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TLL Marvin

TLL Marvin

Price: $--SOLD

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hardshell case included

The Marvin is an exquisitely made instrument with careful attention paid to all the things important in a well-made bespoke guitar. The fit and finish, the binding and inlay work are all top notch. The fret work is up there with all the fine builders represented at CR Guitars. Tone wise, the Marvin really shines. Imagine the marriage of a Les Paul Junior with a Fender Telecaster and maybe sprinkle some SG on top. This is an extremely versatile guitar with some of the thickest sounding treble strings to come out of a P90 equipped guitar.

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About TLL (in Tobias Lund Lindberg's words):

"I work in a small shop in Stockholm, Sweden. Each guitar is made to order with a lot of hand tools to be able to customize and shape the wood where it's needed and with templates and routers where absolute consistency is required. I do all the work, from selecting the wood to finishing except for advanced inlay work where my shop mate Magnus Ramel’s inlay works helps me out.

The Marvin is one of the first models that I developed. Like all my guitars, it is meant to pay homage to early guitar designs like the Supro, Hagström, Danelectro, etc., while still trying to be avant-garde and incorporating new ideas. I am also always inspired by Art Deco patterns combined with Scandinavian design and lines.

With the Marvin I wanted to combine ideas from some of the greatest guitars in the world and still have a model that is adjustable depending on the player's needs. The bolt on neck construction and flat top make it very easy to tweak and set up just the way you like it but you still get the neck angle and ring that comes with a Tune-O-Matic bridge.

The P90s that are mounted directly in the alder body are constructed by Lundgren guitar pickups in collaboration with BJFE. They have a really thick and full bodied sound but still have that openness that some P90s lack.

With this particular guitar I wanted to show how you can still get a luxurious and elegant feeling with a quite simple construction. The matching headstock with the sign logo and the stylized fox inlay on the fretboard gives the instrument a certain kind of stature."

CRAIG'S POV

It's always exciting for me to discover new builders - artisans who have perfecting their craft for years. They may be a bit under the radar (at least to me) and then all of a sudden pop up into my world.

Tobias of TLL guitar is one of those guys. I came across his guitars through Facebook; and from the moment I saw them I just knew I had to track him down. Situated in Stockholm Sweden - home of my dear friend and builder Johan Gustavsson - Tobias has been crafting his guitars for many European guitarists. His guitars are well thought out, their designs inspired by the clean lines of Scandinavian furniture and Art Deco designs.

Now for the guitar itself. The Marvin is an exquisitely made instrument with careful attention paid to all the things I find important in a well-made bespoke guitar. When you combine a bolt on neck with a Tune-O-Matic bridge the neck angle has to be just right for proper string tension and action adjustability. Tobias really nailed it here; the Marvin's feel is right on the money. The fit and finish, the binding and inlay work are all top notch. The fret work is up there with all the fine builders represented at CR Guitars. I personally like TLL's 3 on a side headstock, which quite honestly can sometimes be a bit awkward on a bolt on neck design. But Tobias's headstock design makes great sense and is quite appealing.

Tone wise, the Marvin really shines. Imagine the marriage of a Les Paul Junior with a Fender Telecaster and maybe sprinkle some SG on top. This is an extremely versatile guitar with some of the thickest sounding treble strings that I've heard come out of a P90 equipped guitar. I was so impressed with how strong the fundamentals were as I went up the high E string. Never got thin, never got tinny or weak. And that was without distortion or overdrive. In full rock or blues mode the Marvin rips and roars and never gives an inch. Back the volume down and it's sweet and jazzy, brighten the tone and you're in country land.

Bottom line, this is an extremely versatile guitar that's lovely to play and crafted with a heightened sense of design. It put a big smile on my face!

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.

ModelMarvin
Bodyalder
Neck profilemedium C
FretboardMacassar ebony
Headstock overlaymatching headstock
Bindingivoroid
FinishBritish race green nitrocellulose
Pickups2 Lundgren BJFE P90
BridgeTune-O-Matic
Tailpiecestop tail
TunersWaverly
Pickguardtortoise whale shape
Fretwirenickel silver
InlaysArt Deco fox
Electronics1 vol, 1 tone, 1 three way pickup selector
Scale length25.5"
Fretboard radius9.5"
Width at nut42 mm
Width at 12th fret52 mm
Weight7.4 lbs
Casehardshell
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