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mmmaslowski

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Hi everyone,

Happy New Year! Michael here.

Last year, around early summer, I spotted a glorious looking Cutlass RS SSS, in Powder Blue, listed by one of the Canadian EBMM dealers; I pulled the proverbial trigger and got it without ever trying it out. Fast-forward to now, several months in, I can comfortably declare that it is the best guitar I have ever owned. I am entirely sold on its tone & neck. The guitar sounds glorious (love the voicing of the pickups) and handles everything without a hassle. The fretboard feels like a masterpiece; since we are likely all in agreement about the Music Man necks, as well as their attention to detail, allow me please cut to the chase :)

I am thinking about another EBMM model in the future. Predominantly, I am a single-coil player, but I am willing to explore options. Since my Cutlass will remain the #1, I am thinking of something that is, either in a slightly different flavor (say, like the Silo Special/Silo, or the AL SSS), or in a completely different vernacular (the St. Vincent/Goldie, or the Axis/Axis SS). I believe the Cutlass features an asymmetrical neck profile + SS frets, so I believe I would feel at home with a guitar that has some similarities there…

To the owners who have owned/tried/played the aforementioned guitars: what differences have you observed in terms of the neck feel? What felt different, thicker/slimmer, more/less comfortable?

I realize that "feel" is subjective, but that's exactly what I am interested in hearing at the moment; I recognize that similar questions may have been asked in the past, but I would
really appreciate your input.

Lastly, in the true "pics, or it didn't happen" fashion, I am attaching a picture of my Cutlass :)

Thank you & talk soon.

IMG_1605.jpeg
 

GWDavis28

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12,473
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Mass
Nice looks good I saw an EBMM add with that exact color combination today and thought it looked sharp.

Congrats, Glenn |B)
 

NickNihil

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Mar 28, 2021
Messages
133
Others have said the AL necks are a little thicker, a firmer C than the Cutlass’ soft V to C. I haven’t played a Cutlass myself but I have an AL and 2 St Vincents (an original and a Goldie). St Vincent necks are REALLY close to the AL, maybe a tiny bit less shoulder. Of note, the St Vincents are also longer guitars and the neck sticks further out by a few inches, which some people are uncomfortable with but I personally love (I’m not a big guy)-keeps your fretting hand from getting bunched up against your body in the higher frets, wider finger voicings feel like they align better, and the guitar feels like it moves more easily with you when you’re performing. It also naturally puts your picking hand a little closer to the bridge than the AL, bringing out a little more attack and midrange lest you take care to move your hand. The Goldie pickups also hit the most ideal tone point between single coil and humbuckers. Bright, vintage voiced (described by EBMM customer service as between a PAF and Filtertron), punchy, robust enough output, the bridge is a magic twang machine, and no active electronics to die or mess with fuzzes (if you like that kind of thing. I do.).
 
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mmmaslowski

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Jul 23, 2018
Messages
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Location
U.S. & Canada
Others have said the AL necks are a little thicker, a firmer C than the Cutlass’ soft V to C. I haven’t played a Cutlass myself but I have an AL and 2 St Vincents (an original and a Goldie). St Vincent necks are REALLY close to the AL, maybe a tiny bit less shoulder. Of note, the St Vincents are also longer guitars and the neck sticks further out by a few inches, which some people are uncomfortable with but I personally love (I’m not a big guy)-keeps your fretting hand from getting bunched up against your body in the higher frets, wider finger voicings feel like they align better, and the guitar feels like it moves more easily with you when you’re performing. It also naturally puts your picking hand a little closer to the bridge than the AL, bringing out a little more attack and midrange lest you take care to move your hand. The Goldie pickups also hit the most ideal tone point between single coil and humbuckers. Bright, vintage voiced (described by EBMM customer service as between a PAF and Filtertron), punchy, robust enough output, the bridge is a magic twang machine, and no active electronics to die or mess with fuzzes (if you like that kind of thing. I do.).
Thank you very much for this thorough description - greatly appreciated. I have been taking a close look at the original St. Vincent - they just look so cool, I am so digging the design. If I may, how do they feel weight-wise, and do they have SS frets?
 

