If I wanted to be T-Bone what big hollowbody would I get?

Mark Davis · July 21st, 2008, 05:23 PM

What companies currently make a 3 P-90 equipped hollowbody?

Gibson doesnt offer the ES-5 switchmasters any longer and I remember an Epiphone with 3 P-90's but they dont make those anymore either.

Any other ideas?

nonvintage · July 21st, 2008, 05:37 PM

Reverend?

lunchbox · July 21st, 2008, 05:39 PM

I think Yamaha is making a 335 style with 3 P-90's. It's someone's Signature Guitar Troy Van Lewan or something?

nonvintage · July 21st, 2008, 05:41 PM

The Dean Palomino looks cool. 3 P90's a 5 way switch 1 vol. knob 1 tone knob. Blond finish, too.

Jason S · July 21st, 2008, 05:41 PM

You can still find these used.

Mark Davis · July 21st, 2008, 05:45 PM

Jason that looks like what Id want is that an Epi or Gibson and what model is it if you know?

Thanks.

Tele295 · July 21st, 2008, 05:47 PM

That's the Epiphone, Mark. I think it was called the Blues Deluxe Zephyr or something like that

Jason S · July 21st, 2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele295

That's the Epiphone, Mark. I think it was called the Blues Deluxe Zephyr or something like that

Close. Zephyr Blues Deluxe is the name.

fakeocaster · July 21st, 2008, 06:48 PM

fatdog does a cool ES5 knockoff with the out of phase middle pickup

I bought one 8 years ago and used it for exactly that

Mark Davis · July 21st, 2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason S

Close. Zephyr Blues Deluxe is the name.

Cool thanks I'll add thet to my ebay search and see what pops up.

Twang · July 21st, 2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunchbox

I think Yamaha is making a 335 style with 3 P-90's. It's someone's Signature Guitar Troy Van Lewan or something?

Yep, this one has been on my GAS list since it came out...

Good luck with yer search Mark. Looking forward to the "I am now T-Bone" thread

Roli · July 21st, 2008, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonvintage

The Dean Palomino looks cool. 3 P90's a 5 way switch 1 vol. knob 1 tone knob. Blond finish, too.

I 2nd that. Dean Palomino is cool:

Two more pics here (not mine): http://www.vintagefret.com/pages/12565.html

teleclarkster · July 21st, 2008, 07:46 PM

I believe T-Bone used the non-switchmaster version. I could be wrong though. Mark, Guitar Showcase in San Jose has or had a NOS Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe in stock. It's a nice guitar.

nedray · July 21st, 2008, 09:43 PM

Seems like I saw a bunch of these Epis on the wall at Sam Ash a while back. Are you sure it's not a current model? Or maybe made just for them?

JimiBryant · July 21st, 2008, 09:59 PM

Mark: an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe would fit the
bill quite nicely!

perhaps the ONE guitar I would still care to acquire.

of course, the pickups and electronics would have to
GO but they are very nice guitars otherwise.

my friend got his painted black and fixed it up with a
Bigsby and that is a hum-dinger, all right!

94bamf · July 21st, 2008, 10:58 PM

This thread looks like a good excuse to post this..

God I love this, what a great voice, great guitar playing...

markothefish · July 22nd, 2008, 08:22 AM

When I think COOL I think of T-Bone

How about this Gibson Byrdland with a Charlie Christian pickup in the neck

stantheman · July 22nd, 2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Cool thanks I'll add thet to my ebay search and see what pops up.

Mark, good luck - I've been looking for Epi's reasonably priced BIG GIRLS with 17" lowers and there ain't been much in the last month with the exception of one place in NYC with a horrid feedback rating on ebay.
I'll keep on looking too.
BTW - if You haven't seen him check out "jazzerman" on Youtube he's great and he's always playing big bodied Geetars.

tjalla · July 22nd, 2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markothefish

Oh... my....That is breathtaking.

Mark, the Zephyr Blues Deluxes are an okay ballpark guitar, tho I must say the few that I've tried didn't really have a good acoustic tone to them. I know guys often change/rewind them epi pups, so that's another consideration.

I used to own a Guild Starfire III-90, and even tho it was shallower than the Epi, was a much better guitar, and came stock with duncan antiquity P90s, which are excellent. Getting one out of phase is as simple as flipping the magnets in one.

Here's a thought, maybe try one of them new Godin 5th Avenue archtops, or the Kingpin with the neck P90... not all T-Bone is out-of-phase ya know!

tjalla · July 22nd, 2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twang

Yep, this one has been on my GAS list since it came out...

Good luck with yer search Mark. Looking forward to the "I am now T-Bone" thread

Played one of these before, didn't really grab me to be honest - that solidblock running down the centre definitely takes it away from having that true hollowbody sound, having more in common (acoustically) with a Les Paul than a ES-5.

KC · July 22nd, 2008, 04:31 PM

I was just messin' around yesterday & plugged my Gretsch Tennessee Rose into the Lil Dawg D-Luxe and holy cow! what a sound! It wasn't an exact duplicate of that 50s archtop sound but it was close enough to make T-Bone stuff and Crown-era BB King a lot of fun to play. The cool part about the Gretsch is that you can flip a few switches and be right back to Telecaster-land, or pretty close. Really a fun guitar to play, though the action on mine is not as easy as my teles -- maybe because it's strung with .11s and the teles have 9s on them.

Flannel Pat · July 22nd, 2008, 04:37 PM

It doesn't get much smoother than T-Bone.

