New guitar arrived, rave review! :)

[PK]

I received my new kokokaster today, which is a Charvel Surfcaster knockoff produced by GRB guitars in wisconsin(paid $630 with shipping). Although I've thought about owning a Charvel for a long while, this purchase was a whim. I believe the body and neck were made overseas, then assembled here with great attention paid to the playabiltiy of the neck and a very cool headstock inlay of kokopelli ;). Over the last few years I've made a point to only buy keepers, so this axe sight unseen was a crapshoot (she's so pretty i figured hanging as art in the wall I couldnt lose). I've A/B'd her all afternoon and evening to my 4 best electrics: 58 Les Paul VOS, Gibson CS336, Fender Ltd edition Amer tele (chambered ash w spruc top), Amer strat. First off, I want to say the Kokocaster offers certain advantages over each of these guitars!

The kokocaster's neck is as smooth as the LP & 336, with the polished frets of koko producing a very buttery feel. The koko is close to the low action of my Tele, and the koko neck feels better than my strat (set up high floating brindge). The 336 & LP's HB pups are unmatched, period. However the Kokocaster's HB has a very nice growl/snap and DID NOT dissapoint. In my opinion, the clean tones of the kokocaster ring out much nicer than the LP (as will most any Tele or strat IMHO). The kokocaster has a very big Tele like sound on the clean channel (50W mesa single rect 1/2 stack), and this koko sounds bigger cowbay twang twang than my Tele!!! The Kokocaster's clean sparkles almost as much as the strat.

Anyhow, here's a link to Nick's guitars featuring the Kokocaster for more scoop.

http://stores.ebay.com/Nicks-Guitar-...2em118Q2el1247

Im NOT affiliiated, simply stoked I got a kick @ss axe for $600 :). She's truely a gem :) Nick was cool to work with, i bugged him a bit before I pulled the trigger and he answered q's and seems genuinely nice.


PK

[beep.click]

Congratulations!

I bought a Surfcaster when they first appeared -- that sucker has the biggest frets I've ever seen, on the thinnest neck I've ever played. Is the kokokaster like that???

[PK]

Originally Posted by beep.click

Congratulations!

I bought a Surfcaster when they first appeared -- that sucker has the biggest frets I've ever seen, on the thinnest neck I've ever played. Is the kokokaster like that???

Yes! I can easily make my 9th chords & 13th's with the thin neck (very jazzy:)), and the frets are huge. I think they crowned and polished the frets because there's no speed bump effect.... she's fast! :)

PK

[StuH]

That's a darn nice looking axe, I really like the finish and the pg like super on it.

[Mark Davis]

Looks cool like about 7 different guitars features all glued together.

Its so different I like it.

[winny pooh]

Cant say I would like the neck but it is veeery grooovy

[tuuur]

I forgot all about that model, but I think it's a classic!

[PK]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Looks cool like about 7 different guitars features all glued together.

Its so different I like it.

I agree, it's like a gibson/fender cross. The headstock is angled like a gibson, no string trees needed, but is a bolt on neck. Could it be the bolt on neck that gives it superior cleans to the gibson set neck? Also, the HB are very good and capture the attitude of a gibby. The semi-hollow body allow it to produce warm jazz chord voicings. A versatile guitar, very amazing! The quilted burst top is about the prettiest I've seen. They did a great job! :)

PK

Edit:
I forgot to mention sustain! This morning, I woke up and hit the "A" chord... then set her down, showered, drank coffee, read the paper, fed the cat, and that "A" chord is still ringing out! Well, not really that long, but she sustains forever, very LP like.

[TelZilla]

Originally Posted by PK

Edit:
I forgot to mention sustain! This morning, I woke up and hit the "A" chord... then set her down, showered, drank coffee, read the paper, fed the cat, and that "A" chord is still ringing out! Well, not really that long, but she sustains forever, very LP like.

Did you buy this guit from Nigel Tufnel?

[tomi]

Is it just me, or is there a heavy Rickenbacker influence in the styling of that thing? I like it!

[wooderson]

(wonder if they make one sans humbucker... hmm)

[PK]

Yeah, the soundhole is very Ricki :), and I do believe there is or was single single option

PK

[tomi]

Originally Posted by PK

Yeah, the soundhole is very Ricki :)

And the shark-fin inlays and the pale mapleburst finish...

[FirstBassman]

Is it just me, or is there a heavy Rickenbacker influence in the styling of that thing?

Yeah, the soundhole is very Ricki

fyi: RIC CEO John Hall has commented often (and I have relayed it here before) that the cats eye soundhole is a German origin design and is not trademarked by Rickenbacker.

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by tomi

Is it just me, or is there a heavy Rickenbacker influence in the styling of that thing? I like it!

Didn't Grover Jackson do those for Charvel? 'Cause he used to work with Rickenbacker.

[Seriousjamming]

I'm glad to see someone else has been turned on to GRB Guitars. This is the first time I've been on this forum. I'm usually on the surf forum. But I saw on google your post so I thought I'd come over for a visit. I've played surfcasters all my life but the originals are just too expensive to play or own now. I bought a Koko last year so I could save on road-wear on my original Surfcaster, and I ended up liking it so much that I don't even use the original anymore, even for recording. I can get an amazing number of sounds out of the Koko and it also just looks beautiful. I also have a custom GRB tele that's awesome, but very expensive and probably not worth the money. It was more than four times what the Koko cost.

