, modeled after the originals, and the ones featured in Guitar Hero 5. A must have for McSwain and Guitar Hero 5 fans.

These McSwain miniature guitars can be obtained at bigcartel.com, a shopping cart for artists. Four Miniatures were for sale; the Flame, Anarchy, Machine and Life McSwains. The Flame miniature is sold out, and as a result, the McSwain miniature Collection is sold out. The miniatures available are on sale for 29.99 USD; a mini price for an authentic McSwain mini guitar!

mcswain guitar

McSwain Guitars

Trussart guitars

Trussart guitars; all steel hollow body

In my last post I wrote about "metal top" guitar builder Zemaitis, and the Greco Zemaitis. When surfing the internet for metal top guitars, I stumbled upon a full metal guitar, built by James Trussart. So there's more than just a metal top. Like the Zemaitis, James Trussart puts a lot of craftmanship in the unique building process and the different finishes of his guitars; they are stunning! 

trussart steelcaster ganja

James Trussart, Rust-O-Matic

James Trussart is a Los Angeles USA based guitar builder. In the USA, Trussart's name is well established, but in Europe, Trussart guitars are relatively unknown. Trussart guitars almost have a cult status in the USA, and lot's of famous guitar players / bands (for example: Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Aerosmith, ZZ-Top, The Black Growes) have been pictured with one of Trussart's guitars. James Trussart primary works with metal as the base material for the hollow bodies and the headstocks of his guitars. To make his guitars look and feel like a vintage instrument, the metal is for a period of time exposed to the elements and then treated to stop the "rusty" process. As shown on the pictures, the metal bodies, as well as the pickguard or headstock are imprinted or engraved. The Trussart bodies finally are sanded and clear satin coated.
The only wood used on a full metal body Trussart guitar can be found in the neck / fretboard, where the common woods like Maple, Rosewood, and Ebony are used, and in the wooden block mounted under the bridge of a Trussart guitar.

trussart steeldeville barbwire

The full metal body Trussart guitar models

In contrast to the progressive, unique building technique and the material used, The Trussart guitar models are far from unique; as far as I can see, all full metal body Trussart models can be reduced to Les Paul and Telecaster copies. The Les Paul shaped Trussart goes under the name Steeldeville, and the Telecaster shaped Trussart carries the name Steelcaster. Trussart also offers the Steelcaster  in a DeLuxe version with one F-hole in the body. The attraction of the James Trussart guitar can really be found in the techniques and materials used, and in the perfection of the finish and sound, rather than in the shape of the instrument!

trussart steelcaster roses

The metal top Trussart guitar models

Apart from the full metal bodied Trussarts, James Trussart also builds metal top guitars. Metal top guitars are less rare than full metal body guitars. The Trussart Steeltop, Les Paul shaped, can well be compared with an original Zemaitis (also in price...). The other Trussarts steel tops, the Steelmaster and Steeltelemaster, and the Steelx have, like the Trussart Steeltop, a chambered wood body, and a recessed steel headcap. 

trussart steeldeville china

Hardware on the Trussart guitars

At present, Trussart guitars are equiped with Arcane Inc. pickups and single coils. Arcane Inc. was founded in 1990 by Rob Timmons and is located in California USA. All Arcane pickups are hand wound, and are considered one of the best in the industry. Arcane (Rob Timmons) is also a consultant for guitar companies who are searching for better tone and the best pickups for their guitar. I'm not sure in what year the relation between them was established; I read a review about a Trussart guitar from 1995, and they were talking about Seymour Duncans. Anyway, all reviews I read about James Trussart guitar, state that the Trussart guitar sounds incredible.
As for the rest of the hardware, Trussart plays safe: Tune-O-Matic bridges, optional Bigsby Tremolos, Kluson Tuners, nothing weird, all gear used by premium guitar builders!

