It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. After a year strumming the Kent acoustic, Lifeson started begging his parents for an electric guitar. A lot less expensive than the excellent "Hentor Sportscaster" replicas made by Freddy Gabrsek. I also had a Lifeson cover story issue (transcriptions of Red Barchetta). JULIEN'S AUCTIONS BEVERLY HILLS PUBLIC EXHIBITIONLOCATIONJulien's Auctions Beverly Hills257 N. Canon DriveBeverly Hills, CA 90210, Exhibition: Monday, April 11th, 2022 Friday, April 15th, 2022Daily: 11:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Pacific TimeFree to the Public, JULIEN'S AUCTIONS NEW YORK PUBLIC EXHIBITION& LIVE AUCTION LOCATIONHard Rock Cafe New York1501 Broadway-Times SquareNew York, NY 10036, Exhibition: Monday, May 16th, 2022 Friday, May 20th, 2022Daily: 11:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time dailyFree to the Public, PROPERTY FROM THE ARCHIVES OF ALEX LIFESONFriday, May 20th, 2022Session I (Lots 1-466): 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, MUSIC ICONSSaturday, May 21st, 2022Session II (Lots 467-856): 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, MUSIC ICONSSunday, May 22nd, 2022Session III (Lots 857-1357): 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Phone: (310) 836-1818 | Fax: (310) 742-0155Email:info@juliensauctions.com. Strat Talk is the leading online community and marketplace for Stratocaster guitars. Fender PA 100. By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. When he saw the Gibson Howards Roberts Fusion, he just had to have it! Lifeson says he feels the same way he did after Peart's teenage daughter died in a 1997 car accident and Peart's wife died from cancer a few months later. Of course, whats an Alex Lifeson signature model without his favorite tremolo bridge: the Floyd Rose. Heres how it works. Here are a few of his favorites to take on tour and use in the studio: Alex Lifeson does a lot of fading to add some dramatic effect to his solo and rhythm parts. Alex is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the Hall of Fame rock group Rush. With my engineering experience, Ive developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. Lifeson had 3 modded Strats. To reflect our commitment, we updated our terms and conditions. So I have a few builds going on, but with some spare alder, tomorrow I will embark on a Hentor Sportcaster inspired strat. JavaScript is disabled. Along with his fellow Rush bandmates, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, Lifeson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and is ranked 98th on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists list. Hey! By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. He started playing a Gibson ES-335 at the start of his musical career, then moved on to a Gibson Les Paul. http://wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Twin_Blades.html, http://www.eyguitarmusic.com/Right-Angle-3-Way-Toggle-Switch-for-3-pickups-guitar_p_892.html, http://www.warmoth.com/Pickguard/StratPickguard.aspx, http://www.tdpri.com/threads/lifeson-inspired-mod-build.452410/page-7, Low dollar loaded Strat pickguard questions, NGD - FSR Road Worn 60s Strat what a surprise. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Miniature Guitar Model Officially Licensed. Neck is also MIJ, gorgeous, plays super . . ), https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/394/lot/177456?url=%2Fauctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F394%3Fpage%3D1%26view%3Dlist%26catm%3Dany%26order%3Dorder_num%26xclosed%3Dno%26featured%3Dno%26key%3Drush, First Warmoth Build - Hentor Sportscaster, My 2nd Warmoth Build: Diamondback SG Style, Warmoth CBS neck, modern construction, ebony fretboard, mother of pearl dot inlays, black binding, Warmoth custom pickguard in black-n-white tuxedo, Original Floyd Rose bridge with locking nut, Bill Lawrence L500 humbucker with chrome housing - bridge, Gibson style 3-way 3 pickup toggle switch, Fender tweed case with red poodle lining, complete with case candy. Always make certain the base is flat on the surface. The model name is "Alex Lifeson Axcess Les Pauls Gibson" and it includes, among other things, a tremolo handle as well as special pickups (microphones). Lifeson uses the Gibson HRF for songs like Hemispheres, Tom Sawyer, and Camera Eye.. In an interview with Vintage Guitar magazine, Lifeson joked that Hendrix absolutely blew his mind, but there was no thinking about ever reaching his level. He found Claptons solos much more approachable, so thats how he learned to play. Another guitar up for bids, Lifeson's 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar. You must log in or register to reply here. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Opens in a new window or tab. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar," said the 68-year-old guitarist in a statement. It will be a little bit of a pain in the ass, but its not hard at all. While Lee and Peart are critical to the band's success . Im a fan of Alex Lifeson and Rush. Lifeson played a Signature Aurora almost exclusively for the Power Windows Tour and kept it in rotation for a few shows after that. According to Rushisaband.com, Niagara On The Lake luthier Freddy Gebrsek has received permission from RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson to create and sell replicas of his Hentor Sportscaster, which Alex used extensively during the early 1980s. