Ive got a repro 59 Burst. Ive had it 7 years. Only thing different is they didnt copy the headstock, because its illegal. They used all old 50s era correct wood. Brazilian Rosewood, Honduran Mahogany, Holly headstock face plate, maple ca, same aniline dyes Gibson used in the 50s, hot hide glue, Royalite binding, Cellulose Nitrate inlays. NOS 50s Bumblebee caps
I used a complete Pigtail Bridge Assembly. Bridge is made from the same metal as the original 50s. Zamak
Historic Makeovers Switch Tip, V/T knobs, Trussrod cover, R/T Ring
Tom Holmes Pickups-H450-H455
Throbak M69 Rings
Gary Moore was Tom Holmes best friend. Gary, Billy Gibbons, Peter Frampton alll use Toms pickups. Gibbons, and Moore helped Tom voice his pickups, and also the balance of the pickups. Tom also charges his own magnets.
When Gary got his prototype LP from Gibson in 2000, it came from Gibson with Toms pickups in it. I just got on Toms list for some more pickups, as hes retiring in a year or less. When I got my first 2 sets, I had to wait 20 months because Tom was sick, and almost died.
Tom also makes his own Bobbins, Baseplates, Pickups Covers, does all the Electroplating himself, in house. Tom designed the winding machines for Gibsons 57 Classic pickups in the 90s. He also helped design the pickups, told them where to source magnets, wire. But they didnt use what he recommended because they said it was to expensive, so Tom told them to no longer associate his name with those pickups. The only thing they used was his wire recommendation, and they quit using that in the early 2000s.
Tom gets his magnets from the same company, Thomas, and Skinner, Gibson used in the 50s. He says most companies magnets are stronger, and charged higher than what was used in the 50s, and also contain a different composition of metals. Throbak gets their magnets from the same place
Tom was also George Gruhns repairman for 20 years, and has taken more PAFs apart than anyone alive. Tom started making PAF clones in 1971. He originally used Alnico 4 Magnets, but Gibbons, Moore, and Frampton convinced him to switch to A2 in 1992.
Ive also got a Blackfaced/ODS mod 69 Dual Showman Rvb. The Tremolo, and Rvb are unhooked for more gain.
Also have a mid 1965 Marshall JTM45 repro from Metropoulos Amplification. It uses all same NOS Mustard Caps, Resistors as the original. All NOS tubes. Ive got $2000 in tubes alone The head cost $3200 in 2013. I had a repro 1966 JTM45/100 TVB cabinet made with original Pinstripe cloth from EC Collins. Its hand woven in Europe, and takes 8 hours to make a piece big enough for an amp cabinet/ Its loaded with 4 original Pulsonic cone Celestion G12Ms
Ive got a ton of pedals. 2 MOOG MF104M Delay. 1 MOOG MF104M Super Delay. Some Roger Mayer pedals. He was Hendrix pedal Guru. Got some Pete Cornish Pedals. Analogman White Dot NKT275 Sunface/Sundial. All of the Small Box MOOG pedals.
They used the averages on the body thickness ect from the book Beauty of the Burst, and the Bartlett plans
Has a big fat neck. The biggest one they ever measured from 58-60, and had listed in the Beauty of the Burst Book. .92-1.02.
I had them use Vintage Strat type frets as thats what Gibson used until mid 59
Mojoaxe Guard, and Backplates
Gotoh SD510 Locking Gears with Tulip Buttons. Gotohs best Kluson repro gears.
Guitar weighs 8.1lbs
Had it Pleked by Joe Glaser in Nashville. Probably the best Luthier in the USA. When Nashville flooded in 2010, he was the one they called to help save the instruments.
I also have a Strat Partscaster. Ive got $4000 in it. I used a 1982 Fullerton Reissue 57 Strat Body. 2 original 66 Strat pickups. 1 original 65. USA Custom Guitars neck. Torrified Maple, and African Blackwood board. Ilitch Noise reduction Backplate. Gotoh SGL510Z locking tuning gears. Gotohs best gears. MannMade USA Tremolo. Same original manufacturer who makes Tremolo units for the better PRS guitars..
Ive got an original 82 x 62 Fullerton Reissue Strat with 3 Red Bobbin pickups, which is highly collectable. They used 3 colors of bobbins. Red, Grey, and Black. Black being the most common. No Red, or Grey Bobbins are found beyond serial # V00800. Mine is V002506. I got it new.
