Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro de Luxe

In addition to my previous review, I have made some progress with the guitar in certain areas, and I think it may be of assistance to others.

The Patrick Eggle website is now up and running again on www.patrickeggleguitars.com although, as yet it is not fully functional. The Berlin model is still in production.

I have also discovered that the controls give the following access to pickups coils.

Volume.

Three way toggle to select pickup, bridge or neck.

Three way rotary switch giving the following.....

Pos 1. Taps outside single coils.

Pos 2. Normal Humbuckers.

Pos 3. Twintone sound on seleced Humbucker to provide enriched single coil sound.



There is no tone control on this guitar by design. I recently spoke with Rob WILLIAMS who was at one time technical director at Patrick Eggle Guitars (he now makes beautiful guitars under his own brand `Woodworm Guitars~ well worth a look) re the wiring possibilities for my Climaxe guitar (more later). It was suggested that I could use the Berlin wiring and when the tone was mentioned I suddenly realised that I don't remember EVER using a tone control? So ask yourself, do you use the tone on your guitar?

I am upping my opinion of the sound. The reason my guitar sounded qweak on the (Kent Armstrong)bridge pickup is due to an electrical contact fault with the toggle switch and a scratchy volume pot'.
When tweaking the toggle switch the full tone of the bridge pickup shines through. It sounds really nice and to my ears is equally as powerful as the Seymour Duncan JB in my Climaxe guitar.
There is a tonal difference between the two makes of pickup, with the KA's being a touch brighter with a harp like quality which I like very much. These electroinc problems may be sorted with some contact lubricant (no vulgar suggestions please).

The tonal range is quite suprising, and the difference between the two single coil settings using the rotary selector is very noticable.
It's like having an instant eq setting without loosing the quality.

No change here. Great guitar, well made.

There are obviously the two minor electronics problems here, but as Patrick Eggle Guitars don't manufacture the electrical components, I hardly think a fault after 8 years is worth a criticism.

Now, this is a little different. Firstly, I found the new website www.patrickeggleguitars.com which shows me that they are still in production.

I visited the factory yesterday (15 August 2001) and registered my guitar with them. I was assisted by a chap named Tony who was very friendly and helpful. He showed me briefly around the factory, which is a small building with, apparently only a few employees. This gives me the impression of a high quality workforce instead of a quantity based production line. I was also shown a new semi acoustic model with `f` holes and a quilted maple top. This was the same shape as a Berlin but larger, more like a standard sized guitar. It was a very lovely looking instrument, with `falling leaf` inlays, gold hardware and a wrap over stop tailpiece. I will say no more about it in case I am breaching a confidence.

So far my dealings with the company have been excellent.

The main thing about this guitar, which I seem to have skirted around but not mentioned fully, is the neck.
I have `fondled` many good guitars, and been lucky enough to own some of them too, but of all, and I mean ALL, the neck on this Berlin Pro is supreme. A neck to die for. It just feels so natural. Its like a very good old friend you have missed for years without realizing, until you meet again. I was very happy with my other guitars until I played this one.
It looks the same as any other neck to me,...perhaps it's the wide jumbo style frets which make it so easy to play. My fingers just seem to go where I want them to. Now,..don't get me wrong,.. I don't claim that I am suddenly able to play to perfection, just that there are less bum notes than usual. Anything that helps me play better can't be a bad thing.

I also found out that Patrick Eggle (the man) began in Hertfordshire making acoustic guitars at home, and then started making quality electric guitars under the brand name Climaxe in 1991.
The Patrick Eggle Music Co began in 1992 after he was approached by some business people during a music show in the North of England. The Climaxe guitar was then produced and marketed as the Berlin.
So it seems I have a Berlin prototype. Lucky me.

My website should be up and running soon. www.realsmoothmusic.com
pay me a visit.

Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro Deluxe, hand made Made in England.

I bought this 'second-user'August 13th 2001. (Today) I am the second owner from new. It was made in 1993 during the time Patrick Eggle himself was with the company. He left in 1995, leaving the rights to his name with the company. I am told that guitars made during this period (92 to 94) command a higher price. (Now where have I heard that before???)
A 24 fret mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. Abalone dot inlays, side position markers and a twin Maple Leaf inlay at the 12th fret. It's Quality workmanship all over this beauty. It cost 1400 UK pounds new back in 1993.
Mahogany bodied with a flamed maple top. The top is a honey colour, with the light flame moving in from the edges to the centre. It has a deep lacquer finish.The neck is also mahogany with an ebony fingerboard and wide jumbo frets.
The blend of hues from honey to light golden brown makes this guitar seem warm and rich. The carved top seems chunky and solid with more curves than a female pinup.
The controls are a master volume, a three way rotary coil selector, and a three way toggle pickup selector switch. The knobs and switches are gold in colour and match the gold locking `Sperzel` tuning machines and the gold pickup surrounds.
The pickup surrounds are actually black, but have a gold metal capping. The gold is a little tarnished, showing a silvery colour underneath.
The twin humbucker pickups are (I believe) kent Armstrong.I do know (from checking inside the control cavity) that they are not Seymour Duncan's due to the wiring colour scheme.
The sound is very nice when used with my Marshall VS65R clean channel, but is a little disappointing when used through the overdrive channel, especially the bridge pickup. I have a `Climaxe` guitar, built (I believe) by Patrick Eggle after he left the company, and this guitar is now fitted with a Seymour Duncan JB at the bridge and a SD '59 at the neck. These really rock.
The Kent Armstrong pickups seem fairly close in sound to the 59, but the bridge pickup is a little weak in companrison to the JB. Adjustment may help some, so I'll reserve judgement at this early stage as I only picked up the Berlin guitar today!!!!(Quick review eh??)
The shape of the Berlin is unique. I have heard people refer to the Berlin as a PRS `copy` but I can tell the difference immediately. The Berlin has a smaller body with less pronounced horns. It seems typically English, somehow understated and with a rich quality that jumps out as soon as you see it. This feeling of quality is overpowering when you pick it up and play it. I also own a Fender `Lonestar` Stratocaster and a few other guitars, both acoustic and electric. This Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro may well become my favourite axe. It is that good.
Fitted as standard with a gold Wilkinson tremolo, and recently strung with a set of 10's, the action is low, fast and the intonation precise. The scale length seems to be around 628mm, giving the strings a firm but positive feel.
There are many small stylish points such as the laminated headstock face, a dark, heavy grained wood which looks black from a few feet away, bearing the logo `BERLIN by Patrick Eggle` in a classy gold script, set lengthways between the gold 'Sperzel' locking tuners. The rear of the headstock is mahogany & shows the serial number stamped lengthways in between the machines, with the words `Made In England` in the same script, but black not gold.
The abalone dots, side position markers and twin Maple Leaf 12th fret inlays are a work of art in themselves.
The guitar came with the original Hiscox fitted case, with a plush pearl coloured velvet interior. The case is black, moulded to the guitar shape (but has both horn areas of equal height so you can fit a lefty model in the same case). The case has a large `Patrick Eggle` logo moulded into the lid facia, which makes it look even more classy .