NickNihil

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Mar 28, 2021
Messages
133
The Goldie has SS frets, the originals don’t or at least didn’t used to-it looks like SS frets became an EBMM standard about 2 years ago so maybe ones made in the past year or 2 do. The ones I have both weigh about 7.5 lbs, so they’re pretty light. Some have felt they’re a little prone to neck dive (though not extreme like an SG), I haven’t had any such problems with either of mine
 

elvisdog

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Mar 30, 2019
Messages
63
I don't think the Cutlass has an asymmetrical profile? I have a StingRay, which does, and it feels different though excellent in its own way. I might suggest that you tale a look at the Valentine, which feels to me very much like the Cutlass. Also the way the guitar feels when it's on the strap, where your hands end up feels pretty much the same. The neck humbucker is super warm and fat until you split it, then bright and sharp in a kind of Gretschy way. In all-single-coil mode it feels somewhere between a telecaster and maybe a Jet with single-coils. Fun guitar, anyway, and if you're at home in single-coil mode but want to take an occasional vacation in Gibsonland, the Valentine will do the trick.
 

mmmaslowski

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Messages
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I don't think the Cutlass has an asymmetrical profile? I have a StingRay, which does, and it feels different though excellent in its own way. I might suggest that you tale a look at the Valentine, which feels to me very much like the Cutlass. Also the way the guitar feels when it's on the strap, where your hands end up feels pretty much the same. The neck humbucker is super warm and fat until you split it, then bright and sharp in a kind of Gretschy way. In all-single-coil mode it feels somewhere between a telecaster and maybe a Jet with single-coils. Fun guitar, anyway, and if you're at home in single-coil mode but want to take an occasional vacation in Gibsonland, the Valentine will do the trick.
Great recommendation, thank you!
 

msquared

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Apr 12, 2020
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Lawrence, Kansas, USA
I was going to post everything that @elvisdog said. I liked the Valentine enough to buy it twice and they're both my #1s. The neck is out of this world and the pickups and electronics make it super versatile.

I've been on the fence about the Cutlass for a while (I haven't seen one in stores for years now so I can't play them). I've shied away from them because of the V in the neck but hearing that the necks are so similar to the Valentine has my ears perked up.
 

Ninemile

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Mar 15, 2019
Messages
76
I can recommend an Axis Sport or Super Sport with dual MM90's to give you a new and unique voice. I consider it a souped up Tele. The Valentine is also considered a souped up Tele. I just prefer the Axis shape and everything else about it over the Valentine. My understanding is that the Axis necks are the slimmest of em all.

BTW, absolutely beautiful guitar you got!
 

mmmaslowski

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Messages
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U.S. & Canada
I can recommend an Axis Sport or Super Sport with dual MM90's to give you a new and unique voice. I consider it a souped up Tele. The Valentine is also considered a souped up Tele. I just prefer the Axis shape and everything else about it over the Valentine. My understanding is that the Axis necks are the slimmest of em all.

BTW, absolutely beautiful guitar you got!
Thank you. I am going to take a closer look at the P90 variant. So far I’ve been eyeing on the Axis Super Sport, but those Valentine recommendations keep flowin in 👍🏻
 
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mmmaslowski

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Messages
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Location
U.S. & Canada
I was going to post everything that @elvisdog said. I liked the Valentine enough to buy it twice and they're both my #1s. The neck is out of this world and the pickups and electronics make it super versatile.

I've been on the fence about the Cutlass for a while (I haven't seen one in stores for years now so I can't play them). I've shied away from them because of the V in the neck but hearing that the necks are so similar to the Valentine has my ears perked up.
I can honestly recommend the Cutlass as the neck feels superb. I’ve been able to lower the action so much in mine that it just plays like butter.

