If you’ve been debating the pros and cons of maple versus mahogany versus partially petrified marine relic bog oak, then here’s something that will really throw you off (or quite possibly on) course…
Back in the heady days of the 1970s, guitar builders were pitting their wits against each other in all manner of ways to stay afloat. On the one hand, big-name brands such as Fender, Gibson and Gretsch were making concerted efforts to maximise their profits while streamlining production (and quality control…) forcing some players to look to the glories of the past for superior quality instruments. In the process, the myth of ‘old is better’ was born, inadvertently sparking off the vintage guitar market as we know it today.
But not all guitar makers were living in the past. Some inventive guitar trendsetters were determined to innovate, steering towards something new and entirely different. Sink or swim, it was a time of great uncertainty in a competitive industry. Sadly many guitar brands that tried to strike out in new directions sank without trace. But, ironically, the treasures they left behind on the sprawling map of guitar history are now more highly coveted than ever and are worth far more today than just their weight in aluminium.
Mr Clifford Travis Bean – better known as Travis Bean – was one such visionary guitar builder. In 1972, he teamed up with Marc McElwee (and, later, Gary Kramer who, in 1976, would go on to form Kramer Guitars) with the bright idea of building a through-neck guitar out of aluminium. The idea was to avoid the inherent problem of movement associated with using wood in guitar construction and so minimise the requirement for ongoing maintenance and adjustment.
Denne historien er fra June 2018-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra June 2018-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve