NGD x4 - Atlas guitar haul

NorthenLights

In case you don't know about Atlas guitars (whichmost of you probably won't) here's some background: Atlas was/is a small custom shop i Thailand making expertly crafted instruments predominantly in the style of PRS. You know, stunning flame tops, high gloss finishes, elaborate inlays. I came about them about 10 years ago, when I as a young musician was looking for a high quality instrument to grow with, while not really having much money. A guy was selling what he said was a handmade PRS-copy, and I thought I'd check it out. It was a beautiful deep blue Custom 24-copy, called Star Sapphire, complete with ebony fretboard and abalone bird inlays, and I instantly fell in love. Got it for 700 euro, and have cherished it to this day. To me, this is as good as an electric guitar gets. You can't surpass this quality. It might get different, but not better. I've always wanted to try another Atlas out, but they're not very common in Europe. The exception seems to have been the UK, where there was a relatively successful distributor, but it's a long way to England from Sweden, so I never got the chance of playing another.
Fastworward ten years, and I'm in a position where my financial situation is a bit better, and I feel like getting a new guitar. I'm thinking about different things, when it suddenly hits me that I'm gonna try to find me another Atlas finally. I browse the web for a used one, with no luck. The website of the UK distributor hasn't been updated for several years, but I give it a shot and ask what models are in stock. Bingo! Turns out that Paul, who is running the buisness will stop importing guitars to move on to do other things, and happens to have four guitars left in stock. No hollowbodies, that I wwas primarily searching for, but still very nice pieces. I give him an offer for the whole lot, and he agrees. One week later, the guitars arrives at my door, and oh this is nothing short of fabulous!

First, we have a red Telstar Deluxe. It's a take on the Suhr/Tom Anderson kind of luxuary stratocaster. A bright red flame maple top, quilted maple neck and headstock, abalone dot inlays and splitable humbucker. I was sceptical when buying since I usually hate strats, and can't stand the look of red guitars. Well, turns out I just hadn't ever played a red Atlas strat! Whenever I pick this up, I can't put it down. It just plays so good. The tone is loud and clear, and the glossy maple fretboard has such a snap to it! It sounds like a strat but not the typical vintage tone; it's more of a modern, fusion-like sound to this one, which I like. I also find myself dishing out some country flavoured licks whenever I play it, something I usually never do.




Second is the Eternity Midnight. I don't know if the Eternity is supposed to be a copy of something, or just an original model. Kinda a mix between a PRS and a Les Paul double cut. A bit like the PRS Santana, but not exactly. Anyway, I can honestly say that I have never seen nor played anything like it in my entire life. The aestethics are, as you can see, really over the top! Black flame top, moon- and star inlays on the body. Ebony fretboard and the freboard markers are shaped as phases of the moon! So cool! I like guitars with just enough bling to be almost but not really tasteless, and this is right on the border. Perfect! And the sound. Since it lookslike nothing else, I decided it should sound like none other of my guitars. Therefore, it has been given super hot pickups. Bridge is a whooping 18k, and I'm usually a PAF-guy, so quite a difference. It has been strung with thick chromes and tuned down a whole step to D. I can tell you, this thing GROWLS. I'm going to install some kind of sustainer system later on, just t make it even more extreme. Also, I have never encountered a guitar that is so easy to play on the higher frets. I'm sitting around thinking I'm in the 12th position, when I look down and realixe I'm actually in the 15th or even 17th position! Didn't even noticed it. It's just a perfect instrument, completely unique that I will never part with.

NorthenLights

The last two are Star Sapphires, basically the same as my original Atlas, but a bit simpler in regards to hardware. One is a honeyburst, and the other is a deep brown. Beautiful instruments, with a really distinct rock tone. My older Star Sapphire is equipped with PAF-style pickups, and is voiced towards jazz/blues, but these pups screams! I feel like an 80's guitar hero shredding away at a stadium when playing Van Halen licks on these! My style? Not really, but still great guitars.






Well, what more to say? It's not every day that you get to recieve four great instruments at once. The strat and the moon and star-guitars I'm definitely keeping. The other two, I'm gonna try to sell to friends and family. Not because I don't like them, but because I simply haven't got space for that many guitars in my apartment. At least, that's what my wife is telling me. Still haven't got me an Atlas hollowbody though, so I guess my search hasn't ended

Here's a family photo of all my Atlas', including my blue Star Sapphire that started it all.

 

ellwood

Lovely! Particularly that Eternity......hmmm...hello google....

musicman100

Very nice 

Winny_Pooh

Great collection

longshins

Very cool

Ben

Those are some beautiful guitars @NorthenLights ! I too found out about the Atlas guitars many years ago, had a chat with Paul and ordered 2 custom builds:




The build quality is excellent on them. I switched out the pickups on the purple (and added a Sustainiac) and use it a lot. I wasn't too fond on the finish of the singlecut (Atlas Elegant) as I'd ordered Tiger Eye and got that orange, so I had it refinished to green black burst by CA Guitarworks and added the GraphTech piezo system:



(Excuse the red rings, they're placeholders for some Ebony ones I have on order, put these on for now and reminded me of Boba Fett   )

NorthenLights

ellwood said:

Lovely! Particularly that Eternity......hmmm...hello google....

Apparently, only two of these were made! Feels really cool to own one of them.

@Ben Both of those look great! The purple one is really my cup of tea. A ten on the pimp scale! Please tell me you gig it wearing gold chains, a white suite and a broad brimmed hat!

Boromedic

They're all beautiful guitars mate, HNGD!

Wish I'd jumped on the red Telstar Deluxe when it was first listed by keithf instead of procrastinating! However I'm seriously glad its gone to such a great home. If you ever decide to sell it on then please PM me as I'll definitely be interested. 

Enjoy mate and Happy Christmas!

grungebob

That brown star sapphire looks great definitely my style of guitar.