Patrick Eggle JS Legend

This JS Legend was made in Coventry UK circa 1993/94, hand built by Patrick Eggle (himself?), back when Patrick was still running the show. Mine is one of the earlier ones from the limited edition of 150. The features are as described by others here ? 24 frets, birdseye maple top, quilted maple back & flame maple neck, ebony fretboard with falling maple leaf inlays (each one is different as they float down the fretboard ? absolutely lovely), active pickups, 3 way selector, volume control has push pull to tap the coils on the bridge pickup, active tone control providing +/- 6db boost at 500hz (now that?s unusual), Wilkinson locking tremolo bar, Sperzel locking tuners, gold plated hardware. The wood is unfinished and left natural so get the beeswax out! The shape is similar to that of the Berlin with a medium neck. It came with the Eggle embossed Hiscox hardshell case.

Obviously no guitar can do it all, but - boy - does this come close. The neck pickup isn?t quite a Les Paul but it is nice and fat, with a clean edge and without being too thick. Similarly, the Bridge (in single coil) may not exactly be a Tele but it is pretty twangy nonetheless. If all the JS Legend had was only the range of the pickups, that would be excellent ? but the active tone control is something else altogether. +/- 6db boost at 500hz ? what does that mean? It means when you roll it off (cut at that frequency) the sound sheds its midrange & bass leaving only the highs ? it goes as thin as a razor, shimmering like broken glass. When you roll it up (boost) ? it ROARS!!! Roar is the only word for it ? who needs a fuzz box? By mixing, matching and balancing the pickups, coil tap & judicious use of the active tone control, the range of sound is positively amazing ? and I still am amazed, every time I play it.

I got mine used and it had been set up for nines. I?ve worked professionally in my youth setting up guitars, so it was no big deal to put this in order pretty quickly. Once set up for the tens it plays absolutely great. Necks are a matter of personal choice and I was raised pretty much on the Gibson side of the world rather than Fender ? so I?m used to a reasonably chunky neck. The Eggle?s neck is somewhere in between a Paul & a Strat and it turns out it is perfect for me. It just feels right ? to me. The action is quick and nimble without being to flighty and light (I play a lot of acoustic and need to feel some resistance from the strings ? I never really got along with a Tele strung with eights ? but that?s me). Other than a slight discolouration where the previous owner obviously rested the edge of his hand above the bridge, the finish is flawless.

I don?t play live anymore, but if I did I would be of two minds. Can the JS Legend do it live? Absolutely! It?s solidly built. But would I be willing to risk taking this beauty out into the badlands? It would depend entirely on the gig (but if there?s chicken wire between the band and the audience I?d definitely bring something else). If you do take it out you?ve got to bring along extra 9V batteries though! Mine went dead a while after I?d had it. At first I didn?t know it had batteries and the sound started disintegrating which greatly disturbed me - I thought it was my POD expiring. (Active pickups = batteries, dummy). I would expect that the natural finish might be an issue with gigging as dirt & spilt beer will likely permeate the wood. This is an elegant instrument ? not a battle cruiser.

I have dealt with the Patrick Eggle Company recently regarding this instrument and they?ve been exceptionally helpful. Gordon Tilley himself took the time to explain how to care for the wood (i.e. linseed oil & beeswax ? both of which stink to high heaven) and even sent me original literature about the guitar (for a fiver). Insofar as Patrick Eggle don?t make this model and it was before Gordon took over from Patrick, I think this is extremely accommodating.

I worked in a musical instrument store for about eight years, so I've played my fair share of Gibsons, Fenders and all the rest. In addition to the JS Legend I currently have a Les Paul and a Tom Anderson Pro Am. I?ve been playing for almost 40 years (pro, semi-pro, but now for myself) and have gone through a number of musical stages. My taste is pretty broad ? Rock, R&B, Metal, folk, jazz, Chinese classical, Baroque, punk, Gregorian chant, swing, bebop? you get the idea ? and I?ve always been looking for a single instrument that could deliver the range I wanted (blew away the resale value of my Paul by installing a micro switch to tap the coils ? didn?t know about push/pull knobs at the time). The Patrick Eggle JS Legend does it. The JS Legend is absolutely beautiful ? in sound, playability and looks. Even my mother-in-law was impressed by it (now that?s saying something). The JS Legend exudes quality and craftsmanship and is a thing of understated elegance ? not arrogance like PRS (good though they may be). It?s one of those guitars that one can feel a personal affinity with if it?s right for you - and I do and it is. I am proud and continually amazed that I have been lucky enough to call this one mine. It is a sad fact that there are only 150 of these, so the likelihood of one coming your way is small. But if one does ? grab it, without question, without fail.

