Brian Moore Guitars C-55

Super start style guitar
Hum-Hum config (neck: Seymour Duncan Alnico II, bridge: Seymour Duncan JB) 5 position switch with coil tap
Maple Neck (bolt-on), Rosewood Fingerboard
22 fret neck, 25.5" scale, 15" radius
Sperzel locking tuners, Wilkinson standard vibrato
Very nice Quilted maple top in Wine red burst

Sound/tone is subjective. But that being said, this guitar has no soul! When I bough it, 8 years ago, I was more into the metal world. She did the job very well! But now, I'm more into tone and nice melodies, I know what tone is and this guitar has no more "fun factor".

Action, Fit, & Finish top notch!

Very well built. No problem here.

Been playing for 15 years. I have this one since 1999. If it was stolen, I would buy a gibson 56. No more shredders. I'm done with them. I want to TONE! and the C-55 cannot take me there.
It's a shame really... This guitar has everything except tone.

I don't know what year it was made cause I bought it used. Features have already been mentioned so I won't go into details. One thing that I miss is probably 24 frets, but I think I can get used to that.

JEEEEESSSUUS that was a blow. I tried it out and was totaly blown away. The monster has 10 totally DISTINCT (and no bullshit here) sounds. Within the reach of your fingers you can go from warm Jazzy or glassy country sounds to the meanest ass kicking biting shred. Fuck me in the ass if I am ever going to get rid of that beautiful baby. The tone is so insipiring, and the pickups are so sensitive to even slightest changes in articulation that your fingers seem to find their way on their own. I have played many guitars including the recent JP EBMM, various Ibanez models, as well as luthier hand -made guitars but this one simply blows them away. It is so versatile and at the same time has its own, very distinct and clear tone. I have never heard anything like that. I bought it used and not in the best shape( scratches-will have to sand it, and the fit and frets are a disaster) but the sound enchanted me and I would never give it back not even for ten other top notch guitars.Would give it 20 if I could.

Poor quality, but I bought it used and for very low peice (around $800) THe previous owner didn't really pay enough attention to that babe. Well, what can you say.. I'm gonna have it set to my preferences which will probably include refretting, polishing, sanding ,etc. But no doubt it is worth every money you can out in it.

I have been playing for 12 years now and i've had many different guitars. You have to be cautious with the opinions that you read here at harmony, so ALWAYS check the gear you're about to buy. Don't beleive a word. But in my humble opinion that guitar is worth every money. If lost or stolen I would certainly sacrifice my life to find the sucker who stole it.

I challenge you to find a guitar that will sound better. Have played with instruments by "competative" companies such as PRS and this guitar tops them all. And I cannot attribute the sound purely to the duncan pick-ups, which are spectacular, but the combination of the wood and the physical design of this guitar is first rate.

Many companies describe their guitars as works of art. Brian Moore delivers in a big way. My C-55 is a perfect, flawless instrument that is made the way a high-end custom instrument should be. The top is stunning flame maple, with a finishing work being smooth to the touch. The guitar set up is buttery and ultimately playable, it was ready out of the box.

If you buy a guitar in this price range, this shouldn't be a question.

Brian Moore can be a little slow responding to emails, I've found that their artist relations dept. is especially in efficient. But the customer service reps are prompt and courteous, answering questions usually within a day.

Am preparing to invest much money in a second Brian Moore, a custom DC-1. I cannot think of a better way to endorse this instrument, which has made a company that I knew nothing about my primary instrument. I use it exclusively in all my work as a studio musician and in live performance.

My C-55 was made in 1998 in NY,and has the most attractive quilted maple top I've ever seen in this price range, along with the usual specs already stated in the reviews below mine. Although I never considered this to be my lifetime instrument (when I bought her, Moore guitars were - and partially are - totally unknown down here in Greece, so I was somewhat troubled about the 'resale value' matter), there has been a row of incidents that proved to me the quality of this guitar and the cleverness of my purchase ! First of all, when I got her (2 yrs ago), everyone who was laying an eye on her wanted immediately to sit down and have a go... Then I had to finally believe that some guys managed to make a guitar that had virtually no enemies inside the 'Amp Community' and sounded equally versatile and outrageously perfect through every amp I could switch on....And finally I needed to record one entire cd with her to realize her sheer talent in producing some of the most vintage-like sounds that the soundman, the producer and me had ever heard !!
I know that this section refers to the features of the reviewed instrument, but I think the guys below said it all on that.
I just had to start with what I think is best on this guitar, and that is the ability of this instrument to enthuse and attract the user even after years of close relationship, and this is by 90% a product of each guitars features, so here she deserves a big 10.

