Peerless Renaissance?

**David Pugh** · 10-25-2010, 11:19 AM

Does anyone know anything about the Peerless Renaissance guitar. I really like the looks of the instrument and the sound as demonstrated by Matt Otten on Youtube seems great. Eastman also makes a very similar model. All of these seem to be copies of the Gibson ES 335.

DP

**oilywrag** · 10-25-2010, 12:36 PM

Hi David,
I own one and did a review on this site, they are a good guitar and for me very well made..Check out the review.( 16th may 2010 )

Tom

**Meggy** · 10-26-2010, 08:27 AM

I agree the Renaissance is a nice looking/sounding guitar! Just a small point of interest, but it is not really a 335 type copy. You may notice that the neck joins the body earlier i.e. so upper fret access a little less easy, although this is not a big issue IMO. Also, I understand it is completely hollow bodied, apart for a block under the bridge, whereas the 335 has a centre-block running the full length of the body. In essence, it is a lot more like a Gibson 330, fitted with humbucking pickups (the 330 had P90's as stock I believe) So perhaps these features make the Renaissance a better instrument for jazz? Well, arguable at least!

**blackcat** · 11-01-2010, 09:19 AM

The Peerless Renaissance Custom is the one to go for - all solid maple body with a single 'post' support under the top. Nearer to the 330 than the 335 in size. Less of a dull response in the bass notes than from laminated counterparts as a result of the materials/construction. Over-decorated perhaps but most definitely an option for jazz. I fitted a Benedetto A6 in the neck position but the one we provided Matt Otten with has the standard Peerless p/ups ( Korean Kent Armstrong PAFs ). Nice guitar and very good value.

**Plampinen** · 03-21-2011, 07:50 PM

I'm wondering, if the Renaissance guitars really are solid maple construction. In the Peerlessguitars.eu site they mention, that the body of the guitar is laminated maple but when you study the ads in the online music stores nearly everyone advertise these guitars true hollowbody, solid maple guitars. Can anyone enlighten this situation?

**blackcat** · 03-21-2011, 08:31 PM

Hi Plampinen,

No mystery there as a former distributeur for Peerless for France I can confirm that the early models ( mine and the one we sent to Matt Otten for instance ) are indeed all solid, machine-pressed maple. That model continues as the 'Renaissance Custom' and the newer laminated version is simply the 'Renaissance'. The 'Custom' model really is a great all-rounder but great for jazz tone. Hope that clears it up.

Blackcat

**Plampinen** · 03-22-2011, 02:12 AM

Thanks for your reply, blackcat. That solved this problem. I,m considering of purchasing one of these guitars since I just got a Monarch and it's just a beautiful guitar. Great sounding and easy playing. Lovely thing indeed.

**moto** · 03-25-2011, 03:44 PM

@blackcat
sorry but i´m easily confused about your answer.
On the peerless uk homepage is a note, that the Renaiccence have a new wood.
Peerless quote: Wood has been changed from 2007 model.
continue...:
"Body
Shape : Arch Top Double Cutaway
Top : Laminated Maple
Back & Sides : Laminated Maple"

Are you shure, that the RENAISSANCE is a solid body guitar??

You must know, i´m looking for a ranaissance ;]
The Youtube Videos are all solid bodys ranaissance guitars.... ;[

@Plampinen
Have you buy a reni?? How is it? Have it a long sustain???

Greetings from Germany, Hamburg

moto

PS: Sorry for my bad english ;]

**Plampinen** · 03-26-2011, 02:00 AM

Hi, Moto!

I have not bought it yet, since, like you, I'm still not shure about the wood. I'm going to write a message to the factory. That should to solve this issue.

**moto** · 03-26-2011, 03:51 AM

Hi Plampinen,
i wrote a mail to peerless....so, now we have just sit and wait ;]

moto

**Plampinen** · 03-26-2011, 04:49 AM

Jep, that we'll do. Hope we get some answers

**carlescountry** · 03-26-2011, 08:11 AM

According to the catalog of Peerles is laminated. Open the link and download the catalog:

?????? ????

**Plampinen** · 03-27-2011, 01:54 AM

Jep! I wrote to few of the UK online stores, which advertise this guitar as a solid wood instrument and all of them told me, that these items are laminated guitars after all. The Renaissance may have been a solid wood guitar when the originally started to build it, but it seems, that today it has a laminated body.

**va3ux** · 03-27-2011, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by moto

@blackcat
sorry but i´m easily confused about your answer.
On the peerless uk homepage is a note, that the Renaiccence have a new wood.
Peerless quote: Wood has been changed from 2007 model.
continue...:
"Body
Shape : Arch Top Double Cutaway
Top : Laminated Maple
Back & Sides : Laminated Maple"

Are you shure, that the RENAISSANCE is a solid body guitar??

He didn't say it was a "solid body guitar". He said the top and back (and sides ?) of the Renaissance Custom were made from pressed solid maple, rather than the usual laminate.

**va3ux** · 03-27-2011, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by moto

Oh no...laminated......hm...bad thing...

Laminate is not a bad thing. Virtually all Gibson ES series guitars are made of laminate (plywood).

Phil

**moto** · 03-27-2011, 12:03 PM

Hi Phil,

you´re right!
Because the Custom has laminated to.
Onlay the 2007 Renaissance has solid wood ;[
Right?