Another Valentine recommendation - I’m gonna take a closer look. Thank you!
 
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Pink

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Jun 18, 2020
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Look up. Waaaaay up.
I'll throw in my $0.05 (since pennies are no longer circulating up here) and go in another direction...How about looking at an HSS Cutlass or one of the signature Cutlass guitars (Richardson, Hayes)? You get some tonal variation compared to your current guitar, but with the familiarity of it. Win - win.
 
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mmmaslowski

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Messages
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Location
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Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. Actually, that was my initial idea, and you’re absolutely correct - the SSH would be a variation of the know & loved formula. The weight seems to be also more predictable in the Cutlass - they tend to oscillate around 7 lbs. Love the sound of that ceramic (if I remember correctly) HB in the bridge. That thought process has put the Silo Special on my radar, btw.

I think in Canada the Cutlass appears to be the easiest model to get, so that’s a plus, too.

Thanks 👍🏻
 

QuietSpike

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Apr 5, 2014
Messages
706
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Coachella, CA
I am going to also suggest the Valentine.

I’ve owned two cutlass models (current model is the HSS Floyd rose Bull Head) and a Valentine.

The cutlass and Valentine are two of my go-to guitars over all the others (3 other Music Mans, and a bunch of other brand guitars).

The Val has a slick setup and sublime neck.
 

Ted

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Sep 26, 2022
Messages
172
Location
St. Louis
Nice Cutlass. Congrats on that. When I was thinking about buying my first MM guitar, I saw a beautiful used Cutlass hanging on the wall of a local music shop and asked to play it; I just wanted to play a MM and see how the quality was before I decided to buy one. I wish I had enough money to snag that Cutlass because I loved the way the Cutlass played, but I was dead-set on getting either an Albert Lee or a Valentine.

I decided on the Valentine. I could not envision living without the 2018 Pine Green BFR Valentine, so I bought one last summer. It was still brand spankin' new and had just been hanging out on a store's wall for 4 years waiting for me, apparently. The funny thing is that this particular guitar had several features that I generally never like on a guitar-- gold hardware, rosewood fingerboard, block inlays, fingerboard binding-- But the way it all came together as a package was so beautiful to me. A bit more of an uptown Gibson aesthetic than the standard version.

I really love the sound of this guitar. One of my main guitars is an American Nashville Tele with 3 pickups and I thought the Valentine would be a bit redundant tonally, but it really adds a lot to what I can do. First, I do find that the Valentine has a particular preamp tone to it no matter what amp it goes through. I watched a lot of demo vids of this guitar before I bought it and I noticed they all had a similar quality that I attribute to that onboard preamp. There's something "tube-like" that it seems to impart. It could be partially the pickups, but I think it's more due to the preamp. If you pop the control cover and have a look at the preamp, you can tell there some serious stuff going on in there.

And I love the pickups. That bridge pickup is so good-- like the tele but less twangy and more authoritative maybe. At first the neck humbucker was a bit full and dark for me, but it quickly won me over. I love a jangly Johnny Marr type sound and I can get that by splitting the neck and selecting the middle position. The neck pickup in humbucker mode is very jazzy if you want it to be. The boost knob is something I don't use that much when I'm playing though amp sims and my DAW, but when I'm playing in a live setting through a real amp, it's a super useful feature.

As far as the neck goes-- it IS a bit on the thin side for me. That combined with the narrower nut width was a bit of a surprise. When I first took it out of the case and played an open A Minor chord, it had a mandolin-like feel down by the nut-- in comparison to what I was used to. I have big hands/long fingers and would not mind the neck being a tad thicker. Last year I got my left-hand thumb jammed really bad at work while reaching for a door handle as someone came barrelling through the door from the other side, unaware that I was there. It doesn't seem to want to heal. Playing a thinner neck seems to make the discomfort in my thumb a bit worse while a thicker neck is easier on me.

