More Builders And Their Guitars, Part 2!
Next up is a knockout figured maple top on a mahogany body. The photos don’t do it full justice. This Clearfork body is stunning, and, as we found, became an essential part of a great guitar.
The pickups are Duncan Vintage Stacks. I like this set a lot. It delivers plenty of Tele tone but is noiseless. It looks right and sounds the way it should. The controls mount from the back instead of on a plate. Charles, the builder, did a very careful job sanding and Tru-Oil finishing the neck and body and got a beautiful result. The grain really pops and the maple is as 3-D as you could ask.
The neck is from Allparts, and the tuners are Fender/Gotoh vintage-style. The bridge is also Gotoh, the six-saddle type. I’ve been working with these bridges a lot lately, including on two of my own guitars, and have come to really like them. They’re easy to set up, and sound bright and focused. They’re not the twangiest, but they twang just fine if you know how to pull that sound out with your hands. The pickguard is almost translucent, and a nice change from the usual colors.
Charles did more of the assembly himself than I usually see in our builds, and worked cleanly and confidently. It shows in the result. The maple/mahogany combination works well on Les Pauls, and very nicely here as well. The guitar is punchy and clear, and lets you know there’s more than a pretty face at work here. Great job! I think his other guitars are feeling a little neglected.