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. Alex Lifeson: I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. They were really just modified Strats that Lifeson renamed Hentor Sportscaster after Rushs producer at the time, Peter Henderson. Now thats a really nice job of routing. RUSH: Progressive Power Trio RUSH in their early . On ESL, the white Strat had a Gibson humbucker and the stock Fender bridge. I have no idea if they used the guitars, but Rush and Lifeson were given (IIRC) two custom built stratocasters by Ted Veneman of Veneman Music, probably built by John Warden. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Replica Guitars Now Available. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a very unique guitar. Hi folks, New member to the forum here and wanted to share some pics from my first Warmoth build - a replica Hentor Sportcaster, based on the Fender Stratocaster that was the predecessor to the actual Hentor. For a good chunk of the 1980s, Alex Lifeson used a mysterious guitar called a Hentor Sportscaster. A video diary of a handmade replica of Alex Lifeson's Hentor Sportscaster. Hi Christopher, LIFESON. Anyone know the details of that white strat with the black pickguard he used for a while? The Strat above is the famous "Hentor Sportscaster" used during the Grace Under Pressure era. Pretty much all he used from the Fenders were the Strat bodies and neck/middle single coils. To do that, he has used a Morely Volume Pedal for almost his entire career. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! The body is from a 2014 Fender Japan ST62-FR. It smashed right into his prized ES-335 (and his double-neck EDS-1275, which well get to later), cracking the headstock. What would a lead guitarist be without an awesome wah pedal!? He uses this amp to add a little extra to his regular tone. The Sportscaster also appears in the "Vital Signs," "Countdown," and "The Enemy Within" music videos. It has been a staple for Lifeson since the A Farewell to Kings tour in 1977. This is an awesome guitar. Lifeson loves playing heavy guitars, so being able to get that clean hollow-body sound out of a heavy guitar was like a dream come true. Product #: AL-280 AXE HEAVEN has created handcrafted RUS AXE HEAVEN HOME - WE SHIP WORLDWIDE Some of you may know of the Hentor Sportscaster, a 1973 white Fender strat that Alex Lifeson modded. Hentor Sportscaster Alex Lifeson RUSH Stratocaster Tribute. Nov 5, 2017 #2 AnalogKid68 TDPRI Member. I'd almost consider the Hentor Sportscaster to be more iconic of a guitar of his than anything else he used, considering how much mileage he got out of it and how many classic songs he was using . The primary jack blends the magnetic and the piezo. It was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. I still use it a lot because of the 24 frets. Discover more about the fascinating celebrity memorabilia through our collections of catalogues, Mail and Pickup Only
In addition to the Hiwatt 100s, Lifeson also used a Fender J.B.L. When Moving Pictures came out and the Exit . Bath Lifeson picked up one of their mandolins to use for a handful of songs, and sometimes, for only part of a song. Finally, RUSH's drummer Neil Peart is such a monster musician that we will reserve comment for now and create a separate post for him at an appropriate moment in the near future hint, hint. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. These three instruments are expected to sell for five figures each. Alex Lifeson is set to put up his most legendary guitars for bidding at the Julien's Auctions "Music Icons . Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Commencing May 20, the sale dubbed Property from the Archives of Alex Lifeson will take place Sunday, May 22 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online at the company's website (opens in new tab). What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? First, the Hentor Sportscasters pickup toggle switch was located on the horn of the guitar, similar to a Gibson. Alex Lifeson Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update), Best Acoustic Electric Guitars (All Prices), Songs with Lots of Bass Guitar (Rock and Pop), ranked 98th on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists, Alex Lifeson in Vintage Guitar Magazine, September 2011, Steve Hackett Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update), Joe Perry Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update), 70 Easy Electric Guitar Songs for Beginners (2023 with Tabs and Lesson Videos), 40 Easy Love Songs on Guitar (2023 with Video Lessons), 35 Best Rock Bands with Female Singers (with Videos), 70 Most Fun Songs to Play on Guitar (2023 with Videos), 24 Best Female Pop Singers of All Time (2023 Update), Royal Crimson Finish / Viceroy Brown / Black. Rush's Alex Lifeson is collaborating with Julien's Auctions on an upcoming auction