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Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of playing, I have to
say, it is the best surf guitar I've ever heard. The Surfmaster was
designed and built by Carl Petteys, CP Custom Guitars. The body is
sort of a cross between a Strat and a Jaguar, although more unique
and it has this neat notched lower bout that holds the strap nice,
tight and stable. The body contour is very comfortable and the axe
hugs in tight. The only thing is, it also puts the neck a little
farther away from the body, which takes a little getting used
to...when you reach for the high notes, tho, you don't have to scrunch
up to reach the upper frets.
Carl used premier birdseye maple for the 22-fret neck and abalone
inlays on the full-moon fret markers. The frets seem large, although
I don't know the guage. The neck is a little chunky, it feels a lot
like a Jaguar neck, but the scale is longer, like a Strat. Carl put
the truss rod adjustment at the head, where it should be. It's a
bolt-on, and he eliminated the neck plate to make reaching the upper
frets a little less obstructed.
The Surfmaster uses Kent Armstrong lipstick-style pickups these are
much hotter than the MIA or MIJ Jaguar or Jazzmaster pups, and produce
a lot of volume. The overall tone is chimey, like a vintage Strat, but
has some awesome resonance and high harmonics that give it a singing
tone. This is good, as it cuts through my Fender reverb box, even when
I turn the mix/dwell knobs past "6". Carl kept the electronics simple
a three-position selector switch, a tone knob and volume knob, all
in chrome like many Teles. Still, the tones are very distinct, with a
nice clean and trebly tone when the bridge is selected, and a more
balanced, even tone when the two pickups are used in unison. 60-cycle
hum is a problem, but cancels well once you touch the strings.
Carl also put a Strat-style trem, which is good for those who like
them. It's a 4-hole Strat-style trem, don't know who made it. The
guitar has Grover tuners, and they stay in tune. He made one model
with a Bigsby, too, but I passed on it 'cause I didn't like the color
and it had P-90 style pickups. I am glad I opted for the Kent
Armstrong Lipsticks.
Carl Petteys hand made these guitars in his shop, and I lucked out and
found him through eBay. The price was very reasonable about half
what I would have paid for a new MIA Jaguar reissue. I'm passing this
along, 'cause these are pretty cool guitars.
If you want to get in touch with Carl, you can contact me off list. He
says he will also make custom guitars. I think he's got about five
more Surfmasters for sale. You can check out mine in photos under
"Guitars."
Adios,
Gavin
Drool, drool, droll....
Coming to SF any time soon?
ferenc wrote:
> Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of playing, I have to
> (snip)
> Adios,
>
> Gavin
Gosh, hope to...have always wanted to see Pollo del Mar. (I'll bring
the guitar). I go to your website just to see the handbills! Good luck
on the new album.
Saw a San Fran grrrlll band, The Hellfire Choir, over the weekend. Not
my brand of punk rock, but good watchin'. Still limpin' along with my
band here.
Gavin
--- In , Ferenc Dobronyi <ferencnd@n...>
wrote:
> Drool, drool, droll....
>
> Coming to SF any time soon?
>
> ferenc
>
>
>
> gavinehringer@e... wrote:
> > Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of playing, I have to
> > (snip)
> > Adios,
> >
> > Gavin
Come see the Surf Coasters next month... and bring that awesome guitar
with you!
I just did a mod to my Yamaha SVG- I took out the single coil soapbar
style p/u's and put in 3 Kent Armstrong lipsticks, but these are the
new HOT ones, with better output. Great pickups!
thanks,
ferenc wrote:
> Gosh, hope to...have always wanted to see Pollo del Mar. (I'll bring
> the guitar). I go to your website just to see the handbills! Good luck
> on the new album.
>
> Saw a San Fran grrrlll band, The Hellfire Choir, over the weekend. Not
> my brand of punk rock, but good watchin'. Still limpin' along with my
> band here.
>
> Gavin
>
>
>
> --- In , Ferenc Dobronyi <ferencnd@n...>
> wrote:
>
>>Drool, drool, droll....
>>
>>Coming to SF any time soon?
>>
>>ferenc
>>
>>
>>
>>gavinehringer@e... wrote:
>>
>>>Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of playing, I have to
>>>(snip)
>>>Adios,
>>>
>>>Gavin
>>
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
Do you still use the Reverend? I think you are listed on their
monumental list of players. Are you still playing with Pollo? Or are
The Surf Coasters a new endeavor? (I only lurk on this site
sporadically, so I get out of the loop).
