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James Tyler SE HD Spalted Maple Top

James Tyler SE HD Spalted Maple Top

Price: $--SOLD

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hardshell case included

Most people, when they think of a Tyler, immediately imagine a particular look. In some ways, they're akin to muscle cars. This guitar has a different vibe while never losing any of its amazing "Tyler-ness." It has a softer look that speaks more to the subtle aspects of the guitar - imagine it in the hands of Wayne Krantz playing a ballad with a warm, clean tone in his inimitable style.

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First available in 1987, the Studio Elite embodied the essence of the L.A. studio scene. It has the contoured and cutaway neck heel/body area with a deeper cutaway on the treble side for easier access to the upper frets. With the SSH pickup configuration, Lead/Rhythm circuit and midboost preamp, it was one of the first "Boutique Superstrats."

CRAIG'S POV

James Tyler is one of the most consistent guitar builders out there. I still don’t know qute how he manages to turn out such sustained excellence. Case in point: the beauty you see here. Not long ago, I had him make a very special model for CR Guitars, one that is a little different than his usual Studio Elite HD. It turned out to be such a spectacular guitar that I’ve decided to make this Tyler a model we’ll always try to have at CR Guitars.

To recap the specifics, the top is exceptionally beautiful spalted maple, and fully bound with genuine white ivoroid binding. There are times when spalted maple just jumps out at you (almost overwhelmingly), and there are others, like on this guitar, when the wood selection is such that the character of the wood is there, and beautiful, but doesn’t completely dominate the look or vibe of the instrument.

The tobacco finish gives the guitar a warm, refined look, and the thin ivoroid binding both brings out the spalted detail in the top and subtly accentuates the shape of the guitar. Adding a black/white/black pick guard and black headstock veneer completes the aesthetic ensemble.

Acoustically, it’s exceptionally resonant (and we all know how that forms the basis for any electric’s ultimate sound).

Most people, when they think of a Tyler, immediately imagine a particular look. In some ways, they're akin to muscle cars. They have a very "American" aesthetic. Deep colors. Bright Designs. Bold Graphics. While they can be very subtle and delicate, when you need to bring on the power, Tyler guitars won't ever let you down.

This guitar has a different vibe while never losing any of its amazing "Tyler-ness." It has a softer look that speaks more to the subtle aspects of the guitar. I can imagine this guitar in the hands of Wayne Krantz playing a ballad with a warm, clean tone in his inimitable style... and then cranking it up through his Marshall in the next tune, because it is every bit a muscle car too!

That's the great thing about Tyler guitars, and why they're so popular with working musicians. They are complete instruments that will challenge you and inspire you and take your playing to places you can't imagine.

The Tyler single coil JTS5500 in the first two positions give that warmth, with fantastic articulation and harmonic content, great for complex chords and open strings, and the Tyler Super in the bridge position just rips. And the neck is picture perfect as always, and I mean as always.

If you are a player whose style warrants a refined guitar that you can take to a jazz club, this Studio Elite puts all of Tyler's brilliance at your fingertips from the jazz club all the way to Madison Square Garden. Or, if you just love the look of this one, it will be at home on any stage, in any home, playing whatever music you love.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT TYLER GUITARS
James Tyler has had a guitar in his hand almost every day since he first picked one up the summer after seventh grade, in 1964. In college, Jim studied Architecture, Design, Music, Photography and for a couple years, Theology. He paid his way through these years of collage doing guitar repair work at local guitar stores, and as a factory trained auto mechanic for Alfa Romeo, Lancia, BMW and Fiat. Later into the 1970’s, he got connected with the guys at Norman’s Rare Guitars in the San Fernando Valley, and became their main repair and restoration guy. Jim’s abilities continued to expand and soon he had enough experience and reputation that he opened his first repair shop in Reseda, CA in 1980. Since then its been a whirlwind of successes, including being chosen to be displayed among the great California guitar companies such as Fender, Rickenbacker, Mosrite and Charvel in the Museum of California's exhibit The Ultimate Guitar Show and building for artists such as Michael Landau, David Williams, Steve Lukather, Michael Anthony, and Dan Huff. James' design shapes and various ground breaking guitar finishes and most recently his line of pickups have virtually transformed the guitar building industry.

Serial #16132
Bodymahogany
Topspalted maple bent top
Neckquartersawn maple, standard '59 shape
FingerboardIndian rosewood
Fret size.090 x .055"
Radiuscompound, 9.5" - 12"
Nut width1 5/8"
Bindinggenuine multilayer
Finishtobacco sunburst, nitrocellulose lacquer
Pickguardblack/white/black
Hardwarechrome
TunersHipshot locking
BridgeG2H
PickupsTyler custom 2 x JTS550, 1x Super
Electronics5-way switch, volume, midboost, tone
Weight7.8 lbs
Casecustom Tyler hard shell case
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