There’s just something so cool about a Bigsby vibrato, doesn’t it? Well, not everyone will agree with this, but they look sturdy and go well with most kinds of guitars – unlike Fender-style vibratos (also wrongly known as tremolo arms). 

Two different Bigsby vibratos

Nothing wrong with Fender vibratos – especially the Jazzmaster / Jaguar ones, of course, as any My Bloody Valentine fan will agree. “Floating tremolos” can be fantastic. But can you image a Les Paul with a Fender trem? Exactly – sometimes, only a Bigsby will do!

Besides, Bigsby vibratos were designed so they can be easily retro fitted to most types of guitars – so pretty much anyone with a hardtail guitar can easily modify it with a Bigsby, whereas if you wanted to fit a Fender-style trem, for instance, it’d be more complicated. (Check Bigsby for sale here)

If you still have any doubts about it, here’s our pick of Top 7 very different guitars with Bigsby vibrato, as played by famous guitarists. Post a comment to let us know which one is your favourite, or whether we forgot a guitar that should be here!

7) Airline 3P: PJ Harvey, Ripley Johnson, G. Love, Jeff Wootton

PJ Harvey and her Airline 3p

Polly Jean Harvey is not just an amazing singer and gifted songwriter – she’s got a great taste in guitars, too! After playing Gretsch, Gibson Firebird and Fender Telecaster and Jazzmaster, she chose a (vintage) Airline 3P with Bigsby.

Airline 59 3P DLX

Since then, we’ve seen many more guitarists choosing this model. Users of Eastwood’s Airline 59 3P DLX include Ripley from Wooden Schjips / Moon Duo (who now plays his signature 3P), G. Love (who’s also got his own signature guitar), and Jeff Wootton of Gorillaz.

Whereas some people might thing an Airline 2P looks “too Jack White”, the 3P with Bigsby is even more versatile and ideal for guitarists who want to experiment.

6) 1959 Les Paul Standard, the “Keefburst”: Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor

Keith Richards and his 1959 Les Paul

Some of us (maybe most!) might say that a Les Paul is better with its traditional hardtail bridge, but we perhaps wouldn’t even be talking about Les Paul guitars if not for this model – the legendary Keefburst. Why? Well, for the simple reason Keef was the first notable player to play a sunburst Les Paul. He used it on the Rolling Stones’ first US tour and extensively on TV shows and recordings, such as “The Last Time”. 

A Keefburst-style Les Paul with Bigsby

And more – Keef’s Les Paul might’ve inspired Jimmy Page to get his own sunburst Les Paul, too! As a session musician, Page used Keith’s LP on a version of the Stones’ “Heart Of Stone”. And that’s not the end of it: Eric Clapton is said to have borrowed it for a while circa Fresh Cream, and Mick Taylor also played it.

5) Epiphone Casino w/ Bigsby: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Johnny Marr

George Harrison and his Epiphone Casino

What can we say? Both George Harrison and Paul McCartney had Epiphone Casinos equipped with Bigsby. They used it on tracks such as “Drive My Car”, “Taxman”, on lots of the “Sgt. Pepper” album, and during the Beatles last tour, which included legendary gigs such as Candlestick Park.

Johnny Marr’s Casino, today – minus trem…

Even though both Keith Richards and Brian Jones also played Casinos, it was The Beatles who truly introduced the model to a wider audience. Which also included an young Johnny Marr – who bought a Bigsby-equipped Casino because of the Fab Four, and used it on one of The Smiths’ best songs, “How Soon Is Now?” (Check Johnny Marr website for more). 

Epiphone Casino with Bigsby, still available from Epiphone

The list of Casino with Bigsby users also includes Thom York from Radiohead, The Edge from U2 and Gary Clark Jr.

4) Harmony H78: Dan Auerbach, Anton Newcombe

Dan Auerbach and his H78 with Bigsby

Make no mistake – Gibson/Epiphone semis are great, but if they are guilty of one thing, is that over the years they’ve become a bit generic. Sounds hard to believe, but so many players still get them all mixed-up: 335, 345, 355, Riviera, Sheraton, Casino… 

With the H78 there’s no mistake! No other semi-acoustic looks like it. The current Airline H78 is a fitting tribute to the original H78, as used by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Anton Newcombe and Matt Hollywood from Brian Jonestown Massacre. Many players who’ve tried both models will testify that the new H78 is even better than the original!

Betterthan the original? The Airline H78, a truly unique semi-acoustic…

3) Supro Dual Tone: David Bowie

David Bowie and his Supro Dual Tone

A fact not always acknowledged by many fans is that David Bowie had a great taste in guitars, as discussed on our dedicated article about Bowie’s guitars. So his choice of instrument for his final tour, in 2003, couldn’t be better: a Supro Dual Tone with Bigsby – a stunning guitar! That was the first time many people saw a Dual Tone, but in fact this vintage classic featured on some of the most influential recordings from the 1950’s… after all, Link Wray used it in classic tracks such as “Rumble”.

An original Dual Tone will set you back thousands of bucks, but fortunately, Eastwood’s Airline Twin Tone DLX can give you a taste of the original:

The Airline Twin Tone DLX… as close as it gets to a Supro!

2) Gretsch Triple Jet: Jack White

Jack White and his Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish

The Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish is perhaps Jack White’s most iconic guitar, after the red Airline. After years with The White Stripes, White had to really choose a striking new guitar to help setting his new project The Racounteurs apart… and besides an Airline Town & Country (as featured on the ‘Steady As She Goes’ video) he opted for the Triple Jet, which was actually his main axe, live.

Jack White’s Gretsch Triple Jet in copper

A wise choice, too. His customised Triple Jet in copper was a stunning guitar which got many guitarists wondering if they could find one just like it. Sadly, the answer was “no”…

For more about Jack White’s guitars, read our previous blog, A Brief History Of jack White’s Guitar Collection.

1) Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty: Jimmy Page 

Jimmy Page and his Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty

What’s so special about this Les Paul? Besides being a gorgeous instrument, this is the instrument that helped to establish Page’s name: pre-Led Zeppelin, this was the guitar he used on several studio sessions for other artists. He also used it in the early days of Led Zeppelin, but then lost – only to be found more than 40 years later!

Jimmy Page and the Black Beauty

So… we think the Black Beauty with Bigsby deserves the #1 spot: a gorgeous guitar, owned by one of the greatest guitarists ever in legendary recording sessions and gigs, and considered lost for many decades – but miraculously found years later. How cool is that? 

Les Paul Black Beauty with Bigsby

The Top 7 Guitars with Bigsby… As Played by Famous Guitarists from MyRareGuitars.com

On this video, Moon Duo singer / guitarist Ripley Johnson uses, as usual, his Airline 59 3P Ripley Custom, his own signature guitar and also an unique model in the Airline 59 family, as it features our Transwarp Drive boost.

Airline 59 3P Ripley Custom

Rock on, Ripley!

Moon Duo’s worldwide tour continues in the U.S. and Canada. If you’re around to catch one of those dates, don’t miss it!

21/4/17 Chicago @ The Empty Bottle w/ Jackie Lynn 
22/4/17 Detroit @ El Club w/ Jackie Lynn 
23/4/17 Toronto @ Horseshoe Tavern w/ Jackie Lynn 
25/4/17 Montreal @ La Sala Rossa w/ Jackie Lynn 
26/4/17 Boston @ Great Scott w/ Jackie Lynn 
27/4/17 Brooklyn @ Rough Trade w/ Jackie Lynn 
28/4/17 Philadelphia @ Johnny Brenda’s w/ Jackie Lynn 
29/4/17 Washington DC @ DC9 w/ Jackie Lynn 
30/4/17 Cleveland @ Beachland Tavern w/ Jackie Lynn

More info:

Moon Duo official website

WATCH: Moon Duo Covers The Stooges’ ‘No Fun’ from MyRareGuitars.com

A few years ago, Gibson announced their 2015 range of electric guitars, which featured several changes that didn’t please many of their core customers – and one of those changes was a wider neck. The move proved a big PR fiasco, with many players thinking that Gibson had finally lost the plot, and that the wide necks were one of the most visible signs of that.

Looking back, perhaps Gibson had the right idea, but just dealt it the wrong way, by having all their 2015 models being made with wide necks – thus depriving their customers of choice: there is indeed an increasing market for wide neck guitars, no question about that… but it’s not for everybody!

Why play a Wide Neck guitar? Is it for YOU?

The fact is, if we’re honest, that a good chunk of the population is, well… getting chunkier! To be totally blunt about it – fatter people have fatter fingers, and it can (sometimes, for some players) make it harder for  them to play a guitar which has a narrower neck. But also, anyone who’s bigger and thus got bigger hands might find it a bit troublesome to deal with a standard, narrow neck guitar…

For those players, opting for a wide neck guitar can make a huge difference! It’s in fact quite remarkable that for so many years, the industry has not focused on this problem, but now guitars with wide necks are not such a rarity anymore.

Please bear in mind that when we say “wide neck” we don’t refer to the thickness of the neck, which is something else altogether – as most players will be aware, different guitars my have different neck profiles, with different shapes and different thickness (which is a subject that’s itself worth a separate blog!)

We are, of course, talking about the actual width of the fingerboard. Visually, at a quick glance, many people might not notice any difference in some cases, but the relationship between the player’s hand and the fretboard is so crucial and subtle, that just a matter of tiny millimetres can make a huge difference – the difference in fact, between you loving a guitar or maybe even loathing it!

What’s the Nut Width of a Wide Neck Guitar?

A regular guitar may have a width at nut of 1 11/16″, while a wide neck would have a width at nut of 1 7/8″, for instance.

We’re talking about minimal differences here, but which play a crucial factor on how much playable you will think a guitar is – depending on how comfortable either of them feels on your hand!

Going back to Gibson, here’s another comparison: the maligned 2015 Les Paul had a width at nut of  1.795″, whereas “normal” Les Paul Standard has a width at nut of 1.695″. That’s right – 0.1″ of difference that’s enough to make someone simply hate an instrument!

But that’s the crux here – it’s not about the instrument, because there’s nothing wrong with a wide neck, it’s just a matter of: do YOU actually need one?

Guitar Companies Who Make Wide Neck Guitars

There are brands who’ve been adopting the wide neck design, over the years, besides Gibson.

The Zarley Wide Neck Guitars was founded by Tracy Todd, who decided to make wide neck models after years struggling with playing standard guitars, and their instruments have been welcomed by players who fancied wide necks:

Zarley Wide Neck

Many “Heavy Rock” brands such as Ibanez, Jackson, BC Rich also make guitars with necks wider than the usual Fenders, Gibsons etc you see around. 

Best Fingerpicking (“Fingerstyle”) Guitars?

Another common use for wide neck guitars is for those who play guitar “finger-picking” style… whatever the size of your hand! Though most fingerpicking guitarists use acoustic guitars, you can also use electrics for that style, and wider necks offer a distinct advantage, due to the wider width at nut and string spacing.

Wide Neck Guitars: for Beginners, too?

Perhaps another angle we could look at, is that wide neck guitars are also perfect for beginners and less experienced players, as it may be easier to try chords. Many people start on guitar playing a cheap Classical acoustic guitar (also known as Spanish or flamenco guitars) which are usually about 2″ wide (approx 49-52mm).

So we can’t see why wouldn’t beginners opting for an electric guitar not enjoy a wide neck model, in fact it could make learning even easier.

Is wide neck right for you? Well… first look at your hands, then let us know!

All You Need To Know About… Wide Neck Guitars from MyRareGuitars.com

Limited Edition Airline Twin Tone Double Cut – only 24 Made. (Reg Price $499)

Airline Guitars has produced a limited edition Twin Tone Double Cut. Order yours TODAY!

