MetalNecks.com - Your source for metal necked guitars and basses.

Style of Music: Jammy

Comments: My first electric guitar, bought used when I was 14 or so in 1977. I'd never seen anything like it -- the friends I played with had Les Paul copies or SGs, for the most part, and this guitar was incredibly exotic at the time. It was too much guitar for me at the time, but I grew into it, and now I can't imagine parting with it.

Definitely the heaviest guitar I have ever played -- must weigh 16 pounds, maybe more; it's like a tank.

The original owner replaced the stock pickups with a pair of DiMarzio humbuckers, and added a Q switch, which is a passive filter that brightens the tone.

I played it this way for about 15 years, but I was always frustrated with the stock nut, tail piece, and bridge. The strings would constantly bind in the nut, throwing the guitar out of tune -- it you bent a string you usually had to retune, which was obviously annoying. At some point I stumbled on the Kahler tremolo and its Floyd Rose-style locking nut, and I haven't looked back. I had a local luthier install it, and it really upgraded the playability of the guitar.

I suppose these mods have affected it's value, but they also transformed into a professional quality instrument. It's a beautiful guitar that's very satisfying to play. I just love this guitar. It has a very loud and clear tone -- not piercing or overly bright, just very clear. It colors up well, but it can also stand on its own. Wonderful sustain, good fretboard access. The action is good, although the upper frets aren't quite as accessible as my buddy's Strat. Still, it plays beautifully.

Score: 9.2

04/26/2011 at 4:09 PM

by MarkRaymond

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Purchased New:		yes
Date Acquired:		1976
Price:		cheap*
Name:		MarkRaymond
Email:		N/A

Style of Music: Rock, power pop

Comments: my dad knew Pete LaPlaca and got me the 450G for cost*. I dinged the tone because the pups were horribly microphonic. I replaced the bridge finally with SD Jeff Beck in '81. I used the back mounting plate and modified the JB to fit on it, so theres no pup ring. Now it screams. Its very heavy and as I get older I like my axes lighter. I will never part with this one tho since it was my first real guitar. came with an Anvil flight case which only lasted 10 years. the guitar is in good shape apart from buckle rash and such but for a 35 yr old guitar what can you expect. These are built to last!

Score: 9.8

06/04/2010 at 1:39 PM

by John Young

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Purchased New:		yes
Date Acquired:		1976
Price:		$750
Name:		John Young
Email:		[ e-mail ]

Style of Music: Classic rock, some hard, some soft. Stones to Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, etc.

Comments: I would have given this a 10 for durability except that the bass "E" 12th fret has lifted slightly, causing some buzz if I play up there, and local Luthiers seem clueless on how to fix an ebonol neck. This has the best shielding and access to electronics of any guitar I've ever seen. Quiet, too, even when next to flourescent lights or a lighting dimmer.

Score: 9.8

02/19/2007 at 01:52 AM

by helenforsdale

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Purchased New:		no
Date Acquired:		N/A
Price:		N/A
Name:		helenforsdale
Email:		N/A

Style of Music: dark, heavy, stark and minimal. think khanate and neil young.

Comments: amazing - never ever played a better guitar than my black 450g. would never want another. very fleixble - capable of many tones - but when you turn on that tone, that kramer aluminum tone, well, its just the devil riding with horseman of the apocalypse right on behind him. meaning, it's stunning, it's dark, it's beautiful, it powerful, it's primal.

Score: 9.2

12/07/2006 at 3:52 PM

by Joe Watson

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Purchased New:		no
Date Acquired:		June 2005
Price:		£250
Name:		Joe Watson
Email:		[ e-mail ]

Style of Music: Eclectic

Comments: N/A

Score: 8.6

11/26/2006 at 10:54 PM

by Colin Such

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Purchased New:		no
Date Acquired:		2005
Price:		600.00
Name:		Colin Such
Email:		[ e-mail ]

Style of Music: Vastly Underrated Angular Punk Rock

Comments: N/A

Score: 8.4

11/23/2006 at 09:49 AM

by Scott U.

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Purchased New:		no
Date Acquired:		2004
Price:		$350.00
Name:		Scott U.
Email:		N/A

Style of Music: all sorts.

Comments: I have an early version of the 450g;

the nut is actually glued on--I have no idea why, so usually once or twice a year I reglue it. the saddles weren't in the greatest shape so I use graptechs, and never have to deal with string breaks anymore. the g-string tuning peg is loose, oddly enough it stays in tune quite well, sure you'll have to tune it like any guitar after a run of bends, but I see no signs of the old myth, "aluminum goes out of tune."

I play through a sovtek mig 60, it can acheive some really peircing tones, it's especialy fun when you play higher up on the neck, bend the strings, and play with the volume knobs. I'm sure it'd be interesting to get some more pedals, as I've never heard it through anything else except straight through my amp. overall it's a really fun guitar, it's not the easiest to play at first, but you get use to it. It's absolutely durable; the body is koa, and the neck is aluminum. it won't break if you drop it while playing.

the nut, saddles, tuning peg, and lack of orginal pickups are it's pitfall and I have to knock off some points for that, but even so with it's fault, the tone alone makes these guitars worth it. I wouldn't however purchase one that wasn't stock anymore like I did. it seems the vintage guitar market has poked it's head in, and they are starting to go up in value. I haven't seen one under 500 USD in awhile. I was lucky to get mine when I did.

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