James Trussart Guitars

Arcane Inc. Pickups

Greco Zemaitis

Greco Zemaitis, metal top

"Normally", a guitar is made of wood. Solid wood, laminated wood, all kinds of wood. Guitars made of other materials are "rare", eccentric, special, and in most cases, technical masterpieces and a feast for the eye. One of these other materials is metal, mostly used for the top of the guitar, and often engraved as part of the "theme" of the guitar. Some artists specialize in engraving these custom made metal tops, like for example Phil Cooper from engravedguitars.com. Other artists / luthiers take the whole picture; they actually build the guitar and provide it with a unique metal top. Guitar builder Tony Zemaitis was one of them.

greco zemaitis black top

Zemaitis guitars, some history

Zemaitis guitars was founded by Tony Zemaitis, born in 1935 in London England. In his younger years Zemaitis was trained in cabinet making, and actually build for some years high quality furniture. As Zemaitis started to play guitar, he didn't have the funds to buy a decent guitar. Zemaitis borrowed a guitar, and using his skills, made a copy of the guitar. After this one he build more guitars, improving the guitars and his skills.
This eventually lead to the building of, in that time, "rare" 12 string guitars in the 1960's. Zemaitis name was established, and in 1965 Zemaitis became full time guitar builder. Zemaitis made guitars until he retired in 2000.
Zemaitis became famous with his engraved metal top guitars and his pearl inlayed top guitars. Zemaitis guitars were played, and collected by some famous guitarists like Ronnie Wood, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Peter Frampton. Although Zemaitis was a master in making the guitar "look good", he never did any concessions to the purpose of the guitar: his guitars should play and sound great. Tony Zemaitis passed away in 2002.
Fortunately, Zemaitis legacy lives on in Zemaitis International, founded with the support of his wife and son, and Zemaitis friend and co-worker and engraver Danny O'Brien.
Lot's of information about Zemaitis and his guitars can be found on the Zemaitis guitar owners club website.

greco zemaitis black head

Greco guitars. some history

Greco Guitars is one of the famous Japanese guitar builders. Founded in Japan in the early 1960's, Greco at first built original, "non copies" guitars in the FijugenGakki plant. With the increasing popularity of, mostly, American guitars and models in the 1970's, Greco started to make clones of the originals: Fender's, Gibson's, Rickenbacker's, Ibanez's, and yes, also Zemaiti's. Around 1974, the quality of these copies made by Greco was excellent. Due to the sublime quality of the Greco guitars made in the late 1970's and 1980's, some Greco guitars are very vintage and collectible. Japanese guitar builders like Greco and Tokai have a good name when it comes to quality.
Greco guitars are still in production today; the current series is the Greco Zemaitis, licensed by Zemaitis International.

greco zemaitis top detail

Greco licensed by Zemaitis

Zemaitis International, Tony Zemaitis's legacy, currently runs 4 series: the Custom, Acoustic, Bass, and GZ (Greco Zemaitis) series. The original Zemaitis metal and pearl tops are highly collectible, as they were not produced in large amounts. No wonder the Zemaitis guitar owners club warns for fake, counterfeit guitars.
The Greco Zemaitis doesn't come cheap, but compared to an original metal or pearl top Zemaitis, for reasonable prices, considering the work and craftmanship which has been put into the guitar. I especially like the metal tops, as pictured in this post, but also the pearl inlayed tops are true masterpieces.
Greco has a long history in building quality guitars, and in my opinion, Zemaitis International did well in choosing Greco as a partner for their "budget" series. The popularity of Zemaitis in Japan even resulted in the building of the Zemaitis Museum, where lot's of Zemaitis guitars, two of Tony Zemaitis's cars, and personal items are on show. All part of guitar history!

greco zemaitis red head

greco zemaitis red back

Godin Session

Godin Session, Handbuilt in Canada

Three years ago, guitar builder Godin from Canada presented the new Session series, part of the Godin Performance line, at the NAMM show early 2010. The Godin Session series is supposed to offer a versatile guitar, suitable for every (session) guitarists who has to be able, or wants to play different styles of music.

What makes a Godin particular special is the fact that the Godin's, even from the "cheaper" series, like the Godin Session series, all are handbuilt in Canada, for prices where you normally expect an Asian factory built guitar. Nothing bad about an Asian factory built guitar here, but handbuilt is handbuilt. For a budget price around 600 USD, a Godin Session guitar can well compete with the factory built guitars from the grand US brands.

godin session headstock

Godin Session, versatile in colors and finishes

Godin brings the Session in all favorite colors, from the popular "bursts", the blackburst, the vintage burst and the lightburst to the electric blue and the electric red Godin Session. Also versatility comes in the finishes; satin gloss and high gloss. All Godin Sessions are build from Canadian Laurentian basswood. Normally this wood would deliver a relatively light guitar, but surprisingly, the weight of the Godin Session is almost 4 kg. I didn't expect that.
Depending on the finish, the neck of the Godin Session is made of Rosewood (dark) or maple (light).
As much as I dislike "bulky" headstocks, the Godin Session headstock I really like; elegant and light, Godin did it right.

