Langcaster Cobra

I recieved this wonderful piece of art in July of 2008 from the Master of guitar build Joh Lang.Twin truss rods,low impedance pickups.locking tuners,tele style(ALTHOUGH THE SIMILARITY ENDS THERE!!!)and made out of 35,000 Kauri wood harvested in New Zealand!!

Not only does this guitars beauty stretch the imagination,the tones that can be achieved are nothing more than astounding!!!Clear crisp rich tones with every note equal in response to your touch.Try to find that quality in the normal guitars of today!! I am coupling to a Rivera Fandango amp using a lexicon delay unit.Wonderful sound!!

Since I recieved my Langcaster Gold Cobra and I add the only one in the world!!,I have not had to adjust one thing on this guitar!!I am sure that Joh Lang was relieved that I was a player instead of a collector and saying that I guard this guitar with my life because the attraction I get when I play is comparable to that of people viewing the new Camaro!!!I know because I sell them!!

This guitar is built better than any guitar I have ever played and I have played Gretsch,Gibson,Fender,Hagstrom,PRS,and many others and I still own my 1975 Lado Falcon albeit sits now more than it is played.I have 100%confidence in this guitar!!!

I am in Canada so Joh and I communicated thru email!!!He was extremely helpful in all areas and Joh made sure the guitar was delivered in a professional and safe manner.Well done Joh!!!

I have been playing for 25 years now.The Langcaster Gold Cobra is more than I could imagine and I hope I can do it justice playing it!!!The feel,the balance,the ease of control,the tonal quality and I could give accolades till the cows come home on this guitar!!!If this was stolen it could never be replaced because Joh told me this would be the only Gold Cobra in the world!!I would be devastated but would never hesitate to ask him to make me a new guitar.All I can say is I am a lucky man to be able to have this guitar and my hat goes of to Joh and his crew for their abilities in designing this guitar.I would love to meet Joh and express my gratitude face to face.THANKS JOH!!1

Brand new model from New Zealand's master luthier and inventor Joh Lang.The body is made from 35,000 year old kauri wood.This is one stunning looking guitar,compleate with fossils embedded in the wood.I have 4 Langcasters now and this one is the most beautiful,it's also the first FX model made.This is a 2 pickup strat style,with built in overdrive,chorus and digital delay.The pup's are the Ultimate Lo's which are the best pickups in the world!!!Earvana nut,Schaller locking tuners and 3 d bridge.The neck is AAA maple with ebony fingerboard,2 graphite rods and trussrod for stablity.
There are 2 normal pots for volume and overdrive gain,and 2 push/push with a ring underneath each pot.The first is to put effects on or off and also to set the amount of dry/effect,the lower ring controls the length of chorus,the second is a on/off for chorus/delay it also sets the speed of the delay with the bottom ring controlling the amount of repeats from 1 to 10+.Theres a Les Paul type toggle for pup selection and another push/push for overdrive on or off.The guitar also came with alot of case candy.

The sound is unreal,being a 2 pup strat I'd say this sounds somewhere between a strat,tele and a Travis Bean,it really has it's own mojo going.These Ultimate Lo pickups are louder than any of my other guitars,and I have quite a few.The pickups have a wide frequency response and sounds great right thru the board for computer recording.They are virtually noisefree even with all the effects on.
The built in effects are wonderful,the chorus is lush,and the delay can handle pretty much anything you'd need.You wont get superlong delays but you will get a delay that sounds close to a tape echo.With the built in overdrive and delay on I got a Gilmour sound without breaking a sweat.You can't have chrous and delay on at the same time but the chorus has a quick slapback type delay built into it.The overdrive which is standard on all Langcasters is one of the best sounding overdrives I've heard,as is the chorus/delay.
The Langcaster FX can handle any type of music from blues,jazz,classic rock,even country.

The guitar was setup exactly as I asked.Joh Lang makes one of the best playing necks out there.Bending strings are effortless it's almost like playing a fretless.Topnotch workmanship all around.

