NGD - "A rather special goldtop" (WezV content)

Modellista

This is probably a pretty well-known forum guitar to a few people around the parts, no doubt tribute to the skills of its maker @WezV, and the detailed build thread here.  I've been looking for a decent Les Paul for a while, and had noticed this pop up on a few threads, most recently the gold top thread, and it made the run of the mill Gibsons I'd been considering seem a little tame.

So when @merlin put this up for sale I knew I had to move fast.

It's always a bit of a fingers crossed moment buying sight unseen, and the thought that I would technically be its fourth owner in the last six months was a slight concern.  But the opportunity was too good to pass up, so after a minor transport hiccup it arrived in Northumberland over the weekend, and I've had a chance to give it a workout today.

Playing something like this enforces a certain kind of paradigm shift.  It's not just another example of a production guitar.  This is a completely unique instrument which deserves respect, and hopefully will justify long-term commitment by revealing its strengths over many years.  So these are my first thoughts...

It looks great, plays great, and sounds sublime.

Heh.  Nothing insightful there, then.  More detail, vicar?

The instrument totally works as a whole.  The impressive relic job is perhaps the most noticeable attribute at first sight.  But it's a completely necessary attribute for the instrument to make sense: this isn't a pristine factory-made instrument, you can tell that it's handmade - with utmost care and skill, but handmade nonetheless - so for it to be "pre-worn" makes total sense when you handle it and play it.  Wez is on record saying how the relic job actually changed how the guitar plays, for the better, and even though I never saw it pre-relic, that's totally believable.  It's loud and chimey unplugged, and bright, assertive and soulful plugged in.

I had no idea how it would sound before I bought it, so had to rely on hope that the Mojo P90s would do the job, and they do indeed.  All three positions are spectacular.

I haven't got any photos but there's loads in the build thread.  I did make a quick, basic video, so if anyone was wondering how it sounds, wonder no longer.



So may I say thanks to @merlin for being a top chap and a great transaction, and to @WezV for making such a wonderful instrument.  Long may such creations continue to come into being!

tone1

Congratulations on grabbing a fantastic guitar.. I was so close to pulling the trigger myself...I still don’t know how I managed to resist.
Enjoy...

Arktik83

Nice acquisition!  Merlin knows his onions and packs guitars very well so you can always be confident what you see is what you're gonna get.

Sounds huge and looks awesome!  What you playing through?  Those P90's are ripping!  Might have to get some for my Yamaha SG.

JezWynd

I'd forgotten how great P90's sound. Congrats on a great guitar.

richardhomer

That sounds - and looks - fantastic. Lovely playing too....

stickyfiddle

Lovely. I'm slowly coming around to the idea of P90 les pauls.

Has anyone dibs-ed the in-progress black one yet, @WezV..?

WezV

Ah, I’m glad you like it.  What I do is quite far from any production guitar. there is always a risk a new owner might not quite get that. 

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone dibs-ed the in-progress black one yet, @WezV..?

I’m not giving out dibs... not till they are done

merlin

.... Seller's remorse..... 

Glad you're enjoying it... 

usedtobe

That’s so cool!

stickyfiddle

WezV said:

Ah, I’m glad you like it.  What I do is quite far from any production guitar. there is always a risk a new owner might not quite get that. 

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone dibs-ed the in-progress black one yet, @WezV..?

I’m not giving out dibs... not till they are done

Bah! Totally understand though

p90fool

That really is a special guitar

Modellista

JezWynd said:

I'd forgotten how great P90's sound. Congrats on a great guitar.

richardhomer said:

That sounds - and looks - fantastic. Lovely playing too....

Thanks guys.

Modellista

WezV said:

Ah, I’m glad you like it.  What I do is quite far from any production guitar. there is always a risk a new owner might not quite get that. 

Yep, this is a different league of coolness compared to any of the decent stuff I've had in the past.  A great visionary expression of how history might have turned out.

Modellista

Arktik83 said:

Nice acquisition!  Merlin knows his onions and packs guitars very well so you can always be confident what you see is what you're gonna get.

Sounds huge and looks awesome!  What you playing through?  Those P90's are ripping!  Might have to get some for my Yamaha SG.

That's a Palmer Drei (also from this parish), which is a total game-changer amp for me.  The essence of tube sound with no frills.  Plus a bit of reverb from a Zoom MS50G and overdrive from a Danelectro Pastrami, would you believe?!

I did a bit more playing today with the amp properly mic'd up, so these two vids should sound a lot better.  Apologies for any gurning content.

Boromedic

Happy NGD! Sounds gorgeous and some reet tasty playing to boot. Great stuff!