Re: NAMM 2013: Newark St.™ Collection electric models
Thunderface said:
SFIV1967 said:
The Franz copy pickups are the same as in the American Patriarch™ M-75 Aristocrat™.
That might just sell me one right there, that and the price. Did you pick one up and hold it, get a good look at it, Ralf? How does it compare to your real deal '56 Aristocrat?
Mhm, are you talking N St. or AP?
The AP one was spot one, same feel to the hand, same weight, absolutely same color of the burst. Basically one was fooled to hold the original '56 in his hands. Even same sound of the wood when tapped on top and bottom. I had no chance to plug her in, so can't comment on the pickups and there are no videos, but those pickups in the X-175 sounded fabulous!
The N St. is a '59 (?) model and I never had a '59 model in my hands, so I can't compare. The N St. model was feeling even lighter than the AP model. When tapping the backwood it sounded thinner! But Mike Lewis told me both use 5mm wood. He said that could be due to different wood qualities used, maybe the N St. model used less dense wood. I mean there is a difference for $4000 price difference... Also since it is a different finish it feels different in the hands. Not that there is something wrong with Poly, after all my Bluesbird from Westerly is also using Urethane and it is a great guitar.
So I think everybody needs to judge for himself, as Mike said, they are not re-issues but the 2013 versions...And clearly if I would not have my '56 M-75, for roughly the same price I would order that new AP M-75! I have two Fender custom shop guitars, a 50th year anniversary Strat from John Cruz and a 2012 Custom Pro Tele. Both are definitely nicer to me than the average $1000 Tele or Strat. So it all comes down what one expects and wants to do with it and is willing or able to pay for it. The good thing is: There are multiple choices now. (Didn't I say that before? :lol: )
Ralf