20% OFF this week only. Just $399 while supplies last plus FREE SHIPPING

Specifications:

• Colours: White
• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple, Bolt-on
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, Block Markers
• Scale Length: 24 3/4″
• Width at Nut: 1 5/8″
• Pickups: Two Hot-Rail Humbuckers
• Switching: 3-Way
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
• Bridge: Fully adjustable Tune-O-Matic
• Hardware: Gotoh style Nickel/Chrome
• Strings: 10-46 D’Addario
• Case: extra – gigbag $39, hardshell case $99
• Unique Features: Limited Edition – only 24 available

Watch this product demonstration by Keith McFadden:

Limited Edition Twin Tone Double Cut – only 24 Made from MyRareGuitars.com

Each year we bring out a few limited edition color schemes for the Airline ’59 series. Here is the first for 2014! Gold Metal Flake, black neck and headstock, black body binding and all the ’59 trimings. Please take a close look at the photos down below to see closeups of the finish, it is killer!

This ’59 2P Limited Edition Model is only $999 including DLX Form-Fit Airline Tweed case (optional Bigsby B-50 add $139).

North American shipping $49, UK/Europe $149, Australia and Japan $189. $289 Elsewhere.

**SOLD OUT**

Specifications:

NEW Limited Edition Airline ’59 2P in Gold Metal Flake from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline Tuxedo (pearloid)

These are normally a custom shop pre-order with 3-5 month lead time, but we have one in stock NOW. This is a spectacular guitar and quite a collectors item. Grab this one today and have it in your lap in 5 days, or order one later and wait a long time to get it.  $1,750 includes hardshell case.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Here are some more photos:

RARE Airline Tuxedo Pearloid Top and Head – One of only 3 made from MyRareGuitars.com

STD model with Stop Tail only $779

DLX model with Bigsby only $899

(optional hardshell case $99. VAT extra for UK and EU).

SPECIFICATIONS:

Body: Tone Chambered Mahogany
Neck: Maple, Bolt-on
Fingerboard: Rosewood, Block Markers
Scale Length: 27″, 22 frets
Width at Nut: 1 11/16″
Pickups: Dual Humbuckers
Switching: 3-way Vintage Tone Control
Controls: 1 Volume, 2 Tone
Bridge: Tun-o-matic Roller Bridge, Bigsby B-50
Hardware: Grover Style Nickel/Chrome
Strings: 13-62
Case: extra
Unique Features: Tone Chambered Mahogany Body

More pictures:

Here are some photos of the STD Stop Tail model:

For comparison, here is the Baritone model next to the standard 24 3/4″ scale guitar. You can see the bridge is further back on the body and the overall neck length is longer, but the body size/shape is identical. The Baritone model is extremely well balanced and will add a new dimension to your playing, tuned B-B. Enjoy!

New Airline MAP Baritone – 27″ Scale – B to B Tuning from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Feast your eyes on this new Limited Edition Airline Folkstar in Sky Blue. Available TODAY, only 12 in this production run, so don’t wait too long to pull the trigger.

only $749 (optional hardshell case $99. VAT extra for UK and EU).

Body: Tone Chambered Mahogany
Neck: Maple, Bolt-on
Fingerboard: Rosewood, Dot Markers Scale
Scale Length: 24 3/4″ (628mm) 20 frets
Width at Nut: 1 11/16″
Pickups: NY Mini Humbucker neck, Piezo bridge
Switching: none – Blend Potentiometer
Controls: 1 Volume, 1 Blend, 1 Tone
Bridge: Biscuit Bridge Single Cone
Hardware: Grover Style Nickel/Chrome
Strings: 12 – 54 Phosphor Bronze Resophonic Guitar
Case: extra
Unique Features: Rubber Body Binding, Pickup Blend
Suggested Retail: $949.00 US

More pictures:

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

Airline Folkstar Limited Edition Sky Blue

New Shipment of Airline Folkstar SKY BLUE – Now Shipping from MyRareGuitars.com

This design is based around the early 60’s Silvertone Jupiter H49 which was also available with the Airline brand. Here we have upgraded our existing Airline Jupiter to create the Jupiter PRO. We’ve added a unique blend control that lets the player dial in a wide variety of tones. We have also replaced the wooden bridge with a Tone Pros Tun-o-matic, upgraded the bolt-on neck with a set maple neck and upgraded the hardware to create a solid, tour worthy guitar for today’s modern player.

This model features dual Airline Argyle pickups, three way flipper switch, two volume, two tone controls and a unique “blend” control that pans between the two pickups when the flipper is in the center position. The blend control ranges from hi-tone bridge pickup to neck pickup with the tone rolled off. Very versatile! Black finish with gold metal flake. Also check out the Jupiter PRO – Dallas Green Signature Model.

All PRE-ORDERS will receive a Body Glove Hybrid gigbag (factory list price $199) at no extra cost.

only $879. $49 Shipping to North America, $149 to UK and Europe. $189 Australia, Japan, etc. $285 South America.

**SOLD OUT**

All PRE-ORDERS will receive a Body Glove Hybrid gigbag (factory list price $199) at no extra cost.

NEW Airline Jupiter PRO – Metallic Black Finish – June 2013 from MyRareGuitars.com

The Happy Guitarist

We ship a lot of guitars every month, all over the world. Rarely if ever do we get to meet our customers face to face, but fortunately, some take the time to write. It makes everyone’s day when those letters/emails come back to Eastwood HQ. Here are a few from the past couple of months.

