(SOLD) Momose MT2-STD/M White Blonde 2019
Momose MTL2-STD/M, white blonde, made in Japan circa 2019. Momose is the limited run, custom shop style offering under the Deviser umbrella of brands, which includes Headway and Bacchus. When they say 'custom craft guitars', they mean it: a customer orders the guitar and then waits for the build. Named after legendary master luthier Yasuo Momose, these guitars are all made completely by hand by a team that all trained under Yasuo himself. They don't use any CNC routers: the hand selected bodies and necks are shaped and sanded by hand... everything is done the slow, time-honoured, careful way. Working wood by hand means the luthiers pay special attention to selecting exactly the right piece of wood for the job, so this is crafted from some pretty exceptional timber that'd make a Fender Custom Shop blush. The neck is quartersawn maple, capped with a maple fretboard that is bound around the outsides in 1mm of maple, which saves any fret ends sticking out. It's carved to a comfy vintage C shape with a 12" radius, which combined with the recessed angled neck plate, offers excellent access to the upper frets as well as capacity for big bends and fast movement. The body is made from two pieces of super light swamp ash, joined right down the middle like a high-end Tele should be. The natural resonance on offer is sublime, the body roars to life at the lightest touch and feels amazing in the hands. A previous owner arranged a pro routing job to fit a P90 in the bridge position at some point, see the notes below. A completely unmodified example of this model would usually sell for $500-1000aud more than this is listed for, so nab yourself a bargain while it's going. Now, how does it sound, you ask? Good golly, it's quite something. Momose do their own pickups, which serve to bring out the best in the exceptional woodwork, and they really deliver. There's an enormous, rounded, full bottom end that punches hard and fast, or sings in a full voiced baritone under a soft touch. The midrange is a mile-wide and gorgeously complex, filling chords up with harmonics and lending sustain and brilliance to lead lines, plus the treble is crystal clear and sweet without ever being harsh. This is an absolutely superb instument, it's one of those guitars that just makes everything you play sound and feel better. It's a bis Yas...uo from me.
Model: Bacchus Handmade Series 30th Anniversary T-Master
Made: Japan, 2019 approx (serial 9409)
Finish: white blonde, nitro topcoat
Body: swamp ash, two-piece centre join
Weight: 3.185kg
Neck: maple, maple cap fingerboard bound with maple, 25.5" scale, 12" radius
Mods: routed for dogear P-90, but then re-assembled as standard TL setup
Pickups: Momose VT-1 single coil x2
Case: basic gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a dimple on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and glossing from play on the back. The back has widespread light scuffs and dimples and some light bubble wrap burn, but no major marks. The sides have no major marks, just some minor scuffs near the jack and elbow area. The front has some dimples behind the bridge, scuffs near the control plate, some minor bubble-wrap burn on the elbow area and top horn and some standard play scuffs on the guard and horns. It's also worth noting the bridge pickup route has been expanded at some point to house a dogear P-90, so there's a little space around the bridge plate on both sides and sme extra holes. It's exceptionally clean work and almost looks like it was done by the factory, but I can't detail the history. Overall: good condition (7/10)
Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. The frets have some normal wear but they're pretty even with no major buzz issues, 7/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.