Kendrick Canary

The guitar was hand built, from scratch, by master luthier Tony Nobles in 2005 down in Texas. I had the neck built according to my specs which were the same specs as a tapered Gibson 335 neck. The neck turned out better than a neck on a 335! The fretboard is made from the lightest colored rosewood I've ever seen, and has Dunlop 6205 jumbo frets, polished and fitted perfectly. The neck is made from old mahogany that has been thoroughly cured. It's not goin anywhere!
The curved top is made from book matched canary wood, and I defy anyone to show me where the two top pieces come together.
It has Lindy Fralin, hot wound, dual humbuckers with the typical LP 3 way switch. The Fralins sound incredible...fat tone..sustain..etc..
The back of the guitar is made from Honduran mahogany, and, to me, it looks like one piece. I cannot find a seam or mismatched grain patterns anywhere.
I had Tony paint the LP style body in a tranlucent cherry red and, that, coupled with his own hand-mixed, thinly applied, lacquer brought out the incedible canary grain even more. The cherry is also complimented by the cream binding.
It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge and the tuners are bone Gotohs.
It came in a SKB case, with the plush lining, for a Gibson style LP.
I'm giving this category a 9 because I thought that the inlays were going to be shaped like the state of Texas IAW the picture of the Canary guitar on the kendrick-amplifier website. Instead the inlays are just typical round pearl inlays. I suppose I should have asked when ordering the guitar, but I took it for granted.

The sound is incredible..fat..rich, not too muddy or too bright. The midrange frequencies come out extremely clear. I'm playing through a Kendrick BG15 and a Fender Deluxe Reverb. I play mostly blues and classic rock and the sound is definetly what I was after.

The action is fast and the finish is as I described in the "feature" category...magnificent! The pickups are perfectly seated as are the frets. The binding is perfectly placed..no overspay. I can't find any flaws and I've looked.

This guitar feels solid. Unless I use it as an oar, I can't see this thing ever giving me any trouble.

Gerald Weber answers your emails promptly when you email him. However, I sometimes had the impression that he and Tony were not always on the same page. Initially Gerald told me the guitar would take about 3 months to complete; It turned out to take about 8 months. I really don't care how long it takes, within reason, just tell me. Gerald's a busy guy, but I think he needs to do a better job providing status to his customers. I began to think that he had forgotten about me. But, other than that, you do get what you pay for. You just have to be patient. I'm sure if there was a problem with the guitar Gerald would have it fixed... no problem. I can't forsee ever having a problem.

I've been playing off and on for about 30 years, and have had many different guitars through the years. I had a 73 Gibson Les Paul, which was stolen, but it was a fabulous instrument..just too heavy.
I have a Clapton Strat a Taylor 810 Brazilian, so I know quality. This is a fine instrument. Much lighter than a Les Paul because of the back cut out and thinner body. It's very comfortable. It's pricey....yes, but it's hand built by one of the best craftsmen in the world. If the guitar were stolen, I'd be back on the phone with Gerald the next day.

Canary top, mahogany body and neck. Rosewood fingerboard
Twin humbuckers, 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 way switch
Very thin nitro finish
Waverly tuners, which I am VERY impressed by. Accurate, and slip is nonexistant
Unique brown alligator case included
Other than the basics, exactly how do you rate a guitar in this category? Do I start with an Esquire, and go up? Or do I start with a BC Rich Bich, and go down?
I'll give it a 9, because it doesn't play itself.

This is the guitar I grab more than any other. The top (to my ears) is bright, but that may have more to do with the thinner body. Comfortably light, with a welcome-in-my-middle-age tummy cut.
My Les Paul has noticeably more low-end grunt, this guitar is more geared towards mids and highs. With your amp dimed, this is one of the few double humbucker guitars that you'll have to add bass to.

I've owned this guitar for two years, nothing has moved. I've installed 9's, 10's, and 11's on it, it just shrugs.
Top is so perfectly bookmatched that most people are convinced it's a one piece top.

See above. If you age wood properly, until it no longer thinks it's a tree, you'll have no problem. Somebody will be playing this guitar in 2104. Hopefully, it won't be me. There are few things more pathetic than watching a 149 year old man play bad Chris Spedding covers.

Dealt with the company since '92. Never a problem.
Treat Gerald like the gentleman he is, and he will do likewise.
Treat him like a Wal-Mart employee, and...
This is where I take my amps to be put right. Period.

This guitar did something I never thought any other guitar would do.
It has replaced my Lester, my 1982 Guitar Trader '59 Flametop #9 0023, as my favorite guitar. Also, keep in mind, I am a stone cold Strat man from WAY back. The only thing I would change would be to switch the PAF's from Lester to the Kendrick. But, that would be sacrilege.