Featured: Nacho Guitars Blackguard Keith Style

"Straight out of a collection this absolute stunner is in search of a new home. Original condition, barely played and including all original paperwork in a leather pouch along with The Blackguard Book, this is just a crazy good guitar from a luthier with incredible skills. But before I tell you about this fantastic instrument, I want to share a little back story. This is a 'Nachocaster' - not because of the snacks, but because of the man behind it; Nacho Banos of Nachoguitars. Nacho Banos is the author of The Blackguard Book which, in my opinion, is the bible of Fender Blackguard Telecasters. Great pictures, great writing - and it is an unbelievable resource for all the info anyone could possibly want on this revered instrument. To say Nacho is truly passionate about those guitars is an understatement.

"A few months back, an old friend of mine (who happens to be a founding member of the Fender Custom Shop) hipped me to the fact that Nacho has been making guitars for the last several years. He told me that they were the absolute best recreations of an early '50s Tele. Super playing, sounding, and vibed out with passionate attention to all the details that have made these guitars so desirable.

"Though I couldn’t find any on the market, I was able to locate Nacho in Spain and ordered a guitar. The Nachocaster has arrived and I am absolutely blown away!! This is as close to the real vintage deal as I have ever played. That means it has all the nuances that take it over the top. Everything is right about it. Not just technically, but from deep in its heart..." - Craig

Featured: Park Little Head 18, 2015

Straight out of a collection, this amp was barely used and is in search of a new home. Most of the other Park amps offered today are recreations of vintage designs. The Park Little Head 18 is something new. While most vintage 18-20 watt tube amps were originally built as lower cost practice amps and cheaper alternatives to professional amps, the Park Little Head 18 is built with the same hand-wired care, high quality parts, tone-full circuit and attention to detail as its bigger brothers. It is capable of beautiful, sparkling clean tones, overdriven blues from a hint of OD to full-blown OD and classic rock tones, all at a level that won’t blow the doors of your bedroom, studio or small club. Don’t let the size or power rating of the Park Little Head fool you; this is a full featured, big tone, professional guitar amplifier with no compromise in the low end.

Featured: Benedetto Custom Manhattan S1847, 2009

"I've known Robert Benedetto for many years, and have owned and enjoyed several of his superb instruments. Benedetto is one of the true masters of archtop guitar lutherie. In fact, he literally wrote the book on how to build an archtop guitar. His influence in the guitar world is wide, deep, and legendary among artists and builders alike. Countless great guitarists have played and loved his instruments. To many archtop aficionados, he's "the man." Icing on the cake is that he, along with his wife Cindy, are wonderful and caring human beings, always tuned into the needs and desires of their artists.

"I am so pleased to have this very special Custom Manhattan in the shop. It's not only off the charts beautiful, but it just might have one of the best acoustic sounds of any Benedetto I've ever played. That makes sense. Bob was deeply involved in building it. Bob did the lion's share of important work (like tap tuning) on this guitar...." - Craig

Featured: Ulrich Teuffel Niwa Prodigy, Preowned 2019

"Straight out of a collection this stunning Teuffel Niwa Prodigy is back in our shop in search of a new home. Excellent condition. The original write-up is below.

"Ulrich Teuffel deeply believes that a guitar's design should add to a player's creativity by not imposing a mindset on what a guitar "should" sound like, or predispose the player or audience to expect any particular style of music. While there are some who prefer more traditional designs, and those who adore Teuffel's instruments, both sides agree: there's no argument over his incredible craftsmanship and dedication to pure excellence. It's important to note that Teuffel's designs are created to a purpose - to be incredibly ergonomic - and to remove any barrier between the player and the creation of music. While the Niwa is well known among aficionados of Teuffel's work, this is a very special instrument. This particular Niwa Prodigy was crafted for, and featured at, the 2019 NAMM show. Stepping back from his typical matte finish, Ulrich has put the wood front and center..." - Craig

Featured: Fender Buddy Holly Stratocaster Tribute

"There are certain iconic guitar images that are engraved in my mind. Like pictures in an old photo album, they are always there, always on call. I can picture Chuck Berry and his cherry 335, James Burton and his Tele, Hendrix with his Strat, Paul with his Hofner bass, Wes with his L5. Even Ringo with his Ludwig drums is tucked away somewhere in my memory vault. So my huge smile was no surprise as I stared at our latest offering, the Buddy Holly LTD Fender Stratocaster.

