Three "Better Than Average" SingleCuts

[Travis]

1 hour ago, django49 said:

Strange how life goes. Just posted this one (finally) on the local CL yesterday. Got a call this morning from the same guy that bought my other one from the same short run. Guess I must have priced it right or something. In any case, is nothing goes sideways, I reckon he will be picking it up on Tuesday.

In the meantime, I did also post one other singlecut (of sorts) the solid BRW George Harrison Tele replica. As well as a doublecut Ronin Mirari, a recent flavor of the month. Let me see if I can dig them up. I would certainly sell for much less here than my asking prices on CL. Because we all know how that works. Would like to net in the low 4s and not take TOO huge a loss. For starters, say $4200 each, net to me.

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/msg/d/battle-ground-george-harrison-brazilian/7385538122.html

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/msg/d/battle-ground-ronin-mirari-guitar/7376626220.html

Still trying to make up my mind on the Rietbergen(s). I do NOT need both the "worklng man's" TSB version and the way over the top "Prototype". The latter is (IMO) the best guitar I have ever played. But also, by far, the most expensive. So, do I just keep it and play the snot out of it? Or keep the 90% as good one that cost half as much and does not remind me of the stupid price tag? Called into question when someone visited from out of state, chanced to pick up the "lesser one" and immediately offered a fairly high price. I very reluctantly agreed but (saved by the bell) he swung back down from Seattle without telling me and we failed to make connections before he headed back to AZ a week later.

Any opinions on which to keep? I am NOT entering the redwood topped on into the equation.

Aesthetically, I prefer the TSB. But that’s just me. Personally, I would keep the one I liked the best regardless of price. Every time I played the “lesser” one I would be reminded of the better one I let go. 

[gtrdaddy]

16 hours ago, django49 said:

Any opinions on which to keep?

Which ever one sounds better.

[django49]

13 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

Which ever one sounds better.

To paraphrase an old Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Each sounds better than the other".

ETA.....I kinda did mean that. They both are so much bigger in size and sound than any 335-ish guitar I ever came across. More "alive". But the two are still very different. The plainer one has a 1959 Haussell in both the neck and bridge. It is more the straight out rocker. The fancier one has a maple top and back, which make it a bit brighter, as well as a "Vin" neck pickup. A bit less "in your face" and more similar to my long term numero uno Dolphin. I am not going to say it is weak by any measure, but it seems to lean more toward "jazzy".

I guess it is no secret I tend to lean toward the pretty face (and neck). And have a love for wood.....That NECK sorta looks like the figure you might find in a flame maple neck. But it is actually flame mahogany. A rare find. May not make it SOUND better, and I am tending lately to less emphasize the fancy builds that are (arguably) works of art as much as a musical instrument, but......There was some nice work that went into that one.

I can understand why Nik says the Riet is his all time favorite model. Nothing else quite like it.

[django49]

It must be that season or something. Just sold the Private Stock. And now had someone else over today to pick up my PRS 408 (nice quilted top and rosewood neck and BRW board). He liked one of my remaining singlecuts a lot as well as a certain Mesa amp. Will be interesting to see if anything else develops. It will not hurt me to have one more heavy box gone. Or maybe 3 or 4 or 5.

I also have two huge speaker cabs to sell, but I know better than to even think about shipping them.

Meanwhile, bidding a fond adieu......

[django49]

And the hits just keep on coming. I am not sure if the country is just awash is cash flows or what. In the past two days, the Mirari (sorry, not a singlecut) walked out the door and the Fibenare Basic jazz (rosewood neck) has been put on hold for pickup.....One Mesa combo amp (rare Blue Angel 2 x 10 with custom "Croc" wrap) and 2 rack separates are on "I will get back to you" status. As is the Hartung Sephir. Huge Fender cab with 2 15" JBLs ready for pickup tomorrow.

Starting to make a pretty good dent in the stash of past excesses.......

[django49]

On 2/18/2021 at 8:40 AM, django49 said:

Okay, so....Moving on......

I posted a picture above of a sort of a clone of the Huber Orca. It is a Frank Hartung Sephir. Also based in Germany, Frank gives up nothing (IMO) to Nik. His work is consistently stellar. Whereas Nik has added to his crew of merry men, and has now shipped well over 3000 guitars, Frank is essentially a one man show with total production about 1/10 of Nik's. I have had my hands on over 2 dozen Huber guitars, about 8 Hartungs. While less well known than Hubers, they give up nothing in the way of quality or tone. IMO, the Hartungs have a bit more "personality" than the Hubers,

The Sephir is very much the "refined Les Paul" model. Unlike the Orca 59, it has the Gibson scale (not 25"). It is slighter lighter and more comfortable. Like the Orca 59 and the PRS Private Stock above, it has great woods and flamed maple binding on the neck. Also the expanded binding on the headstock. Unlike his signature Embrace model, it has the more traditional type headstock.