1991/92 WAS THE LAUNCH OF THE J S LEGEND , THREE PRTOTYPES WHERE PRODUCED AND MY LATE FREIND (NOW DECEASED)BOUGHT ONE OF THESE WHEN I WAS BUYING A BERLIN MYSELF ON A PROMO NIGHT AT THE COVENTRY FACTORY IN 1991 .
HIS LEGEND PROTOTYPE WAS IN BAHAMIAN BLUE WHICH TO LOOK AT IS A SEA GREEN COLOUR . THE ACTIVE PICKUPS IN THESE GUITARS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AND WHERE REPLACED BY THE EGGLE FACTORY WITHGIN A YEAR .
HE LEFT THIS GUITAR TO HIS SON WITH ABOUT 7 OTHER GUITARS .
MY FRIEND WAS RELATED TO CYRIL DAVIES ( HIS UNCLE ) WHO PLAYED WITH ALEXIS CORNER AT THE CRAWDADY CLUB IN THE 60S , A YOUNG BRIAN JONES AND MICK JAGGER USED TO GET UP AND JAM WITH THEM .

APART FROM THE EARLY PICKUP FAILURE IT IS NOW FAULTLESS .
PLAYED THROUGH MESSA BOOGIE MK 1 CLEAN .
A DEEP BLUESY TONE JUST LIKE BLACK MAGIC WOMAN OR STRANGE BREW .

AS ONE OF THE THREE PROTOTYPES THIS DOES DIFFER FROM THE FINAL PRODUCTION MODEL , FLAWS WHERE THE PICKUPS .
SET UP WAS REDONE AFTER ONE MONTH .AT THE COVENTRY FACTORY .

IT HAS BEEN PLAYED LIVE FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF ITS LIFE , BUT WITH SO MANY OTHER GUITARS IN HIS COLLECTION HE RETIRED THIS ONE TO THE HOME STUDIO USE , HIS SON NOW PLAYS THE GUITAR OFTEN .

WHEN PATRICK WAS THERE THE COMPANY WAS RUCSHED OFF THEIR FEET WITH ORDERS AND SET UPS ,BUT THEY STILL MANAGED TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF GOOD CUSTOMER RELATIONS .
ALL PATRICK EGGLE GUITARS SOLD AROUND THIS PERIOD CAME WITH A 10 YEAR WARRENTEE .

15 YEARS , MY DECEASED FREIND MORE THAN THAT UP TO HIS DEPARTING .
BETWEEN US WE HAVE OWNED AND STILL OWN FENDER STRATS/TELE'S /PRS /HERRITAGE/GIBSON /KASUGA/LEVENSON BLADE/HOFNER /+ OTHER EGGLE'SAND OTHER'S.INC A 335 12 STRING GIBSON !!!
AMP EQUIPMENT = MESSA BOOGIE /IBENEZ BOOGIE COPY/MARSHALL /FENDER TWIN / CARVIN BELLAIR .
IF IT WAS STOLEN IT WOULD BE IRRAPLACEABLE !!! A ONE OFF IN GREEN AS THEY WHERE ALL MADE NATAURAL THIS PROTOTPE WAS FULLY MAPLE BODY .NO MAHOGANY .
ITS UNIQUENESS AS A PRTOTYPE .
OTHER BERLINS WAS ALL THAT WAS COMPARED WITH .

The JS Legend is a limited edition guitar (57 of 150), designed by Jim Sullivan and Patrick Eggle, and handbuilt in the UK around 1994. It is similar to a Berlin Pro, but the body is made entirely of figured maple (quilted back, birdseye top) and has a set-neck of flamed maple. An Ebony fretboard is inlaid with falling maple leaf inlays.
The pickups are two active humbuckers, and come with a standard three-way toggle, a volume and a centre-notched mid-boost.
A Wilkinson VS100 trem and locking Sperzels keep the thing in tune. All hardware is gold and black (very tasty!)

I play blues and MOR rock, plugging the Legend into a small class-A valve amp. The mid-boost takes the guitar from an almost electro sound up through growly blues to fire-breathing honk! The output is very high, allowing me to use long cables with no problems.
The guitar is so versatile, I often get through a whole set without touching the amp. The actives give it quite a pure tone, and the all-maple construction gives a bright sound that sustains perfectly. You can play any style, from country to metal, within a twist of the boost control. It sings!

I bought the guitar in 1999, but in perfect condition (apart from some wear on the gold-plated hardware). The action is low and the neck fits like a glove (thinner than a PRS but just as comfortable).
The colour is a honey gloss, and the wood throughout is the best I've ever seen - the flamed neck is particularly special. The front has swirls of birds-eye with some striping, too - amazing! The inlays match the guitar's character perfectly. This is the most beautiful guitar I've ever witnessed - PRS, eat your heart out!

The guitar feels solid as anything. It's reasonably heavy, and is well put together. The finish still sparkles, and the strap buttons are chunky and feel secure. The trem and Sperzels keep everything in amazing tune, and make string changing quick and easy. I would definitely use this one without backup if I had to.

Eggle are now based in Birmingham, where I bought the guitar. They seem friendly (even offering a factory tour) and have sent me details on the guitar along with product reviews etc. However, they can be slow to respond to letters or email.

I have owned six or seven electric guitars, but this is my dream axe. I've never played a guitar so versatile, so stunning to look at or so comfortable. I regularly try out Gibsons, Fenders and PRSs, but all confirm that I've got the guitar of a lifetime. If you can track one down - you'll never look back!