Peerless carved top jazz models in black (now for something completely different!)

[docdosco]

I just got some pics from Peerless. They made some models in black. Don't ask me why, as black is not the first finish I think of with a carved top jazz guitar.

Pictured are a Cremona, an Imperial and a Maestro.

I wonder if the black color is too stark, too dark or just too weird. Comments welcome.

Doc Dosco

The pictures uploaded sideways. Don't quite know why that happened....

[Dedalus]

Funny you should mention it, because I was playing a black Ibanez AF71F yesterday, and while it felt quite nice for a budget instrument, I came away thinking that I absolutely did not want a black archtop (which would, incidentally, match the black w/cream binding and ebony fingerboard of the Grubisa Merlin in my avatar).

[mr. beaumont]

I'd totally play that black Cremona.

Black guitars are slimming.

[FidgetStone]

I'd totally play that black Cremona.

Black guitars are slimming.

Maybe I should try a guitar with vertical stripes.

[Bushwackbob]

Every fingerprint shines bright on a black guitar. Tried it. Returned after 2 days.

[Klatu]

What would the price be relative to their natural and sunburst counterparts?

[Woody Sound]

I really like the plain fingerboard with the little 12th-f inlay.

[Al Br.]

Look nice but I prefer my Cremona in Tea burst, or whatever they call it. I like to see the wood. In the black finish it looks like something is missing.
And as stated, keeping them shiney and clean is like a black car. Looks great for five minutes and then you have to start all over.
That said, I'd still gladly take one if offered to compliment my Cremona.

[docdosco]

What would the price be relative to their natural and sunburst counterparts?

Im pretty sure I can get a discount. I don't think black proved to be a fast seller.

However, they still have to be ordered from Korea. I am thinking about it. I just don't want to be sitting and a stack of black guitars if no one likes them (which is why I posted the pics).

I value the opinions of everyone on the forum.... (this has proved to be a troll free zone unlike a few of the other forums). But.... if these guitars don't ring anyone's bell cosmetically, then that make my decision easier...

Doc Dosco

[Campos]

I prefer with black hardware, like the Benedetto Pat Martino model.

[docdosco]

I prefer with black hardware, like the Benedetto Pat Martino model.

Thanks for posting this picture. If black is good enough for Pat Martino, maybe some other players might go for it.

Food for thought.....

Doc

[mispeltyoof]

Hi Doc
I was always led to believe that black and blue guitars were to enhance guitars with less than attractive grain patterns. Not poorer quality tone woods just less figured grain . Or is this an old wives tale?

[ESCC]

I've always liked black with gold hardware, I guess since I saw my first Les Paul Custom as a teen. Peerless needs to do something different with the pick-guard, add a white outline as per Gibson's approach?

[Hammertone]

Hi Doc
I was always led to believe that black and blue guitars were to enhance guitars with less than attractive grain patterns. Not poorer quality tone woods just less figured grain . Or is this an old wives tale?

There is no difference in sound between figured and non-figured wood, all other things being equal.
Highly figured wood costs more than non-figured or less figured wood. Non-figured wood is much easier to source.

Sometimes when a guitar is produced with solid plates, the carving reveals discolouration or ugly grain patterns in the wood that is not evident in the pre-carved blocks. Guitars like this are ideal candidates for solid colour or very dark translucent finishes. As well, some manufacturers (like Gibson with its Les Paul guitars) routinely use unfigured wood for carved plates, with the intention of painting them with opaque or very dark translucent finishes.

[docdosco]

There is no difference in sound between figured and non-figured wood, all other things being equal.
Highly figured wood costs more than non-figured or less figured wood. Non-figured wood is much easier to source.

