The Gibson Memphis ES330 VOS model is now discontinued, along with the Memphis plant, but is a great re-creation of a late 1950’s ES-330. Introduced in 1959, the ES-330 took visual cues from the new and very successful ES-335, but is uses a fully hollow body without a solid center block. A pair of under-wound P-90s provide great tone. Until about 1963, the ES330 and its cousin the Epiphone Casino set the neck joint at the 16th fret but subsequently the joint was shifted to the 19th fret, allowing easier access to higher frets.
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The Harrison GB Custom has become a very successful instrument for jazz guitarists, and was developed with the late Gary Benson, a prominent Toronto player and teacher. This Harrison GB Custom features a Quilted Maple cap on a chambered Mahogany body and a Mahogany neck with a Maple-bound Ebony fingerboard fitted with Stainless Steel frets. The custom built tailpiece is also Ebony.
The Kauer Daylighter Express Deluxe is now discontinued but like other Kauer models is not a slavish copy of other designs, but tries to make real improvements. Kauer Guitars are made by Doug Kauer in Elk Grove, CA, with the goal of delivering a well balanced, comfortable instrument with a clear and articulate tone and lots of dynamic range.. His guitars blend design cues from many sources, and work quite well.
This instrument has sold
MORE →Here is a lovely Harrison GB Custom Redwood Burl top thinline archtop, built in Toronto during 2017 and based on a design for the late jazz artist Gary Benson. Douglas Harrison has been building arched top guitars for some years now and his GB Custom has been very popular, with most I have seen being true custom models, with varying tops and hardware configurations.
This Harrison GB Spruce top thinline archtop electric in a lovely Amber tint, built during 2008 at Harrison’s shop in Toronto, Canada. The Douglas Harrison GB thinline archtop guitar has proven very popular with jazz guitarists. Designed with – and originally for – the late Gary Benson and built in Toronto, Ontario, the Harrison GB uses a carved solid spruce top on a chambered back. The neck has a compound radius, from 12 to 16 inches.
An entirely new model in a unique yet functional shape, the Backline Ronan is a straight ahead rock guitar with just what’s needed. Tim Ronan builds guitars a bit north west of Toronto, and has been developing unique models that put function and durability first. The eponymous Backline Ronan is the result of a number of experiments with angular bodies, looking for a mixture of appearance, comfort, balance and light weight.