JET Earlewood

Made in 2006. 24 frets. Flame maple top. '59 Seymour Duncan pickups. Korina body. Ebony fiingerboard. Locking tuners. Custom neck profile wide and fat.

My band plays a wide variey of music - pop, rock, metal and some raggae. This is the primary reason I choose a guitar like the Earlewood - I need only one guitar save the few exception (no whammy). The tonal possibilities are enough to love this guitar. This guitar is hotter (brighter) than my other guitars, but as someone said, you can't make a dark guitar brighter. Is use it primarily with my THD Flexi 50 and several analogman pedals - Tube screamer, Chorus, DS - 1 and a HK reverb/echo. I am aware of the brightness and deal with that through tone controls. When splitting the single cools, the best you can do a get a hot rodded strat sound - even when rolling off the volume the JET is "thicker" than a strat. Not a problem for me - one less pedal I have to kick in.

My question is this piece of art or an instrument? It is gorgeous. But it also sounds as good/better than it looks and is a dream to play. I decided that I'm playing this guitar - if something happens - so be it. I'm not a collector and I don't expect to make money one day by selling this guitar. Meticulous attention to detail - not one flaw to my eyes. I have other guitars - Strat, Les Paul and one I made myself. I love my strat - don't get me wrong, but they all feel and sound inferior after playing the JET. I don't even bring them to gigs anymore.

Evrything about this guitar is solid. The finish has worn off the bridge, bu I think that is to be expected.

E-mails only - Jeffrey is helpfull and responsive.

Playing off and on for 20 years - I have a job so I don't expect to go on the road anytime soon. This is my second Earlewood - after playing my first (around 2003) I decided I played better and was much more confortable with a wider/thicker neck - and I wanted a more natural finish (violin amber color). The neck came out wonderful and the finish is a thing of beauty. What I like the best is when this guitar is strapped around my neck - a dame good feeling. I would replace it in a minute - although I think I would have wait 6 months or so.

Bought this from Ed Roman in about 2001. it was my first 'nice' guitar. I added the vine of life inlay (about a grand extra) and a Korina back (well worth it if you want ultra light weight)Prior to that I would not have considered spend 'that kind of money' on a guitar. After 5 years I will now not spend much less. It really has been worth it. The feel the tone and the beauty make it a joy to take it off the rack and practice. It is a quality piece of workmanship and art. Quilt top, gold hardware, vine of life inlay, quilt headstock. The Earlwood is pretty much standard in configuration. I got the Korina back which makes it feather light with out sacrificing tone or sustain.

Rhythm, great with note clarity up and down the neck clean and distorted.

Had a neck issue in the first year. Minor tweak to the tension rod and it was back in action. I'm in Las Veggas, a dry desert and these are made in the East, a swamp. It was probably a humidity issue.

I just bought #004. It was the first guitar he sold retail. After 8 years it is holding up well. I will say that his finish work improved greatly. This #004 is just average in finish. Every other one (and I oogle every one Ed Roman gets in stock) I have seen since I bought mine is perfect!

Except for the tension seting in year one...no problems. I had Jeffery do the finish on an Ed Roman Quicksilver last year. He is the man. If I were having my cabinets refinished I'd have him do it. The guy is a genius with wood, stain and top coating.

Playing since the 60s off nand on. I am not a great player. I cannot say I am able to put a guitar to the test. I do acquire guitars though and I have owned some nice ones. Right now JET is the only brand I'm looking to add to the collection. I have just the color and inlay oin mind and I know Jeff will do the job.

Already noted. A new point I would like to make - I generally am indifferent to a bolt vs. a typical set neck with a nasty heel - but the way JET does the deep pocket set neck works extrordinarily well and this is a superior design without a doubt.

