Pickups etc.

A lot of people are asking for named brand pickups on the pre-ordered guitars. I do not currently have a stock of pickups from Seymore Duncan, EMG etc. so if anyone who has pre-ordered a guitar would like any particular humbuckers installed, please let me know.

I will do my best to source some at a reasonable price, or feel free to mail me your choice of pickups & I will install them onto your guitar at no extra charge.

Also, the survey is going good. Thank you to everyone who has taken it - it seems that you like your Les Paul / PRS style guitar in Mahogany, Flame Maple, with named brand pickups and bridge.

I am still looking at a late November completion on the guitars - I will be in touch with everyone as they near completion.

Bird Fish Guitar

I have been going through my collection & I thought I would share this amazing guitar with you. The guitar is called a "Bird Fish" and is made by Ulrich Teuffel of Teuffel Guitars - http://www.teuffel.com/index.htm

This is the most unique guitar I have ever seen or played - it was made for me in 2005 and I have cherished it ever since. Click on the pictures for a bigger version.

From the website:
"The body consists of the two tonebars which are screwed on both central elements "bird" and "fish". The neck is bolted onto the upper element "bird" while the lower "fish" carries the control box in which you find the guitar electronics. A rail between "bird" and "fish" holds the slideable pickups. All three pickups can be exchanged with each other within seconds."

The guitar itself plays like a dream - it it the most professionally set up guitar I own. As for sound - it will do what ever you want. I can make it sound more like a 1957 Stratocaster than my actual 1957 Strat!


Bridge:



Back:

Front:


Nut:

SOLD OUT OF AMBER and TOBACCO SUNBURST

Just to let you know, I have sold all the Amber and Tobacco Sunburst models - they have all been pre-ordered.

I am going to take some pictures of a really unusual guitar from my collection later today - check back later - it will be worth it.

Survey & New Model

I have put together a 10 question survey (Click HERE to take the survey) It asks questions about your preferred design and hardware for a custom electric guitar. The results are quite interesting. So far the results indicate that the Les Paul is the most desired shape, in mahogany, flame maple top, set neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, gold hardware, seymour duncan pickups, traditional les paul 2 piece bridge tailpiece (or floyd rose) - sounds like a Les Paul style guitar to me.

Thats good news as I am working on a prototype for my next run - I have loosely decided on the following specifications:

Les Paul shape body Florentine Cut
Mahogany Body & Neck
Matching Top, Back & Headstock in Maple (Flame, Quilt, Spalted or Birdseye)
Double Binding on Body (Front & Back)
Rosewood Fretboard with D'Angelico New Yorker style diagonal split block MOP inlays
Traditional "Les Paul" style bridge / tailpiece OR Bigsby trem unit
Various pickup configurations to include dual humbuckers, Soapbars, TV Jones Style - also the ability to upgrade and have named brand pickups installed (Seymour Duncan's etc)

I should have a prototype in the next month or so - I will post pictures as it develops.

Finally, I am am also working on 3 Stratocaster's and a Telecaster which are Mahogany body with mahogany necks and spalted maple tops - these are going to be configured with very very high end components - again I will post pictures as the build comes along.

Manufacturing Pictures

Here are the latest pictures from production - this is a really exciting time as they are finally coming together after so much work. I hope you are enjoying this process as much as I am.

Blue with Chrome Hardware:

Headstock with the "T.C. Ellis Guitars" Logo:


Cherry Sunburst, Red's, and Tobacco Sunburst



Mixed lot of Purple, Amber, Red, Sunburst & Blue (on the right)


Looking good!

Brand Name

Just a quick note to everyone following this blog - I have decided to change my company name from AKA Guitars to T.C. Ellis Guitars, Ltd.

I feel that as I am making & selling these guitars, then I should at least put my name on them. I will be putting together a new website based at www.TCEllisGuitars.com in the new year. The headstocks of this 1st run will all have the "T.C. Ellis Guitars" style logo as you can see at the new website.

Thanks

For everyone who is following the production process of this 1st run, I am happy to post some pictures of some bodys with colours. Please note that the picture quality is poor, but you will get to see the guitars coming together. Also, Sunburst is a difficult colour to photograph - the transition of the colours always looks much harsher that it actually is.

Cherry Sun Burst on Quilted Maple:

Amber quilt (out of focus):

Blue Quilted:

Green Quilted:

Tobacco Sunburst:

SNAGG Microchips

I am pleased to announce that I am now the sole U.K. importer and distributor for SNAGG security chips. http://www.snagg.com/

The SNAGG Microchip is an RFID (radio frequency identification device) microchip that emits a unique alphanumeric code number when scanned. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice.

The SNAGG chip is buried inside the guitar or musical instrument and is impossible to remove without destroying the instrument. SNAGG's unique embedded technology creates both a substantial disincentive to thieves, as well as a future-proof means of insuring that the provenance (ownership) of the guitar is protected.


I will be in a position to install SNAGG chips soon - please check back at a later date for more information and pricing.