(SOLD) Crews Maniac Sound KTR ST-01 Sherwood Green 2016
Crews OST-60, sherwood green, made in Japan 2016. The Crews brand is a project of major Japanese instrument store Musicland Key, produced at the famed Terada factory that builds all the high-end Gretsch guitars, among others. Everything they do is done as custom orders and limited runs; only a handful of these guitars get made each year. The Les Paul style models are the most visible in the market, but these Fender-style offerings are holy-crap excellent too and surely worthy of admiration. This is based approximately on the 1962 Strat, but with a headstock-end truss rod adjuster, taller frets and a flatter radius and a five-way switch. It's built from some amazing pieces of wood: two-piece premium lightweight alder for the body, plus Madagascar rosewood and hard rock maple for the neck... proper stuff. The neck is finished in a semi-gloss style, it appears and feels similar to a French polish in texture. The quality of build, combined with a moderately slim agreeable profile, make for a magical neck. It's effortless to move around on and endlessly satisfying in the hand. The body is light and resonant too, and the 'cloudy lacquer' semi-gloss nitro finish makes for a luxurious look and feel. The tone: gosh. This is fairly bright and chiming as Strats go, but with plenty of roundess and weight to the low end and a superb breathy, eloquent midrange. The snap and sizzle makes for perfect Hendrix-esque tones, but it cleans up beautifully for big fat juicy tones on the neck pickup too. The pickups are made especially for Crews by K&T, the company started by famed Japanese pickup wizard Jun Takano. The deep green finish is a classy getup, it's a very pretty item. This is in the same build and tone quality ballpark as Custom Shop stuff, so if you're after a seriously incredible guitar and happy to field some 'what's that you've got there?' type questions, this one will make you very happy indeed.
Model: Crews Maniac Sound OST-60
Made: 2016, Japan, Terada factory (serial 160385)
Finish: sherwood green, 'cloudy lacquer' finish
Body: alder, 2-piece
Neck: rock maple, Madagascar Rosewood slab board, 25.5" scale, 8.25" radius, 60s C shape, 42mm nut
Weight: 3.460kg
Mods: back cover removed, not included
Pickups: K & T '60 single-coil x2
Case: Crews branded gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. Headstock has a very minor mark on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and rub wear only. The back has a couple of minor scuffs around the cavity, no major marks. The sides are pretty clean, no major marks. The front has a scuffs near the jack and some light play scratches on the guard and top horn, no major marks. Overall: excellent condition (9/10).
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Frets minor wear only, 9/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.