Prototypes - would you buy one?

[Twelvefret]

The 1990 #29 Arnold John built was a prototype. Norman Blake played it and ordered one for him and one for Nancy. It is made out of a Engelmann board from a lumber yard and a solid mahogany door.

It survived the destruction of our house in 2001. The fireman asked if he could try to locate something of value. I asked to bring the case behind he door in the bed room. The bridge had not lifted.......whew!!! John cleaned it up.

[CRM]

I would and did buy a Eastman Prototype of the E10SS The one I bought says ET10SS on the label and was built for the 2011 Namm show. It does slightly differ from the production models having a volute, wider nut and came with enclosed tuners which I changed to open back gotoh's. There were only two made in a transparent red which I call a cherry crush.....The detail that was put into this guitar is crazy good......Til death do us part

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

If the price is right.

If the SOUND is right.....

[justonwo]

If the tone was great, I probably would, but I would talk the seller down. Prototype is a descriptor that inevitably makes a guitar harder to sell. I would be doubly cautious if the prototype didn’t lead to a new line. “Unsuccessful Prototype” makes for a hard sell.

[The Bard Rocks]

As someone who likes the unusual (as long as it's good), a prototype would catch my attention.

Not all prototypes are something from which the bugs need to be worked out. It may be the first of a long line. It may be one in which they experimented with and decided it would cost too much to do it this way. Maybe it has different woods (which I would like) or different bells and whistles, things that do not affect sound or playability.

[Zissou Intern]

Originally Posted by Twelvefret

The 1990 #29 Arnold John built was a prototype. Norman Blake played it and ordered one for him and one for Nancy. It is made out of a Engelmann board from a lumber yard and a solid mahogany door.

It survived the destruction of our house in 2001. The fireman asked if he could try to locate something of value. I asked to bring the case behind he door in the bed room. The bridge had not lifted.......whew!!! John cleaned it up.

I am happy that your Arnold guitar survived. What is the body shape and woods? I have always wanted to play the oak 12 fret dread that John Arnold built for Norman Blake.

[tgaume]

I have a great Gibson / Flatiron prototype that I absolutely love.

Model number listed as "Bruce's Guitar". I contacted Bruce Weber the former General Manager, head designer and luthier of Gibson's Flatiron Works Division about this guitar and received the following.

"Hi Thomas, Back in 1995 this was the only Flatiron guitar that had been built and don’t believe Gibson followed up with any others after moving the operation to Nashville. This ‘Prototype' became mine and I gave it to my son a few years ago. She’s a one of a kind!

Bruce
Bruce D. Weber"

If you see this posted anywhere in the future it's a good bet that I've met my demise.

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[Dwight]

I have an Eastman T59V Prototype 335 varnished and aged guitar and it's a very good guitar. Lots of handwork and it plays and sounds great.

[00Buck]

I have an Eastman E15ss prototype that will never see the market until I'm dead. I'd have no qualms about buying another prototype from a reputable builder.

[CRD71]

I have the Martin GPCPA1 prototype made in 2008.

It has 'Prototype' stamp and the serial number dates to 2008 a couple of years before the production run was released.

When I purchased it online from a Martin dealer in USA, I was informed that Martin would not offer a warranty as it was a prototype and therefore classified as used. I figured that wasn't an issue as it was quite a bit cheaper than the retail price for a production model, and might be worth something over time.

I contacted Martin in 2012 to authenticate the serial number and find out a bit more:

".... this guitar is a prototype of the GPCPA1. Unfortunately, I do not have the exact specifications of this guitar. It appears in my system as identical to a production GPCPA1..."

Having said that, I can confirm that it is an ebony fingerboard, bridge, headstock face and heelstock, whereas the later production models featured richlite.

The workmanship and wood quality is stunning.

It has had very little use until the last few months due to a bad case of Dupuytren's contracture in my left hand that was only operated on recently.
No more finger gymnastics for me, but at least I can get my hand around the neck again!

It's aged nicely with only a couple of cracks in the finish running back from the bridge. I've never really used a pick so as not to damage the top, and anyway its a fingerstyle guitar with that wide neck... if I want to play with a pick I'll play a dreadnaught with a narrower neck.


Two questions I would still liked answered about my prototype are:

Was this was the first Performing Artist neck?

Was this the guitar that the Fishman Aura images were actually recorded with?


Love this guitar. Of course I'd buy another prototype!

[wblock77]

I know this thread is pretty old but I really enjoyed the discussion here. I am a retired Electrical Engineer and have been involved in building prototypes on numerous occasions. I also have been remotely cognizant during several string instruments being developed at a local manufacturer. I ended up buying 4 of their prototypes (Weissenborn, slide guitar, resonator and a bouzouki) as I personally knew them to be made well and to tighter tolerances than the production run, Sometimes quality is sacrificed after the marketing guys crunch numbers for cost savings. I recently bought a prototype 2014 Gibson Les Paul Acoustic (you may have seen my posts). I got that thing up and running and to my ear, it sounds awesome. It was basically a CJ-165. I'd love to compare it to another CJ-165 but wouldn't know where to go to see one. Anyway, I have no point to be made here other than I like prototypes and I also appreciate the wealth of knowledge you guys bring to this forum.

[hifivic]

I acquired a classical guitar prototype built by Samick Pianos. Beautiful playing and sounding guitar. Let your ear and gut guide you.

[EZYPIKINS]

Never bought acoustic prototype. But, have bought electric prototypes.

Used to buy G&L's from the factory in Fullerton CA.

While looking for a Strat style SSS guitar. I played guitars for 3-4 hours. None really spoke to me.

I asked Mr. Hyatt VP of sales. "What about the guitars hanging on the office wall? Can they be for sale"?

He said, "sure".

I found an S-500 in natural with black plastic. Plugged in and POW.

He told me "guitars in the office were guitars Leo used for different types of pickup windings and electronics tweaks".

I never heard another one like it.

In 1989 They had been working on a new model. They called it the Comanche. They used an Interceptor body. Which looks much like an Ibanez Gem model. Only made a few with this body, before switching to a traditional Strat shape.

I played G&L guitars exclusively from 1980 till the early 2000's

P.S.

Just picked up a 1985 G&L Broadcaster. Been on my radar for a long time.

[Wonderwall]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

I bought the prototype for the H&D TDM back about '99. I think it was #195 and was priced at $1995. It was a great guitar. I traded (stupidly) for a Weber Yellowstone mandolin to a really nice guy in Mobile , AL.

Interestingly enough, I offered it in trade to Elderly and Stan told me he wouldn't be able to sell it for more than $1000-1100, and offered me $600 in trade. He said H&D wasn't well known enough to sell for any more than that.

How would you say it compares tonally to their TD-Ms today? I guess what I'm wondering is whether their skills and techniques have improved drastically since then, or would you say they sound about the same in terms of quality/responsiveness? Because if you look at a brand like Taylor, their older guitars in my opinion aren't very good sounding. Their newer ones have more depth in my opinion.

[zombywoof]

The coolest prototype I have ever seen was a Gibson J45 built by Abe Wechter after Kalamazoo had decided to return to earlier specs with the guitars being unveiled at NAMM 1984.

The only time though I had an opportunity to buy a prototype was a Collings. About 10 years ago Mass Street Music which was 20 minutes down the road from me got in a couple of guitars which if I recall were labeled Custom Jumbo. These were the prototypes of the CJ-35. To this day I am still trying to figure out why I did not jump on one.

Here is a neat little video about the model which also exlains why Mass Street got them.

https://youtu.be/salRzFChuQk