• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan
Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

Saw my first BFRs!

L

Lance Romance

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Messages
130
Location
London, Ontario, Planet Earth
Was at the MIAC (trade)show in Toronto yesterday and The Glensterr had managed to find a couple of BFRs, which will shortly be coming to our store. One was a Petrucci in Trans Black flame, which looks really elegant on that broad pickguardless expanse. The second was a Luke in Trans Ruby, with a gorgeous popcorn quilt. Weight was great, nice acoustic ring, but no place to plug in and rip. Really looking forward to giving both a testdrive when they arrive, but was very impressed with fit and finish. I can only imagine what something like an Albert Lee BFR would be like...another story. I'd been waiting to see how EBMM had raised the bar on themselves, and I must say I'm really impressed.
More in a couple of days when we get them at the shop and have some time to really put them through the hoops, but first impression is...OUTSTANDING!-Eric
 
Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Nice one Eric. Let us all know what you think after you've played them - and please don't scratch them :rolleyes:

I'm looking forward to seeing the BFR AL's hit the shops too.

Not wishing to hijack this into a "what I'd like to see different on an EB" .... ... ... ...
but ... .... losing the pickguard on the AL would release more "real estate" to show off theBRR grains/patterns. - it would look awesome.

So not wishing to hijack this I won't say it!! :)
 
Ripper

Ripper

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
1,093
Location
Singapore
Hey BP - still traumatized by the earlier issues? Or is that a post-production QC statement? :D
 
73h Nils

73h Nils

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
2,236
Location
Nevada, USA
I went to the MIAC show last year and didn't see a single EB guitar :(

and to think I could've gone this year!

*Stabs eye :eek:
 
kbaim

kbaim

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
4,949
Location
Red Rock Country
Lance Romance said:
Was at the MIAC (trade)show in Toronto yesterday and The Glensterr had managed to find a couple of BFRs, which will shortly be coming to our store. One was a Petrucci in Trans Black flame, which looks really elegant on that broad pickguardless expanse. The second was a Luke in Trans Ruby, with a gorgeous popcorn quilt. Weight was great, nice acoustic ring, but no place to plug in and rip. Really looking forward to giving both a testdrive when they arrive, but was very impressed with fit and finish. I can only imagine what something like an Albert Lee BFR would be like...another story. I'd been waiting to see how EBMM had raised the bar on themselves, and I must say I'm really impressed.
More in a couple of days when we get them at the shop and have some time to really put them through the hoops, but first impression is...OUTSTANDING!-Eric
Click to expand...

I'd have to guess not quite as dramatic as the Pet or Luke simply because the AL has the pickguard that will obscure a portion of the body.

(oops--just saw Spuds comments).
 
L

Lance Romance

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Messages
130
Location
London, Ontario, Planet Earth
Hmmm, see it in my minds eye right now...BFR flametop Trans Black Albert Lee, no pickguard, 3 X MM90s, trem...I'll take one right now.-Eric
...and the same gold hardware as my 2006 Limited
 
Last edited:
D

darren

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
193
Location
Toronto, Canada
I saw my first BFR today. It was a red quilt Petrucci 6-string at Long & McQuade in Burlington.

It was a beautiful-looking piece, for sure. And i hope my comments aren't going to be taken the wrong way, but, well... the top was not as good as i would expect from Music Man. (Note that i did NOT say that it sucks!)

It was a very nice piece of quilted maple for sure. But the finish simply did not do it justice. The "three dimensional" quality of the figure was completely killed by what appeared to be too much black dye in the grain and too dark of a tinted clearcoat.

I have to be totally honest, guys (and blackball me on the forum if you must... no pun intended). This was not the quality of finish i'd expect to see on a guitar in this price range. I've seen photo-flames that looked as good, and veneers that had more of that chatoyance that makes figured maple so magically deep and exotic-looking.

Sorry, but i have to say i was VERY disappointed. Nice wood, but the finish absolutely killed it.
 
D

darren

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
193
Location
Toronto, Canada
So they've got a blue quilt JP7 BFR hanging on the wall, right at eye level in the Burlington store now.

I'm sad to say it's the same story. There's a bit more of the "3D" aspect to the quilted maple, but it was hanging on a wall with some other guitars with the name of a guy with three initials on the headstock, and i'm sorry, but the finishes on their tops absolutely kicked ass, on guitars that were 2/3 the price of the BFR.

There was a Fender Showmaster hanging nearby... it's about 1/3 the price of the BFR with a finish on it that showed an impressive quilted top way better. And a few Ibanezes for even less.

I found i had to really squint at the BFR to make out the grain, and this is a fairly well-lit store. But again, this guitar was hanging next to some guitars with very comparable quality wood tops, and it looked dark and lifeless, which confirmed for me that the finishes on the BFRs are just way too opaque, which makes them look inferior, even though the woods themselves may not be.

I love my JP7. But would i sell my Lava Pearl JP7 for a walnut quilt BFR? Before seeing these in real life, i would have seriously considered it, as that may be very close to my ideal guitar.

Now?

Probably not.
 
Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
18,598
Location
Coachella & SLO, California
Darren..feel free to say you dont like something but to attack the quality is crossing the line. Please post a detailed bio of your experience as a finisher or any experience you may have in finishing.

If you saw a PRS that was 1/3 cheaper with a better top that sounds like a killer deal.

Stating personal preference is fabulous. Stating fact with zero basis is hogwash.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
New Slinky Gauges
Top Bottom