titled "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson". Hard to imagine he was 27 at the time. News of . A quality build and a much better price than to have one made for you. After playing it Alex wasn't to impressed with the pickup but thought the Guitar the pickup was installed in was great! Germany, Please call 877-687-4277 for assistance with placing . For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. With a router, you have to do a multitude of shallow passes going slightly deeper each time. Roughed out on the bandsaw, sanded close to the line and routed to shape. Lifeson began his musical journey at a young age, playing the viola. The interaction between 2 light choruses was an a-ha moment. That way, he can easily blend in the piezo or use it for straight acoustic sound. Geddy Lee also has a set of Moog Taurus Bass Pedals on his pedalboard, preset with different sounds. I'm just gonna go ahead and share my work. Since he already got his signature ES-355, this time, he opted for a solid body. Bill Lawrence L500 humbucker, Dimarzio single coils, bone nut, non-fine tuner Floyd Rose, Schaller tuners, Northern Ash body, Rock Maple neck and Gaboon ebony fingerboard with medium jumbo stainless steel frets, nitro lacquer, hipshot locking tuners, three way switch, large brass sustain block, Hentor Sportscaster logo on peghead face, Freddy Gabrsek logo and serial number on peghead back. When the router decides to go in its own direction you wont be able to stop it. If you plug in the second output jack, it splits the magnetic pickups and the piezo pickup, so Lifeson can send the two signals to separate amp configurations! The guitar is expected to sell at auction for between $100,000 and $200,000. The name came from Peter Henderson, who co-produced Grace Under Pressure. In fact, its hard to even picture Alex Lifeson without a Les Paul in his hands! Hard Prog Rock Geddy Lee Alex Lifeson Neil Peart. It is indeed a Signature strat. In Rushs early years, Lifeson didnt even own an amp. Another highlight of the auction is a 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar, used during the recording of several Rush albums, in particular on 1984's Grace Under Pressure, where it was Lifeson's main recording guitar. This setup carried Lifeson all the way through the Moving Pictures tour in 1981. A 1981 Gibson Howard Roberts fusion guitar that served as Lifesons main guitar during the Moving Pictures tour. Go. From Gebresek's website: Lifesons original EDS-1275 Doubleneck was eventually donated to a museum in Toronto. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Grapes Under Pressure charity. Lifeson manages to achieve this sound with his hallowed 'Hentor Sportscaster', a Frankenstein guitar a modified Fender Strat with a Floyd Rose vibrato arm to create his archetypal tone. Despite the rough playability, Lifeson loved that guitar, and it started him on a musical journey that would last for the rest of his life. I really like that it retains its overall Stratocaster-ness but is also has some unique features. Replica Pat Martino 2015 - Honeyburst . Don't mind the trace lines for 3 single coil pups - that's just habit. Of course, seeing such an unknown guitar rocking stages all over the world, guitar players everywhere were trying to figure out what the heck a Hentor Sportscaster was! Buy 1, get 2 15% off. The Hentor Sportscaster! Historic dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang Happy Birthday to You to President Kennedy. Or why not treat yourself? Shortly after he bought his first proper guitar, Alex Lifeson also picked up a 1974 Gibson Les Paul Standard following Rushs first tour in 1976. Success! Phone: 310-836-1818 |
but there's no way you're getting that solo with a 355. Regular price $59.99 Geddy Lee Vintage Tour Edition Mini Fender Jazz Bass Model Officially Licensed. $1,799. Looking for a bit more lead boost during live performances, Lifeson added the Hughes & Kettner Coreblade to his amp setup for the Time Machine tour in 2011. You must log in or register to reply here. In 1976, Lifeson took a tour of the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A few months ago I figured out, thanks to posts on forums like this, that I pretty much had the basic components needed to build my very own Hentor Sportscaster and have it be fairly period-correct. The solution was a double-necked guitar that had both! He has three of these contraptions behind him on stage at all times. You can see these cabinets in action on the Time Machines tour. Fax: 310-742-0155, A 1976 custom-built Gibson ES-355TD, aka Whitey, played by Lifeson throughout most of his career with Rush. In 1963, at only 10-years old, Lifeson decided to form a band with his neighbor John Rutsey, who played the drums. How does the L500 sound? For the Power Windows tour in 1985, Lifeson swapped out his chorus foot pedal for a rack-mounted TC Electronics 1210. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. JavaScript is disabled. