My thoughts on 6 Beautiful Private Stocks

Utkarsh

Ministry of guitar
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
587
Location
Singapore
Folks I am embarking on a new concept here, encouraged by a friend of mine when I was waxing lyrical about a couple of guitars to him (My 594 being one and the other a Stealth SVN SE limited run).

It's a continuation in my experiments in the visual realm and essentially a series where I run through a few guitars in the week that have caught my eye or inspired significant GAS. I call it Guitar Dreaming and for the inaugural episode, I have picked 6 Private Stocks that have been occupying my dreams of late, all the way from a Holcomb 7 to a couple of Modern Eagles in Korea. It won't be restricted to , but will definitely over-feature PRS's

Would love any thoughts

 
Thoughts:
- 7 strings: looks great, but I can barely play 6 strings :)
- Frostbite Fade MEV won't last long.
- Dragon Breath Glow Piezo MEV is incredible too: probably won't last long either.

- Special SH: be sure you try a special before jumping straight to a PS version. Most people I know who owned one sold it because the middle pickup was always in the way. I thought they were joking, until I got one myself (luckily used so mostly broke even on resale). You don't want to be the sucker who spends a fortune on a Private Stock Special SH and finds out it doesn't suit your playing style. I don't have that problem at all with the MEV's middle pickup.

- both Music Force builds look great. There is a Purple Glow quilt top Private Stock very similar at the Guitar Center in Hollywood at the moment (it's not listed online, I was just visiting by accident when I saw it).
 
- Special SH: be sure you try a special before jumping straight to a PS version. Most people I know who owned one sold it because the middle pickup was always in the way. I thought they were joking, until I got one myself (luckily used so mostly broke even on resale). You don't want to be the sucker who spends a fortune on a Private Stock Special SH and finds out it doesn't suit your playing style. I don't have that problem at all with the MEV's middle pickup.

About the special SH, first thing i had i mind was a joke like « how stupid are the people you know ? If they dont use the middle pickup they are basically playing a custom 22 »
Jokes apart, that may be inaccurate because different neck and bridge pickups can be used (58/15 LT ; 58/15 MT ; 85/15) but the spirit is there.
Having myself a special 22 and a MEV, i appreciate them both, with or without the middle pickups.

But to complete your advise i would say that everyone who wants to order a private stock should have tried the model he wants before making an order.
 
About the special SH, first thing i had i mind was a joke like « how stupid are the people you know ? If they dont use the middle pickup they are basically playing a custom 22 »
Jokes apart, that may be inaccurate because different neck and bridge pickups can be used (58/15 LT ; 58/15 MT ; 85/15) but the spirit is there.
Having myself a special 22 and a MEV, i appreciate them both, with or without the middle pickups.

But to complete your advise i would say that everyone who wants to order a private stock should have tried the model he wants before making an order.

It has nothing to do about using the middle pickup or not.
The problem is the middle PU in the Special SH is, for many, always in the way when picking or strumming.
I thought they were exaggerating, until I got one.
It’s surprisingly unique to the Special SH; I never have that problem with a Strat or MEV.
 
Thoughts:
- 7 strings: looks great, but I can barely play 6 strings :)
- Frostbite Fade MEV won't last long.
- Dragon Breath Glow Piezo MEV is incredible too: probably won't last long either.

- Special SH: be sure you try a special before jumping straight to a PS version. Most people I know who owned one sold it because the middle pickup was always in the way. I thought they were joking, until I got one myself (luckily used so mostly broke even on resale). You don't want to be the sucker who spends a fortune on a Private Stock Special SH and finds out it doesn't suit your playing style. I don't have that problem at all with the MEV's middle pickup.

- both Music Force builds look great. There is a Purple Glow quilt top Private Stock very similar at the Guitar Center in Hollywood at the moment (it's not listed online, I was just visiting by accident when I saw it).

You are spot on with your insight of the middle pickup of the Special Semi Hollow. Particularly for the wannabe James Hetfield's (like myself), the middle pickup is a nuisance.

As you said, it's something you have got to try for yourself and perhaps it won't bother some folks.

Id love to see a pic of the Guitar Centre Purple PS if you have any
 
You are spot on with your insight of the middle pickup of the Special Semi Hollow. Particularly for the wannabe James Hetfield's (like myself), the middle pickup is a nuisance.

As you said, it's something you have got to try for yourself and perhaps it won't bother some folks.

Id love to see a pic of the Guitar Centre Purple PS if you have any

Picture quality is terrible since the guitar was hanging very high up the wall and I had to zoom considerably in a not so brightly lit room.
I can assure you it looked good in person, seemed to have grain filled swamp ash back and a RW neck (most likely a Brazilian RW neck given the price tag):
AWBtCGD.jpg


3UPgIhO.jpg


It's not listed anywhere on the GC website so you would have to call the Hollywood Guitar Center if that's something you want to learn more about.
 
Picture quality is terrible since the guitar was hanging very high up the wall and I had to zoom considerably in a not so brightly lit room.
I can assure you it looked good in person, seemed to have grain filled swamp ash back and a RW neck (most likely a Brazilian RW neck given the price tag):
AWBtCGD.jpg


3UPgIhO.jpg


It's not listed anywhere on the GC website so you would have to call the Hollywood Guitar Center if that's something you want to learn more about.

That is beautiful. Love the quilt
 
That is beautiful. Love the quilt
If I hadn't been in the LA area specifically to pick up the Laguna Dragon Breath from my post, I would have been tempted by the 594 on sale in Dragon Breath (matching curly maple neck) or that CU24-08 in purple burst.
I don't mind calling them if you are wondering about the specs of that purple one and seriously considering it.
 
If I hadn't been in the LA area specifically to pick up the Laguna Dragon Breath from my post, I would have been tempted by the 594 on sale in Dragon Breath (matching curly maple neck) or that CU24-08 in purple burst.
I don't mind calling them if you are wondering about the specs of that purple one and seriously considering it.
Thanks a lot man. I would have been very tempted but I have something you may appreciate on the way. Watch this space !!
 
It has nothing to do about using the middle pickup or not.
The problem is the middle PU in the Special SH is, for many, always in the way when picking or strumming.
I thought they were exaggerating, until I got one.
It’s surprisingly unique to the Special SH; I never have that problem with a Strat or MEV.
It has nothing to do about using the middle pickup or not.
The problem is the middle PU in the Special SH is, for many, always in the way when picking or strumming.
I thought they were exaggerating, until I got one.
It’s surprisingly unique to the Special SH; I never have that problem with a Strat or MEV.

ok i didnt understand it that way
I see your point even if i dont have that problem
 
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