Eastwood Sidejack Baritone Guitar (Black Finish, Left-Handed)

“My leftie baritone Eastwood arrived today! It is gorgeous and the sound right out of the case is astonishing. I’ve been dreaming about this for quite awhile and all my expectations and more were delivered! You deliver dreams. Thank you so much. Keep us lefties in mind. Rarely anyone does these days and your consideration deserves a secret handshake!” – James Spina

Eastwood Classic 12-String Guitar (Walnut Finish)

“LOVE this guitar! It’s an extremely versatile 12 string, ranging from a total acoustic sound to the 60’s Beatle/Byrds/Tom Petty sound. I use a Janglebox effects box with it and it chimes! Also, the action’s great on it. It’s easy to barre chords, and do fast runs that are more difficult with other 12 strings. This guitar makes me sound like a better player than I really am! I own a Danelectro 12 string, but the Classic 12 has a much fuller sound being it’s a hollow body. I’m very happy!” – William Evans

“Guitar looks beautiful and plays like a dream. Excellent craftsmanship and bang for the buck. A great instrument!” – Robert Porembski

Eastwood Stormbird Bass Guitar (Metallic Blue Finish)

“What a very impressive example of this old gibson bass guitar design. This is my first experience with eastwood guitar. I am very happy with this bass and I am looking forward to owning it for years to come. Thank You very much for creating this trully killer bass guitar.” – Jon David Lippens

Eastwood EEB-1 Bass Guitar (Black Finish)

“The bass is fantastic and belies it price, excellent setup really helped show the bass in it’s best light. I just wanted to tell you how pleased I am with the bass and the whole experience. Much of my purchasing is completed on line (I live out of town by a beach) and so it is always a little worrying spending money with people I don’t know, but you made it easy and have really delivered with your product and its price.” – Paul West

Airline ’59 Custom 3P Guitar (G Love Signature Model)

“Thanks for the speedy delivery of my new Airline ’59 custom 3p G Love Signature. Wow what a cool guitar! The neck is perfect, very well intonation and low action. Really easy to play.” – Martin Hammare (Sweden)

Airline Tuxedo Guitar (Black Finish)

“I know I sound like a broken record but just wanted to say Tuxedo is beautiful and kicks you know what sound wise. Just spent the afternoon going from sweet clean sounding country blues to chest thumping boogie on overdriven sound. Construction is flawless. I salute your quality control which is sadly lacking in some of the top US made guitars.” – Michael Cefola.

Eastwood Mandocaster (Sunburst Finish, Left-Handed)

“Just wanted to let you know that I received the Mandocaster just now and am having a hard time getting back to work.I don’t want to stop playing it. Whoever does the setup on these instruments deserves a raise.Very low action,no buzz,intonation is spot on.Very nice quality instrument. It was just what I was looking for and I love the case it came in.Thanks for helping out us leftys.I will spread the word.” – Chris Thomas

Eastwood Warren Ellis Signature Tenor Guitar (Vintage Cream Finish)

“Just received my new W.E. Tenor and am compelled to write.When I was a kid I wanted to play the tenor banjo, ya know, Eddy Peabody, Dixeyland and all that stuff so my mom got me a little wonder tenor banjo, lessons and the rest is unfortunate history until this week. When I got into my late teens and early 20s and playin with other guys, Oh how I wished I had asked to play the 6 string guitar. Now having 3 sons, 2 of which are musicians, there are many trips to the music store. Ah yes, literally hundreds of guitars hanging on the walls and nothing for me. NOTHING! Until now. This jewel from it’s wider neck to the length of the scale is the nearest thing to tenor guitar perfection that I have held in my 61 years. And yes, I chose the vintage cream. Just beautiful. Not even my Martin 018-Ts really play in tune all that well. It seemed like all the other electric tenor attempts were really converted 6 string formats. Guild, Gibson, Harmony, etc. Not anymore. You guys have nailed this and I love it. Not only is it beautiful, but it feels great, plays in tune and finally a real electric guitar for ME! Will definitely be sharing with my other Goofball tenor playing friends. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Sincerely,” – Stephen De

Airline ’59 Custom 3P Guitar (White Finish)

“I just unwrapped the ’59 Airline 3p last week. It’s like love with a new woman. I was knocked out by the comfort and playability. The design is not just radical. It’s real. In forty years I’ve never played an axe that has it all. Sound, versatility, smooth action, and best of all — It’s a total knockout! I have 5 guitars. No junk. I own a Guild Nightbird; a ’64 Telecaster; a Danelectro Baritone, and a classic Gibson Les Paul Double Cutaway. In the ’60’s I got a Gretsch Country Gentleman w/Bigsby. The Airline does everything I was doing by changing out gear onstage. The unlimited sound settings of separate tone/volume knobs for each of the three pickups makes the sonics unmatched. I thought the Vintage voice single coil pickups might be limiting, but they create a foundation of graphics that unwraps into a full array of effects. I’ve heard a nasty lipturned overdrive snarl, a smooth womanly warmth, and a fully honed razor edge knife cut lead. This guitar whips the air unleashing slashes of sound when needed, or fills the background completely by expansive rhythm tones. The Bigsby gives the freedom of surf sounds, or bluesy bends with a wrist flick. Maybe it exists, but in forty years of professional playing, I’ve never seen a more powerful, responsive, eye-grabbing instrument. I can’t thank you enough. This will be my last guitar.” – Greyson Dyne

Happy Customers Check in with Eastwood HQ from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (White, Left-Handed)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Check out this video demo:

More pics of the metallic blue ’59 Coronado:

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Electric Guitar (Metallic Blue)

Airline ’59 Coronado Introduces Two New Models from MyRareGuitars.com

Sailor Jerry (January 14, 1911 - June 12, 1973)

The Guitar: Earlier this year Eastwood Guitars and Sailor Jerry teamed up to produce a Limited Edition tribute to the 1960’s Airline Tremolectric model. The guitar has been customized with Sailor Jerry’s iconic artwork both front and back. Also a cool anchor logo on the truss rod cover. A very limited run of these start shipping June 12th.