The sound of the C-55 is direct product of the woods combined. Mahogany provides the clear low end, the refined low-mids and the rich highs.Maple on top gives the needed bite and the color in the upper-mid frequencies, while Maple/Rosewood necks usually compliment the previous with a darker but clearer tone in the mids and a less acoustic attack when overdriving the signal.
Through my Boogie, the C-55 keeps all the above maintaining the wood character, plus the color provided by the very good pickups.
Versatility is not an issue as long as you keep the strings fresh. Oh yes, the Moore has a problem with old strings that muddy up the clean sounds and remove a generous percentage of the bite from the OD'd sounds. And having spent some time in search of the perfect wire, I suggest you use D'Addario's Nickel XL's, or GHS's Nickel Rockers for a more crystal clear tone.
The Duncan p/ups do a fine job indeed, in keeping the true voice of the guitar but be carefull because these are not high gain monsters.
They have been used here for a more 'vintage-like' sound, and a more than acceptable tone from the splitted positions - and that's what they do.
While no perfect Strat, the C-55 can be extremely Strat-sounding in times, especially if you use a good old tube amp. But before you rave on the guitar's versatility be patient enough to test your gear before you bring her home, in case the quality of your set up does not match the instrument's high-end, luxurious sounds.
No she's not snobby, she just seems to feel more comfortable when the sound coming through your speakers proves easily her advantages over other guitars - you'll appreciate this one too !!

A guy here wrote that they should link the word 'professional' with a picture of an employee at Moore Guitars - thanks pal, said it all for me too !!
Unsurpassed, outstanding, fabulous.
Bravo !!

As a semi pro musician, I play or study about 2 hours every day, and that's what the C-55 has to stand, plus weekly live performances.
In 2 years of sweaty use, the frets remain almost new, the bridge seems untouched and works better than all of the lisenced Floyds I know, the neck has seen violent changes from 009's to 011's with a 054 on low E, to normal and more humanitarian 010's recently, and talking about neck wrapping and twisting will only make it whistle totally uninterested on the subject.
No pots loose, no Sperzels shifting, no straps unwilling to exercise their duties.All perfect.
Do not consider this review to be touched by honeymoon feelings - all the glory lies in the quality of the product, and I've gone through many weird phases with this one. Yesterday I was playing a marvellous - looking Deluxe Fat Strat costing about 65% of the Moore, and after 10 minutes I came (once again) to the conclusion that a big part of your money when you buy an ultra-famous brand goes to the small letters on the headstock and not where it should go: read playability, costruction detailing and checking, woods, p/ups etc, etc, etc...

I can't talk about it - haven't had anything serious to ask them about yet, but I'm convinced that they do their job well (judging by the guitars they make !!)

I won't be saying to much here. If you're out there looking for a guitar that respects your hands and ears go try one now - no wasted time.
I sold almost my entire home studio to buy this one (2 brand new Godins, a Crate VC3112, a '78 Super Reverb, a Midiverb 4, 3 bosses and 2 Dano pedals) and to be honest I sometimes really miss the huge versatility of my previous set up. Then I think again and quickly realize that I was able to produce a thousand sounds but not the one I had inside my head for years.So the Moore helped exactly in that: a guitar that won't accept mediocrity makes you better in your music,
makes you feel inspirational and creative by laying in your hands and ears what you think it's yours - your sound, your tone.
And that's the best part, isn't it?

Quilted maple on one-piece mahogany, maple neck, sperzel keys and everything one can expext from a custom made American guitar.
I bought it on March 17th, 2000, from the local dealer. I suppose every detail is being stated by other reviwers here so I won't be writing too much. I just have to say that is a great shame for BMCG that this excellent instrument is being discontinued. It was one of the hidden treasures of the market, simply stunning, and with the best money-to-quality ratio. Anyway, it does deserve a '10' here, and I think that anyone who has ever played one will agree.

Fairly typical product of the humbuckers-maple-mahogany combination.
As long as you can support its quality with a versatile set up, you can play virtually anything with this one. Make sure though that you dont let the strings die on her. Every new set of them will make the guitar shine, and the pickups sing easily and with crystal-clear definition (it's a custom-one, remember ? we're talking quality here..)

Are you familiar with the term "professional"? They should link this word with a picture of a smiling employee at Moore guitars !!
Set up was perfect since day one. I cab assure you that it has survived a lot, but it came to me in such a beautiful condition that I'm sure it will stay this way for a long time.
Top marks again, and congratulations to every one at the factory!!

There was a time where it was been used for over 10 hours every day, 6 days a week. It is still goig strong - and with a minimum amount of taking care. It also seems more solid than your average PRS while it is for sure highly durable through temperature changes.
Everyone else here has talked about the hardware - no complaints from me, I'm sincerelly satisfied.