On the other hand, the feel of the back of the neck is so smooth and silky. Because mine has a bound fretboard, it doesn't have the gunstock oil and wax finish-- but rather a slick matte satin finish. It makes the back of the neck on my Telecaster feel like flypaper on a hot day. I dig the flame figuring on the back of my Valentine's deep roasted neck-- it's like ancient cave paintings or something.

I bought this guitar as reward for myself for completing a 75 Day Hard Challenge earlier in the year. Then from October through December I embarked on a new personal challenge-- to see if I could write and record 75 new demo tracks in 75 days. I did it. I used the Valentine on 99% of my tracks. This guitar inspired me to create so much music and it sounded so good in the process.


That's my "post honeymoon" review of my Valentine, though I don't think the honeymoon will actually ever end. :)

Cheers,

Ted
 
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mmmaslowski

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Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Messages
29
Location
U.S. & Canada
Nice Cutlass. Congrats on that. When I was thinking about buying my first MM guitar, I saw a beautiful used Cutlass hanging on the wall of a local music shop and asked to play it; I just wanted to play a MM and see how the quality was before I decided to buy one. I wish I had enough money to snag that Cutlass because I loved the way the Cutlass played, but I was dead-set on getting either an Albert Lee or a Valentine.

I decided on the Valentine. I could not envision living without the 2018 Pine Green BFR Valentine, so I bought one last summer. It was still brand spankin' new and had just been hanging out on a store's wall for 4 years waiting for me, apparently. The funny thing is that this particular guitar had several features that I generally never like on a guitar-- gold hardware, rosewood fingerboard, block inlays, fingerboard binding-- But the way it all came together as a package was so beautiful to me. A bit more of an uptown Gibson aesthetic than the standard version.

I really love the sound of this guitar. One of my main guitars is an American Nashville Tele with 3 pickups and I thought the Valentine would be a bit redundant tonally, but it really adds a lot to what I can do. First, I do find that the Valentine has a particular preamp tone to it no matter what amp it goes through. I watched a lot of demo vids of this guitar before I bought it and I noticed they all had a similar quality that I attribute to that onboard preamp. There's something "tube-like" that it seems to impart. It could be partially the pickups, but I think it's more due to the preamp. If you pop the control cover and have a look at the preamp, you can tell there some serious stuff going on in there.

And I love the pickups. That bridge pickup is so good-- like the tele but less twangy and more authoritative maybe. At first the neck humbucker was a bit full and dark for me, but it quickly won me over. I love a jangly Johnny Marr type sound and I can get that by splitting the neck and selecting the middle position. The neck pickup in humbucker mode is very jazzy if you want it to be. The boost knob is something I don't use that much when I'm playing though amp sims and my DAW, but when I'm playing in a live setting through a real amp, it's a super useful feature.

As far as the neck goes-- it IS a bit on the thin side for me. That combined with the narrower nut width was a bit of a surprise. When I first took it out of the case and played an open A Minor chord, it had a mandolin-like feel down by the nut-- in comparison to what I was used to. I have big hands/long fingers and would not mind the neck being a tad thicker. Last year I got my left-hand thumb jammed really bad at work while reaching for a door handle as someone came barrelling through the door from the other side, unaware that I was there. It doesn't seem to want to heal. Playing a thinner neck seems to make the discomfort in my thumb a bit worse while a thicker neck is easier on me.

On the other hand, the feel of the back of the neck is so smooth and silky. Because mine has a bound fretboard, it doesn't have the gunstock oil and wax finish-- but rather a slick matte satin finish. It makes the back of the neck on my Telecaster feel like flypaper on a hot day. I dig the flame figuring on the back of my Valentine's deep roasted neck-- it's like ancient cave paintings or something.

I bought this guitar as reward for myself for completing a 75 Day Hard Challenge earlier in the year. Then from October through December I embarked on a new personal challenge-- to see if I could write and record 75 new demo tracks in 75 days. I did it. I used the Valentine on 99% of my tracks. This guitar inspired me to create so much music and it sounded so good in the process.


