Gordon Smith Gypsy 3 F

Just to add to my earlier review:

I emailed Gordon Smith Guitars, and they confirm that the example I have is finished in Cherry Red (but a subtle finish) and the wood is mahogany.

They don't make the Gypsy 3 as standard, but will make one on request.

P.C.

I bought this guitar in 1982 and have gigged and recorded extensively. Recently I emailed the manufacturer, who hand-makes these guitars in the UK, and he replied: "It is indeed a Gypsy 3 F. Fitted with a trem at time of build, which was in August 1981. We have built very few of these and all were pretty much custom jobs.." The serial number is 00742.

22 frets on a mahogany or rosewood neck (I'm guessing) and the body has a beautifully laquered cherry light sunburst finish. It is a thicker body than some GS guitars I've seen, with twin cutaways. There are three singlr coil pickups, one volume and one tone knob, each of which pull out to provide various coil-tap effects. There is a five-way pickup selector as well, so you get a huge variety of tones. The wiring is complex, and as GSG themselves admit, a bit of a one-off.

This guitar has a tremelo arm with a rocking bridge. The grover machine heads keep it well in tune even when using the trem extensivly. the frets are flat and thick, and action is simply incredible. The guitar "plays itself"!

I used to use this guitar with Roland JC-120 for a chorused clean sound in the studio, and a Sessionette Combo (with channel switching) for live work. Nowadays I play it through a Line6 PODxt and can get every sound you can imagine!

The guitar has a wonderfully precise feel, and a rich jangly sound, which you can adjust to a soaring lead howl when necessary. It suits a wide range of styles, as I heard a friend play some amazing bluegrass licks on it, and I've performed Ramones covers in the past!

This guitar was perfectly set up on purchase. The shop assistants used to play it in the shop (CC Music in Glasgow -1982) when things were quiet, so that might have had something to do with it!

The finish is as good as it gets. Gordon Smith quality control in the early 80s was legendary - it may still be for all I know.

I've played this guitar constantly for gigging, studio recording, rehearsing and home recording for 24 years, without the slightest problem. I spent all I had on it when I bought it, so couldn't afford a backup, and I never had the need.

When I did get a backup, I lucked out again 'cos I got a Peavey T-60. See the review for that and you'll see I've never had the need to buy another 6-string solid electric. I bought a 12-string GS with a single bridge humbucker and coil tap to complete the range of sounds I need.

I had an email exchange with Gordon Smith recently which was very friendly and helpful. I was just curious to know a bit about when the guitar was made, and i got some useful info.

I think the guitar is irreplaceable, so I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it.