This is an update on my previous review after owning this guitar for several years, playing a LOT more, and owning and playing many more guitars to compare it with. No question this guitar is one of few being made or sold today that has a unique vibe of its own, and a deserved legendary excellence. Previously I compared it to many other guitars and while I would agree it can be used to play a lot of music that was recorded on different guitars, it does not in any way nail those tones. That said, if you adore the Strat, Tele or LP sound, buy one of those and be happy. This guitar does not make the SRV sound for example - (but how I would have loved to hear the man play a JET). If you want something different, this is one of the guitars that has its own thing going in spades. Very high gain humbucking passive pickups that can do the overdrive rock thing, yet roll off to be clean using the volume on the guitar - great for live use. With the tone circuit, a capacitor in there keeps the tone bright as you roll off the volume, unlike the typical LP humbucking circuit - I would guess it similar to the Tele circuit. This guitar has a 5 way neck HB, neck split single coil, both (unknown - might be neck and bridge single coils together), bridge split single coil, bridge HB. When switched to the single coils, this guitar can really cut through a mix. I must admit though when in single coil mode - the pickups are noisy like vintage single coils - not really a problem for me playing live - but I avoid it for clean studio stuff. The rear PU in single coil can be really punchy and do a fabulous Tele kind of thing extrordinarily well. The center position is amazing, kind of does a super-articulate chime - you can really have fun here - this might be the best ever guitar for doing jangle tone rock - you can hear the string attack noise and it is just simply a sonic feast that is unmatched and totally unique. Amazing for Eagles, Doobie Bros, Beatles, any country sound, most any pop rock sound. Using the humbuckers full on this can crank with the best and hottest passive HB guitars out there - but the fine acoustics of this design are best appreciated when dialing this guitar amped clean. Rare guitar that can do country, funk, metal, prog, blues. Also, this is the only guitar I own where I actually like and often use the single coil split of a humbucker - I am guessing its the gain that works.

This guitar is at its absolute best plugged straight into your favorite tube amp with no effects except maybe a bit of reverb or bit of a high quality chorus or echo if you insist. If you can play well, you won't need effects to make this guitar sound beautiful.

Enough said already. My guitar had a couple of unusual finish flaws that were taken care of nicely by Jeff.

Enough said. Its a lightweight korina body. If you want a log, get a Tele. Finish is some kind of indestructible poly. Personally I prefer nitro, but this seems tougher. I had a switch issue that was fixed. I used to not play this one out much, but found I needed the tone live. Honestly that's what its for, so now I do. Its just a guitar and its meant to be enjoyed.

Jeff seems to be a great guy, fixed a couple of things for me, put on some locking tuners. Answers e-mail personally. Its amazing dealing with a builder directly and he is on the A+ list without any doubt.

Can't say this guitar is any kind of necessary purchase. Simply said, if you can't play the guitar buying one of these won't help you. As a matter of fact, it will tend to reveal your warts. I know some guys that can make you weep on a $300 Squier or Epi. (not that they would play one). So its not going to make you a guitar hero.

This is however one of those extrordinarly rare custom guitars that is worth the purchase if you can afford it and want a new sound, or a beautiful and different guitar that also happens to be very light weight. Also it IS different. I don't think I would like it as my only guitar - sometimes sonically I just need to play my Strat, Tele or another custom that does some things for me this one can't do.

Most unlike any other guitar I have owned or seriously played to the point of almost purchasing, JET is going in a direction of its own - (for example not trying to be a better Strat like Suhr).

As a final note, if you are only going to play through a modeling amp or anything other than a high quality tube amp - don't waste your money on a guitar like this - you won't hear or really appreciate the difference until you get good amplification.

See every other review for features - how many times do you have to hear beautiful wood. Got this one used from Infinity Guitars. Randy was great to deal with.

I play rock ranging from 60s to recent chick rock. This guitar can cover it all. Straight into the amp nails early zz-top pearly gates tone, yet it can adequately comp a nice P90 tone for those single coil tunes. The middle position of the pickup selector provides reduced output which is very useful for rapid changes from clean to higher gain sections - nice for recent pop. The guitar is very resonant - and seems to have a natural tuning around E. Produces lots of overtones making chords sound fuller, listen to Tush and Jesus for good examples. Rest of the band really likes it compared to my other options - strat and LP Jr usually.