The Contest: On June 12, 2012, we’re raising a glass to Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins to commemorate his passing in 1973. This year, to honor his life and legacy, we will be giving away this Limited Edition Airline guitar valued at $1200 USD. Here is a link to the contest details, hurry because it ends in a few days! http://sailorjerry.com/Social/Sailor-Jerry-Day-Twitter-Rewteet-Contest/

Limited Edition Sailor Jerry Guitar from Airline Guitars (front)

Limited Edition Sailor Jerry Guitar from Airline Guitars (back)

Specifications:
Colors: Custom Artwork
Body: Tone Chambered Mahogany
Neck: Bound Maple, Bolt-on, Zero Fret
Fingerboard: Rosewood, Block Markers
Scale Length: 25 1/2″ (648mm)
Width at Nut: 1 11/16″
Pickups: Alnico Hot-10 Humbuckers
Switching: individual mini on/off switches
Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
Bridge: Tone Pros Roller, BIGSBY tremolo (optional)
Hardware: Grover Style Nickel/Chrome
Strings: D’Addario #10
Case: Deluxe AIRLINE Case INCLUDED
Unique Features: Sailor Jerry Logo front and back
Suggested Retail: $1499.00US

OUR PRICE: $1199 (free shipping until June 30th)

New Limited Edition Sailor Jerry Airline Guitar & Contest – Hurry, Ends June 11th! from MyRareGuitars.com

For years many of the naming and color schemes found in vintage guitars can also be found in the vintage automobile market. Last year while surfing the net for new color ideas, I stumbled upon a fantastic blog from Rickworks that features illustrations of the some of the finest classic cars ever to rule the road.

The Airline ’59 series has a unique rubber binding around the perimiter of each guitar, so this offers us the unique opportunity to have a two-tone color scheme on the front and back. We’ve decided to produce an exclusive  limited edition series – only 24 of each model – that will be inspired from the Richworks blog. The first in the series is the “Airline Catalina”. Here is a photo of the 1955 Pontiac 870 Catalina:

1955 Pontiac 870 Catalina Car

Below are some photos of the guitar. Each will include an Airline DLX hardshell case, vintage style Airline Leather Strap and a signed Certificate of Authenticity. We will release only one new “59 Two-Tone” model each year, so grab your collectable guitar now! The Catalina is only $1079 including DLX Form-Fit Airline Tweed case, vintage Airline Strap (optional Bigsby B-50 add $139)

Pictures of the Airline Catalina:

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Limited Edition Airline Catalina Electric Guitar (Two Tone Yellow/Black)

Take a look at the other car images in this fantastic blog from Rickworks and let me know which one you think we should do next!

New Limited Edition ’59 Airline Catalina 2P LTD Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

I started with an old Electromuse (it looked like a boat paddle), and then had to figure out what to do with it, and so I commenced the seemingly endless quest for the right tuning, picks, bar, and tone. Now, this was before we all had the Interwebs at our fingertips (back when I’d visit the library once a week to review the three emails I’d acquired since last login), so how-to videos via youtube simply were not an option. I was left to my own devices.

Electromuse Lap Steel Guitar Pickup

I plunked away on my steel, but I was missing something. My sound was thin, and noisy, and out of tune…nothing like what I was hearing in my head. I chipped away at it without much luck, until I met Spider Webb Welten.

Willbern “Spider Webb” Welten owned a music store in Sparta, IL (also noteworthy as the film-shooting locale for some scenes from the original movie version of In The Heat Of The Night). Welton’s was a small, quirky store that shared its quarters with a wig shop/hair salon run by his wife, and it featured a few glass counters, about twelve guitars wrapped in plastic (for that cozy, backwoods, Invasion of the Body Snatchers ambiance), and some miscellaneous cases which, I would soon find out, housed lap steels and pedal steels.

Upon my first visit I took in the air, tainted with the chemical aroma of hair product, as a skinny, elderly man came out from the back and asked how he could help me. As soon as I told him I was looking for a set of steel strings, the old man perked up. ” C6TH, E9TH or both?” he inquired, and I could already tell I was in way over my head. “Uh…it’s for a lap steel?” The old man frowned and corrected me, “it’s not a ‘lap steel,’ it’s a straight steel, son” and he walked behind the counter and pulled out a pack of 6-string “straight steel” strings. Then he took out a card and scratched down A/C#/E/A/C#/E, with the words ” Top A Tuning ” underneath. As I paid for my strings, I asked if he had any other tips. In the course of the next hour, Webb pulled out three lap steels (straight steels), three pedal steels, an assortment of finger picks, and a magazine that had his picture on the cover. I realized that this was the guy, and I had happened to find him in middle-of-nowhere-southern-Illinois by complete chance.

Following are some of the tips that I learned from Spider Webb that day. These small nuggets of information that the steel guru shared have been invaluable, and I hope they will also help you on your journey to steel enlightenmen:

• Get some heavier strings. Most steels come with fairly light strings, but thin strings equal thin tone, and this is especially true for the lap steel (which is the name I still call it by…sorry Webb). I typically use a custom gauge that consists of .056-.016, and I feel they produce a nice, fat tone, whether played clean or overdriven.
• Use two metal finger picks and a plastic thumb pick. This is the key to speed and articulation, and will help you cut through a band better than simply using your fingers. I prefer a medium Pro-Pic that is heavy enough that I can barely bend it, and a heavy, large National thumb pick. I often use a lighter, blue Herco pick, which I also use for the banjo and the pedal steel, because I’m too lazy to carry multiple thumb picks with me, but the heavy Nationals give me a much fuller tone. Fingers without picks can give you a really great tone as well, so you may experiment both ways.
• Keep your fingers on the strings behind the bar. This was a huge eye-opener for me, as it allowed me to get a truly defined tone without any noise. It also helps to keep the bar straight and accurate for better intonation.
• Play on the line. This takes a little time to get used to, but you always want to keep your bar directly over the fret marker. Playing in the space will cause you to be flat.
• It’s not fine china, so don’t be afraid to use some pressure and push down on the strings with the bar. You will get a much better tone this way.
• Use a volume pedal. Starting with the pedal about 20-30% engaged will give you plenty of room to add sustain to notes when needed.
• Use vibrato the way a singer would. Play the note clear and solid, and then add a slow vibrato by rolling and moving the bar back and forth. This is one of the more difficult techniques to learn, and it takes some time to accomplish.

