NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

[Gearjoneser]

I sure wasn't planning to buy something expensive during the holidays in these times, but I fell in love with this guitar bigtime.

First of all, this Gibson Memphis Custom Shop ES-335 feels amazing, feels alive, sounds alive, and the $400 set of aged Lollartrons had me hooked. The satin finish breathes and plays smoother than glossy necks.

Second, it's a no brainer because it was worth more than I paid the minute I walked out of the store, unlike most new guitars. This is the Chris Cornell signature model. Chris has #1 and #2. I came across #4!!!!!!! Out of 250 to be made in satin black, the low number makes it the king of all mojo. A long time from now, someone I know may cash out of this easily, due to the rarity of finding the #4 Cornell......Cornell has more than a few fans.....and people like him and this guitar.

Third, I got a sweet deal on it from my buddy at Sam Ash, who used to play drums for Ratt and Rough Cutt back in the Jake E Lee days. I also got the signature case, certificate booklet, and a Dunlop grommet strap included.

2012 Gibson Custom Shop Chris Cornell ES-335 in satin black and aged nickel.
Plus my 97 Matchless Chieftain and Colossal Cable.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

If #4 is the King of All Mojo, what's #3?

Cool guitar, GJ. A worthy addition to your stable.

 

[kilphody]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Very cool
PC

 

[BloodRose]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Awesome score!! Congrats!!!

 

[Chocklit_Thunda]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

If #4 is the King of All Mojo, what's #3?

Cool guitar, GJ. A worthy addition to your stable.

Possibly, if they do that kind of thing, the one that Gibson would have archived/kept? Otherwise it's out there in some lucky guys collection!

Either way, congrats to you, gearjoneser! Enjoy! It looks amazing!

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Sweet! I bet it sounds like a Mofo. When I saw Soundgarden in '11 I was right between Ben and Chris's rigs, and Chris's guitar tone was just incredible. Congrats, that's a hell of a guitar.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

What I said about the pickups sounding "alive" is something this guitar does better than any other guitar I own.
They're probably lightly potted or unpotted, so they interact with the resonant wood in a way that I can control by proximity to the amp. By positioning the guitar in front of the amp, the notes can bloom with the good kind of feedback. No squealing, but tone that swells up with the actual note.

It's even better than humbuckers with clean tones, but the gain tones are rich and fat too. It's pretty much the Malcolm Young tone. These are the first Lollar pickups I've owned, and I'm super impressed with them. The bridge pickup has a little bit more output, so I normally back it down to 8 - 9. I can max it out to 10 for more bite. I keep the neck volume and tone on 10 all the time.

I've actually owned this guitar for 3 weeks now, and held off posting till I could take pics and have some time with it. I need to sell some stuff to recoup that bank buster.

 

[trevorus]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

So, care to mention dollars?

 

[d1dsj]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Awesome Joe, very cool and stealth like..... looks like it's been a merry Christmas for you!

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Congrats! :bigthumb:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

So, care to mention dollars?

It lists for $4233. Regular price is $3000 plus 9% tax.

I got it for $2500 out the door with a $20 strap, which means they knocked off around $740. I could easily sell it for $3000 anytime I want, so I was $500 ahead the minute I walked out the door. And these guitars are pretty much sold out, so now the price is likely to increase over time. In a decade or two, it'll probably be over $6K.

No matter though. It's a player and I have no intention of getting rid of it.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Cool! Congrats.

B

 

[JeffB]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

That is an awesome guitar, Joe. I am really happy for ya, and a wee bit jealous

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Awesome! What are the details of the pickups?

 

[Dr.K]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Congrats! That a nice guitar.

 

[Kac]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Beautiful guitar!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Awesome! What are the details of the pickups?

http://www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/me...duct_Code=272&Category_Code=humbucker-pickups

With these kinds of pickups, don't pay much attention to the ohms rating, because they feel like they've got the same output as humbuckers. As a matter of fact, these Filtertrons fit into a regular humbucker ring, so if you wanted to install a regular humbucker, you could.

These have the antiquity treatment, which means they'd be around $220 each from Lollar. Most Gibsons use Gibson pickups, so by adding Lollars, they've given me some expensive pickups.

They cover rockabilly to rock, so they're very versatile. They're super quiet too. With the ultra quiet Matchless, you can't even hear any hum till you hit a chord.

I've put the guitar through a bunch of amps, and it sounds great on all of them, but I especially like the feel of the Matchless and Gibson Goldtone GA-30RVS. Both British style amps with reverb. These pickups are very unforgiving. They reveal every detail of the tone, so some sag and reverb really helps.

Into the Bogner, JCM800, or Orange, Lollartrons deliver. I think Malcolm Young when cranking it with gain. They naturally want to swell up with feedback, so it's a sonic experience you don't get with other pickups. It's kind of like Ted Nugent's school of tone, with the way he can manipulate the reaction of unpotted pickups, a semi hollow guitar, and cranked clean tube amp.

This guitar was so irresistible to me that it was sort of an impulse buy. When the Sam Ash manager told me he was pretty much bending over backward, I started justifying my decision. My mind started racing through the stuff I know I could part with......because I have to. $2500 is a scary amount of money to hand over. I buy high end stuff, but usually score it cheap used. I had to think about this one. It's a major purchase for me. I had to be 100% sure I wanted this guitar to be a main guitar.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

I wondered when you were finally going to post about this guitar.

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Gearjoneser, that is a really, really, nice guitar. I envy you. If I may ask a favor, make it sing like it should! Congratulations!

 

[StayKruel]

Re: NGD. New lifetime keeper. So stoked!

Love the satin black on the dot style bodies, grats!