Not going to spend lots of time here. If I want to nit pick I could find something to complain about - but mostly it looks and plays pretty much perfect right out of the box. Mine has the two parrot inlay - which I wouldn't recommend unless you really need em. Really pretty - but you will be surprised how often you cue on the inlays for position. These inlays are evenly spaced on the fretboard which does not align with any standard position. I am getting used to it but I would prefer a standard inlay. There are side markers - but they tend to disappear into the maple binding when the lights go down.

I have played this out several times - dive clubs and outside a couple times with no issues. Stays in tune like a rock. Really dependable. I do not expect any issues with this guitar.
By the way - contrary to most - I do play this out on a regular basis - it is just too good not to.

No comment since I have not dealt with JET. Based on the quality of the guitar I would expect Mr. Terwilliger to stand behind his product unless you dropped it or sat on it or something sad like that.

I traded my 59 LP Historic and a bunch of cash for this guitar. I do not miss the LP one bit. This guitar is what I expected the LP to sound like. Even better - it weighs about 6.5 pounds! It is expensive, but if you consider the cost of materials - very high quality - and the manufacturing time - the cost is high but not shocking for a hand made piece. I do wish I heard about JET 4 years ago - might have picked one up for much less. What this guitar does differently than my others - it is so much more expressive than anything I have ever played. I have backed off the compression, gain, delay, etc because you don't need it. Pinches, harmonics, sustain - its all right there. No gimmicks or other junk needed just you and the guitar. Truly an amazing guitar. I really hate giving 10s for everything - but this guitar really deserves the accollades. It is expensive - but not much more than a mass produced - custom shop LP. I would definitely replace it if stolen - perish the thought.

? Quilted Maple Top
? Matching Quilted Maple Headstock
? Ebony Fingerboard
? Flame Maple Binding
? Korina Body
? 3-Piece Flame Maple Neck
? Seymour Duncan Blackback Pickups
? Sperzel Locking Tuners
? Chambered for Lightness
? Scraped Binding
? Flame Maple Bound neck
? Flame Maple Bound Headstock
? Custom Tummy Cut
? Recessed Wood Backplates
? Satin Finish Neck
? Wooden Pickup Surrounds
? Tone Pros Bridge
? Strings Thru Body
? JET Headstock Inlay
? Quilt AAAAA TOP
? Waxing Waning Inlays
? Graphite Nut
? Beautiful Hard Shell Case
? Grover Tuners
? Chrome Hardware

I can get virtually any sound out of this guitar I want, from Blues to Rock to Country. I could not find a guitar that sounded good with my AX2 212, but I could not find a sound that I didn' like with this guitar. I play mostly through a fender blues tube amp.

It came setup with very low action, which I like. It had absolutely no buzz. It also had awesome sustain. The only problem I had was that the neck pickup was angled a little too much for me , but I changed it so it is fine. There were a couple of pit's and a few surface scratches but that's to be expected. It is balanced very well,and the neck is awesome.

The only problem I have with this guitar is that it is almost too pretty to gig with, I would hate to scratch or ding it. I belive that with this quality construction it would hold up with the best of them.

I had to deal with J.E.T. and he was very pleasant to deal with. I bought this guitar from Randy at Infinity guitars and he was also pleasant to deal with. Since I have had no problems, and do not anticipate any?... If you want to buy one of these guitars try Infinity Guitars, I have had bad luck with the other JET dealer, although these guitars are completely made by J.E.T.

I have been playing for 35 years and in my opinion this is the nicest guitar I have ever owned or played. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would be pissed because they have went up in price considerably since I bought mine, but I would sure try to get another one.

