FS Gibson Firebird V (£650 SOLD) Cole Clark Mistress (£600 SOLD elsewhere)

mynameistrouble

TLDR:

• 2012 Firebird V in need of some TLC - £650 - can post at buyer's cost (Overland Express quotes c.£85 fully insured)
• Cole Clark Mistress in great condition - £600 - can post at buyer's cost (Overland Express quotes c.£50 fully insured)

2012 Gibson Firebird V - £650 SOLD
***SUSPICIOUSLY UNDERPRICED GIBSON ALERT***

Introductory pic to draw in the punters:

I've just given up on this one. I bought it second hand in 2014 from a vintage guitar shop in Spitalfields which no longer seems to exist. It has not been treated well because I am some kind of monster who has no respect for the name on the headstock - I took it out on tour, tore apart the electronics, drilled an ugly hole to accommodate the pickup switch in the position of one of the volume controls then changed my mind and moved the switch back to the original position. It has dents, it has burn marks from where I was less than careful with my soldering iron. 

It then sat in a case for a couple of years, and since I took it out again in recent times I have just never been able to get it to stay in tune to my liking. We're not talking drastic slippage, but just enough that it doesn't feel solid and it annoys me every single time. My woes with this guitar and its tuning are well-documented on this forum - see https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/179699/troubleshoot-my-tuning-issues#latest and here https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/213425/about-to-throw-the-towel-in-on-my-firebird#latest

It has brand new riot tuners as well as the original steinberger gearless, and I recently fitted a tusq XL nut but it's not been fixed in place and I have the original nut which I'll include. 

In the interests of full disclosure here's a list of all of the ills I can think of, all of which can almost certainly be sorted by someone with more time, money and/or knowhow than me but, like I say, I've just given up now - it's tainted for me:

• dodgy tuning
• possibly a slight twist in the neck which can cause some buzzing around the 12th-15th frets on the b and e - tried to take pictures which show down the fretboard
• very scratchy frets from a fairly half-arsed polishing job after I recently did a fret-level and dress
• a crack in the scratchplate
• the bridge pickup wire has been extended (very inexpertly) 
• only one of the original pots remains - the others have all either broken or gone missing

The one thing I will say in it's favour, and the reason why it's taken me so long to decide to part with it - it sounds absolutely huge, has an incredibly comfortable neck and is a joy to play other than the tuning stability. I used it extensively to record this demo track: 

Links to two sets of pics here (some more to follow trying to show the checking on the finish):
https://imgur.com/gallery/Sz9FdLF
https://imgur.com/gallery/ETxRcti
 
Feel free to ask any questions! I've chosen a price which I think is a fair reflection of it's various foibles whilst recognising it has the potential be a flippers dream.

Cole Clark Mistress - £600

It's time to move on this slightly unusual, but beautiful, guitar:



I bought this from No Tom's on Denmark street probably 2013/14 completely on a whim - I said I wanted a long scale guitar with a big fat neck, and this is what they suggested. They did tell me at the time about all the different woods, which are (as far as I can recall) native to Australia, but I can't remember the specifics so I don't want to mislead anyone. All I know is that I picked it up, loved the feel and sound and bought it on the spot. I didn't know anything about Cole Clark before I bought it, and I still don't profess to know that much, but there's a load of information about the Mistress here: http://www.guitarnerd.com.au/2017/06/cole-clark-mistress/

I've recently replaced the bridge pickup with a Dimazio Super Distortion, but the original will be included in the sale. It has a very loud and resonant acoustic tone, and it appears (purely from a rudimentary 'tapping the top' procedure) to be chambered. When changing the pickup I did a complete rewire because I also swapped out the 500k pot for a 250k pot for the original neck pickup to tame some of the highs. This is purely because of me changing styles from jangly pop back to dirty 80s metal and wanting more midrange grunt than high end sparkle. Both pickups are split via the push-pull tone pots.