I mainly record now, being in the over 40 category and too idle to gig and I was brought up on rock. I like to have access to most possible guitar sounds and choose the axe depending upon the song I am working on. The Patrick Eggle seems to have a wide spectrum of sounds being able to `tap` into either of the pickups single coils, and humbuckers as well. The guitar seems very quiet, even in single coil mode.
I find this guitar quite bright sounding compared to the Climaxe, which may be due to the pickups, the maple top or a combination of ther two (the Climaxe has a walnut top over mahogany) and as stated earlier, the clean sounds are particularly pleasing. The driven sounds need a bit of tweaking to see if it will produce the exact sound I like. All guitars sound different, so I imagine I will get used to this. I am very lucky in that I don't need a `One Guitar For All` situations.

I think you may be able to tell from my lengthy opening section that I like the action, fit and finish to this guitar. I like tho whole guitar. The sum of the parts on a guitar does not always make a good `un, but in this case it makes a great one. I am VERY pleased with it. The Patrick Eggle website has been down for some time and I do not know if they are still making these guitars, but they are already a classic axe, commanding a high price in the USA where they are apparently very rare. I have seen websites showing prices of $3000
They don't come up for sale very often even in England, so that shows that owners want to keep them.

I have no plans to gig with this guitar (or any other for that matter) but I certainly will use this if I change my mind. Ican see that this guitar is now 8 years old and still looks very nice indeed. There are a couple of very small markes in the high gloss lacquer finish where the original owner has bumped it against something, but they are only surface and do not reach the wood. The pickup surrounds as I said are slightly tarnished, and the Wilkinson tremolo has very slight dull areas on its gold, silk finish.
The strap buttons are good quality, both gold in colour and wide flared with felt washers to protect the guitar finish. They are firmly placed and don't appear to have been used at all as there are no marks surrounding them.

I am fortunate in that I live within 10 miles of the Patrick Eggle small factory, and I am on speaking terms with people close to the company. I have had no dealings with the company as yet but will attempt to register my guitar with them. There is no warranty with this guitar due to its age.

I have been playing for 31 years (mind you, I have had a rest from time to time) and was at one time a professional guitarist.
I have always loved guitars since the age of 4 years, and I suppose if I had the money and the space I would like to own a large collection of guitars. My favourite guitar (when I was a pro) was a Gibson SG standard, in natural mahogany, built in 1976. However, I don't have this guitar nay more (pity...`cause of the sentimental value). I don't buy guitars just as a functional instrument nowadays, they have to have something extra, they need to have that special something that makes me long to buy it. The Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro did just that. There was no way I coulod pass up the chance to buy it, and now that I own it, I shall keep it. (No, really, I will,...put your money away,...what...3,500...no thanks..)

I would say to you players who appreciate quality and playability with a unique character, GO AND GET ONE OF THESE....but...unfortunately you may not find one. If Patrick Eggle (the company)no longer make these,...they will join the ranks of the collectables and the chances of getting one are even slimmer.

1992, especially for Gary Moore for endorsement. He did play it actually, as did his good friend George Harrison. During a concert in the Royal Albert Hall. This Berlin was then sold to a collector and in 1999 I bought it. It was unused.
24 frets
no tone control, but rotary switch and volume
I guess a guilted top: brown-black flamed
2 S/H Seymour Duncans
Wilkinson trem

it's a perfect allrounder, from Shadows to Santana, Chet Atkins to jazz. Like my Strat Lonestar, but much lighter and sounds warmer.
It's quite.
Mesa Maverick 1 x 12"
Morley volume on Effect send/return
Digitech Legend 21

It was ok, but I adjusted it anyway: that's routine.
Everything else was ok.

I played it for about 8 months now. Still going strong.
The chromeware of the pickups fades! See rating..

They were very friendly and informative about the Gary Moore-link of this particular Berlin. They told me they lost records of older Berlins after they moved the factory. I tried to get data of my Berlin re-entered in the Eggle archives. Promisses, promisses.. I'm not very pleased with the Eggle company.

About 40 years. I play professionally since 1991.
Ibanez Concord 12 string. Fender Stratocaster Lonestar, Roland VG8EX, Gibson EB2 bassguitar (owned by The EasyBeats "Friday on my mind")