Gordon Smith Classic T

This is Gordon Smith's answer to the Telecaster and for a small British company to produce a guitar like this is amazing.
Hand crafted in Partington, Nr Manchester GS Guitars produce instruments of superior quality at prices to suit everyone. Each guitar is built to order and with that in mind have individual characteristics that are not found in the mass produced world. These are made to a very high quality indeed.

OK - this is a Classic T, Ser No 08490, solid maple neck with GS's patented truss rod insertion - no fretboard plate, no skunk stripe - how do they do that? Trade secret is the stock answer! The neck is bolted to the body a la Fender style. fitted to the "fretboard" are 22 fat frets with the mandatory brass nut. Strings terminate in a 6 inline with 2 string trees for the top 4. The body looks to be Brazilian Cedar with a laminated quilted maple top finished in high gloss for the top and satin for the back and sides. Pick ups are GS standards - single coil on the neck and humbucking at the bridge - wound by John Smith's missus. The controls are mounted through the body without the standard chromed plate (this is available as is the Tele bridge plate style). Volume control is push/pull, the tone pot is standard and a 3 way selector swith completes the controls. The Telecaster origins show up in the body design with all the edges nicely radiussed. My only gripe is that the jack socket extends a bit too much for my liking but this is easily rectified by access from the rear controls cover plate. Tuners are GS bog standard and are smooth in operation. The 9 is because of the jack socket.

As in a previous GS review for a Gemini, my style is mainly blues with some classic rock and the neck on this makes it so easy to play. This goes through a Carlsboro Colt 45 at home and through my mates' Marshall Stack when I get the chance! Straight up playing through the single coil with the volume push pull in up position gives this guitar the coolest Tele Twang I have heard, better than Fenders own! Messing around with the settings you can go from a fat, rich mellow sound to a hard driven squeal without using any effects. This says a lot for the pick ups that come with it. Why do people buy a guitar, change the pick ups and put it through an array of effects before saying it has a cool sound? This is what you get from the word go with a GS! ALl the controls are crackle and buzz free even on humbucking.

This was bought second hand from Northern Guitars with only an Ebay pic to go by. The finish is excellent apart from 2 dinks, one on the back and another on the lower bight. These have no effect on the guitar's sound. What do people look for in a neck? This is my third GS and I can find no fault with the neck contouring. It is so easy to get about on from nut to body. GS produce excellent necks on all their guitars. The gloss finish on the top with the Honey sunburst shows off the quilted maple really well. It is not too heavy that it obscures the wood but done well to show off the laminated top.

As with all my GS guitars, this is built to last and I would have no need to have a back up sitting by. It is robust, well crafted and does what it says on the label!

I have contacted Gordon Smith Guitars several times of the years and they have always managed to reply. They are especially good at getting the history of any of their guitars that you may buy if you request it through the serial number.

I have had guitars since I was 17 and through the years there have been a few! Currently there are - a Cort semi-acoustic in baby blue (don;t ask! It was a whim purchase!) - a Danelectro Convertible with single lipstick PU - a 1981 Gibson Epiphone Sheraton - this is one of pre Korean ones - Japanese with full sunburst, front, sides and back and has the most amazing action - a Takamine Electro-Acoustic which does not see much action these days - my never to be sold GS Gemini - see review.
For effects I have a Zoom 1010 and a Marshall Blues Breaker pedal. Somewhere there is a Dod echo unit but who knows where.
If someone was to break in and steal this GS Classic T, they had better find a deep hole to hide in because I will come looking for them!
Not being a lover of Fenders, I surprised myself by buying this but I don't regret it as it is a fantastic instrument.
I have never owned a guitar with a whammy bar before and am considering getting the GS retro fit one for this to give it the versatility - we will see!
And finally, Paul, if you are reading this, I want my GS1 back!