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So, I've been looking far and wide for guitar types/styles that I don't have, or used to have but got rid of. One of these was guitars with lots of little switches all over them. I used to have some carvin guitars, with phase and coil tap switches, which are fun to play with and give a bunch of sonic diversity than the standard 3 way switch on most 2 humbucker guitars. I also for some reason became fixated on having a green guitar, and after playing and loving EBMM basses for a few years, I figured it was time to look for a guitar from there.

So, I went over to their website, and realized that with the exception of the Armada, most of the guitars they make are Fender-derived designs. Sure the body shapes may be a little different, but for the most part they aren't anything that I don't already have. I don't really like tremolos, so that takes out the JP guitars, and I've already got a G&L Legacy, a carvin bolt, two diablos, and a telecaster. So, not much ground left open.

Then I saw the Steve morse signature. Not only did it have a TOM instead of a standard strat bridge, it's also got a bunch of extra pickups, with cool little switches to flip to get different sounds. I thought I had found my guitar. i even checked out willcutt's, and they had one in stock in the PDN green sparkle color.

Well, I figured I might as well check out what's on sale on the EBMM boards before I plunk down over $1600 on a guitar.

And then I saw it. A Steve morse signature in morse blueburst. Anyone who has seen guitars I've owned over the years knows that I love blue guitars. I used to have two carvin gutiars in Blueburst. I had an epiphone Les Paul in Blue. And I've got three blue basses, and three blue guitars. and another on the way.

And then I saw the price. $1100. Shipped. stickers still on the guitar from the factory and plastic still on the PG. And that was that.

I'll have pictures and a review once it gets here and I figure out what the switches do.

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It is definitely an interesting setup. I think one switch turns on the bridge pickup. regardless of what else is on. The other switch controls the "extra" single coil. but it's an awesome color. i need more blue guitars.

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So that's the real reason you're keeping the SG! LOL

guilty as charged! well it does play awesome, but I LOVE blue guitars. I used to have the blue SG supreme as my desktop wallpaper. It's just so awesome looking. If it had been a fireburst, or green burst one, I wouldn't have bought it.

I should also add that I bought the kahuna I have mostly because it was blue.

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Wow! I've never seen this model before.

Great score on a beauty that looks like you can get any sound you're looking for out of. Congrats.

I've found many who are surprised to find out that EBMM makes guitars as well as basses. They really don't get the same amount of press for the skinny stringers, which was a problem even back when Fender was still involved. Most then only really know about the Axis, which is pretty much identical to a Peavey Wolfgang, and the John Petrucci models. it's a dang shame because they make some great guitars, many of which are signature models like the Morse, the Luke, the Albert Lee, the JP models, and others.

IMHO though the most interesting ones are the Morse models. they also now have a MM P90 style pickup.

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If you ever see Steve Morse live you will see him constantly playing with the pickup selectors. It is not hard to learn the layout once you get used to it.

Yeah, I just watched this video, which made it make a lot more sense:

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So... the review. I had guitar lessons today, and I always love to show my teacher when I get something, as he's not as much of a hoarder.. er collector as I am, but he likes to see what I bring. He's also said all of my guitars sound "great". He tried out the morse, and I played it as well. Currently working on Sweet Home Chicago, Freddie King style. We have both agreed: this is the kind of guitar that makes you want to sell your other guitars. My telecaster and maybe some other guitars may have to look for new homes soon.

So, It's basically a franken-tele on steroids, and is pretty much based on Steve Morse's own franken tele, right down to the pickup and switching configuration.Extremely versatile, and extremely playable. The thing is really freakin comfy, even with the un-contoured (like a tele) body. neck access is effortless. sound is just awesome. It can do so many different sounds, and they all sound good. They are also somewhat unique, which is good as well. 3 of 4 pickups were custom designed specifically for this guitar and steve morse, and they are designed to sound good a bit farther away from the strings than many set their humbuckers. this means it's possible to pick just about anywhere and not run into pickups.

the bridge pickup is VERY high output. Dimarzio rates its output above the Super Distortion. But, since it is only around 10Kohm, it doesn't get honky or muddy. Definitely has a lot definition, and great harmonics. The bridge single coil is nice by itself, but when mixed with the bridge humbucker, it gives a somewhat more airy sound than the humbucker alone. That is apparently how steve uses it. It is somewhat "tele-like" when used solo so it's a viable option.

Then there is the neck pickup. It's low output, but DC resistance is 20KOHMS!!!! TWENTY!!! It doesn't sound like any other bridge pickup I've ever played on. It's very warm and dark, with a lot of smoothness. great for jazzy style stuff. When mixed with the bridge pickup, it's just awesome, almost like a solo boost from just using the neck.

And of course, there is the slant single coil in the middle. It's a DP108 dimarzio vintage single coil, and by itself, it's like a strat center pickup. Great for single coil stuff, or you can mix it with any of the other pickup combinations, especially the bridge single coil, which almost gives you a strat quack.

It's just an awesome guitar. If you ever see one in a store, definitely take it for a test drive.

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