Here are a couple of videos of me playing the Airline Lap Steel Guitar, available from www.eastwoodguitars.com for only $349:

1) Hawaiian Tone

2) Kick Butt Blues Tone:

I’ve owned two of Eastwood’s Airline lap steels, and I believe they are the best steel on the market for the money. The Airline has plenty of string height at the nut, and a bit wider string spacing than other steels in the same price range. The body has plenty of mass and weight, giving the steel a great tone, both clean and driven. Add a bit of delay and fuzz for an over the top tone, or try some modulation effects or a POG for a cool organ effect.

Written by: Dave Anderson

Dave Anderson

Lap Steel Guitar – You Need One! from MyRareGuitars.com

We have a new shipment of RS-II guitars coming in 2 weeks –> Order before April 30th for FREE Shipping!
(North America only)

Airline RS-II Electric Guitar (Natural Flamed Maple Finish)

Airline RS-II Specifications:

• Airline RS-II Demo – Mason Stoops – Eastwood Guitars.
• Body: Maple top, back and sides.
• Neck: Set, bound one-piece, straight-grained Canadian maple
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, Block Markers
• Scale Length: 26″ with 12″ radius
• Width at Nut: 1 11/16″
• Pickups: Two AIRLINE Vintage Argyle Diamonds
• Switching: 3-Way, Chicken Head Knob
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic, Trapeze Tail
• Hardware: Vintage Kluson Style Nickel/Chrome
• Strings: D’Addario #10
• Case: Extra
• Unique Features: Roy Smeck Pickguard

BUY NOW: $749.00 US

New Airline RS-II Guitar Demo Video by Mason Stoops from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline '59 2P Electric Guitar (LEFT-HAND) from Eastwood Guitars

The ’59 2P upgrades include: dual VVSC pickups, striped pickgaurd, chrome tone switchplate, rubber body binding and includes the DLX Airline hardshell case. Retail price $1299.

Our Price: $999.00 US

_________________________________________________________________________

The Airline Folkstar is a tone cahmbered mahogany body with a resonator cone adn piezo pickup. It also has a mini humbucker on the neck poistion and a blend knob to blend between the two pickups.

Airline Folkstar Resophonic Guitar (Red, Left-Handed)

Airline Folkstar Resophonic Guitar (Black, Left-Handed)

Shipping is $49 North America, $149 to Europe.

Two New Left-Hand Models: Folkstar and ’59 2P (February 2012) from MyRareGuitars.com

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar from Eastwood Guitars (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar from Eastwood Guitars (Red)

Order before the NAMM show (Jan 18th) and get a FREE Custom Hardshell Case.

BUY NOW: $799

Colours: Blue, Red
Body: Full Hollowbody, Maple Top, Back, Sides
Neck: Bound Maple, Set
Fingerboard: Rosewood, Block Markers
Scale Length: 24 3/4″ (628mm)
Width at Nut: 1 5/8″
Pickups: New York MINI Humbucker
Switching: none
Controls: Master Volume
Bridge: Floating Tune-O-Matic, Custom Chrome Tail
Hardware: Grover Style Nickel/Chrome
Strings: D’Addario #10
Case: Extra
Unique Features: Custom Chrome tailpiece, grilled F-holes
Suggested Retail: $1029.00US

* North America shipping $49. Outside north America $149.

More Pictures of the Wandre Tri-Lam:

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar from Eastwood Guitars (Blue)

Wandre Tri-Lam Electric Guitar from Eastwood Guitars (Red)

New Wandre Tri-Lam from Eastwood Guitars from MyRareGuitars.com

Check out this new demo from our friend Mason Stoops. Mason does some great research and shares some interesting historical info about the origins of the Coronado model. Great job!

The Airline ’59 Coronado is our tribute to the Supro Coronado model used by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The originals were made of Res-O-Glas, but we have upgraded the design to tone-chambered mahogany bodies. Upgrades to the standard Coronnado model on this ’59 include rubber body binding, zero fret, Tone Pros bridge and Deluxe Airline hardshell case.

The ’59 Coronado include the DLX Airline hardshell case. Only $1079.

SPECIAL OFFER: We will also include a white Airline leather strap ($45) and a white Airline Curly Cord ($39) and FREE SHIPPING for all orders until Dec 15 ONLY. ($99 shipping outside North America)

New Airline Coronado ’59 Demo by Mason Stoops from MyRareGuitars.com

Only $699. Order before October 31 and get a FREE hardshell case!

Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar

Mason Stoops Demos The Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

FREE SHIPPING until October 31.

Eastwood Airline 1P DLX Electric Guitar

Airline 1P DLX – $549 – Features tone-chambered mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck. Single Alnico HOT-10 Humbucker (case extra).

Or upgrade to the new Airline ’59 Custom 1P…

Eastwood Airline '59 Custom 1P Electric Guitar

Airline ’59 Custom 1P – $899 – Adds the Airline Vintage Voiced Single Coil pickup, striped pickguard, rubber body binding, Tone Pro’s Bridge, Wilkinson tuners, and the Airline DLX hardshell case.

Video Review:

TWO New AIRLINE Single Pickup Models – $549 DLX and $899 ’59 Custom from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline '59 Custom Coronado Electric Guitar (White) from Eastwood Guitars

Eastwood Guitars has some new Airline models out this month, notably the ’59 Custom Coronado – a tribute to the old Supro used by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The originals were made of Res-O-Glas and had a floating bridge. Eastwood has upgraded the design to a tone-chambered mahogany body and an adjustable roller bridge. Other upgrades to the standard Coronado model on this ’59 include rubber body binding, a zero fret for super fast low action, a Tone Pros bridge and Deluxe Airline hardshell case.

Pricing and Availability:
’59 Custom Coronado: $1079.00 US

Airline '59 Custom Coronado Electric Guitar (White) from Eastwood Guitars

New Model: Airline ’59 Custom Coronado Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar

Here are some video demos to get you in the mood:

Airline Folkstar Resonator is Back in Stock! from MyRareGuitars.com

Includes AIRLINE Deluxe hardshell case. STD model $999, DLX BIGSBY model $1149. FREE SHIPPING THIS MONTH.