Greetings
moto

**Plampinen** · 03-27-2011, 03:14 PM

I think the video shows amazing tone coming out of that guitar. Besides, the tone is on your fingers, not in wood. I suppose the fact, that Renaissance is a full hollowbody and doesn't have any sustain block inside has something to do with its sound. I'm still considering of purchasing one

**MaxT** · 03-28-2011, 10:25 AM

These Peerless guitars look interesting. According to the website here in Australia, they use some different scale lengths and other differences such as certain models using fingerboard inlays and some not. (Except for 12th fret).
But the point of interest is the colours available. There is a thumbnail depiction on the site here of different finishes, but when I bring up the subject in emails, they stop answering my queries. So I'm still trying to find out what colours (with which models) are available Down Under. In particular I'm interested in the Monarch. Anybody able to clarify?

**va3ux** · 04-03-2011, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by carlescountry

The sound is amazing! Very interesting thats videos of Peerless.

Why many companys say pressed solid wood instead of laminate? This causes much confusion.

Because boths types of material can be used. The top (and/or back, and/or sides) could be either solid wood or laminate. When they say pressed solid wood, they mean that it is solid wood and not laminate. So there should be no confusion when a company states that.

I have a Conti guitar, manufactured by Peerless, and this guitar is also described as solid wood, and it's certainly solid not laminated.

And apparently that is the way RC specified the top for his guitar : solid wood, rather than laminate. That's why it is described that way.

**moto** · 04-03-2011, 09:35 AM

Friends,
I have one ;]
I buy it in Belgium. Peerless Renaissance Custom. Build 05/2007 and this guitar was made of wood. Nothing laminated!!!
Okay, the qual. of the head where not so good. Some sanding dust is under the clear lacquer but the sound is great and its a really lightweight!!!
You don't feel the guitar on your leg!!!

Okay, the Humbucker is very very cheap!!! It's a stock Epiphone humbucker. Not an Epiphone classic 57 as the current models have, but I want to replace it anyway...

Whether it is worthwhile to buy an old used model, I can not say.
The workmanship on my model is due to the head plate, besides the mechanical not really good ...

moto

**va3ux** · 04-03-2011, 09:36 AM

I stopped caring about spliced necks when it dawned on me that if that really mattered (tonally), the Telecaster and Stratocaster would have failed as professional quality instruments years ago : A bolt-on neck has to the worst-case example of 'spliced neck'.

3-piece and 5-piece necks : all separate pieces of wood glued together (ie. 'spliced' together) but we never consider that to be a potential detriment.

The glued joint where the neck and body meet with a set-neck : another 'splice' that we consider to be a sign of higher quality compared to a bolt-on neck.

And on and on.

Scarf joints, set necks, bolt-on necks, mortise-and-tenon joints, dove-tail joints, one-piece necks, multi-piece necks, through-body necks. Different from each other - mechanically, Yes. Better or worse than one another tonally: I have no idea. Maybe different; maybe not. If they painted all necks black so you couldn't see how they were constructed, it would ultimately come down to 'do you like the tone of the guitar or not ?', and you we wouldn't be distracted by neck construction (from a tonal aspect).

**va3ux** · 04-03-2011, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by moto

Friends,
i have one ;]
I buy it in Belgium. Peerless Renaissance Custom. Build 05/2007 an this guitar was made of wood. Nothing laminated!!!

moto

Very interesting Moto and thanks for taking time to get the pics. This top actually does have a thin top piece 'laminated' to a much thicker piece (or substrate). The grain of the 2 pieces is running at 90 degrees to each other. This is very similar to the top on my Epiphone Elitist Byrdland, which could be called a 'hybrid top', although Epiphone called it a solid top. The Epi Byrdland has a 1mm thick veneer laminated to a 3 or 4 mm (don't know exactly) solid spruce top. Definitely not the laminated top as it is commonly referred to (ie. definitely NOT the traditional plywood).

**moto** · 04-03-2011, 10:19 AM

now I'm confused..... ;]
Okay..the top is made as bookmatched type, right?
On the basis of wood structure can be seen that it is real wood, right?
The lower piece of wood is only for the pu's to fix it, right?
Ah, okay, yes, then it´s laminaed.
BUT it's still no ceiling laminated in the traditional sense, right?
It is not laminated so as with my Epiphone Sheraton II As you can see 3 layers of wood.

And that's where the difference would be the current models. This should hopefully be different!
Can someone please expand its PU and take a picture, as I have done it?

moto

**va3ux** · 04-03-2011, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by moto

now I'm confused..... ;]
Okay..the top is made as bookmatched type, right?
On the basis of wood structure can be seen that it is real wood, right?

Yes, definitely.

The lower piece of wood is only for the pu's to fix it, right?
Ah, okay, yes, then it´s laminaed.

Not sure about that. I'm assuming the lower piece of wood is the whole top, not just a thicker local piece added for the pick-ups. But you could be right. Can you feel inside to see if the lower piece is part of the entire top, or just a locally added piece for pick-up attachment ?

BUT it's still no ceiling laminated in the traditional sense, right?
It is not laminated so as with my Epiphone Sheraton II As you can see 3 layers of wood.
moto

Right ! It's not laminated in the traditional sense like an Epi Sheraton or Gibson ES-175. Not at all.