That's my "post honeymoon" review of my Valentine, though I don't think the honeymoon will actually ever end. :)

Cheers,

Ted
Ted, I am elated seeing the amount of thought & consideration you have put into making this post. I am so appreciative of the fact that you have taken the time to provide that amount of detail matched with your impressions of the Valentine. I cannot thank you enough.

Your thoughts about the preamp match my feel of the circuit to the full extent. There's something special going with this circuit. No other guitar that I have tried with my Swart Atomic Jr. has sounded & felt so genuine - it is certainly hard to describe, totally subjective. On the one hand it sounds "vintage", and on the other hand imparts so much nuance. Aside from the neck & overall physical feel of the instrument, this the other primary reason I simply love playing my Cutlass so much.

The sheer amount of recommendations of the Valentine model has definitely put it on my radar. On a side note - to those who may be in the know - I see the colors in the Valentine range are being discontinued - all of them. Has the model been retired, or we are simply awaiting a completely new palette?


Thank you, Ted.
EDIT: how does the Valentine weight range look like - is it possible to find a 7lb instrument?
 
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racerx

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Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
367
I don’t have a scale but my Cutlass and Valentines are equitable, no noticeable difference.
 

Ted

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Joined
Sep 26, 2022
Messages
172
Location
St. Louis
Ted, I am elated seeing the amount of thought & consideration you have put into making this post. I am so appreciative of the fact that you have taken the time to provide that amount of detail matched with your impressions of the Valentine. I cannot thank you enough.

Your thoughts about the preamp match my feel of the circuit to the full extent. There's something special going with this circuit. No other guitar that I have tried with my Swart Atomic Jr. has sounded & felt so genuine - it is certainly hard to describe, totally subjective. On the one hand it sounds "vintage", and on the other hand imparts so much nuance. Aside from the neck & overall physical feel of the instrument, this the other primary reason I simply love playing my Cutlass so much.

The sheer amount of recommendations of the Valentine model has definitely put it on my radar. On a side note - to those who may be in the know - I see the colors in the Valentine range are being discontinued - all of them. Has the model been retired, or we are simply awaiting a completely new palette?


Thank you, Ted.
EDIT: how does the Valentine weight range look like - is it possible to find a 7lb instrument?
Michael, thanks for the nice reply. I know this thread is supposed to be about other MM guitars to consider and I hope it doesn't seem like it was hijacked too much by the Valentine recommendations-- but I think it's safe to say that a lot of us are fans of this model. Haha.

As far as the colors go-- the three official finishes which are all sparkle types look to still be still active as far as I can tell. I would guess that maybe when the next NAMM show comes around they could issue some new ones, maybe? Just a guess. I'd love to see a goldtop. I guess they already did a Saturn Gold but I'd like to see something like that again.

If those three sparkle finishes don't float your boat, I would advise to look around on the internet and elsewhere and you can still buy brand new Valentines in a multitude of color/finish options from previous years-- and often with a nice discount. Like I said, mine was built in late 2018 and I bought it last year new with full Warranty and not a speck of dust on it-- all the plastic coverings still on the pickups, pickguard, etc. Completely immaculate condition. I bought mine off of Reverb from a dealer on the west coast and I made an offer on it and ended up getting a good deal to boot.

Yeah the sound of the Valentine is really something. I was comparing to my Tele today, going back and forth and I can't knock the Tele tonally in any way-- but the Valentine just has this extra "focus" to my ears that makes each note stand out like it was laser etched. And I HATE HATE HATE push/pull knobs. I can't stand them. When I saw this guitar had push/push knobs I was expecting more of that same stuff I don't like-- but I was shocked to see what a difference such a mechanism makes in utility. I've played mine for countless hours since I got it and still haven't had to change the battery yet so I think the battery life in the preamp is pretty good as long as you unplug the guitar when not in use.