May 2005 made # 218(please check Jetguitars site for archived pics)
24-fret
half of the guitar is the top..!!!
Vol tone - 5 way selector (check site for sounds and positions)
SeymourDuncan Black Backs (Very similar in tone to custom-custom)
2 Humbuckers
10 A quilted maple top - korina back
tiger (stripped) maple neck back 3 pcs - ebony fingerboard - 10 A guilted maple laminated headstock
Blue Jean stain (looks like a wild sea)I think 2 or 3 made
string thru with tonepros lock bridge
grover lock tuners
25' neck quite thin 100x50 frets (wide-tall)
Included tweed tlk case with printed initials (nice touch)

I play covers in various bands also some studio work for friends. The guitar has been tested from pro tools with guitar rig (totally digital) to bogner, budha , engl, mesa mark IV, pod anything i could pass it through. Excelled on all situations
What can I say not already said.. Very complex sound on all positions and the guitar is light as a feather. Also impressed by the balance on all the pickup positions. It is not a telecaster the sound is far more complicated

As it was bought second hand I do not know initial setup , but i noticed a slight ding on a couple of frets, so during setting up (I do all my set-ups , refrets , electronics to all my instruments) for Elixir 10 and lowish action this was taken care of

If you re not affraid to cart around a 5000 euros (say it slowly...)guitar it can handle anything with no backup. It is solid as a brick , very light, expertly finished and dependable.

Jeffrey was prompt on the fret issue request and throwed in a tip or two.Very nice guy. Also I would like to thank Randy on infinityguitars for waiting on all the issues we had on the payments.Maybe the guitar should have been checked a little more thoroughly or maybe I search to the tiniest detail much more than usual

Getting close to 20 years of playing (owning anything from ada to mesa boogie , Ibanez RG 420 and Jems to casio midi MG-510, warmoth to PRS and kept nine guitars and a couple amps (including a tom scholtz sustainor!!!) and a pod), gigging regularly and decided to make a present to myself . Shopping around for about a year and in the process building some guitars i went for broke and decided on a high end instrument. From all the high end manufacturers i believe i chose the one that his vision is close to mine.If stolen i would be very sorrow. This is a keeper.Next step maybe an allesandro or something modular like a randal mts

Bought it 05/04 from Ed Roman, typical loaded Earlewood specs, just as stunning as the rest.

The sound is quite astonishing with and even without an amp. This guitar has acoustics like no other, it is naturally loud due to the chambered body which really does make a huge difference. And then through my Mesa 50 Cal. + it really comes alive with a very wide spectrum of tones, what ever my heart desires is there. I play anything from Jr. Brown to Lamb of God and the Jet has it covered.

Setup could have been better. It was supposed to have been done before shipping and which it could have been but there was very minor fret buzzing, I contacted Jeff T. and a couple of adjustments later it was as good as gold.
The bookmatched top is liquid, quilted maple stained deep blue and it just looks bottomless with matching headstock (very nice). The back is quite an eye catcher also with a korina body and highly flamed 3 pc maple neck (words can't describe).
The polyester resin finish appears to be a very durable finish and has a a luster that just will not stop.

The finish is wearing off of the Tone Pros bridge where I rest my palm but that's kind of expected if you play alot. I do have problems keeping the input jack tight also.

Even though the finish seems be durable I still treat this thing like a new born baby when handling.

The strap buttons are large and I do have alot of confidence in them.

I am sure Jeff T. backs his product 100%. Every time I emailed him he replied within a few hours. Awesome guy!

I've been playing 28 yrs and have owned and played many high end guitars. I do consider myself very well informed and know what qualities a bontique guitar should possess and this one has them all.
There is a perfect balance here with beauty, sound & action and none surpass the other.
Great job Jeff!

Korina body, flamed maple top with binding, ebony fingerboard with maple binding. Jumbo frets. Laminated neck. Passive HH Duncan blackback picups w 5/way switching. Gloss transparent finish, satin on neck back. Grover tuners, string through body over rosewood block behind tune-o-matic bridge. Upside down strat jack plate in back of guitar is innovative and practical.