This guitar can withstand anything.It's built like a tank.I always bring 2 guitars with me for gigs,and thats only if I break a string.The finish is beautiful and is not likely to wear off ever.

Joh Lang is a joy to work with,he always answers any questions you may have and keeps you in the loop as far as build status.

I've been playing 40 plus years and have way too much gear to list here.This is my forth Langcaster guitar,these guitars not only look beautiful but sound great as well.I haven't even looked at my other guitars since I've been playing the Langcasters.If someone was foolish enough to steal it,I'd hire Keyser Sose to hunt him down.

2005 Custom Made for me by Joh Lang of New Zealand, Serial LC-8

22 frets, perfectly crowned and dressed

Tele like controls with Joh's invention - 2 Lo Impedance Pickups, handmade aluminum covers and surrounds. 3 way switch, one volume, one tone and one gain control. Yes that is right a gain control. This baby has overdrive built-in! There is a switch (covered in some paua shell just for me) and a red LED indicator light that shows your pick attack when the overdrive is engaged. The hardware is all Schaller, some of the finest.

There are two output jacks, one like a direct out and one for the main/gain channel. Hook this baby up to two amps, one tube and one solid state and you would swear there are two different guitars playing in perfect unison!

Solid Honey Colored Swamp Kauri body with an intricate hand carved Cobra, finished in gold, and surrounded by the most beautiful paua shell. The cavity is filled with a clear glass like epoxy for a 3D effect. The Cobra's eye is "faux diamond". Gloss finish on the body and Tung Oil on the Maple neck.

Schaller 3 way adjustable bridge

25 1/2 neck scale, smooth as glass ebony fret board with pearl dot inlays, Schaller locking tuners. All of the hardware is nicely chromed. Schaller strap locks are also included!

The guitar took only 2 weeks to finish, and 3 day UPS delivery from New Zealand to South Carolina. Nice harshell case with tons of case candy. Certificate of Authenticity, Strap, 9V battery tester (for the overdrive circuit).

I was initially concerned about the overseas shipping, but Joh did a wonderful job packing so there was no damage, not even a scuff on the case.

This one is hard to describe. Think of a Tele on steroids! Rich, full and bright sounding. I have a Roland Cube 60 and small Carvin Tube Amp, my favorite is using the small tube amp and engaging that sweet overdrive button instead of cranking the volume on the amp. I can go anywhere from nice blues, to country twang. Joh did such an incredible job on the electronics.

Perfect setup. Not a single finish flaw. Joh is a top quality luthier who is very proud of his work.

This guitar is built like a tank. The hardware is top notch and with proper care will last a lifetime. The Schaller strap locks ensure its' safety which is a good thing because the Swamp Kauri is HEAVY!!!

Joh always responds to e-mails either within minutes, or when he wakes up in the morning. A true pleasure to deal with even from thousands of miles away. I doubt anything will go wrong with this guitar, whioch is good because I wouldn't want to press my luck and ship it back to NZ for repairs!

Playing 30 years. I have a nice collection of handcrafted guitars. This will be my only "Tele" style guitar. If this guitar were stolen I would be heartbroken, because when his last two are gone, he is not making anymore.

I chose this one for its' uniqueness and exotic wood. The handcrafting is superb, I highly recommend Joh Lang and Langcaster to everyone. Look out for his new "Tele" like FX model with built in overdrive and chorus!

My Langcaster Cobra was made in January, 2005 by Joh Lang of Langcaster LTD. Serial # LC-7. Before I get to my long and extremely positive review, first the features of this amazing guitar.