Oh, if I only had the money to fly the country seeing the bands I wish
to see! (Next time I have a Left Coast biz trip, I'll check the band
schedules).
And, of course, I will book an extra seat for the Surfmaster!
Gavin
> Come see the Surf Coasters next month... and bring that awesome guitar
> with you!
>
> I just did a mod to my Yamaha SVG- I took out the single coil soapbar
> style p/u's and put in 3 Kent Armstrong lipsticks, but these are the
> new HOT ones, with better output. Great pickups!
>
> thanks,
> ferenc
>
>
>
> gavinehringer@e... wrote:
> > Gosh, hope to...have always wanted to see Pollo del Mar. (I'll bring
> > the guitar). I go to your website just to see the handbills! Good luck
> > on the new album.
> >
> > Saw a San Fran grrrlll band, The Hellfire Choir, over the weekend. Not
> > my brand of p
unk rock, but good watchin'. Still limpin' along with my
> > band here.
> >
> > Gavin
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In , Ferenc Dobronyi <ferencnd@n...>
> > wrote:
> >
> >>Drool, drool, droll....
> >>
> >>Coming to SF any time soon?
> >>
> >>ferenc
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>gavinehringer@e... wrote:
> >>
> >>>Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of playing, I have to
> >>>(snip)
> >>>Adios,
> >>>
> >>>Gavin
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > .
> > Visit for archived
messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
Dude:
I have recently re-financed the Casa del Dave...
and now, I've got to have one...
how do I contact Carl at CP guitars?
currently, I play a Danelectro Hodad, but the Surfmaster
looks like the guitar of my dreams...
dude,
Help!
dp
--- Gavin Ehringer <> wrote:
> Okay, my new axe finally arrived. After a week of
> playing, I have to
> say, it is the best surf guitar I've ever heard. The
> Surfmaster was
> designed and built by Carl Petteys, CP Custom Guitars.
> The body is
> sort of a cross between a Strat and a Jaguar, although
> more unique
> and it has this neat notched lower bout that holds the
> strap nice,
> tight and stable. The body contour is very comfortable
> and the axe
> hugs in tight. The only thing is, it also puts the neck a
> little
> farther away from the body, which takes a little getting
> used
> to...when you reach for the high notes, tho, you don't
> have to scrunch
> up to reach the upper frets.
>
> Carl used premier birdseye maple for the 22-fret neck and
> abalone
> inlays on the full-moon fret markers. The frets seem
> large, although
> I don't know the guage. The neck is a little chunky, it
> feels a lot
> like a Jaguar neck, but the scale is longer, like a
> Strat. Carl put
> the truss rod adjustment at the head, where it should be.
> It's a
> bolt-on, and he eliminated the neck plate to make
> reaching the upper
> frets a little less obstructed.
>
> The Surfmaster uses Kent Armstrong lipstick-style pickups
> these are
> much hotter than the MIA or MIJ Jaguar or Jazzmaster
> pups, and produce
> a lot of volume. The overall tone is chimey, like a
> vintage Strat, but
> has some awesome resonance and high harmonics that give
> it a singing
> tone. This is good, as it cuts through my Fender reverb
> box, even when
> I turn the mix/dwell knobs past "6". Carl kept the
> electronics simple
> a three-position selector switch, a tone knob and
> volume knob, all
> in chrome like many Teles. Still, the tones are very
> distinct, with a
> nice clean and trebly tone when the bridge is selected,
> and a more
> balanced, even tone when the two pickups are used in
> unison. 60-cycle
> hum is a problem, but cancels well once you touch the
> strings.
>
> Carl also put a Strat-style trem, which is good for those
> who like
> them. It's a 4-hole Strat-style trem, don't know who made
> it. The
> guitar has Grover tuners, and they stay in tune. He made
> one model
> with a Bigsby, too, but I passed on it 'cause I didn't
> like the color
> and it had P-90 style pickups. I am glad I opted for the
> Kent
> Armstrong Lipsticks.
>
> Carl Petteys hand made these guitars in his shop, and I
> lucked out and
> found him through eBay. The price was very reasonable
> about half
> what I would have paid for a new MIA Jaguar reissue. I'm
> passing this
> along, 'cause these are pretty cool guitars.
>
> If you want to get in touch with Carl, you can contact me
> off list. He
> says he will also make custom guitars. I think he's got
> about five
> more Surfmasters for sale. You can check out mine in
> photos under
> "Guitars."
>
> Adios,
>
> Gavin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
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how do I contact Carl at CP guitars?
Carl Petteys,
Gavin