Airline '59 Town & Country DLX Guitar (Vintage Cream)

Airline ’59 Town & Country STD:

Airline ’59 Town & Country DLX:

Last month the new Blondie video “Mother” feature Chris Stein playing the same model, for those who missed it, here you go again:

AIRLINE ’59 Town & Country Guitar: Struttin’ About Town from MyRareGuitars.com

BUY NOW only $499

Eastwood Classic 12 12-String Guitar (Walnut, Fireburst)

Colors

Walnut $499.00Fireburst $499.00

All orders this week will INCLUDE this VALCO Under Pressure Pedal ($69 value):

Valco Under Pressure Guitar Pedal

Deal: Eastwood Classic 12 Guitar & Valco Pedal from MyRareGuitars.com

New from Eastwood Guitars: The Airline Bighorn Electric Guitar (Red, Sunburst & Green finishes)

We have a small pre-shipment of the new BIGHORN ready to ship today. Based on the original 1960’s AIRLINE Bighorn, it features an updated adjustable bridge and the popular Diamond Argyle single coil pickups. The first four orders for each color will receive a gigbag, tuner and strap so that your Bighorn will be ready to rock the day UPS delivers! Order yours today, only $469.

Airline Bighorn Guitar Specifications:

• Colors: Red, Sunburst, Green
• Body: One Piece Basswood
• Neck: Bolt-on Maple
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, Dot Markers
• Scale Length: 24 3/4″
• Width at Nut: 1 5/8″
• Pickups: AIRLINE Argyle Diamond Single Coil
• Switching: 3-way
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 tone
• Bridge: Hardtail Strat Style Adjustable
• Tuners: Chrome Vintage Kluson Style
• Retail Price: $579

BUY NOW ONLY $469

Video Review:

More Pics of the Airline Bighorn:

The Airline Bighorn Electric Guitar (Red)

The Airline Bighorn Electric Guitar (Sunburst)

The Airline Bighorn Electric Guitar (Green)

New from Eastwood Guitars: Airline Bighorn Electric Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Airline Tux Deluxe Electric Guitar (Natural Finish)

Eastwood Guitars and Randy Bachman have collaborated on the new Airline Tux Deluxe guitar. Bachman plays the Airline Tuxedo model, and recently pitched the idea for Airline Tux Deluxe, which captures a ’60s vibe with multi-ply binding, flamed maple top and back, and black sides. Technical changes include a Zero-Fret, upgraded tailpiece and custom coil-tapped pickups, giving the player a choice of 70% or 100% of the P-90 output levels.

Airline Tux Deluxe Electric Guitar

Features:

• Colors: Natural
• Body: Flamed Maple Top/Back, mahogany sides
• Neck: Set Maple, Zero Fret
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 25 1/2″
• Width at Nut: 1 11/16″
• Pickups: P-90 Tapped
• Switching: 3-Way
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Push/Pull Tone
• Bridge: Tun-o-matic
• Hardware: Vintage Style Open Back Tuners
• Strings: D’Addario #10
• Case: Deluxe AIRLINE hardshell INCLUDED
• Unique Features: Black Sides and Neck Back
• Suggested Retail: $1399.00 US
• Street Price: $1099

BUY NOW

Eastwood Airline Tux Deluxe Electric Guitar (Natural Finish)

Airline Tux Deluxe Electric Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Airline Electric Mandola (Seafoam Green)

Following on the success of their top selling Mandocaster, Eastwood introduces the Airline Mandola. It features a solid Seafoam green alder body in a USA map shape with an 18” scale maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. A single Humbucker pickup with volume and tone controls delivers a deep, dark, mysterious tone that is completely unique sounding – like a baritone mandolin. The Mandola is tuned in fifths (C-G-D-A low-to-high) and a fifth lower than a mandolin. Historically, the larger Mandola is the actually ancestor of the Mandolin, the name of which means simply “little Mandola”.

“As with all our Eastwood and Airline models we are striving to offer something a little different for today’s modern players,” said Mike Robinson, President and founder of Eastwood Guitars, “Last year we introduced a Lap Steel and a very successful electric Mandocaster. The Mandola fits perfectly into this new family of instruments along with the Folkstar, Ukulele and Tenor. All of these models will continue to help our customers expand their sound.”

The New Airline Electric Mandola from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Airline Ukulele Electric Ukulele (Natural)

Our new Airline Electric Ukulele started shipping this week. This tenor model has 17″ scale. The koa top and chambered mahogany body combine with the Piezo pickup to give you a truly authentic Ukulele tone and playability. Playing a uke is a lot of fun, but playing a uke through your favorite effects pedals takes that fun to a whole new level.

Eastwood Airline Ukulele Gigbag with Airline Logo

Eastwood Airline Ukulele Gigbag with Airline Logo

Eastwood Airline Ukulele Gigbag with Airline Logo

The New Airline Electric Ukulele from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Guitar with Copper Finish

Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Guitar with Copper Finish

Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Guitar with Copper Finish

Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Guitar with Copper Finish

Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Guitar with Copper Finish

Airline Tuxedo Guitar in Metallic Copper Finish from MyRareGuitars.com

Product: Eastwood Guitars Airline H-44 Stratotone
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted 09/10/2007 at 06:24pm by daloco

Features : 10
The features should be well known from the reviews below. I bought two of them. A copper colored two PU DLX and a black one PU STD (black with two PU’s are sold out until december this year.)
I liked the slide sound of them so much but i’m not really a good slider.I’m a better lap steeler. So i customized one into a lapsteel (even a fake pedal steel). I mounted a higher nut and a “Duesenberg Multibender” bridge and it sounds amazing.

Sound : 10
I’m playing blues and if you do too, than this is the guitar to go for! The model with two pick ups is so versatile.
I’m playin them through a Fender Hot Rod Deville 4×10. Nothing special on the floor but a Ernie Ball Volume, a Whammy for octaving and a TS808. Compared to my Gibson Les Paul Std the sound is a bit warmer and got more bass. I could not say wich one sounds better… the 3000 Euro Gibson or the 300 Euro Eastwood. I actually bought it as a back up for the Gibson… it’s got my main guitar at the time… Amazing

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
I mailed with Mike from Eastwood a few times and he told me that the H44 is the only model in their program under USD500,- made in Korea.
No flaws, nice finish. Setup was fine. I used that little trick with the ducktape for the bridge wich is loose on the guitar like on the original, so i would not have to calibrate so often. Works great.

