A New Hartford-built Fender Kingman

twocorgis

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I don't think I am going to have an issue with the neck on this one as it has the same "V" shaped "Boat Neck" that is on my 1956 AVRI Mary Kay Strat. I know a lot of folks think the bridge and Headstock are ugly on this one but I am sort of partial to them myself. When I first started trying to learn how to play guitar I did some airbrush work on a friends car in trade for a 1968 Fender Palomino Acoustic that was in rough shape but had the same bridge and headstock shape. After a few months I stupidly traded it in for another guitar to learn on instead of keeping it to play at a later date. I took a pretty good hit on it as well as I wasn't schooled in the art of buying and selling Used guitars at the time. This Kingman VRF serves as a replacement for the one that got away. Not too mention it has everything I would have changed on the Palomino already done to it. The bridge is not a bolt on like the palomino was and the neck is a set neck instead of a bolt on as well. Match that with the top grade materials, design, and craftsmanship and it makes for the perfect replacement to me. I am really excited about this one and look forward to it getting here!

TX

Best wishes with it TX. Coming from the New Hartford plant, it must be good. Not too many duds came out of there, that's for sure!
 

dapmdave

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Congrats, TX. Headstock aside, that looks to be a really high-quality instrument.
 

davismanLV

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The bridge is different and the headstock is different but knowing where it comes from and the build quality from that factory, I think the guitar looks great. Yeah, it's different but that's okay with me. We've all got plenty of guitars that look the same. So why not something different? Let's see how it sounds. Obviously, several people were very interested, especially at that price. I think that rosewood is AMAZING!!! Can't wait for TX's NGD!! :encouragement:
 

txbumper57

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The bridge is different and the headstock is different but knowing where it comes from and the build quality from that factory, I think the guitar looks great. Yeah, it's different but that's okay with me. We've all got plenty of guitars that look the same. So why not something different? Let's see how it sounds. Obviously, several people were very interested, especially at that price. I think that rosewood is AMAZING!!! Can't wait for TX's NGD!! :encouragement:

Best wishes with it TX. Coming from the New Hartford plant, it must be good. Not too many duds came out of there, that's for sure!

Congrats, TX. Headstock aside, that looks to be a really high-quality instrument.

Thanks Guys, and Thanks for posting it Dave! I'll let you all know when it arrives.:nevreness:

TX
 

Sal

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Congrats, txbumper57! I love a Fender headstock on an acoustic! While that turquoise material in the rosette does nothing for me, it's a great score on a great guitar.
 

SFIV1967

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While that turquoise material in the rosette does nothing for me...
The Orpheums prototypes in 2013 came with that blue rosette and strip on the back. I actually liked it! But obviously some people didn't so Guild decided to change that and the next run of Orpheums got the brown rosette and it looks like they reused the left over blue rosetts and stripes for Fender guitars.
Ralf
 

merlin6666

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Headstock aside I really like the natural mahogany colour and the maple binding. Congrats and looking forward to the NGD.
 

txbumper57

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Headstock aside I really like the natural mahogany colour and the maple binding. Congrats and looking forward to the NGD.

That is actually non stained Honduran Rosewood on the back and sides Merlin, Not Mahogany but it does look like a Natural Mahogany Color like what was on my old D26NT. Doesn't it just look beautiful in it's natural state without the tinted pore filler they use on most rosewoods? The binding is Gorgeous as well, I imagine the pics don't show off the flamed Maple as much as it will in person. I'm even more excited today than I was yesterday about it getting here! Been a long time since I bought a Guitar, It making me Giddy, LOL.

TX
 
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merlin6666

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There goes my education of the day. I thought that only the mahogany type woods got stained and rosewood was naturally as dark as it also appears on fretboards. I guess that those are stained too then?
 