"Here's what Fender says: "Limited to 50 pieces worldwide, masterbuilder Dennis Galuszka recreated Buddy's original '55 Strat right down to the cracked pickup cover. This is quite an exacting guitar. Fender is even using the correct '54 bakelite parts that his guitar featured which had previously been reserved for only the Masterbuilt '54 models in 2004. Buddy’s guitar was lost many years ago, so only photos exist of it today, but fortunately enough were available to really dig in to the project and nail it...'" - Craig

Featured: Yanuziello Custom Copper Yaz Preowned 2016

"The tone on this preowned Yanuziello beauty is in the vain of the old Harmony H44 but MUCH more refined. I guess I would best describe it as a Tele on steroids (if a Tele had neck-through construction). Richer in sound and not as strident as a T, the notes kind of spit out with a bit of a throaty bark to them. I’m thrilled with the choice of Duncan Custom Shop pickups. They are loaded with character and quite wide range. The playability is totally high end boutique. Great med/full C neck shape with a wonderful feel. It’s everything you’d expect from a Yaz as far as fit and finish are concerned. The ivoroid parts are all custom made, the Brazilian fretboard is exceptional, the copper nitro finish is just stellar; this guitar screams Yaz through and through.

"Condition: this guitar is in excellent condition with the exception of a small paint chip on the side and headstock and a few  small finish divets...'" - Craig

Featured: Fender Custom Shop Bob Bain Tele, 2017

"Having a strong background as a session guitarist, I am really partial to the guitars that session players relied on as their tools of choice to get the job done. Bob Bain, though before my time, was a mainstay-go-to-first-call guy back when LA was the center of the universe for TV, film and record work. Bob's credits are impressive and many of his guitar sounds and music have become iconic. And the guitar he used as his main instrument, was, unsurprisingly, a Tele. Any not just any off the shelf Tele. It was a '50s Tele that was modded with a humbucker neck pickup and Bigsby tailpiece. Basically, it was a guitar that could handle any call and be pretty much be the one guitar that could do anything.

"After spending time with this masterfully built instrument, I can honestly tell you that this is the real deal. It's not just a nod to a fine player or an exercise of craftsmanship by the Fender Custom Shop master builder. The playability, sounds and versatility are top notch and truly impressive. Straight out of a collection, with Certificate Of Authenticity and case candy - near mint condition..." - Craig

Featured: Stephen Marchione Maple OMC Preowned 2018

"Stephen Marchione is a luthier in the truest sense of the word. What I mean by that is that he makes exceptional stringed instruments across the spectrum - archtops, solid body electrics, semi hollow electrics, flamenco and classical guitars, steel strings, and violins.

"That's why I am really thrilled to have one of his stunning acoustics in the shop, the Marchione OMC. Stephen says that it's the synthesis of more than 25 years of professional guitar making, and it is. But I think there's more to it than that. He both deeply understands the traditions of guitar making, and has the skill and insight from his across-the-spectrum experience to add innovation if the instrument will be better for it..." - Craig

Featured: Daniel Slaman Jazz Pauletta

"Daniel Slaman's new solid body electric model, the Pauletta, is a wonderfully bold statement; no punches pulled here. Slaman set out to create an archtop sounding electric that was feedback resistant, rich and woody sounding, and inspiring to play. Crafted with lightweight resonant tone woods by one of our finest builders, the Pauletta offers the modern jazz player a truly honest alternative to a hollow body guitar.

"It is one of the finest jazz solid bodies I have ever played. The custom Charlie Christian design pickup along with the handmade 250 style tailpiece add a sonic quality that I haven't experienced in other solid body electrics. The sound is immediate and present with a warmth and brilliance that is addictive. I'm sure Les Paul himself would have loved this guitar. Make no mistake, the Pauletta is breath of fresh air for the contemporary guitarist..." - Craig