In regards to weight, mine is 7.3 lbs. Ive seen some come in under 7 lbs and some are heavier. Mine is a good weight for me. I saw that Wilcutt guitars still have a few Valentines in an exclusive Lava Burst that is really pretty-- and they have really nice flame on the necks-- they were all hand selected to be very lightweight, like around 6.5 lbs or less. They also have a cool TV Yellow one and Toluca Lake blue I think. You can still find several of the BFRs too if you look on Reverb-- Baby Blue, Pine Green, Vintage Sunburst and some others.

The wedge body shape is a pretty clever design as it gives a little weight relief whilst allowing the guitar to hug the body in a nice way in a standing position. It also orients the playing surface at an angle more open to the player. I've played some guitars, like certain Gibsons, which when standing, the top side of the guitar seems to want to pitch forward on the strap, so the strings angle downward. Not even neck dive but a kind of "top dive". Not so with the Valentine. The only slight negative about this design, from a personal standpoint is that I often like to play and record while leaning back in a captains chair with my feet up on the desk and my guitar lying in my lap-- and the wedge design has the effect of making it seem, in this position, that the back is flat but the top and playing surface are now angled-- so it can cramp my wrist a little bit. Not a huge deal, and I probably shouldn't play in this position but hey it's what I like to do, haha.

I've said it before that the styling of the Valentine didn't initially appeal to me. I had a negative first impression to the body shape the first time I saw the model in a catalog when they came out. I've never really liked the fuddy-duddy shape/style of a Gibson 335 type guitar either so I was surprised to find myself wanting one of these and finally getting one as my first MM guitar. I could see how they could have been tempted to make this guitar as a kind of carved top design but I think one of the most classic things about it is that timeless slab body shape. It does feel like a guitar that's been around for a long time and will be around forever. I don't really care about Maroon 5's music and such but James Valentine seems like a hell of a cool guy and I'm glad he got the chance to help design a guitar appreciated by players across so many genres.

It's in a lot of the small details of this guitar that I am very much impressed. The way the output jack is put into the body is really solid. I don't see it coming loose like those stupid little hex washer things that are constantly coming loose in my Strat and Tele. I have the worst time trying to re-tighten the output jack assembly on my Tele by hand when it inevitably comes loose. The knobs are in a great spot and move very smoothly. The modern hardtail bridge is good looking and it offers a smooth place to rest the picking hand.

Well, those are just some more thoughts about the Valentine and my impressions of EBMM guitars in general.

Ted
 

mmmaslowski

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Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Messages
29
Location
U.S. & Canada
Michael, thanks for the nice reply. I know this thread is supposed to be about other MM guitars to consider and I hope it doesn't seem like it was hijacked too much by the Valentine recommendations-- but I think it's safe to say that a lot of us are fans of this model. Haha.

As far as the colors go-- the three official finishes which are all sparkle types look to still be still active as far as I can tell. I would guess that maybe when the next NAMM show comes around they could issue some new ones, maybe? Just a guess. I'd love to see a goldtop. I guess they already did a Saturn Gold but I'd like to see something like that again.

If those three sparkle finishes don't float your boat, I would advise to look around on the internet and elsewhere and you can still buy brand new Valentines in a multitude of color/finish options from previous years-- and often with a nice discount. Like I said, mine was built in late 2018 and I bought it last year new with full Warranty and not a speck of dust on it-- all the plastic coverings still on the pickups, pickguard, etc. Completely immaculate condition. I bought mine off of Reverb from a dealer on the west coast and I made an offer on it and ended up getting a good deal to boot.

Yeah the sound of the Valentine is really something. I was comparing to my Tele today, going back and forth and I can't knock the Tele tonally in any way-- but the Valentine just has this extra "focus" to my ears that makes each note stand out like it was laser etched. And I HATE HATE HATE push/pull knobs. I can't stand them. When I saw this guitar had push/push knobs I was expecting more of that same stuff I don't like-- but I was shocked to see what a difference such a mechanism makes in utility. I've played mine for countless hours since I got it and still haven't had to change the battery yet so I think the battery life in the preamp is pretty good as long as you unplug the guitar when not in use.