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar.. beatbopboom. A 1980 custom Hentor Sportscaster played by Lifeson on most Rush albums since Moving Pictures, and was the main guitar used on the recording of the album Grace Under Pressure. Regular price $49.99 Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355 Gibson Alpine White Miniature Guitar Model. (I was gonna sell the black one but I'm leaning towards selling the white Hentor Sportscaster now.) It also had only two knobsone tone and one volumeunlike the three that you usually find on Strats. He has spent so many years experimenting with different guitars, amps, and effects, that its nearly impossible for anyone to recreate. Instead, its thinner than standard Les Pauls, giving it that Axcess weight reduction without losing the incredible solid-body sustain. A plethora of used guitar gear and other memorabilia belonging to Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson is set to go on sale via Julien's Auctions in May. Epiphone Alex Lifeson Signature Les Paul Standard Axcess 2021 - Present - Viceroy Brown. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. Lifesons Fender Super Reverb would stick with him for a few albums, including Fly by Night and Caress of Steel. But even his Hentor Sportscaster had a humbucker in the bridge. Lifesons Moog is preset with a few bass sounds and some samples. You can see this model in action on Far Cry from the Snakes & Arrows tour. The pickups were swapped out with DiMarzios for the rhythm and bass positions and a Bill Lawrence L-500 in the back position. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. Over the years, Lifeson has used almost countless Gibson Les Pauls on stage and in the studio. Don't ever buy a Bill Lawrence PUP from anywhere but here: He actually had a Teal/Greenish strat around the same time: never even see that one. 70s style strat body finished in nitro lacquer. In his interview with Vintage Guitar Magazine, he says, Theres nothing like having a low-slung Les Paul over my shoulder! Its nearly impossible to beat the tonality and playability. The guitar had to be retired from touring after that. I have had the Hentor in my possession for about 6 months and have documented every property and detail of this amazing and unique . Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster replicas now available. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. The owner of this website does not guarantee offers on this site, and all offers should be viewed as recommendations only. Another notable guitar going under the hammer is Lifeson's 1980 Hentor Sportscaster, the custom electric guitar which Lifeson played on albums such as 1981's Moving Pictures and 1984's Grace Under Pressure. LOL. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? Are you thinking of painting/finishing this thing yourself? For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo ShopUp to 25% off select Gibson guitarsShop now, View similar gear from other sellers on Reverb. Up next, I'll be shielding the cavity, drilling the hole in the pickguard for the new switch location and then wiring it up. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? 90249 |
But the cool thing is all the notes on the aged masking tape inside the cabinet, which Im curious to discover more about: The experts in contemporary and pop culture. Both are expected to fetch between $100,000 and $200,000. His bandmates even call him The Musical Scientist because of his sound experimentation. Cool video Alex Lifeson is a great guitar player for sure, here's a link of some of his gear over the years https: . It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all. Some of you may know of the Hentor Sportscaster, a 1973 white Fender strat that Alex Lifeson modded. Early estimates suggest that "Whitey" will bring in $200,000 - $300,000 at auction. What Ive figured out so far is that somebody (road crew / tech) changed the jack plates from the small plastic ones to hand-drilled metal ones, took off the grill cloth, put metal screening instead, and remounted the Marshall logo. Since its creation in 2011, this guitar has become one of Lifesons primary players. The Gibson HRF looks like Gibson took a Les Paul and threw some ES-335 into it. The black one is exclusive to Alex, you wont be able to find a signature model of that one in stores! See the full list of notable Alex Lifeson Guitars below. . I updated the permissions on the media album so hopefully you can see the photos now. You can see it rocking on Working Man during this early Rush performance. Despite not being a real guitar brand, the Hentor Sportscaster became one of Alex Lifesons most iconic guitars! Of course, a legendary rocker like Alex Lifeson cant go on tour without an awesome double-necked guitar, so he replaced it with a Gibson Signature Alex Lifeson EDS-1275 Doubleneck prototype, which he nicknamed Heavy Bastard, for obvious reasons. The guitar is reportedly Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing, and was used to record the solo for Rush's 1981 hit, Limelight . You can hear the Garrison in action during a small solo break on Working Them Angels.. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. These two upgrades as well as others are listed in my OPTIONS category. Well from that pic it s a slab board with a bullet truss rod so most likely a custom built something. BA1 1UA. Lee. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar." Another notable guitar hitting the auction block is the 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar used on the recording of Rush's albums following Moving Pictures. Handmade by luthier Freddy Gabrsek in Ontario, Canada, this guitar was made for me that took nearly 10 months to complete. There was some additional dialogue I found that confirmed that the Hentors that Freddy Garsbeck was given permission to produce for resale were also wired up that way. Alex Lifesons very first guitar was a Kent steel-string acoustic his parents got him for Christmas when he was about 12 years old. There just isnt another guitar player like him. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). View Auction Results
Alex Lifeson has given me permission to backwards engineer and meticulously blueprint his iconic Hentor Sportscaster so that I may make and sell accurate replicas. You are using an out of date browser. A 1980 custom Hentor Sportscaster played by Lifeson on most Rush albums since "Moving Pictures," and was the main guitar used on the recording of the album "Grace Under Pressure." This guitar was favored by . Since Geddy Lee also uses steampunk contraptions to fill his side of the stage, these custom-made Hughes & Kettners look great to give the band a unified look on stage. Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, Journey and Steve Lukather play Black Magic Woman. A 1980 custom Hentor Sportscaster that's Lifeson loved to solo with, including the solo on the song "Limelight" and has been in the music videos for "Vital," "Countdown," and "Enemy Within" Equipment with a unknown date is on the bottom. To make sure everything matched onstage, Lifeson had his Hughes & Kettner cabinets built to look like steampunk machines, complete with copper piping, gauges, and even a small television screen. Wow.and I thought I was a Rush dork!! The attention to detail shows, and I can only imagine what a special instrument this must feel like, how much pleasure it must bring just to look at it. Your passion for many of the same things is obvious. I put a top-bearing bit on the router and after the first two passes i was able to take the template off the guitar to get to the final 1.25" depth. Here are a couple of shots of the final product. Most of Lifesons Les Pauls arent much different than the ones you can pick up from any Gibson dealer. This was Lifeson's favorite guitar to use during the recordings . Let us know if you have any questions or comments below! You can see the incredible Hentor Sportscaster in action for much of the Grace Under Pressure tour, including this live performance of The Spirit of the Radio.. That turned out just great! PROPERTY FROM THE ARCHIVES OF ALEX LIFESON, Register to Bid by Phone, Proxy, or in Person. The 3 way Gibson switch is super simple and more intuitive than soldering a 5-way blade selector - the routing to place the switch on the lower horn will be a bit of work of course, but perfectly doable with a hand drill. Custom built to match the specs of Alex's 80's Sportscaster Strat! While his 76 ES-355 might not be his primary player anymore, its still one of Lifesons favorite guitars and frequently goes on tour with him. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Can't make it to the auction, then watch live streaming with Julien's Live. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. Garrison Guitars was an instrument manufacturer in Canada founded in 1999. As he said in an interview with Total Guitar, Theres nothing particularly special about it, but it has 24 frets, and I needed it for a song.. I actually cut two templates and stacked them together to give the template some more heighth. The Gibson EDS-1275 is used any time Lifeson needs a 12-stringmost notably, on the song Xanadu. As if one double-necked guitar wasnt cool enough, Geddy Lee also plays a double-neck for that song. You must log in or register to reply here. Joining the ES-355 was Lifeson's 1976 Gibson Dove acoustic, . Part of our "Music Icons" auction happening on May 20th, 21st and 22nd, "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson . The Hentor Sportscaster (build complete! Looks like a late 60's to 70's strat with the big headstock, hummer in the bridge(PAF? The guitar is reportedly Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing, and was used to record the solo for Rush's 1981 hit, Limelight (from Moving Pictures, released the same year). Lifeson said it had a really nice balance when he played it, and it had everything he looks for in a guitar. The prototype was eventually made into an official Gibson signature model and had a limited production run in 2015. Signature is the brand not to be confused with a fender signature strat. The amp setup was a couple of Dean Markley 2x12 combos, two Marshall 2x12 combos, two . Joined . Last edited: Nov 5, 2017. I'm getting ready to tackle one of these as well - it's more of an "homage" than an exact copy of any particular instrument. Currency: Specifically, he used three Hiwatt 100s pushing four 412 Hiwatt cabinets.