Sometimes when a guitar is produced with solid plates, the carving reveals discolouration or ugly grain patterns in the wood that is not evident in the pre-carved blocks. Guitars like this are ideal candidates for solid colour or very dark translucent finishes. As well, some manufacturers (like Gibson with its Les Paul guitars) routinely use unfigured wood for carved plates, with the intention of painting them with opaque or very dark translucent finishes.

mispeltyoof, Hammertone,

I couldn't have said it better. My understanding is that a straight, tight, even grain in a carved spruce top with no knots, warts, burls, pimples, dimples, wiggles, squiggles or any other cosmetically unpleasing textures in the wood is a good candidate for a blonde or natural finish. (Notice the highly technical nature of my descriptions). A dark or solid finish will certainly hide any less than perfect grain in the wood. But that doesn't mean that the tone of those woods are inferior.

However, I came to learn that some carved spruce tops that have a wiggley grain can be called 'bear claw' spruce. That means taking a potentially displeasing look, giving it a cool name, and it then becomes a feature, rather than a cosmetic issue. Nice trick.

As to maple, I recently had a Peerless Martin Taylor Maestro that had a slight discolored stripe down the middle of the back right where the 2 bookends join. It was a bit unsightly, but the guitar itself was really, really sweet, and the spruce top on that guitar was flawless. So, it was a tad less than perfect cosmetically, but the other attributes of the guitar made it a keeper for the guy that bought it.

Sometimes models that are only blonde or natural ship to dealers with noticable cosmetic imperfections in the wood and the reason being that solid carved tops (or backs and sides) are expensive pieces of wood and can't simply be disgarded. If the guitars are really rough cosmetically, they can end up sold as B stock.

If anyone cares to clarify, correct or add any more on this subject please do. I am not a luthier, so I am not an expert on guitar woods. But I have seen a lot of newly minted guitars of all shapes and sizes over the years.

Hope this helps....

Doc Dosco

[feet]

i'm generally on board with the idea of black guitars, assuming they are properly executed, and you have something to break things up and add visual interest. that isn't the case with these- the pickguards and tailpieces just disappear into the finish. you need to get a little creative with the hardware, binding, inlays and pickups to make it work, or go hard in the other direction and go very stark. these are neither. \

but, as mentioned above, they'll probably be available at decent prices and would make smart buys, given how lame most buyers are with their vanilla tastes.

[AlohaJoe]

However, they still have to be ordered from Korea. Doc Dosco

I think the black finish is cool when done well. Not the fastest selling color though. I did see a peerless recently that had great specs for me but too many pickups... can you do custom orders?

[docdosco]

I think the black finish is cool when done well. Not the fastest selling color though. I did see a peerless recently that had great specs for me but too many pickups... can you do custom orders?

Peerless aren't doing any customs orders at present. What is the configuration of the guitar you would like?

Doc Dosco

[AlohaJoe]

Peerless aren't doing any customs orders at present. What is the configuration of the guitar you would like?
Doc Dosco

Hi Doc, It looks like their only single-cut thinlines are the Sunset w 2 humbuckers and the Wizard with 3 (!) P90s. The format of that guitar is super but 3 pups is at least one too many. I just saw a very attractive blonde Wizard with 2 humbuckers recently and couldn't help wondering if it could be made with a single P90.

I'm not at the "ready for another guitar stage" yet but a single pup, thin hollowbody would be a mighty attractive option. If the blonde Wizard I saw had a single pup it would be hard to resist.

Is the black finish priced any differently?

[LtKojak]

Having wear black clothing on stage and play black instruments it's been an established policy with touring singer-accompaniment musicians since... forever?

What are you all talking about???

[docdosco]

Is the black finish priced any differently?

Yep.

They are discounted. Here are all the black models available as of yesterday from Peerless (with one purple one just for fun):

Imperial BK

Imperial Purple

Cremona BK

Journeyman BK

MT Maestro BK

MT Virtuoso BK

There are good prices to be had on Vintage Sunbusrt also. I am interested myself in a VS Contessa. I sold the blonde ones I had 4 years ago. It is a really nice guitar. 16" carved top with a long scale neck. That's different. I did some doodling demos with the Contessa some years back on 2 really short clips. I haven't listened to these for several years. I am playing like I'm mad at the guitar, hammering the crap out of it. I wonder what it did to piss me off...

Doc Dosco