Do you have a guitar which is totally normal, yet unique? (Finish-wise, or an exceptional piece of lumber used in its construction.)

[Blazer]

Well, as we all know, you can try all telecasters in a store and find that they're all different from each other. Heck, ask a luthier to build you two matching guitars and they'll end up two totally different instruments.

But most of the time, having a normal series made guitar with a feature which makes it stand apart from the pack is down to sheer luck. Or due to circumstances the former owner used it in.

This is my 1982 Squier JV series with a 1988 Fender USA body strat "Mary"

And looking at that body you might go "Yes, that DOES look like one of those finishes Fender did in those days." That understated green with almost a gray tint, was something you'd see in the eighties. So nothing exceptional at all, right?

But then you flip it over...

And it reveals itself to be a very vibrant surf green.

Here's the body with its former owner, showing the contrast even more.

I honestly have no idea which caused that color shift at the front of the body only, but it DOES make my strat a very unique but ordinary guitar.

So unique in fact that I found an old photo taken at the shop where it originally had been for sale, that green gray tint is so distinctive that there's no doubt that it's the same guitar.

 

[String Tree]

I have this guy.
Neck from a '66 Mosrite Bill Maphis Model.
Made the Body From a Butcher Block, Finished it with Formica.
Pick-ups are Flying-A, later to be known as Bartolini.

It Doth RAWK!

 

[GRAVITY-LHP]

I’ll put forth my 335 dot.

9.5 lbs…. Grrrr. But it sounds incredible, plays like butter and has a very unusual ebony fretboard. Is it a unicorn? Maybe. It’s a keeper.

PS it’s modified. Has OX4s 500k wire harness. I still have the odd but cool Bill Lawrence Pups for sentimental reasons.

 

[Fiesta Red]

 

[GRAVITY-LHP]

View attachment 1174659View attachment 1174660

I’m feeling bit of willie g here!

 

[abcdefghijklmnop]

I have a 1990 Telecaster Deluxe Plus, with the Lace Sensors, Wilkinson roller nut and factory Tremolo. I bought it new in early 1993, though the s/n is 1990. Its a beefy Telecaster that weighs 10.5 lbs. Less than 1000 of them were made, one of the more rare production Telecasters of the past 40 years and the value has gone way up. Ive played mine a lot and its player grade, however Id never sell it. Its a fantastic guitar in every way. Contrary to what some people say, its 2 solid pieces of swamp ash. No veneer.

 

[Freeman Keller]

There are lots of tricones, only one made of flamed koa

 

[Freeman Keller]

Speaking of finishes, here is a buddy's strat

 

[brookdalebill]

These are all exceptionally nice, IMO.

 

[Killing Floor]

It’s all stock. MiA Fender. But I have never seen another in the wild.

 

[G Stone496]

A Deep Lizardburst Flame Carvin NS-1 Nylon String electric with Synth Access to plug into guitar synth modules.

 

[JJLC]

I own several fairly unique guitars but one of my Les Paul Special types is actually quite phenomenal; the finish is unlike any of my other ~40 or so guitars and overall the guitar is just an amazing P-90 animal.
It came original with a Bigsby B7 but I removed that 3/4 lb. POS and now the guitar is a killer.

the finish is amazing; no grain filler and a super thin finish

under 7 lb. with the Bigsby removed

 

[Obsessed]

Sort of an unusual category, so I think my Epi MIK Sheraton II fits the bill. I a/b tested a bunch of these back in the early 2000s until I found this one. My wife the bass player could tell that I played better on it and to me it was all about the neck not having paint on it. However, I hated the “blond look especially with everything in that gaudy gold plating. But I loved the way it played, so I bought it. Over the years I replaced every bit of gold, upgraded the tuners, the pots, the pups and had a custom made pickguard made for it. Finally found the right amp to go with it and eureka, I found my sound, my signature sound. I love this guitar:

 

[BramptonRob1958]

`2 of my favourite finishes, are on my least expensive guitars.

My Gretsch Electromatic finished in Speyside and My Jumbo Guild 12 String

 

[lucius Mojo]

My Flying V I made from a kit,Gold,black with a custom made white pick guard.

 

[ce24]

I love my SPALTED MAPLE top.

 

[CalebAaron666]

Mattos Esquire
One-piece pine body made from 200+ year old piece of lumber from Wells, Maine. It was salvaged from the Wells House of Pizza, but the building was originally the first stage coach stop north of Boston in the early 1800’s.
Warmoth fat V neck.
Pickup Wizard Broadcaster pickup
Bigsby B16

 

[AAT65]

There’s my uglified PRS SE245 (now with fewer knobs, the switch in the right place):

And there’s my AO’60s Jazzmaster, now with even more knobs (for a GK-3 hex pickup) and a custom aluminium scratchplate:

 

[rjtwangs]

My Marty Bell Sparklecaster

And my 2011 Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Relic Pinstriped Esquire, one of 50....no two were alike!

RJ

 

[willietheweirdo]

Wildwood select 50s LP standard with unburst finish. Something like a 1.01-1.09 neck IIRC. Stock but for speed knobs and a steel tailpiece. Gotta take a pic in the sunlight sometime...