Anyway, congratulations PK on your acquisition. You'll never let it go. What number did you get by the way? I have number 39 and it's a trem sunburst. I was told they only made 50 of them.

[slotrod65]

I have just purchased a Tangerine, two single coil pickup Kokocaster from Nick. I passed on an early 90's Surfcatser a few years ago and have been searching for one ever since, but I could just not bring myself to pay the premium collector prices for one. This review, along with the youtube video helped clinch the deal. I have played several Teles over the years, and was always attracted to the bright treble slicing sound from the bridge pickup, and I am looking forward to my new Koko to fit the bill for me.

[Post Toastie]

If anyone is looking for a jackson Surfcaster with humbucker in the bridge/neck and lipstick in the mid position, Pepperland records in Orange ,Ca has a Orange one in great shape at about 550 dollars.I have a Ibanez Talman with 3 Lipstick pickups to get that type of sound.

[David Barnett]

Correction -- it appears that Grover Jackson is still at Rickenbacker.

[Brian Krashpad]

Congrats.

I've always thought Surfcasters were cool.

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by slotrod65

I could just not bring myself to pay the premium collector prices for one.

What are they going for these days? I got one pretty much when they first came out.

[PK]

Hey cool! Glad to see this post brought back to life! Now, about 9 months into owning the Kokocaster I have more good things to say :) 1st, I sold My Les Paul because that heavy plank sat in its case all the time while Koko is the only thing I reach for. This guitar is fantastic! I think they're still $599 without case from Nick on ebay. He's a nice guy & we've exchanged a few emails since the purchase. I think the parts were made in asia and assembled by GRB in Wisconsin. flat out the smoothest paying neck I've evah touched. A great setup and stays in tune forever. I get crunchy les paul type tones on the HB bridge, & the clean is ultra glassy thru my Mesa Single rectifier 50W. I can't say enough good things about it. thanks again for pulling this post to the top as I've been thinking about posting again how much I love her :). FWIW, my Tele still gets played :)

PK

[Dan German]

What kind of lipstick pickups do they use?

[Post Toastie]

I would think they use Kent Armstrong lipstick pickups, if they are like the Charvel/Jackson.

[PK]

I sent an email to Nick asking him what the lipstick pup is. I'll post when i hear back.

PK

[slotrod65]

I received my tangerine Kokocaster yesterday afternoon, and am impressed. I purchased a double lipstick version (no humbucker) as I want more treble from the bridge pickup. I am so pleased with the feel of the neck and the action. Very smooth. The guitar is a real beauty too!

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by slotrod65

I received my tangerine Kokocaster yesterday afternoon, and am impressed. I purchased a double lipstick version (no humbucker) as I want more treble from the bridge pickup. I am so pleased with the feel of the neck and the action. Very smooth. The guitar is a real beauty too!

Sounds like it would be a great guitar, if it existed, shame it's a figment of your imagination, nutjob.
Without pics it never happened.

[Telenator]

Now that's a very cool guitar! I think I'm seeing a bit Jagstang influence in there too with a smattering of Univox.

[Dan German]

Like I really need any more GAS. But that single/single with Bigsby I saw on their website is going to keep me awake at night. I particularly like the fact that the guitars have elements of other makes, but don't look like something else, if you know what I mean.

Also on their website, the best product endorsement quote ever:

"If I were still touring this would be my main axe at every show. Unfortunately, I'm currently in rehab and living in my mom's basement and she won't let me play after 10:00, so I only use it with headphones and my rockman."

[beach bob]

Originally Posted by Dan German

Also on their website, the best product endorsement quote ever:

"If I were still touring this would be my main axe at every show. Unfortunately, I'm currently in rehab and living in my mom's basement and she won't let me play after 10:00, so I only use it with headphones and my rockman."

that's hysterical!

A very cool guitar indeed.

[mad dog]

slotrod: I'm real curious about these, especially the two lipstick model. Can you tell me more about neck feel and playability? I'm concerned that perhaps the neck is too thin front to back for comfort. Also, are the fretboard edges sharp or sufficiently rolled for comfort?

Thanks
MD

[slotrod65]

OK, I have had the Kokocaster for a few weeks now. I am playing again after 12 years, and I started with super light 8 and a half strings. I had some buzzing, and after a week I decided that these were too sloppy, so I changed to 10s. The 10s have a much better feel and sound, and the buzzing is gone.

The neck... well the neck is rather shallow. Shallower than a Strat. The fretboard is wide enough: 1 5/8" at the nut, and 2 1/4" at the 21st fret. I do not feel that the thinness of the neck is too thin, esp as I like thin necks.

The edges of the fretboard are not sharp. The fretboard is bound, and reminds me of a Rickenbacker Bass more than anything else. The frets are polished and well set up. They are... well... 'buttery'.

The sound is a nice and bright with the two lipstick pickups. The neck pickup gives some great growl as well, esp with the thicker strings.

The only think I would wish for would be a strat style vibrato bridge, as I have a stop tail, and do not like Bigsby tailpieces.