Aristera

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Tx,

You got a great deal! When you check under the sound hole I think you may find a familiar signature. When I see a Kingman I think of Elvis and Tom Petty (his Kingmans came out of the Custom shop as well)

James
 

twocorgis

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Tx,

You got a great deal! When you check under the sound hole I think you may find a familiar signature. When I see a Kingman I think of Elvis and Tom Petty (his Kingmans came out of the Custom shop as well)

James

Yes, if it's like my Orpheums, and the TPD-2 I had, Jason McIntyre's signature should be there.
 

txbumper57

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Tx,

You got a great deal! When you check under the sound hole I think you may find a familiar signature. When I see a Kingman I think of Elvis and Tom Petty (his Kingmans came out of the Custom shop as well)

James

Yes, if it's like my Orpheums, and the TPD-2 I had, Jason McIntyre's signature should be there.

Thanks Aristera! I have Mr. McIntyre's signature under the top of several New Hartford Guilds including my Orpheums and a few traditional models as well. I fully expect to find it under the top on this one as well.

TX
 

SFIV1967

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Doesn't it just look beautiful in it's natural state without the tinted pore filler they use on most rosewoods?
I have never heard that rosewood was stained, maybe some light colored fretboards but never sides and backs. Mahogany is usually stained. Usually rosewood looks the same inside and outside a guitar. This Honduran Rosewood has a specifically light color. It looks great that way but usually Honduran RW has much more color like this example:

honduran-rw-jumbo-size.jpg


But they can vary a lot, here's a lighter one as well:

DR121700A-Honduran-Rosewood-Guitar-Tonewood-1.jpg



Most of the Honduran Rosewood comes actually from Belize.

Ralf
 
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txbumper57

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I have never heard that rosewood was stained, maybe some light colored fretboards but never sides and backs. Mahogany is usually stained. Usually rosewood looks the same inside and outside a guitar. This Honduran Rosewood has a specifically light color. It looks great that way but usually Honduran RW has much more color like this example:

honduran-rw-jumbo-size.jpg


But they can vary a lot, here's a lighter one as well:

DR121700A-Honduran-Rosewood-Guitar-Tonewood-1.jpg



Most of the Honduran Rosewood comes actually from Belize.

Ralf

Some are and some aren't. There is a video somewhere here on the forum from New Hartford where a tech is starting the pore filler on the back of a D55 IIRC. The RW looks so beautiful unfinished before he puts the pore filler on and then he spreads this Mud Colored paste on the back that significantly darkens and changes the tint of the back and sides of the RW on the guitar even after they Squeegee all the excess off and sand it down for Clear.

Personally I love the light tone of the Honduran RW on this Fender, I think it makes it look extremely unique.

TX
 

txbumper57

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Well, You win some and you lose some folks. She arrived late Tuesday evening and looked spectacular! The only thing was there was a neck separation from the body at the joint. You could slide a piece of paper from the heel cap all the way up to the start of the dovetail joint from the back and it even continued on the bass side of the joint almost half the depth of the body. Needless to say after my luthier inspected it, it was determined that a full neck reset and refit of the joint was the only way to fix plus repairing the finish that would have been compromised in the removal of the neck. The repair bill would have come to roughly $600 so to my dismay it is on it's way back to the seller for a full refund. I really wanted to keep this one as the wood was amazing and when properly set up I am sure she would have had a wonderful voice but it was not meant to be.

TX
 

dapmdave

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That's too bad. I wonder if that happened in shipping or was just not disclosed.
 

txbumper57

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That's too bad. I wonder if that happened in shipping or was just not disclosed.

It was not disclosed as the seller thought that was just how they were supposed to be. He has a few other Fender Custom Shop Guitars from New Hartford and they all have similar separations. He was a stand up guy though and had no problem approving a refund and sending a return shipping label. It really is a shame as I truly did love the guitar. I wish I would have had the chance to put some proper strings on it to really hear what the tone was like as it had a set of electric strings on it when it was shipped.

TX
 

walrus

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It was not disclosed as the seller thought that was just how they were supposed to be. He has a few other Fender Custom Shop Guitars from New Hartford and they all have similar separations. He was a stand up guy though and had no problem approving a refund and sending a return shipping label. It really is a shame as I truly did love the guitar. I wish I would have had the chance to put some proper strings on it to really hear what the tone was like as it had a set of electric strings on it when it was shipped.

TX

That separation you described is supposed to be "normal" for Fender Custom Shop guitars? Can that be true?

walrus
 
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