One-off Gordon Smith fretless SG guitar, plus Guthrie Govan on a Vigier Surfretter fretless guitar

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If you've ever considering dipping a toe or two into the world of fretless guitar, then you could do a lot worse than snap up this Gordon Smith SG-styled fretless guitar, currently listed on eBay UK with a starting bid of a very reasonable £299 and with no bids at the time of writing (approx 13 hours to go before end of auction). It's a one-off handcrafted custom build from this acclaimed British maker from Partington, near Manchester. What's not to like?

And while we're on the subject, check out the below video by Guthrie Govan in which he answers all the questions you may have had about playing a fretless guitar but were too afraid to ask. It really is an excellent introduction to the subject.



G L Wilson

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UK Subs' Nicky Garrett's custom Breadwinners including world's only Breadwinner doubleneck

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Nicky Garrett of legendary British punk band UK Subs is an Ovation Breadwinner/Deacon fan. He owns three original Ovation Breadwinners but rather than risk using those live on stage with the UK Subs, he's had these replicas built. In his own words:

I don't recall ever using a breadwinner or deacon with the Subs, but I liked the balance so much that I asked John at Gordon-Smith to build me two custom guitars for the road which I've toured with many times. These copies have the guts of the Gordon-Smith GS1 but the shape of the Breadwinner. The headstock shape was my idea, with a 4 - 2 machine head configuration. I also had him put tremolos on them to bridge a bit of gap between the 'Gibson' sound and a Strat.

Just for kicks, John also built me a Breadwinner twin neck 12/6 which, as far as I know, is the world's only twin neck breadwinner.

Read more here on the UK Subs Time and Matter website. Thanks to Guitarz reader James Davies for alerting me to this page.

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

Gordon Smith GS1 doubleneck

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Doublenecks can be ungainly, cumbersome beasts. They can be seen by some as a little ridiculous, displaying all the excesses of the pretentious prog rock era. You didn't see too many punk bands playing doublenecks, did you?

But if you have to have one, how about this beautiful Gordon Smith GS1 12+6 doubleneck with set necks and an understated natural satin finish on mahogany, and with two pairs of coil-tappable humbuckers for a wide range of tones? This auction is finishing in two days time; it has a starting price of £550 and no-one has bid yet.

Gordon Smith guitars, handcrafted in the UK, have a solid reputation for producing high quality instruments at very reasonable prices. The designs are, in the main, reminiscent of those of Gibson with the GS series having a LP Jr influence. They have the feel of bespoke handmade guitars, whilst also making excellent workhorse instuments.

G L Wilson

Edit: Looks like it sold for the starting price of £550. Someone got a bargain!

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

Gordon Smith electric mandolin

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Here's another take on the electric mandolin, which couldn't be more different than the Gibson Futura mandolin prototype we looked at recently. This is a Gordon Smith electric mandolin, made in Britain, and is - I believe - a one-off build. It is an original design - unusual given Gordon Smith's usual Gibson influences, and features a very compact body (unlike the long stretched-out body of the Gibson) with a lengthy upper horn which no doubt would let it hang on a strap much more nicely than the Gibson. It also has the traditional eight strings arranged in four paired courses that we expect to see on a mandolin and so would appeal more to purists.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Hand-carved SG

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In these times when you have to choose mainly between soulless clones of once modern guitars and flashy paint-jobs targeted at uneducated teenagers, it's good to find here and there something mixing classicism, originality and sensitivity - like this hand-carved SG of indeterminate brand (or is it all hand-made?).

This tasteful work is the work of UK woodcarver Nick Hunter, who has a website where I stole these pictures... I just like it.

Bertram

[Additional: It's a Gordon-Smith, made in the UK - GLW ]

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Gordon Smith guitars