My dad has one of those Epiphone ES5 copies. It's a very nice guitar.

goldtopper · July 23rd, 2008, 06:43 AM

I was looking around awhile for an Epi BD Zephyr. I wound up withan es 295 and couldn't be happier. If you can live with a mere 2 P90's you'll may be a happy camper like me.

Walter Broes · July 23rd, 2008, 08:41 AM

If you're in the market for a vintage guitar, check out Guild's X350 and X375 models - they're a 17" laminated archtop with a 25 1/2 scale and three pickups that are very similar to P90's (though a little brighter and twangier usually).
They were made roughly between '54 and the early sixties.

Not cheap at all, but great, beautifully built guitars that can be had for half of what a vintage ES-5 sells for, and probably even less than what the Historic Collection ES-5's and Switchmasters sold for.

I love single coil Guild archtops, and they're still a great buy compared to almost any other vintage US archtop.

July 21st, 2008, 05:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,840	If I wanted to be T-Bone what big hollowbody would I get? What companies currently make a 3 P-90 equipped hollowbody? Gibson doesnt offer the ES-5 switchmasters any longer and I remember an Epiphone with 3 P-90's but they dont make those anymore either. Any other ideas? __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

July 21st, 2008, 05:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
lunchbox Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Venice, Fl Age: 39 Posts: 547	I think Yamaha is making a 335 style with 3 P-90's. It's someone's Signature Guitar Troy Van Lewan or something? __________________ TWANGALICIOUS!!!!

July 21st, 2008, 05:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,840	Jason that looks like what Id want is that an Epi or Gibson and what model is it if you know? Thanks. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

July 21st, 2008, 05:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Haunted Amp, CA Posts: 3,397 14 Photos	That's the Epiphone, Mark. I think it was called the Blues Deluxe Zephyr or something like that __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

July 21st, 2008, 06:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
fakeocaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Enniscorthy, Ireland Posts: 656	fatdog does a cool ES5 knockoff with the out of phase middle pickup I bought one 8 years ago and used it for exactly that __________________ cheers fakeocaster

July 21st, 2008, 05:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
nonvintage Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 494	Reverend?

July 21st, 2008, 05:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
nonvintage Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 494	The Dean Palomino looks cool. 3 P90's a 5 way switch 1 vol. knob 1 tone knob. Blond finish, too.

July 21st, 2008, 05:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jason S Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: S.F. Bay Area Posts: 180 10 Photos	You can still find these used.

July 21st, 2008, 07:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
teleclarkster Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: East Bay, CA Age: 54 Posts: 638 9 Photos	I believe T-Bone used the non-switchmaster version. I could be wrong though. Mark, Guitar Showcase in San Jose has or had a NOS Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe in stock. It's a nice guitar.

July 21st, 2008, 09:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
nedray Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: No. Virginia Age: 56 Posts: 171	Seems like I saw a bunch of these Epis on the wall at Sam Ash a while back. Are you sure it's not a current model? Or maybe made just for them?

July 21st, 2008, 09:59 PM	#15 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,842	Mark: an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe would fit the bill quite nicely! perhaps the ONE guitar I would still care to acquire. of course, the pickups and electronics would have to GO but they are very nice guitars otherwise. my friend got his painted black and fixed it up with a Bigsby and that is a hum-dinger, all right! __________________ *we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.*

July 21st, 2008, 10:58 PM	#16 (permalink)
94bamf Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas City Age: 31 Posts: 169	This thread looks like a good excuse to post this.. God I love this, what a great voice, great guitar playing...

July 22nd, 2008, 08:22 AM	#17 (permalink)
markothefish Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greenville, Rhode Island Age: 42 Posts: 2,022 7 Photos	When I think COOL I think of T-Bone How about this Gibson Byrdland with a Charlie Christian pickup in the neck __________________ Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

July 22nd, 2008, 04:31 PM	#21 (permalink)
KC Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Missoula, Montana Posts: 1,232 15 Photos	I was just messin' around yesterday & plugged my Gretsch Tennessee Rose into the Lil Dawg D-Luxe and holy cow! what a sound! It wasn't an exact duplicate of that 50s archtop sound but it was close enough to make T-Bone stuff and Crown-era BB King a lot of fun to play. The cool part about the Gretsch is that you can flip a few switches and be right back to Telecaster-land, or pretty close. Really a fun guitar to play, though the action on mine is not as easy as my teles -- maybe because it's strung with .11s and the teles have 9s on them.

July 22nd, 2008, 04:37 PM	#22 (permalink)
Flannel Pat Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Age: 20 Posts: 498	It doesn't get much smoother than T-Bone. My dad has one of those Epiphone ES5 copies. It's a very nice guitar.

July 23rd, 2008, 06:43 AM	#23 (permalink)
goldtopper Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell Posts: 935	I was looking around awhile for an Epi BD Zephyr. I wound up withan es 295 and couldn't be happier. If you can live with a mere 2 P90's you'll may be a happy camper like me. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

July 23rd, 2008, 08:41 AM	#24 (permalink)
Walter Broes Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Age: 38 Posts: 472	If you're in the market for a vintage guitar, check out Guild's X350 and X375 models - they're a 17" laminated archtop with a 25 1/2 scale and three pickups that are very similar to P90's (though a little brighter and twangier usually). They were made roughly between '54 and the early sixties. Not cheap at all, but great, beautifully built guitars that can be had for half of what a vintage ES-5 sells for, and probably even less than what the Historic Collection ES-5's and Switchmasters sold for. I love single coil Guild archtops, and they're still a great buy compared to almost any other vintage US archtop.