Mr Horsepower?

[DaveB]

Hi Guys,

I'm a recent convert to MM guitars - 3 already (Axis Sport HH, Axis SuperSport P90 & Piezo, JPM6) and a fourth (Axis) on the way.....

I recently saw that there had been 25 Mr Horsepower guitars built. Has anyone seen one/played one, know of anywhere that is selling one?

Do you know how much they were originally.

So many questions/so little time.

Cheers

Dave

 

[SteveB]

Dave,

The only place I've seen one of the "Mr. Horsepower" guitars was in a magazine article where they toured the factory.

I believe at least one of those guitars was sold auctioned off to support the Casey Lee Ball foundation. (www.ernieball.com/clb) They are currently auctioning a one-off Axis with rosewood fingerboard and cardinal red hardware, binding and inlays.

I don't know how any of the other "Mr. Horsepower" guitars were sold.

 

[Raz]

Spinal Tap

Is this what you mean?

 

[Jimi D]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum!

Mr. Horsepower is probably EBMM's most collectable and most valuable guitar, and for good reason; from the stainless steel exhaust and hot-fuel-proof rubber pickup switches, to the working tach, shifter trem arm and unique, specially designed EBMM Roadrunner Logo on the headstock, they are entirely custom guitars, and the price reflects this. They originally sold for $5,000 each, and the last one on Ebay comfortably went for a five figure sum, which puts them out of my league by a wide margin. Of course, you could always buy a used Albert Lee and have it rebuilt to Mr. Horsepower spec - that would probably only run you $3 grand or so when all is said and done...

 

[Raz]

Dave,

The only place I've seen one of the "Mr. Horsepower" guitars was in a magazine article where they toured the factory.

I believe at least one of those guitars was sold auctioned off to support the Casey Lee Ball foundation. (www.ernieball.com/clb) They are currently auctioning a one-off Axis with rosewood fingerboard and cardinal red hardware, binding and inlays.

I don't know how any of the other "Mr. Horsepower" guitars were sold.

Apparently there were 25 made...

 

[dfrady]

The Mr. Horsepower guitars were very cool, i actually got to see one when they were first built, it had a tach built in too it, so the harder you would play the more the needle would move, very cool guitar !!!

 

[Big Poppa]

Here's the story on the Mr Horsepower guitar....

Luke was producing Spinal Taps Break Like the Wind LP at a old and very dear friend Jay Graydon's studio. Jay was Lukes mentor and helped Luke get into session work when Luke was breaking in.

Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) was checking out Lukes guitar and really liked it. I came down and said let me make something for you for your tour. I said that anyone can make a guitar but we could make really funny guitars that really played well. We brainstormed and came up with a hot rod idea with the woodpecker, Dudley really ran with it and went crazy. That original Mr. horsepower guitar took only 22 days to design and make. Dudley worked his ass off. We made several more guitars for Chris including a double neck guitar electric sitar complete with a built in insense burner and a golden framed photo of Taj Mahal.......not the building the bluesman.

This was at the same time that Casey was undergoing bunch of surgeries including the transplant. Chris and his wife Jamie Lee Curtis took an interest in Casey and have been really kind generous supporters. When they were releasing the 20th anniversary of spinal tap dvd, the marketing guys wanted to have a limited edition guitar to sell. Chris would only do it if all of the prodceeds were donated to the CLB. We donated the guitars to Christopher and he gave them to the CLB where they were auctioned off on Ebay. Casey has #1, Ray Scherr (former owner of Guitar Center has #2, and Jim D'Addario has #3. The guitars went for over $125,000, all d0onated to UCLA>

I still have two new in the box..........someday......

P.S. Did you know the Lee in Casey is named for Albert Lee.

 

[Tokkes]

Great story BP,

and that truly is an amazing looking guitar. Although it has a high gimmick look, I'm more than sure that it still is a magnificent guitar to play on.

I kept staring at the pic for a few minutes. Nice work, as always,

cheers, Tom.

 

[Jimi D]

Thanks BP for the history... that's a great story! and I didn't know Casey was partly Albert's namesake - very nice

 

[kbaim]

P.S. Did you know the Lee in Casey is named for Albert Lee.

I would've guessed Jamie Lee.

Or maybe Kathie Lee.








No disrespect, casey!

 

[DaveB]

Excellent info thanks guys (esp Big Poppa)

Guitars Plus in WV have one for sale - I'm really tempted.

BTW who got #11?

Dave

 

[Raz]

Truly a remarkable story...man what a great company...heck if you sold dishwashers, I would buy one

 

[jongitarz]

Excellent info thanks guys (esp Big Poppa)

Guitars Plus in WV have one for sale - I'm really tempted.

BTW who got #11?

Dave

I actually set up #11 among others, and I bleeb it went to Nigel(Christopher) although I could be wrong...BP can you clarify?

 

[jimmyp]

Am I right in thinking that the neck was from an EVH model, and 2 of the humbuckers were EVH as well?

 

[koogie2k]

Truly a remarkable story...man what a great company...heck if you sold dishwashers, I would buy one

Hey Raz, my wife does dishes......let's negotiate! hehehehehe

Great story on the guitar. I'm glad to see those that were auctioned off went to a great cause. As always, keep up the excellent work!

 

[Big Poppa]

Eleven was auctioned off first as i recall and went for 10gs

 

[phatduckk]

i like the inlays. theyre like a cheat sheet

 

[bluebullet]

the guitar exchange in St.Charles Mo. has one, i think he wants like 20,000 he also has a amber evh that has never been played. its in a display case. last time i asked he said he wasnt sure if he wanted to sell it but if he does he wants 3,000 for it.

 

[NorM]

I know where another one is.

 

[GWDavis28]

Here's someones web site about Mr. Horsepower.

http://www.wolfgangguitars.com/Mr.Horsepower.htm

Later, Glenn |B)