There's a video of me playing it through a Fender Twin (the Hot Rod in the background is not switched on and just ornamental) here: 

I've taken it on tour a few times but it is still in very good condition, a few minor scuffs and dents which I've tried to show in the pictures linked below.

Build quality is outstanding - check out the craftsmanship on that unique headstock/neck join (https://imgur.com/qbRE1uV). Better quality than any Gibson I've owned, I'd compare it most favourably with a high-end US Fender in terms of feel and tone. Weight is 3.9kg according to my bathroom scales.

In terms of price I've looked out for others since I bought it and I have never seen one a) in this country and b) for less than the equivalent of £1k. However it's a niche guitar and I got no takers for £900 then £800 so to shift it on I'm asking for £600

Based in Dunoon, Scotland, but have a hardcase and happy to ship at buyer's expense.

Any questions please feel free to ask, I didn't really know where to start with this one because it's not one of those 'it's a strat, you know the score' kind of guitars.

More pics: 
https://imgur.com/eqiWj6a
https://imgur.com/TqABI0F
https://imgur.com/JAQbq9K
https://imgur.com/0Buqy8F
https://imgur.com/4CHSDFY
https://imgur.com/T0rWQAm
https://imgur.com/H1uCvpA
https://imgur.com/jnqgUOD
https://imgur.com/HdOwFpr
https://imgur.com/5c8VCCW
https://imgur.com/JxZPy7w
https://imgur.com/bB26qF1 (rewire)

inthesky729

Oh wow, I never thought I'd see one of these again! A family friend worked for Cole Clark when they were first getting started, so I had a chance to play a prototype of the Mistress as a teenager. Absolutely incredible build quality - they really focused on combining the best CNC tech with luthier know-how. Do you have a rough idea of what it weighs? I remember the one I played feeling super solid (in a very reassuring way!)

dazzajl

I'm not your buyer but have to say, that song is brilliant! 

Tannin

The neck and body woods have me beat, but the fretboard timber looks very much like River Sheoak, which was pretty radical back in the day but plays well and is now becoming quite common.

mynameistrouble

inthesky729 said:

Oh wow, I never thought I'd see one of these again! A family friend worked for Cole Clark when they were first getting started, so I had a chance to play a prototype of the Mistress as a teenager. Absolutely incredible build quality - they really focused on combining the best CNC tech with luthier know-how. Do you have a rough idea of what it weighs? I remember the one I played feeling super solid (in a very reassuring way!)

It certain does feel ‘solid’, will weigh it later on when I get the chance but it’s about the same weight as my tele, maybe a little more but very comfortable to play on a strap.

mynameistrouble

dazzajl said:

I'm not your buyer but have to say, that song is brilliant! 

Thank you! Can’t take credit for the writing because it’s a cover of a Pantera track, but it’s my arrangement. Did it for the 10 year anniversary of Dimebag’s death - got an huge amount of abuse from diehard fans!

mynameistrouble

Tannin said:

The neck and body woods have me beat, but the fretboard timber looks very much like River Sheoak, which was pretty radical back in the day but plays well and is now becoming quite common.

I think the body is Queensland maple. Neck I’ve no idea!

mynameistrouble

Bump

mynameistrouble

Bump and price drop

mynameistrouble

Bump

dilithium85

A large drop in price is due to the seller wanting to shift his guitar to buy my Chapman off me. So do him a favour and buy this guitar  

mynameistrouble

dilithium85 said:

A large drop in price is due to the seller wanting to shift his guitar to buy my Chapman off me. So do him a favour and buy this guitar  

What he said!

Come on, help two fellas out! 

Paul76

Still available? 

mynameistrouble

Cole clark back up for sale and now added suspiciously cheap Firebird.

mynameistrouble

Firebird on hold

mynameistrouble

Firebird sold. Cole Clark still available. 

Thrashmanzac

mynameistrouble said:

Firebird sold. Cole Clark still available. 

Hey mate, I was wondering if you still have the Cole Clark and if you'd be willing to post it to Melbourne Australia?