Product: A&P Richardson Rolls Royce Custom
Price Paid: P.O.A
Submitted
09/01/2003
at
03:29am
by
THE TECH
Features
:
9
A&P Richardson Icon (prototype) Built 1989 by Paul Richardson, Sunderland, England. Neck, 24 vintage fret G-scale length mahogany & maple thru neck, cocabolo fret board, triple bound, Top set abalone & mother of pearl triple bound inlays, Elm head facing. Body, mahogany wings, Bubinga book matched Quilt and flameslab top with flame and bur maple book matched centre and mahogany dividers, triple bound. Master volume only, 2x 3 way mini switches 1x 2way mini switch. Custom Dimarzio pick-ups 2x std hum 1x mini hum, pasive wired XLR & 1/4 jack out, black goto floyd rose & machines. Finish, natural gloss slight mullberry burst front and back. Slight cracking to finish detrackts 1 from a perfect score.
Sound
:
10
Sound is well balanced with rich with harmonic content, warm low end responce smooth terbles and mids. Dispite its (Rock) looks the instrument is will voiced for all styles. Personal test rig, Ashdown peacemaker 50 with 2x12 cab, samsamp GT-2. Over all sound rivals anything !.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Dispite being a prototype the construction and attention to detail are outstanding. As a guitar technician myself I have had no problem with a vast array of set-ups over the years, in 15 years of playing it has required only 2 fret dresses and has just had a new trem fitted. Aside from some slight cracking in the finish it is still superb.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar has been gig proven on many outings with friends and clients (The Music) and has proved its worth in the studio and rehersals without fault. Note to Ed.... no player should ever gig without a back-up !.
Customer Support
:
9
A & P Richardson strive for perfection. Custom orders can be a little slow but the end product is worth its weight in gold. WWW.aprguitars.com contains many beautiful examples. Paul is very easy to work with and has a vast knowledge to fall back on.
As a tech I have never needed to fall back on the warrany so cannot coment. Warranty against defective manufacture is standard with regard to (in house) workmanship for a lifetime to the original owner.
Overall Rating
:
10
Having worked for 15 years in retail and as a guitar technician,owned and played everything, Paul crafts players instruments to the very highest standards, so good in 2002 I comitioned another prototype, they are no cheap but quality isn't.
Product: A&P Richardson Rolls Royce Custom
Price Paid: 350 (pounds GB) used
Submitted
03/12/2003
at
03:56am
by
Anonymous
Features
:
10
Strat style solid mahogany back with burr walnut top maple neck ebony board mother of pearl inlays
21 frets (i think) chrome hardware
original floyd rose (not a licenced one)
locking nut
one single coil at the neck (slanted like a strat bridge pickup)
one humbucker at the bridge
both pickups are custom hand-wounds
very fast thin neck
25" scale
all gloss finish with red tint on the body
made in 1991 by alan richardson in sunderland (north east of england) one of a pair made, this one was made for his dad and then later passed on to don boots (country player).
then through a few others to me
Sound
:
10
this is a very versatile guitar it will do country, blues, rock and anything else you want it to.
there is very little hum off the single coil and no hum at all off the humbucker even when close to a fully cranked all valve marshall.
the sound will go from warm to bright just by adjusting the tone and spliting the humbucker.
i run it through a marshall 622 all valve 2x12 amp and a zom 3030 and it does everything i could ever want it to.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
i got it second hand but it is great, the finish is super smooth and the bindings and inlays are really well done
it is up there with a prs or a custom gibson for finish no gaps and a really solid feeling guitar.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
this guitar is fantastic, it gigs well and would easily stand up to touring would happily gig it without a backup and i guess it will probably outlive me and be able to gig long after i i have given up and quit the scene ( i am only 22!) the hardware is realy solid and the trem holds it's tune really well.
Customer Support
:
9
i finally managed to track down the builder on www.aprguitars.com he was really helpful and gave me the whole history as well as the value for insurance
Overall Rating
:
10
have been playing for 6 years and have played gibson fender and prs guitars none of them match this for feel and all my mates are jelous and borrow it at eery opertunity. it is my ain gutar and i am finding it very hard to find a backup that i can afford without resorting to having another made at a cost of #2000