Sent a mail at 12, received an answer at 1:30...
I think that is clearly a case of paying attention to your customers
I hope it will stay that way...

Have been playing for 15 yrs, and have spent over 13k in equipment. I can safely say after 18 months of every day use that this one is my favorite ! I do not know whether she will always be my main pick, but she won't leave the house.
You dont come every day close to quality of this caliber. If you're out there looking for something special, make sure you search the market enough for a C-55

This is just an addition to my review that preceeds this post. After a while I decided that I really didn't like the JB. After some careful consideration I put in a Duncan Custom Custom. Wow, what a difference. Much smoother in the positions that use the bridge pickup. I now have the perfect guitar. I have another CC on order for my C-90

The features on this guitar are first rate. Locking Sperzel tuners, graphite nut, a Wilkinson trem that works, hot pickups, and a switching scheme that allows one to get both humbucker and single coil sounds. My C-55 has a beautiful red flamed maple top that is wrapped over mahogany. The maple/rosewood neck is unbelievalbly fast, yet solid feeling-- great for me, as I have small hands. The fretwork is perfect. I have only two small complaints: The chrome covers over the Seymour Duncan pickups are starting to corrode (i.e. the chrome is losing its shine) from my sweat, even though I wipe the guitar each night-- and I've only had the guitar for a couple of months. I installed strap locks on my C-55, as I do on all my gigging guitars, but the pre-existing hole on the body was about 2 inches higher than on a normal guitar. This meant that if I switched guitars, the Brian Moore would hang lower that my PRS. So I had to drill a new hole in the body, which I really didn't want to do, as the C-55 is such a beautiful guitar. Now I can use the same strap with all my guitars, but I've got a small ugly hole on the back where the old strap button was located.

This guitar doesn't sound as thick as my PRS Standard 24, but that is to be expected for a bolt-on. I'm playing mostly through a Line 6 AX212, and the guitar is just as versatile as the amp. From bright jangly rhythms to thick, Santanaesque leads, the guitar does it all. I play in a cover band and have to come up with a wide range of sounds quickly. The switching combinations on the C-55 sure beat the PRS's rotary knob. The guitar is very well sheilded inside and is very quiet. Even though it doesn't quite match the PRS for tone, it has now become my main ax because of its variety of tones.

I always set up my own guitars, but this guitar didn't need much teaking at all. No flaws in the finish or construction at all. The oxidation on the pickup covers wasn't "original", so I'll have to give this guitar a 10.

So far, after only a few months with this guitar, it seems to be holding up really well. I always use a backup, so that isn't an issue. Because the tremelo floats, if you break a string, you're hooped.

If I only owed one guitar (I have 11), it would be the C-55. I wish there were guitars like this (and that I could afford them) when I was first staring out over 20 years ago. It really is a work of art, with the figured maple top and sleek contours, but what I care about is that this guitar is a really good tool.

I've read a lot of reviews in Harmony-Central and find the ratings very subjective and questionable. Top of the line gear sometimes gets rated below 5 and absolute bottom of the line rated 9-10. My ratings are in relation to the other guitars I considered before deciding on this one and to the other guitars I own ('59 Tele, '54 Les Paul, '83 US Strat).

For a listing of features, the other C-55 reviews describe them well enough. To me the style says innovation, integrity, quality. Its not a follower. Its extremely comfortable without the excess weight of a Les Paul or the slab corners of a Tele. The neck is very comfortable. The low amount of curvature on the frets and strings took some getting used to but now I really like it.

There is nothing wrong with the Wilkenson tremolo but I blocked it because I don't need it and this allows me to put more hand pressure on it while trying to wring out some different tones.

The case is form-fitted and high quality. Before buying any guitar you should ask to see the case before you negotiate. by the way, I also suggest negotiating a trade-in value on a more expensive unit before you decide (eg get 90% of price within 3 months) in case you don't make it through the honeymoon phase with whatever you buy ... and if you haven't sent in the warranty card the retailer can still sell it as new. Also don't criticize your new guitar for the shortcomings of your amplifier like I did at first.

Overall I'm very pleased with all of the features of this guitar. I didn't want to spend the extra money on things I didn't need like a third pickup or piezo.

I've been playing for 35 years, mostly blues and rock, and I now play it with either a 30-watt Roland BluesCube 1x12 or 100-watt Sunn Beta Lead with 2x15. Main pedal is BOSS compression-sustainer but I have several others that mainly collect dust now.

