Travis Bean 1000A

This guitar must've been made around 1976 or 1977 in the USA. From what I understand, these are all hand made. It's #453 and it's part of the early production TB1000A's that had the small body and "horns" (double cutaway), which I find more desirable (cosmetically). It has the block inlays, carved body like an archtop, aluminum neck through the koa body, 22 jumbo frets, brass nut and string-through body bridge. The tuners look to be Grovers and mine has the natural finish. The pickups are Travis Bean (Alnico magnets) humbuckers in the bridge and neck position and they are screwed in from the back of the guitar (NOT ADJUSTABLE!!). It's volume controls are set up like a Les Paul. The neck on this guitar is pretty fat. I had another one (#183) who's neck was just too small for me. That guitar was not much younger than this one but had a lot of differnces. It was lighter, darker, more deeply carved than this one. These guitars are not super-versatile or loaded with features, but who cares.... they sound great!! Also, an interesting fact: when I took the pickups out of #453 to check them out, I noticed that there's a hollow shaft of the aluminum neck below the area where the pickups rest where someone had written in black marker, "no offense, but this wasn't done right." After I had a pickup repaired in #183 I took it out to inspect and found that there was NO hollow shaft underneath, just a billet (sp?) of aluminum. I've never noticed a problem with #453's construction so I guess the offense was corrected...

I was up in the night about this guitar's sound. At first I thought it had major problems (like the top string not sustaining at all, the action seeming too high, the thing sounding too tinny), but they all came to work themselves out. I am totally happy with the guitar's sound. At the neck setting, the guitar sounds fantastically beefy and warm, like a Les Paul. Same thing at the bridge position, very LPish. The combination of the two sounds so unlike any guitar I've ever heard, though! The closest thing I've heard that sounds like it is Jimi's sound on "Are You Experienced". It's almost cosmic sounding. It'll make a solid state amp sound like it's a tube amp. It's mighty weird. Overall the guitar is similar to an LP, but the aluminum neck makes it a little more tinny, especially on these early artists. I primarily play it through a Marshall 2203 and it screams. The pickups are HOT HOT HOT! I set the amp lower than I did with my other guitars. In fact, I've had feedback problems a lot (but I think it's mostly the amp being up too loud). Clean, this guitar's neck position cannot be beaten. It's perfect if you're into jazz but don't want to bother with a hollow body. The other two settings are weak on a clean channel. In the bridge position with distortion, I've never had a guitar respond to artificial harmonics as easily except once, and it was another Bean: TB1000S (#1275). Sustain was crumby at first but I think the strings were to big... I was using 12's but I switched to 11's and it actually improved the sound/sustain. The 12s were so tight that they just didn't ring out as well and they seemed even more tinny. I give it a nine because it's not perfect.

the action is just perfect. The only problem I've had as far as comfort is that the small horns don't for very easy play past the 17th fret. Also, the thing is HEAVY!!! I wear it up high (chin strap) and that seems to help the fact that these guitars are sometimes a little too heavy at the headstock and tend to sink. It's just right if you're a chin strap, though!! When I switched from 12s to 11s, the action got even lower and the strings seem to fit in the nut better now. the fretboard is nice and big on mine, but remember that these are all handmade and vary. #183 had the smallest neck I've ever played.

This thing is a tank. I dropped and the jack got screwed up but other than that, it was fine. I fixed the problem and moved on. One of the main reasons I bought it is for the aluminum neck. this is because you will NEVER adjsut the neck. It can't be done. This is great because the neck never needs a truss rod adjustment (it doesn't have one) or gets bowed. As long as you like it's feel, you're OK.

I tried to email them but they're too busy trying to decide on whether or not to charge $6000 or $7000 for the new ones.

I've been playing 9 years and own a Jerry Jones baritone guitar, Fender jazz bass and a crummy little Samick. I play a lot of jazzy stuff and lot of "indie" rock. The only regret I have is having let my friend drive me into a total tone snob tizzy. This guitar is awesome and dont' let anyone tell you otherwise. If was stolen or destroyed I'd be on ebay everyday waiting for one to come available. I love it's tone and playability. I was sold on these the moment I played a buddy's standard. I chose this one because it was available and it worked... not mentioned that these guitars are awesome.