The shape of the Godin Session makes you compare it with the original Fender Stratocaster. At closer look, the Godin Session isn't just a Stratocaster clone; the edges and the cutaway - endings are less rounded. The ergonomics of the Godin Session makes the higher frets easy playable. The Godin Session's has it's own face. As the Godin Session is handbuilt in Canada, the overall quality should be excellent.

godin session 

Godin Session, versatile in sound; humbucker and single coils

What really makes the Godin Session versatile though, is the combination of the two Godin single coils at the neck and middle position, and the Les Paul style Godin humbucker located next to the bridge. The Godin Session has the usual typical controls; a five way pickup switch, and volume and tone controls.
The tone control is a push and pull type switch, making it possible to split the humbucker to get the typical single coil sound at the bridge. Still, it won't provide the same sound as a real single coil at the bridge position. As always, the more versatile a guitar in terms of combinations in humbuckers and single coils, some concessions have to be taken for granted.

The tremolo provided is one of Godin's own, non "floating" systems. Unlike a Floyd Rose style tremolo, the Godin tremolo on the Session should keep the tune much better.

godin session

Godin Session

In my opinion, the Godin Session is the perfect example of a guitar suitable for lot's of guitar players. The Strat - like shape, the versatility in sound due to the combination of single coils and a humbucker, the choice in colors and finishes, and most of all, a premium brand guitar, handbuilt in Canada, very decent priced, makes this guitar well worth looking at.
Within the 600 USD price-range, lot's of attractive guitars  are available, like the famous Fender Mexican guitars, but are they more versatile and of better quality than the handbuilt Godin Session?

godin session

Agile guitars

Agile guitars

Nothing beats an original Les Paul, Telecaster, Stratocaster or PRS-model guitar. I'm sure that most guitarists, when asked, prefer the real deal. Problem is that Gibson's, Fenders and PRS's don't come cheap. For starters on the guitar market, or guitar players with a smaller wallet, there are lot's of alternatives. 

The "big" guitar brands have their budget lines, for example Epiphone for Gibson and Squier for Fender, but more interesting are the "clone" builders. They build the popular guitar models, often for a fraction of the price of the original, and this market is huge, ranging from "cheap" Chinese build guitars to the most expensive handmade custom "clones". One of the guitar brands offering budget guitars is Agile guitars. Agile guitars runs an impressive line of models, with flavours for everyone.

agile guitar

Agile guitars by Rondo Music

Unlike "normal" guitar builders, Agile guitars are build, commissioned by "Rondo Music", a USA (Claremont) based music store, established in 1959. Besides the Les Paul and PRS styled Agile's, Rondo Music also sells SX, Telecaster and Stratocaster shaped guitars. As a result, Agile Guitars aren't sold by other guitar sellers. Rondo Music sells their Agile guitars only through the internet, with a focus on Ebay selling.

Besides Agile guitars, there are lot's of guitar stores who sell a line of guitars, which they have produced under there own name or brand. Agile differences with these "store brands" offering a very extensive line of models and finishes. All major guitar models / clones are in Agile's catalog, from standard factory to custom guitars, and some more. Agile guitars are produced in Korea.

agile guitar

Agile guitars, the AL models

As said, Agile guitars runs a very extensive range of models. One of the most reviewed Agile guitar on the internet is the Les Paul styled AL series. Agile's from these series are considered to compete with the standard Epiphone les Pauls. The luxery Agile AL 3000, top of the line within the Agile AL series, should even compete with entry level Gibson Les Pauls.

This Agile Al 3000 features an ebony fretboard, triple bindings and Alnico pickups. Specifications not to be ashamed of for a 450 USD priced guitar. The entry level Agile AL 2000, priced around 200 USD is also Korean build, and according to different reviews on the internet, offers great value for the money. Within the Agile AL series, there is an almost unlimited choice in colors and finishes, compared to the entry level Epihines and Gibsons.

agile guitar

Agile guitars, the Septor, Interceptor and Intrepid models

Surprisingly, Agile guitars manages to offer 7, 8, 9, 10 and even 12 string guitars for incredible competitive prices. The Intrepid 8 string for example, is available for only 499 USD. More strings, more money.

