Kevin Chilcott

Luthier

REVIEW ON "HARMONY CENTRAL"
(
July 2002 )

THE ELECTRA MK II CUSTOM 1989

 

Royal Electra MK2 Custom

Summary
Features 10 (1 response)
Sound 10 (1 response)
Action, Fit, & Finish 10 (1 response)
Reliability/Durability 10 (1 response)
Customer Support 10 (1 response)
Overall Rating 10 (1 response)

 


Price Paid: £1000

Purchased from: N/A

Features: 10
Made for me in 1989 by top UK luthier Kevin Chilcott. 24 fret through neck, with full binding and reverse pointy headstock. 24 3/4" scale length. Solid mahogany construction, with unique str*t shaped holed body. Ebony fingerboard with pearl inlays. EMG 81 and 85 pickups. Volume pot, tone pot and 3-way selector switch. Kahler trem and lock nut after bone nut. Solid black paint finish on mine, though other solid colours were available. Supplied with hard case, strap and lifetime guarantee. A custom machine, so any features you want...
Pix and info at my website www.4x12.com.

Sound: 10
Powerful, aggressive, full bodied tone. Rich, detailed and liquid. Given its construction, sounds not unlike a Gibson Les Paul, but without the honk for a more balanced presentation. My style ranges from dark, brooding metal, through mainstream rock, to sparkly-clean pop, all of which it handles with applomb - definitely a rock machine, but very versatile. The qualities of the excellent active EMGs need no introduction, so a perfect combination. No hum or other nasties. The volume and tone pots actually do alter the character of the sound, rather than being limited to on/off. The Kahler has a large contact area with the body and aids lengthy sustain.
I'm using it with the best of Mesa Boogie and TC Electronics rack gear, through Marshall cabs. Pro gear from start to finish...

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
Tailored to my exact specification. Hand made, hand finished, hand cut inlays, setup by hand and ear, lifetime support. Low action, comfortable to play.
Flawless construction by a "labour of love" luthier from the old school.

Reliability/Durability: 10
Still going strong 13 years on. Solid as a rock.

Customer Support: 10
Personal service before I bought it; whilst it was being made; for evermore...

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 15 years now, so I've been lucky enough to play top quality gear for most of that time. Other guitars include a custom Manson str*t, 80s Kramer Baretta and a Jackson custom shop str*t. Custom guitars like this one are well worth considering. The price is no higher than an off the shelf model from some high end manufacturers, and you can choose your exact spec.
This Royal is still my main instrument. It's a keeper - I shall never sell it. It has my name inlaid into the fingerboard at the 12th fret - it's a member of the family.

Submitted by Bob Greaves at 08/07/2002 03:08


Summary
Features 10 (1 response)
Sound 10 (1 response)
Action, Fit, & Finish 10 (1 response)
Reliability/Durability 10 (1 response)
Customer Support 10 (1 response)
Overall Rating 10 (1 response)

 

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