This guitar tends to be brighter but don't confuse that with harsh or weak. If its a bit much you can roll it off easily. (Keep in mind you can't fix too dark)

Primarily blues, rock & roll through Matchless Chieftain 212, Blues Deluxe (retubed Eurotubes kit!!), waiting patiently for 18Watt Marshall (Bluesbreaker) clone. Through a POD XT as needed in home studio. I think it can be a bit too crispy with the Matchless and prefer it through the 18watt or the little Fender. It's fun to play it through a big stack but that's so not necessary for blues with any decent sound system these days ;0

This guitar can do the Les Paul/PRS/SG etc. thing way better than any of those guitars. Again, the tone is a bit brighter - you get a much better string sound but amazingly not the least bit harsh or brittle. In the split positions, a single coil sound is produced that is unique and stunning. In some ways like a ballsy Tele or tweaked Strat, but way, way more articulate. The design of this guitar is extrordinarily unique. Tone chambers and wood selection are amazing. One telling feature is the string through body going over the rosewood block. If you are expecting or wanting it to sound like a 'generic' axe with which you might be familiar with you are missing the point. Unlike any guitar I have ever owned, this one allows you to really express yourself. Picking and pulling technique variations, string muting, etc is remarkably and delightfully transmitted. When using a nicely overdriven tube amp you can coax an amazing range of sounds with this guitar. Very subtle elements of acoustic guitar tone lay beneath the primary electric style. This is not an accident but by design.

This guitar can weep and it can scream as well as do the chickin picken thing too. Also can do the ass kicking crunch with the single coil settings and right amp setup. Remarkable that it can do a Tele replacement and a Les Paul replacement and outdo both guitars easily just given correct switching and amps. If you suck this guitar will only make it more obvious as it certainly doesn't lie, but if you can play, you are in for some serious joy. I would have loved to hear SRV play this guitar.

Its a hard tail, so you can't wang, but I have yet to hear a whammy that's not a tone buster. (Of course if you are Vai or Satriani you don't need this kind of tone anyway, although I would like to hear what one of those guys could do with it.)

Beautiful.

It seems exceptionally light with the korina body, and feels fragile in that respect, however I have no evidance that it is not durable, however I admit I am extremely careful not to drop it, spill things on it, or bang it around.

Guitar had a teeny bit of shop wear (nothing significant) but I had to have it NOW after trying out. Of course the advantage there is that you get a remarkable setup. (I'm not good at waiting for people to build stuff)

The action on this guitar is superb, low enough to play extremely fast but still allow the string to properly resonate. A perfect neck/fretboard curve is required to allow this to happen.

Had a noisy pot after not playing for a month, but a couple of twists cleaned it up.

I use 10s. I would not touch the setup. It plays like its got 9s which makes me want to try 11s but then I'd have to risk losing the setup if I let somebody mess with it.

Although it seems rock solid in every way, I would not use this guitar anywhere where someone might knock it over or spill something on it. I use this for studio work and only occasional gigs. Its certainly seem as solid as a Fender (which is really a brick) but maybe that's because its so much lighter. Its got to be as solid as any guitar built with this kind of feature set. I'm not going to try to find out what it would take to break it.

If you are a primarily thrash/metal player and beat on your guitar you certainly don't need one of these anyway, although it would probably sound awesome but it totally has the wrong cosmetics.

As expected, the gold hardware on the bridge and knobs are losing goldness, but I've yet to own one that didn't, and this gives it a bit of character. Don't get the gold hardware if you can't accept this.

Its always been perfect so what can I say.

Playing 35 years, played and owned most common Fender, Gibson guitars over time. Still have several and other customs. Bought this on a search for the holy grail of guitars, somewhat without regard to $$. Yes I would replace it ASAP, although that's pretty tough to do given the availability.

I actually ration my playing on this guitar. I don't generally practice with it. When I am recording or doing a really important gig, or searching for some inspiration, out it comes and the tone astounds me and I generally get exactly what I wanted. I think if I used all of the time it would lose its magic and would tend to make me think all of my other guitars suck (and they really don't).

Favorite Feature: Its all About TONE! I would prefer to have locking tuners on it but I'm not sure I want to let anyone mess with it.

This top on this guitar is purple, which at times seems weird, at times I'd prefer something a bit more generic, but I did want a unique guitar and this puts it way over the top in that respect.

Would have liked the piezo option but this guitar predated that. Maybe a retrofit some day?

A very unique and satisfying instrument both tonally and visually.

If you can afford it, buy one before Jeff stops making them personally, I doubt you could make these on machines.