The Tele style body is made of a single piece of 1000 year old Kauri wood - native to New Zealand
Hard rock Maple bolt on neck - flat and wide
Ultimate Lo Impedance Pickups 1 - 8 pole single coil for the neck and 1 - 6 pole single coil pickup for the bridge - Joh?s creation and pure genius!
2 Jack outputs - one for sound with tone and overdrive and one for a clean sound.
3 way pickup selector.
A separate plate houses the push button for the overdrive
A volume control for the clean mode, a passive tone control for the clean mode and a volume control for the overdrive mode.
Tilt-back carved head stock in a Maori motifs style. The company logo, truss rod and tree strings are topped with Paua inlays.
Double action truss rod and 2 Graphite reinforcement rods.
Exclusive diamond ground precision Ebony fingerboard.
22 Medium jumbo frets 25 1/2" scale & 15" radius.
Schaller Machine locking heads with 1:16 gear ratio.
Schaller 3D Bridge.
Schaller Strap Locks.
Brass Knobs.
Copper shielded cavity.

The features should be enough to get your attention but this guitar is also a piece of artwork. This is one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. The deep set hand carved cobra on the body is a thing of beauty. It is surrounded by Paua shells and when the light hits, it sparkles. The carving is filled with clear epoxy that makes it flush with the body. This give the Cobra carving an incredible 3-D effect. The Kauri honey colored wood grain is spectacular and the hardened lacquer finish gives the guitar a mirror like luster. The carved Maori motifs head stock with paua inlay on the truss rod, logo and tree strings is also a thing of beauty and is the final unique touch to this guitar. I was sold on this guitar for it?s looks alone. This is a show stopper and commands a great deal of attention!! What more could I ask for? An instrument that sounds as great as it looks.

Joh created the Ultimate Lo pickups. These pickups are completely noiseless. The sound that comes from the Ultimate Lo-impedance pickups is nothing short of amazing. I never knew I could get so many different sounds from one guitar. On the clean mode, you can get wonderful mellow sounds and when in clean/overdrive, this guitar can scream. The blues never sounded so good. INCREDIBLE!!!! Joh also invented the Ultra Drive to create a natural sounding tube-like overdrive without any hum, hiss or noise of any kind. Word of warning, turn down the amp?s master volume. Mine was set on 4 and the first chord I hit made my hair stand up and I didn?t see my cat for two hours.

Joh is a genius and revolutionary in his approach to creating the perfect guitar - not only in looks but the perfection in the sound. The big boys will have to copy his design or be left in the dust.

My Cobra made it from New Zealand to Texas in 3 days!!! The guitar was in flawless condition. The finish was perfect and the low action made me smile. If you prefer a higher action, a simple turn of the screw on the 3D Schaller bridge will do the trick. The neck is slightly wider but with the flatter back, my small hands have no trouble making those difficult chords. Joh has gone an extra step on the bolt on neck. Where most makers are comfortable with four screws, he has put two additional screws under the plate. It is all in the details. There is absolutely not one negative comment I can make about this guitar. It is impossible to improve on perfection!!!!!

I am more of a collector than a player so I won't be toting the Cobra around town but this guitar is made to last and could hold up to anything you could throw at her. The hardware is top of the line and where else could you get pickups that were invented by the maker of the guitar. This guitar has to be displayed and not stuck in a case. Everyone has to see it. With the hard lacquer finish, it will last another 1000 years. If anyone had the nerve to steal it, after the earth quake created by my screams, I would contact Joh to make another one.

What can I say about Joh Lang? He is one class act!! Not sure when he sleeps though. Any email I send is usually answered in less than one hour. Try that with the premier guitar makers - it won't happen! He spends as much time as needed to make sure your guitar is exactly what you want. I am so impressed with Joh and his guitars, that I also have the Langcaster Dark Kauri and hope to be the first one to own his latest creation in the works - the FX. Save the first one for me Joh!!! He is professional, polite, funny and I consider him a friend. So hard not to like the "Dutch Man." There is a life time warrenty but I know I will never have to use it. He takes great pains to make sure the guitars are perfect! You are the "Man."