The Agile Septor, Interceptor and Intrepid guitars all offer more than 6 strings, and like the Agile AL series, lots of colors and finishes can be chosen. All the Agile Septor, Interceptor and Intrepid models are PRS / Strat, modern and radical styled guitars.

agile guitar

Agile guitars, custom shop

Every four or five months a year, Ronde Music opens their Custom Shop for new orders. In the Agile Custom Shop, you can have your guitar build from the ground up to your specifications. Here also, Agile's prices are a fraction of the prices you pay for Custom Shop guitars from the major brands.

Anyway, if you have the time, and you are unknown with Agile guitars, take a look at the Agile guitars on Ebay or at Rondo Music. I'm sure you will, like me, be surprised by the specifications and prices.

agile guitar

Danelectro Dano

Danelectro Dano pro 1959 reissue

Danelectro (Dano), built some extraordinary guitars. All these Danelectro Dano guitars have been put in the market at affordable, budget prices. That doesn't mean Danelectro Dano guitars are cheap, crappy guitars; the Dano's are well built, and often reviewed "well worth the money". I was surprised to see that, despite the fact Danelectro Dano isn't a "grand" guitar brand, the Danelectro's have a large number of fans.
It's obvious, Danelectro surprised the world with some great guitars, each with unique looks, some with humbuckers, but almost all with the eyecatching lipstick pickups. One of my favourite Danelectra Dano models is the Dano Pro 1959.

danelectro dano

Danelectro, Dano, some history 

Danelectro was founded in 1947 by Nathan Daniel, who started in 1934 building amplifiers for Epiphone, which lasted till 1946. At that time, Epiphone was pushing Nathan Daniel to only build amplifiers for them. To stay independent, he started Danelectro. Danelectro, continued building amplifiers, and in 1954 Dano also started building guitars. In the years after, Danelectro build guitars under their own name, but they also produced guitars on request for sellers like Sears, who sold the Danelectro Dano guitar under the Silvertone brand.

In 1960 Danelectro was sold to MCA (Music Corporation of America), and in 1969 the Dano plant was closed as a result of mismanagement.
For some period in the late 90's till 2001, Evets Corporation sold copies of the early Danelectro Dano and silvertone guitars. From 2006, the Evets Corporation focuses on building effect pedals for guitars, but, in limited numbers, they market some guitar models, based on the old Danelectro "vintage" models.
The 2007 Danelectro Dano Pro 1959 reissue is one of them.

danelectro dano

The original Danelectro Dano Pro 1959

The Danelectro Dano 1959 Pro was introduced in 1959, and has been produced until 1963. The original Dano 1959 Pro is a relative small guitar, 3/4 scale, with only 17 frets, and due to the shape of the body, the higher frets are hard to reach. The shape of the guitar and the pickguard are fairly unique, it's difficult to describe, but the pictures (from the 2007 Danelectro Dano Pro reissue) tell it all. Like most unusual guitars, you either love them or hate them. In the case of the Danelectro Dano 1559 Pro, I think it's an icon of it's time.

In 1959, the Danelectro Dano Pro came with just a single lipstick pickup. This unique lipstick pickup is a single coil pickup, with all electronics packed in a chrome metal tube. Originally, this tube came from the cosmetics, lipstick industry. Danelectro became famous with it. The lipstick tube fits the Danelectro Dano 1959, and all Danelectro Dano's from that period very well, and makes the Danelectro Dano's easy recognizable. The lipstick pickups have a kind of "twang" in the sound, and are very suitable for creating the "surf" and rockabilly" sound.

danelectro dano 

One other part of the Danelectro Dano 1959 Pro which makes the guitar easy recognizable is the "coke bottle headstock". This type of headstock was also used on other Danelectro Dano's. As much as I dislike the headstock from another "vintage" guitar, the (Danelectro) Silvertone 1448, amp in a case, pictured in my previous post, I sure like the coke bottle headstock on the Danelectro Dano 1959 Pro.

danelectro dano 

The 2007 Danelectro Dano Pro 1959 reissue

In 2007 the Danelectro Dano Pro 1959 reissue was presented. The Dano reissue shares the same body shape as the original Danelectro Dano Pro, but some major improvements have been made to "modernize" the guitar. The Danelectro Dano reissue has a full scale, 19 frets neck, instead of the 3/4 scale of the original. 

Furthermore the Danelectro Dano reissue is equipped with 2 lipstick pickups, for more difference in tones, and last but not least, the old fixed bridge of the original Danelectro Dano1959 Pro has been replaced by a modern fully adjustable bridge on the Dano 1959 reissue. The Danelectro Dano 1959 Pro reissue has the vintage looks of the original, but has grown to a modern mature guitar.

danelectro dano