Blade Guitars Delta Thinline DTHS

This guitar was made in the early 90's in Switzerland out of book-matched Zen ash and sealed with something that offers protection and makes it shine like a mother. It is a honey color with the grain showing through, one of the best finishes I've ever seen on a guitar. The F hole area is done to perfection. It has a 3-way switch that gives you the neck humbucker, blade bridge pick-up or both. Plus, there is a mini toggle that controls the (VSC)Variable Spectrum Control. This makes the pick-ups active. Also a push/pull pot,the vareity of sounds you can dial in is un-real! The neck humbucker is a Levinson and it is awesome, the bridge is a Levinson(blade type). It gives the tele twang if wanted. The VSC is adjustable with small pots well hidden accessable at the back of the guitar where the 9v battery is hidden. The neck is a beautiful piece of maple w/dark rosewood board. The frets are big w/no sharp edges. The bridge the standard "tele type" W/strings strung thru the body and gold plated as all the hardware. Tuners are Levinson Golds that function perfectly. There is no cheap parts or "short cuts" on this guitar. The white pearl guard compliments the visual impact. The case is thick and rectangular, offers alot of protection for the guitar. I've only owned the guitar for a week so I'm still in awe. The features are truely amazing.

This guitar covers any sound you might need from country to metal. I play a little of every thing and I can get it effortlessly. I run it clean thru a Soldano Reverb-O-Sonic(awesome amp). For hard over driven sounds I use a Peavey 5150 with an ART SGX NITRO and Chandler Tube Rack Over Drive unit. Yea, do that with a regular tele. It gives a little hummmmm, but back away from the amp a bit and she's quiet. Seriously, this guitar can be as dirty as my L.P. Custom or as clean as my Strat Plus. I can't think of any dis-likes. Alot of thought was given on the drawing board upon conception. My hats off to Gary Levinson. Where has this guitar been all my life? It's really a work of art.

Factory set up was right on and the owner before me obviously took care of his instruments. Upon close inspection there is not one flaw that I can find,and I'm somewhat anal with my gear. The gold plating on the bridge is fading a little where my palm rests but thats true with any guitar. This is a guitar that I will never part with. (Sorry Bob).

First of all, this guitar will never leave my studio, though it would definatley withstand the rigors of playing out. It's just to nice to take that chance. The hardware is all gold and solid and the finish is thick, it looks like it would last a life time and then some. I haven't put strap locks on it yet but the existing ones are tight and hold the strap well. I don't plan on slinging the guitar around, it's well balanced and comfortable sitting or standing.

Before I bought the guitar I e-mailed Gary and his USA distributors, they gave me any info that they had and answered any questions I had promptly. I would imagine the warranty has expired, but I doubt I will need one. It's very well put together meant to last. They did send me a chart on adjusting the VSC pots to get the tones and pick-up configurations that it offers.

I've been playing 30+ years and have and still own Custom Shop and high end guitars from PRS, Gibson, Fender, Brian Moore, Keith Roscoe, etc., but this blows them ALL away in tone, appearance, and construction. I would sell any of them to get another one of these. Shit, I never tried one of his strats but if there anything like his tele's I'm buying one! There is nothing negative I can say about this guitar. The best feature is the VSC, combined with his pick-ups puts the guitar well above anything I've ever played and that's a long list. If you can find one buy it or order a new one, you wouldn't be sorry. It will take your playing to another level.

A nice Tele Thinline Copy from Switzerland. Not sure of the year of manufacture. Probably about 1993. Body is ash with one sound hole. A volume and tone control with the Variable Spectrum Control system (VSC) to add mid boost or treble/bass. Two single coil pickups. Neck pickup is covered, bridge is wrapped with yarn or some type of cord. Active electronics for VSC but pickups are passive. In fact, I am in the process of replacing these pickups with SD Nashville Session for Tele pickups. Not sure why, but have always wanted to try them in a Tele. Ash body with maple neck and rosewood fretboard expertly finished. Tele style gold-plated bridge. Gary Levinson, Made in Switzerland, gold-plated tuners. Neck has 22 Jumbo-type high-crowned frets. The case 1s well-made and looks like the Fender Cases of the 60's and 70's. Black rectangular with white piping.

Sounds great as it is for picking country licks and Southern Rock thru my Gretsch Executive. I have a Fender Dual Pro, Alamo Fury, with a Fender Deluxe '65 RI on the way. Prefer to play guitars thru the Gretsch. I like the clean tone that does not color the sound of the instrument. Noisy? Yes. Has 60 cycle hum in all positions. Not really annoying, but it is there. Not too noticeable when further away from the amp. This is my third Swiss Blade and I liked everyone of them. It sounds Tele. Bright and Twangy and with the VSC switch, it can produce a wide variety of sounds.

This guitar was purchased used and the previous owner builds guitars. The action was set properly with the neck almost perfectly flat. It is the best feeling guitar that I have ever picked up. Double stop bends seemed to over travel at first, but this has been corrected after a week of playing the guitar. Haven't found any flaws whatsoever with this guitar.

I would feel comfortable with this as my only guitar at a gig. Hardware will probably see wear eventually of some of the gold, expecially lower part of bridge. It wore slightly on my other Delta and is beginning to show slight wear on this guitar. Stap buttons are Shallers and seem to be securely attached to the guitar. I don't know about the guitars coming out of Japan, but the three I have owned from Switzerland were some of the best made guitars I ever owned.

What Customer Support? My First Blade that was under warranty needed some switch work. That was when Dunlop had the franchise. I was told to send the guitar to Switzerland. Sure Mac....Had a local shop repair the switch. With this recent purchase, I sent an email to Gary Levinson's, Send Gary a Message address off the Blade Website, asking when and where the registered serial number of this guitar indicated it was made and the approximate resistance of the pickups and heard nothing from the company at all.

I have been playing guitar for forty-four years. With the exception of customer support, Blade Guitars are the best kept secret of the guitar world. I own a Gretsch Gold Sparkle Jet, G&L Fullerton, Hofner T6-S, Gretsch Electromatic and a Gretsch ShoBro among others. I knew exactly why I bought this guitar. I missed my other Blade guitars. They didn't have a well-recognized headstock logo so I traded/sold them off. Always missed them. When the opportunity showed itself, I bought another Blade. I just sold a Set neck Tele JR and this guitar is on par with that guitar's quality and playability. The VSR allows me to coax any tone out of this guitar that I would ever need. As mentioned, I am going to try the SD's just to see what the difference will be.