I use a Fender Blues Junior tube amp. Not many bells and whistles but with this guitar, you don't need many. The only effect that I have is a digital delay and what incredible sounds come out of the Cobra when I step on that pedal. The guitar comes with a quality case and Joh puts a number of goodies inside. A polishing cloth, a bottle of conditioner for your guitar and strings, a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered and all the paper work you could ever ask for. The most impressive gift is a DVD Joh made that shows you everything you need to know to get the most out of your Langcaster Cobra. He goes the extra mile to make you a happy owner of one of his guitars. Checking out his website is a must. He has put a number of sounds bites for you to listen too and even a few movies to watch them being played. You know what you are getting before you ever buy. You can pay as much or more for one of those other guitars but for quality, playability and a look that will stop people in their tracks, you can't go wrong with a Langcaster guitar!!!! These guitars will be worth a fortune in the future. If you can find one in the states, you will pay 3 to 4 thousand dollars. Contact the Man and get the deal while you can. Thank you Joh - you make me smile everytime I play her.

Made March 2004 by Joh Lang of Langcaster Ltd, in New Zealand. This guitar is one of only five at the time of purchase to contain the new Ultimate Lo pickups. Serial Number is 5. I don?t normally go to the trouble to write big long pieces like this but I think this deserves a mention.

Head Stock and Neck are made from AAA grade Hard Rock Maple. The head is carved in the traditional Maori motifs. The tuners are Schaller 1:16 and have string locking wheels. These are very precise. The nut is self-lubricating graphite which the strings run through beautifully. The company logo and truss rod cover are made from New Zealand Paua shell, and the string trees are inlaid with Jade. The body is +1000yr old New Zealand swamp Kauri with excellent tone quality. The main visual effect though, is a Cobra snake, hand carved into the body, surrounded by pieces of paua shell, then filled with epoxy resin which gives a spectacular 3 D visual effect when moved around in different lights. In sunlight it looks amazing.

Absolutely everything is the best.. I?d be writing a novel to explain it all.

Overall it is as much a piece of artwork as it is practical and nice to play.

The Pickups though are what really make it happen. When you have your amp all set just right and you simply take out the Fender and plug in the Cobra, it sounds so different. Much more volume, clarity and richness to the sound. This is what made my mind up. I came home and drove my wife mad for a week.
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It came with Dean Markley .10 gauge strings which themselves have a really nice sound to them.

You have to hear this guitar to believe it in all honesty. You can virtually hear what the strings are made from!! Its hard to explain. I also have a Fender Strat, same as almost anyone, and the difference is like hitting a bell with a cloth on versus no cloth.

I use a peavey amp and testing this was without any pedals just the natural sounds.

In addition to the standard pickups, there is a built in overdrive. You can set the overdrive level then push the button to turn it on or off. Theres a seperate volumne control for this mode also.

With this guitar you hear everything, so you must be very precise in your playing. And this guitar no matter how loud we pressed the amp, did not produce any hum. Has to be heard to be believed (cliche but true).

Action was excellent. Too low is no good for the sound quality and neither is too high, generally because you loose too much sound, and it is harder to play. With these new low impedence pickups there is no sound loss with a higher action, so it can be set perfectly, no compromise, which Joh did for me as part of the build process. This guitar is hand made by a number of specialist artists, carvers and the like, and is perfect. Beautiful carvings and a beautiful finish.

I have done a couple of live events since buying this guitar, and of course it stands up to a live play. The locking strap is a nice extra too. It also gets a lot of attention (thanks Joh - grin!).

Customer support is EXCELLENT - Joh even repaired my Fender!!! The guitar comes with some spares which should never fail, but in the event the owner overscrews the overdrive pot, a spare one is included (not many people would think of that!) What more can I say - Well done Joh.

Overall rating... I think I've said it all. Ive been playing, self taught, for over 20yrs, and this is the best instrument I have ever played on. I have a Fender Strat and a Jansen Series 1 (Guitar that is, not amp, 1957 model), and an Ibanez AE acoustic. It feels good playing the strat, but when people pick up the Cobra, they suddenly think they're Stevie Ray Vaughan, its quite funny what effect this guitar has.

If you are interested in hearing or obtaining one of these guitars, please email me your details. (I'm in New Zealand), or check out the web site. http://www.langcaster.com