2003 NAMM Special Purchased new in 2005

24 frets (24th fret is made of brass)

Solid Carved Top, AAAAA Quilted Maple on Chambered Korina Body, bound in maple and finished in Caribbean Burst color.

Gold Hardware

5 way Schaller Switch, one volume and one tone control knob, recessed

Dual Humbuckers, white Seymour Duncan Black Backs with Koa Surrounds

Neck is 3 piece highly flamed maple

Compound radius Ebony fretboard with an amazing Parrots in the Jungle inlay, made from abalone, pearl, corals and exotic woods

Tone Pros Tune - o - Matic bridge

String through with Koa tail piece

Vintage Imperial Tuners

Pearl inlaid headstock finished to match body and cut from the same board

Nice quality case with JET logo, a couple of picks and literature for care

This guitar sure can rock. I can get classic blues tones, jazz, 60's-90's rock, the harmonics are incredible as is the sustain. Rich and full, the 5 way switch splits the coils for a very nice blend/selection of tones.

The action was setup almost perfectly, the neck pickup is at a bit of an angle, I haven't tried to adjust it but I might. The finish is awesome, some slight blemishes, typical for a handmade guitar and you have to struggle to see them.

This guitar is a work of art. I would not gig with it. It seems built very well, the strap buttons are oversized and I have no fear of it coming loose. I do not gig so no worries there for me. The finish has some slight blems were wood meets at certain peaks, but the poly-resin coating seems tough and easy to keep up with.

Jeffrey Earle Terwillger is a class act. Before I purchased the guitar, he always quickly responded to my e-mails. I hope to never have to have it repaired, but if I do, I don't live too far from his shop! No warranty stated, but I feel confident that he stands firmly behind his work!

I also has a pleasant experience purchasing from Ed Roman.

I have been playing for 30 years, I have a nice collection, this one is my pride and joy. If it were stolen I would hunt down the person and extract several pounds of flesh. I would beg Jeffrey to build me another just like it. The neck is so fast the guitar almost plays itself.

Lefty Jet Earlewood plus (piezo-black saddle). Korina body (chambered), Ebony fretboard. 5-position pickup selector and 3 position toggle to enagage the piezo for acoustic guitar sounds. Quality craftsmanship and parts throughout. The only plastice on the guitar is the pickup bobbins (made by seymour duncan).

Great humbucker sounds. Will shame any Les Paul for any year. The guitar is articulate whether being played clean or hi-gain. Crisp and punchy. The 5-way pickup selector is cool but I like the full on bridge position the best. The neck pickup will provide that woman tone with ease, through any amp, even a POD. This guitar will cover any humbucker sound...just better. The 5-way pickup selector is nice but don't expect strat or tele sounds, just shades of humbuckers. The piezo is a bit disappointing. It sounds good but the low action can cause some annoying buzz on acoustic guitar. The piezo makes it sound like a $800-$1200 acoustic. It is a nice extra feature to have at your tonal disposal. Overall this guitar has a unique sound all its own that is the best of anything you've heard in one package.

This is where this guitar totally takes over the crowd. The neck fits like no other, plays like butter from stem to stern. It is so easy to get comfortable with this guitar it is like your thoughts are conveyed to the guitar without any effort. The setup is low and fast and the guitar has a sexy feel to it. Fretwork and inntonation is perfect. Quality bulletproof finish and parts throughout. A true 'no compromise' guitar.

This guitar is the definition of reliabilty and durability. Perfect for any situation.

Personal email and phone support with the man himself. Don't get any better.

In over 20 years of everyday guitar playing, I know one thing for sure when it comes to guitars....You don't always get what you pay for. You can spend well over $2K on a mass produced, mostly machine made average Gibson, PRS or opt for a truly hand-made, fine quality, last a lifetime, one of a kind, no compromise guitar for roughly the same price. This guitar will make a believer out of you and is the rare guitar that is actually worth more than it costs. Don't be brainwashed by the corporate advertising which has every kid thinking they got to have a Gibson or PRS or Fender. Those guitars are nice but none of them are in the same league as JET.