Of my 4 guitars, its my favourite to just pick up and play and is the most versatile. It doesn't exactly nail every one of the sound of the others (high-gain narrow-range Les Paul, shrill-screaming-bitch Tele, middle-of-the-road Strat), but the C-55 can do more of what they do than they can of what it does. It doesn't have the vintage cachet that my 40+ year old guitars do, bit it looks better & sounds better (richer, fuller). If I could add one more sound to it, it would be the clarity of the lower strings that the Tele can deliver ... the C-55 is more like Gibson than Fender in this regard.

For blues and rock its terrific and has lots of variety. For country I would go with a Tele. For jazz, this C-55 or PRS or some of the Gibsons.

The store had to get the settings right before I would pay for it, but I made a couple of other adjustments on my own for personal preference.

When I bought it, there was a small scratch on the body which is partly why the price was 30% below normal. I still haven't found any flaws, 5 months later. Action is fast and comfortable. I got the natural colour finish, not blue/green/red/etc, and its by far the best looking guitar I own although I still admire the looks of some other guitars with curly maple necks and naturally-finished 10-tops.

From past experience, I wouldn't gig without a backup. My C-55 will outlive me and probably you too with sensible care and treatment. The body finish seems thick and chip/scratch-resistant despite the scratch that was on it before I bought it.

I sent a few emails and they were all responded to in short order. Friendly tone & helpful. Invited me to tour the operation. Sent me a wiring diagram in case I decide to wire in a different combination of switch settings.

My other gear is listed under Features above. If stolen or lost, I would take the insurance money and buy an identical guitar, for all the reasons described above. Compared it to Fender (already have two), G&L (similar to Fender), PRS bolt-on (didn't like the noisy rotary pickup selector; liked the C-55 tone a bit better), Parker (too many variables in tone selection, too geeky looking). Would have compared to Tom Anderson but couldn't justify the difference in price. No McInturff in this area. As I mentioned before, its my favourite guitar ... I already had a vintage Tele, vintage LP and US Strat before buying this and it filled in the gaps nicely and covers most of what the others do well.

Made in 97 or 98 in Brewster New York
22 frets, mahogany body, bookmatched flame maple top in a rich blueburst. Silver hardware. Bolt on maple neck with a resewood fingerboard. 1 volume, one tone (tone is a push pull pot) 5 way switch with two additional wirings available via the push pull pot.
Pickups are a Duncan JB in the bridge and an Alnico II Pro in the neck. Wilkinson bridge, tuners are locking sperzels. Came with a custom fitted hard shell case.

I have been looking for a guitar that can do "everything" for years now. Like most people I have found this to be a futile task. My style is basically a heavy bblues style ala Gary Moore. This guitar gives me hot humbucking tones from the JB warm smooth humbucking tones via the Alnico II some nice single coil tones and a n unusual front single coil/bridge humbucker tone. very versatile and all positions sound great. Very thick sounding in all positions...this guitar is a stratish shape but seems to owe most of it's design to the Les Paul not the stratocaster.

Guitar was used and needed to be setup, now it's perfect. The top is matched very well. No mechanical or setup issues.

Strap bottons were second rate but most companies seem to skimp on strap locks anyway. I put a set of schaller straoloks on. I have a strat and a Les Paul that would serve as backup guitars.

n/a

Sleek feeling guitar. It is light but sounds thick, is in the PRS quality group for sure. I am really glad it has a traditional trem, I hate locking systems. I can't think of any problems with this instrument at all.

BMC guitars are bad to the bone for you guitar pickers that have not played them. This one is a 97 model C-55 with an english walnut top. It has two Seymour Duncans in it, with a five way selector and a push pull. I have played and had so many guitars; this guitar comes the closest to "the everything guitar", that you would want. Its hard to compare it to other guitars. The only thing I wish it had, would be binding on the neck. I really got used to play a custom Robin with binding on the neck. It has sperzels with a wilkinson trem., mahogany body, and a bolt on neck. Retails 1895.00

I have played all kinds of music from Jazz,Blues,Rock,Country and Hip Hop Bop. The BMC will do it all; it is hard to get that honk; like tele, but if you play with amp you can get pretty close. New strings makes a big difference.

It has a contoured body which will blow your mind... Very likeable guitar for doing all night gigs.

I am pretty hard on fretts. However, I have not noticed any wear as of yet. I fill like it is very solid and will last a long time. I only take it to gigs, I quit taking a second guitar.

NA/ Nothing as of yet

Its a cool rig, I have been playing a long time and have been through a shit load of equipment. If it were stolen, I would look at their DC1, with the same pick ups and set up that mine has. The DC1 has binding on the neck but retails for 3295.00 and is a single cutaway. I like it,and I think it is one of the best guitars I have owned. Try it before you buy a PRS, Gibson, Carvin, Guild, G&L, Fender or Steinberger