NGD: Valentine

[jones4tone]

This gorgeous Valentine showed up today! I'd not seen one in person other than the Trans Buttermilk, but this finish is just incredible. Up close, you can see the grain of the body in the finish, but get a few feet away and it just looks like a deep maroon guitar.

The tones are wonderful, and the feel is perfect. I was nervous about the absence of a belly cut, but it's no issue at all for me as it turns out. I was also a bit wary of the 11s it comes strung with, but I've been playing acoustic a lot more than I had been, so my fingers are used to heavier strings now, and the 11s feel great. It weighs something very close to 6.5 pounds, which I'm very pleased with.

We did some A/B comparisons with the Valentine and a Tele my son has. It covers that ground well enough that I think even a trained ear would be hard pressed to tell you it wasn't a Tele if they heard it. And the humbucker sounds are very nice, too.

A huge thanks to Pete DuBaldo for the great service, as always! And a tip of the cap to James Valentine and all the crew in SLO for making this fabulous guitar.

One pic of the new one, and then the updated group shot.

 

[Fro]

Very nice!

 

[Astrofreq]

I can honestly say that every color of the Valentine looks as classy as the last.

 

[johnnyboogie]

Congratulations and enjoy playing!!

 

[CaseyBall]

Awesome Valentine! I don't know what it is, I'm usually a weenie and can only handle 9s, but the stock 11s do feel much easier to deal with on a Valentine. Hardtails just lend themselves to heavier gauges it seems like.

Gotta say though, I can't help but keep checking out that Super Sport MM90P!

 

[mikeller]

That is awesome Doug!!!! Congrats. Great family you have!!!!

 

[guertzi]

Wow, that's a real beauty! Congrats!

 

[spychocyco]

Man, looking at all of these pics, I really have to work on my wall. Very nice new addition, and fantastic collection.

 

[agt]

Beautiful guitar! Congratulations and enjoy playing it!

Since getting mine a few weeks ago, I am convinced that the neck on the Valentine is my favorite ever.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Enjoy the Valentine, it's nice and light!

 

[xjbebop]

Outstanding...congrats!
I've got an SBMM Valentine, and it is a fabulous & unique instrument...and more comfortable than I expected as you mention.

also, that is a great looking wall collection, and as CB mentions, the M-holed MM90 in the center is sweet!

 

[GWDavis28]

Congrats on the Valentine, I dig that color you got.

In the group shot, the Starry Night Luke, looks fantastic.

Glenn |B)

 

[jones4tone]

Thanks, everyone!

Beautiful guitar! Congratulations and enjoy playing it!

Since getting mine a few weeks ago, I am convinced that the neck on the Valentine is my favorite ever.

The neck feels absolutely wonderful! I’ve never had an uncomfortable neck on a Music Man, obviously, but this is really great. It's tricky to get good pictures of it, but I'll try to get set up soon to get some good looks at the flame in the neck and add them to this thread. (The almost hologram-like way that flamed maple changes appearance as you change the angle you're looking from is freaky. Sometimes you can see it, sometimes you can't.)

Awesome Valentine! I don't know what it is, I'm usually a weenie and can only handle 9s, but the stock 11s do feel much easier to deal with on a Valentine. Hardtails just lend themselves to heavier gauges it seems like.

Gotta say though, I can't help but keep checking out that Super Sport MM90P!

Outstanding...congrats!
also, that is a great looking wall collection, and as CB mentions, the M-holed MM90 in the center is sweet!

Casey and bebop, yes the MM90P semi-hollow is quite a guitar. It was a NOS find a few months ago that I couldn’t pass on, and I’m glad I didn’t. The neck on that one made me a convert to maple fretboards. Just incredible…

Congrats on the Valentine, I dig that color you got.
Glenn |B)

I really had no idea what to expect from the Trans Maroon finish (except faith that they wouldn’t do less than a spectacular job on it), but it’s top notch!

 

[Wahoonc]

Dig that color a lot. How would you compare the neck to the Axis and GC?

 

[jones4tone]

Dig that color a lot. How would you compare the neck to the Axis and GC?

It is a little less substantial than my Game Changer's neck. If you imagine the Axis neck without the asymmetric profile, I think of the Valentine as being very similar to that. If you are at home on both the GC and the Axis, the Valentine would just fall into your hand and feel very natural.

 

[Fro]

I dialed back the boost on my Valentine and it is much more useful for how I use it. I find myself grabbing the Valentine most of the time.

 

[QuietSpike]

Congrats! Beautiful machine.

Im two months in and can't put my Vale down. Playing it tonight--- it looks so sick in spotlights with the starry night finish. Like basscatcher above, I find myself reaching for this guitar over my others as well. Love this thing.

 

[edhalen]

Congrats! Very nice guitar!

 

[Dominic]

I also have the maroon and agree on all comments. Hard to justify buying another, but I would really like to have one in natural too.....haven't seen "natural" in person, but they look incredible in pics

 

[Wahoonc]

It is a little less substantial than my Game Changer's neck. If you imagine the Axis neck without the asymmetric profile, I think of the Valentine as being very similar to that. If you are at home on both the GC and the Axis, the Valentine would just fall into your hand and feel very natural.

Oh, man. That makes me very curious. Very, very curious. Thanks for the comparison.