Reliability/Durability : 10
Sturdy workhorse… you can play shows, or baseball with it. You even could defeate conan the babarian with it and play on.
I do not have the feeling i have to watch out all the time to keep it in mint condition. I think this is the kind of guitar where one will like every scratch, dent and ding that happens during touring. I’ll do.

Customer Support : 10
Contact Mike… absolutely fast and friendly. When i wrote him the first mail concerning shipping to Europe i got an answer within two minutes. He must have a blackberry in his pocket ore something like that!

Overall Rating : 10
I started playing when i was five years old, thats 24 years ago now. I’m a professional since ten years now (former major recording artist now indiependend and more happy). Got a couple of other guitars from larivee parlor acoustics to sitars from india. My current live set consists of a gibson les paul std hb, a epiphone j200 (’96 korea), a hoefner jazz guitar from the fifties and my two H44’s from Eastwood.

I came to the Eastwood Site cause of the replica of the airline 3p dlx. A friend of mine is playing a white original on stage. I wanted to check out the replicas and watched many video reviews on Eastwood Guitars. The H44 review and sound was so standing out, that i forgot about all the others and went for the H44. I might get a Tuxedo and a Airline sometimes but I’m not a lawyer hanging guitars behind glass in his office… so I’ll need a reason to purchase I’m shure I’ll finde one soon.

Guitar Review: Eastwood Airline H44 DLX Guitar

Bonus clip: Vince Lee and his H44 DLX:

Guitar Review: Eastwood Airline H44 DLX Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow

Eastwood Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow

Eastwood Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow

Eastwood Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow

Eastwood Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow

Airline H44 Guitar in Taxi Cab Yellow from MyRareGuitars.com

Two Tone: Modified Airline 3P DLX Electric Guitar

The other modification I made is replacing the 5 position slider switch with 3 on/off mini-toggle switches. I allways liked that feature on alot of the old Japanese and Italian imports allowing you to add the neck/bridge and all 3 pickup settings to the tonal combinations. Again no body alterations, just a custom plate to mount the 3 mini-toggles into. It seems that chambered and semi-hollow bodies are making a big comeback and I can HEAR why. If you own any you know what Im talking about.

Post by: Joey Vercillo

Two Tone Modified Airline 3P Deluxe Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

I can’t help myself. I’m an especially big fan of old Airline guitars. I’ve owned many over the years and have always dug their quirky shapes and sounds.

Eastwood Airline H44 DLX Guitar

Catching my eye in particular was an Airline H44 DLX in a copper finish, reminding me of the old 50’s Harmony/Kay Stratotone, which in those days was considered kind of a poor man’s Les Paul.

The H44 sports a really cool small bodied, single cutaway shape with two mini-Humbuckers, a short trapeze tailpiece, three way selector switch and a master volume & tone control. When I got home after NAMM I kept thinking about it and ended getting one a month later.

When I unpacked it, I was immediately struck by how beautiful it looked in its copper finish with just a hint of sparkle to it. I took it out of the box and immediately began twanging away. True to the original Stratotones, this guitar came with a fat “baseball bat” type neck. The advantage of a fat neck is that it’s very stable and practically un-warpable. Also like the originals, these guitars have a movable non-adjustable wooden bridge with a fixed compensated saddle. With a set of 10’s the action was good, and the intonation was pretty darn close.

I noticed the bridge moved around a bit whenever I would bend the strings (just like the old ones), so I remedied the problem with an old bluesman’s fix; I just put a few short strips of double stick tape underneath the bridge and voila! It held like a champ even on my wildest bends.

The tuners are open-faced, again just like the old ones. Some people think open faced tuners “slip”, but that’s a load of hogwash. I always wrap the string around itself against the tuning post, which kind of “locks” the string, and when I do that along with stretching the string a few times it always stays in tune. No problems with the tuners here.

The string slots on the nut were a tad on the tight side, “pinging” now and then when tuning. A little bit of Big Bends Nut Sauce lubricant took care of the problem. Note: Tight string slots at the nut is the number one reason guitars don’t stay in tune. Always keep some lubricant handy and you’ll be a happy (and in tune) camper.

So how did it sound plugged in? Very cool indeed! Mini humbuckers typically have a darker sound than single coils, plus they’re more powerful, so it’s important to set an amp’s controls accordingly. I first revved it up through a small Roland Microcube amp. It was quite at home here. There were plenty of modeling amp settings that I could find to make it sound good. Then it was on to a Line 6 POD in my studio, going direct into the recording console. With a few little tweaks I had some very bluesy sounding tones happening through the studio monitors. Nice!

Next it was on to a Rivera 45 watt 1-12 Clubster combo amp. There was no problem dialing up a nice, slightly overdriven Mike Bloomfield “Super Session” kind of sound. I liked it mostly clean, but with just a hint of amp distortion. And finally, I ran it through a 15 watt Fender Blues Junior amp and it sang out like it owned the joint!

Will Ray with his H44 DLX

Here’s my take on guitars like the H44 ‘ they’re specialty instruments meant to create unique guitar tones that normal Strat, Tele and Les Paul guitars can’t do. I use guitars like this a lot in the studio when I’m looking for something different to add character to a track, or on a live gig to give a different mojo to a song. I find that when a guitar sounds a little different, it will make you play a little different. I already know what I sound like with my usual guitars. But what can I paint with a different paintbrush?

Conclusion? I like my H44. It’s built like an old guitar, but without old guitar hassles. It’s very cool looking and stable. Plus my wife digs the color. What can I say? She’s a keeper.

Post by: Will Ray

Guitar Review: Eastwood Airline H44 DLX Electric Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com