I could not resist when this one popped up recently. They do not appear often. I am not disappointed in it at all, but I DO have the other one which is only 2 serial numbers off this one. What is different about this one? It has been upgraded with Tone Specifics Punch pickups. The original 4 wire Ray Gerold pickups are in the case). They give it a bit "bigger" sound than stock, but do not have the coil split. If you check the pickups online, they are quoted at $600 per set.

Also, it has the OHSC, certificate and a DVD showing the build.

With as little as I am playing these days. I really should take my loss and move on....

Offered for $3800 (net to me) in the CONUS without the Gerolds. Add $200 to get the Gerold pickups as well.......IMO, they are superb pickups on their own, not to mention hard to find without buying a high end guitar......I cannot recall the last time I saw a pair offered for sale in the USA.

Now about that Redwood.......

Life drags on. several people have "wanted" this one. Currently a couple people, one local, trying to decide if they can come up with the cash (or get permission from the boss) to take it away. IMO, this one is at least as good as the two PRS Private Stocks posted above, which sold for a combined price of $9500 cash (to the same buyer) this year. YMMV, of course, as so much about getting the "right" guitar is subjective.

Anyway, let me just offer it at that $3800 AND now include both sets of excellent pickups as well as all the other goodies. I cannot see myself justifying any lower price. It is just that I have TWO of these......

[django49]

Well, THAT was quick. Looks like we have a sale, pending payment.

[django49]

Just for fun, on a Saturday morning after I sold the one Hartung, a little demo of another singlecut. The goldtop ("Worntage 57") is really awesome. My other Hartungs are a bit fancier with upgraded woods and features (and prices!), but this one just makes me smile every time I pick it up. I was very lucky to pick it up at a very good price.

Clearly this is NOT me playing it.  😉 And I should hasten to add it is NOT for sale!

 

[django49]

One more fun one. Did someone say they were looking for korina? Have not had this out for a bit. If you know McKay, it is probably for his incredible copies of ES-335s. With prices in the $7k range, IIRC. As far as I know, this is a one off, though the demo suggests he wanted to make more. It has an original 50s gold foil, plus a Duncan Antiquity in the bridge. Not a lightweight as some korina is.....

2017 McKay Special- Korina

Great Korina and Seymour Duncan antiquities give this guitar a great 58” Korina tone in the bridge. For a change up, Ken put in a 50’s Gold Foil in the bridge to give a great combo in the middle position.

Body: Korina

Neck :Korina

Fingerboard; Brazilian Rosewood

Neck Shape: .90 58ish

Pickups: Neck Gold Foil, Bridge Seymour Duncan Antiquity

Weight: 7 lbs

With hardshell case

I need to play it a bit more. But it is hard to find the time lately. And I do have a pair of gold foils in a higher end guitar. Thinking I will probably post this locally for $1750. Which I think is a fair amount to want to net. I guess I am open to hearing if anyone thinks a different price is more appropriate.

 

 

[django49]

One other "singlecut" but a whole different animal. A higher end one off made by Nik for a friend...Someone that used to be a member here. AFAIK he has only made one other in this spec, though that was apparently a plain wood (mahogany?) prototype.

This one has the exceptional quilted top AND back. Flamed MAHOGANY neck with flame maple binding and figured body. A great combination of Haussell Vin and 1959 pups. Sterling silver inlays.....Maintaining the "Sea" theme, the inlays and "F holes" are shaped like waves. And hardwood trim. About as over the top as one might want.

I have to spend some more time with it. But, again, hard to justify keeping all the pretty faces and tone machines that seldom are used these days. Not sure how serious I wanna get about selling. Imagine I would be lamenting the size of the loss if I netted less than $6k. God only knows what Mr G paid for it.

Anyway, I know folks like them "purty pix"....Even if they are quick and dirty snapshots.
Did I mention I love Nik Huber's work?

 

[Travis]

1 hour ago, django49 said:

One other "singlecut" but a whole different animal. A higher end one off made by Nik for a friend...Someone that used to be a member here. AFAIK he has only made one other in this spec, though that was apparently a plain wood (mahogany?) prototype.

This one has the exceptional quilted top AND back. Flamed MAHOGANY neck with flame maple binding and figured body. A great combination of Haussell Vin and 1959 pups. Sterling silver inlays.....Maintaining the "Sea" theme, the inlays and "F holes" are shaped like waves. And hardwood trim. About as over the top as one might want.

I have to spend some more time with it. But, again, hard to justify keeping all the pretty faces and tone machines that seldom are used these days. Not sure how serious I wanna get about selling. Imagine I would be lamenting the size of the loss if I netted less than $6k. God only knows what Mr G paid for it.

Anyway, I know folks like them "purty pix"....Even if they are quick and dirty snapshots.
Did I mention I love Nik Huber's work?

 

Holy crap, the neck on that Huber…. 🤤🤤🤤