The 2000 Golden Axe Awards
 |
Guitar Unlimited - Electric (#10 thru #6)
<- Back to Acoustics | To Electrics #5 thru #1
 |
| Rich Lasner, President of Modulus (Click for a close-up of the body) |
Honorable Mention: Modulus Guitars: G3
Not quite making the finals, in a very tough decision, is this beauty from Modulus Guitars. This standard model (G3 Semi Hollow) has a beautiful, hand carved, wine burst, body with a AAAAA quilt top over a red cedar body. Of course, this guitar has the top notch Modulus Graphite reinforced neck that Modulus has become famous for and uses DiMarzio soapbar pickups. A beautiful looking and sounding instrument that would look great in someone’s collection, but would be equally suited for the gigging musician. All in all, a super guitar. List price of this gem is $2,400 U.S. Modulus also placed a bass in the best value division. The Modulus web site address is www.modulusguitars.com.
#10: B.C. Rich: Bernie Rico Sr. Exclusive
 |
| (Click for a close-up) |
A sentimental favorite this year is the B.C. Rich, Bernie Rico Sr. Exclusive. This instrument was built to honor Bernie Rico Sr. former president and founder of B.C. Rich Guitars who passed away last December. Although already in the design phase before Mr. Rich’s untimely death, his son (Bernie Rico, Jr.) has made the last guitar Bernie got to work on into a limited edition labor of love, to honor the accomplishment of his late father. This stunning neck-though guitar has a 3/4" quilt maple top and mother of pearl inlays around the body and head stock. Both the body and head stock are hand carved archtops and the instrument uses Seymour Duncan pickups. The color was a beautiful transparent candy purple. B.C. Rich took 2nd in last year’s Golden Axe being only one of three companies to make back to back appearances in the awards. The list price is $5,000. Check out their web site at www.bcrichguitars.com.
#9: Baker Guitars: Dolphin
 |
| (Click for a close-up of the body) |
From Baker Guitars come the Dolphin (B1 hollowbody). The amazing example of workmanship is currently owned by Greg Illum who must be simply thrilled to own it (I know I’d be). This beautiful blue burst guitar has a flamed maple top, mahogany neck and body, rosewood fret board, and uses Seymour Duncan pickups.
I especially liked the dolphin inlays on the fret marks and the dolphin shaped f-hole. This guitar also uses the Buzz Feiten tuning system, Grover tuners, and a gold plated Bigsby bridge. Holding this guitar in your lap is an experience every guitar player should have at least once in their lives. Gene Baker, the founder, used to work for both the Fender and Gibson custom shops until branching out on his own about a year ago. List price is $5,400. Great work Gene. Check out Baker’s web site at www.bakerguitars.com.
#8: Lace Music Products
 |
| Don & Jeff Lace with the Helix (Click for a close-up of the guitar) |
This 50's inspired design is from Lace Music Products. Although not as flashy or stunning as the other finalists, I found this body style to be very sexy and form fitting to the player’s body. However, what got this guitar in the finals was it’s unique neck design. The guitar has a twenty degree helix twisted neck. You heard right, the neck in not flat but twisted as it reaches out to the nut.
When you first pick the guitar up you would never notice the twist in the neck. All you would notice is how great it plays. However, if you look down the neck you would say "Hey, this neck is broken", but you’d be wrong. According to the designers Don and Jeff Lace, the twisted neck allows for better playability and keeps the guitar in tune more often from fret to fret. After playing it for awhile I’d have to agree with the Laces. The guitar is designed with a maple neck through body, alder wood wings and a rosewood fret board. It uses custom "Chrome Dome" Lace pickups which are bright and classic sounding. A slick bit of design work for $2,750 U.S. making it the lowest priced guitar in the finals. Find out more at www.lacemusic.com.
#7: McNaught Guitars: Tiger
 |
| (Click for a close-up of the neck inlay) |
David McNaught entered this fantastic display of workmanship called the "Tiger". This guitar has a beautiful Tiger maple top finished in a color called "Tiger Eye" on a mahogany body. What really sets this guitar apart from all the other quilt top guitars was the breath taking Tiger inlay on the neck also done by David. This is a great guitar built by a small shop proving that the little guys can compete with the big boys. List price is $6,500. See more of David’s work at www.mcnaughtguitars.com.
 |
| The Millennium (Click for a close-up of the inlay) |
#6: Brian Moore Guitars: Millennium
The Brian Moore Millennium takes position number six. Continuing the trend of flamed maple tops, this guitar has one of the most incredible wood tops on it that I have seen in the entire competition. In addition to that, the fret board is inlayed with mother of pearl depictions of important icons from the entire century from Marilyn Monroe to the moon landings.
For you spec junkies, the guitar has a mahogany back, rosewood fingerboard, Seymour Duncan pickups, Sperzel tuners and the only built-in midi interface in the finals. Brian Moore Guitars has been long known among serious guitar collectors as a great product. That would explain the fact they placed three instruments in the finals also taking positions in the Guitar best value and Bass best value awards. Only Brian Moore, Taylor and Warrior managed to pull off three instruments in the finals (no one got four). To see the rest of the Brian Moore line go to www.bmcguitars.com.
| Advertisement |
Latest Headlines
Parker Guitars Announces General Availability of the Adrian Belew Signature Fly Guitar
Rivera Amplification Unveils SilentSister™ Isolation Cabinet
JBL Bags Presents Revolutionary Sub Transporter Bag with Built-in Caster Board
Numark Announces NS7 Controller For Serato Itch Available Worldwide March 24, 2009
2009 Guitar Workshop Plus Program Announced
Focusrite Releases Liquid 4PRE 4-Channel Microphone Preamp
Loopmasters Releases Wave Alchemy Electro House Progressions and Drumdrops In Dub 2
Blastwave FX Releases Sound Effects Libraries on USB Flash Drives
Features