In regards to weight, mine is 7.3 lbs. Ive seen some come in under 7 lbs and some are heavier. Mine is a good weight for me. I saw that Wilcutt guitars still have a few Valentines in an exclusive Lava Burst that is really pretty-- and they have really nice flame on the necks-- they were all hand selected to be very lightweight, like around 6.5 lbs or less. They also have a cool TV Yellow one and Toluca Lake blue I think. You can still find several of the BFRs too if you look on Reverb-- Baby Blue, Pine Green, Vintage Sunburst and some others.

The wedge body shape is a pretty clever design as it gives a little weight relief whilst allowing the guitar to hug the body in a nice way in a standing position. It also orients the playing surface at an angle more open to the player. I've played some guitars, like certain Gibsons, which when standing, the top side of the guitar seems to want to pitch forward on the strap, so the strings angle downward. Not even neck dive but a kind of "top dive". Not so with the Valentine. The only slight negative about this design, from a personal standpoint is that I often like to play and record while leaning back in a captains chair with my feet up on the desk and my guitar lying in my lap-- and the wedge design has the effect of making it seem, in this position, that the back is flat but the top and playing surface are now angled-- so it can cramp my wrist a little bit. Not a huge deal, and I probably shouldn't play in this position but hey it's what I like to do, haha.

I've said it before that the styling of the Valentine didn't initially appeal to me. I had a negative first impression to the body shape the first time I saw the model in a catalog when they came out. I've never really liked the fuddy-duddy shape/style of a Gibson 335 type guitar either so I was surprised to find myself wanting one of these and finally getting one as my first MM guitar. I could see how they could have been tempted to make this guitar as a kind of carved top design but I think one of the most classic things about it is that timeless slab body shape. It does feel like a guitar that's been around for a long time and will be around forever. I don't really care about Maroon 5's music and such but James Valentine seems like a hell of a cool guy and I'm glad he got the chance to help design a guitar appreciated by players across so many genres.

It's in a lot of the small details of this guitar that I am very much impressed. The way the output jack is put into the body is really solid. I don't see it coming loose like those stupid little hex washer things that are constantly coming loose in my Strat and Tele. I have the worst time trying to re-tighten the output jack assembly on my Tele by hand when it inevitably comes loose. The knobs are in a great spot and move very smoothly. The modern hardtail bridge is good looking and it offers a smooth place to rest the picking hand.

Well, those are just some more thoughts about the Valentine and my impressions of EBMM guitars in general.

Ted
Ted, thank you for all the useful remarks. I actually dig their color palette - took the walk across the memory lane, so to speak, from the very start of the Valentine range up until today. I am on the same about the gold one - bring it back EBMM, ha ha!

What I love about the guitar is its versatility. The pickups do sound amazingly nuanced and with the bridge pup boosted (pot engaged) it sounds very convincing - like souped up tele bridge. Love it!

Aesthetically speaking, I am not a fan of curved body shapes, and I will admit that the Tele is my all-time fave body shape. But I can certainly appreciate those curves on the Cutlass - they make the experience much better. Coming from that angle, the Valentine body looks very pleasing to my eye.

To me, the Valentine appears to be as EBMM's crossover between the 335 and the Tele. I am unsure how accurate this analogy holds, but this is the immediate message I get while listening to it.

Thank you for your recommendation of the Wilcutt guitars - they have quite a collection. I will inquire if there is a possibility of bringing one over north of the 49 :)

Ted, thank you again. This has been superbly informative, and precisely the kind of feedback I was looking to get. I appreciate each & every one of you who has contributed and added to this thread. Now, I am having a nice problem to crack, or perhaps several of them :)

EDIT:
The discontinuation of the color palette @the EBMM website seems to apply only to the Valentine Tremolo variant. The non-trem line does not appear to be impacted.
 
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