When Moving Did you have a router template that you used for the toggle? Rush's Alex Lifeson is collaborating with Julien's Auctions on an upcoming auction titled "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson". The pickups were swapped out with DiMarzios for the rhythm and bass positions and a Bill Lawrence L-500 in the back position. "Hello my fellow Rush fans! Please check the fields highlighted in red. . This would have been in the early 80s. 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. It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. To do that, he has used a Morely Volume Pedal for almost his entire career. Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: The prototype was eventually made into an official Gibson signature model and had a limited production run in 2015. One has all his effects, the second is a straight feed that switches channels as needed, and the third is a backup, just in case one of the others breaks down. I gigged this song with my Helix with my old cover band. northgta@gmail.com. I have had the Hentor in my possession for about 6 months and have documented every property and detail of this amazing and unique sounding guitar. This is easily one of the most iconic Alex Lifeson guitars ever. 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. Later, Lifeson admitted that he loved the sound of the Signatures, but he wasnt a fan of how they felt. Lifeson controls which amp he wants to use with a foot pedal switcher. each Greenback speaker says RUSH RH3 and Brigette Bardot 007 (spelled wrong I know). Legend has it that Lifeson was friends with the owner of Signature Guitars and helped him design the instruments. This guitar made tons of appearances throughout the 70s. (I was gonna sell the black one but I'm leaning towards selling the white Hentor Sportscaster now.) This was Lifeson's favorite guitar to use during the recordings . beatbopboom. With a router, you have to do a multitude of shallow passes going slightly deeper each time. You can see it rocking on Working Man during this early Rush performance. From what I've researched, there were numerous versions until he arrived at what most people consider the final "official" Sportscaster, the white one with the rosewood fretboard. It was Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing and can be heard on the solo for "Limelight." The only difference is that the finish was taken off the neck to help with playability. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. A true passion of mine, Ive designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. They recruited bassist and vocalist Jeff Jones and became The Projection, which eventually became Rush in 1968. GOLFER. 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 . If it gets at an angle, it will get away from you. A quality build and a much better price than to have one made for you. Im a fan of Alex Lifeson and Rush. There have been various discussions over the years, for those looking to build their own replicas of Alex's customized Strats, and not only do I want . "Julien's Auctions is proud to present this magnificent collection of coveted artifacts of rock history directly . That's some impressive knowledge John C. Didn't he use a white one like that during the recording and touring of Moving Pictures? Regular price $59.99 Geddy Lee Vintage Tour Edition Mini Fender Jazz Bass Model Officially Licensed. The Hentor's transition from Alex Lifeson's three Hentor 'prototypes' to a line of commercially-available guitars happened somewhere in between these two worlds. For some of the synth-heavy songs, Lifeson uses a Moog Taurus Bass Pedal to add some chords and synth bass sounds without having to put down his guitar. Rush Marshall cabinet photos, And if anyone has more info, Id love to hear! You might struggle to find exactly what you want from a Squier, they made a HSS Floyd strat but in very small numbers and only once or twice that Im aware of. 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 . If you arent confident with wiring 920D and plenty of others can provide you with a good quality wiring harness for ~$80. Anyone know the details of that white strat with the black pickguard he used for a while? Guitars up for sale include Lifeson's Whitey Gibson ES-355TD, a 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster and a Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck created specifically for Rush's 40th Anniversary tour. I found the answer to my question. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a very unique guitar. EUR Can't make it to the auction, then watch live streaming with Julien's Live. You are using an out of date browser. You can see these cabinets in action on the Time Machines tour. Germany, PRODUCER. Part of our "Music Icons" auction happening on May 20th, 21st and 22nd, "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson . You must log in or register to reply here. Gardena, For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It doesnt matter how skilled you are, if youre holding a double-neck, you look like a guitar hero! The Gibson HRF looks like Gibson took a Les Paul and threw some ES-335 into it. LOL. You can hear the Garrison in action during a small solo break on Working Them Angels.. The neck also has a rounded Axcess profile to help Lifeson reach the higher frets more easily. . Early FR bridge? To power his arsenal of guitars, Alex Lifeson needs quite a few amps to project his sound to a stadium filled with thousands of people. Joined . 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" 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 can see Lifesons black 1991 PRS CE24 in action on songs like Leave That Thing Alone. There are some super high notes in the solos that require a 24-fret neck. There just isnt another guitar player like him. Rare '85 RUSH Moving Pictures Mercury Records Vintage US Early Vinyl Repress Lp Near MINT!! That looks great and well worth all of the setup. From 1980 to 1986, Lifeson used four identically modified Stratocasters, all of them equipped with the Floyd Rose bridge. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Miniature Guitar Model Officially Licensed; Neil Peart: Drum God . including the Gibson ES-355TD nicknamed "Whitie" a built-in custom guitar from 1976, and the Hentor Sportscaster guitar, built for him in 1980. Another guitar up for bids, Lifeson's 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by, Luthier's Guitar & Bass Technical Discussion. 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. For the wiring check, the link to the build thread I linked to above in post 6. The neck pickup on the 12-string has a coil splitter that Lifeson installed himself. 90249 | Alex Lifeson Signature Guitar - "Great White". To make the guitar even cooler, it has two output jacks. Be gentle. 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 . Brand New. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? He would also use it in live shows, pushing a Marshall 412 cabinet. 70's style strat body finished in . Oops, looks like you forgot something. When he saw the Gibson Howards Roberts Fusion, he just had to have it! Lifeson loved the sound of the TC Electronics 1210 so much that hes had the same exact unit in his rack for over 30 years! 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. Garrison Guitars was an instrument manufacturer in Canada founded in 1999. Go. It only came with a white finish (of course) and featured gold hardware. Excellent items are almost entirely free from blemishes and other visual defects and have been played or used with the utmost care. Lifeson also regularly used the guitar on tour and in music videos over the years. 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. All images on our website are the property of their respective owners. He even uses it during Rushs induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. These two upgrades as well as others are listed in my OPTIONS category. Unfortunately, at a show in 1977, the band was opening for Blue yster Cult and one of the horns fell off the PA system. Its an HSS, two knobs (volume / tone) with a Floyd rose non fine tuner trem (no locking nut). * A 1980 custom Hentor Sportscaster played by Lifeson on most Rush albums since "Moving Pictures, . Another six-figure six-string was Lifeson's custom-built Hentor Sportscaster, which was snapped (opens in new tab) up for $187,500. All he would do after he got home from school is go to his room and play guitar. I'll . The Iconic Alex Lifeson Guitar-His Custom-Built "Whitey" Gibson ES-355TD Electric Main Guitar from 1976-2015 Used During his Entire Time with Rush; a "Limelight" Stage Played 1980 Custom-Built Hentor Sportscaster Electric Guitar; "The Trees" and "La Villa Strangiato" Studio Played 1971 Jose Ramirez Classical Acoustic Guitar; a Moving Pictures Tour 1981 Gibson Howard Roberts . Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Aleksandar Zivojinovic, otherwise known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is the lead guitarist for the legendary virtuosic rock trio, Rush. Now youll have to play some Rush tunes. 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. Before we get much further, let's all acknowledge there is no one definitive "Hentor Sportscaster" since it was just a name Alex Lifeson gave to his variously modified Strats. Lifesons Moog is preset with a few bass sounds and some samples. 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. In 2007, the company was bought by Gibson and eventually closed in 2010. I do prefer the look with the white pickups. Regular price $ . Great gift for Rush fans! Discover more about the fascinating celebrity memorabilia through our collections of catalogues, Mail and Pickup Only The cheapest option is to buy an old body with the right routing for the pickups and start there, though you will have to compromise on something whether its having a Floyd recess, the color, etc. 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. That way, he can easily blend in the piezo or use it for straight acoustic sound. To reflect our commitment, we updated our terms and conditions. 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. Hello my fellow Rush fans! Hey! Geddy Lee also has a set of Moog Taurus Bass Pedals on his pedalboard, preset with different sounds. Signature is the brand not to be confused with a fender signature strat. (1,377) $10.00. TDPRI, short for Telecaster Discussion Page Reissue, is the leading online community and marketplace for Telecaster guitars. Please let me know if you are still having problems. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. While Lee and Peart are incredibly important to the band's . Julien's Auctions announces the "Property From the Archives of Alex Lifeson" auction on May 22nd at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online. In fact, its hard to even picture Alex Lifeson without a Les Paul in his hands! Add to Cart. In the rock and roll world, theres hardly anything cooler than a double-necked guitar. Surprisingly, Alex Lifeson is mostly self-taught. Months after Alex Lifeson detailed his post-Rush project Envy of None, it's been revealed that friend and bandmate Geddy Lee is at work with the Barenaked Ladies on a "secret" new project. I cant remember which forum I was on, but there were several threads that mentioned that this was how Alex had it wired up with the three way mod. I hope to post some happy results within a week. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Thats what gives him that special Life-O-Sound that blends acoustic and electric sounds. News of . Frankly, Im not even a die hard Rush fan, and before today could not even name the lead guitarist. Check the other thread I linked to in the post above yours, there is more detail on how it looks. Don't mind the trace lines for 3 single coil pups - that's just habit. Like with his guitars, Lifeson has gone through a few amps over the years. and volume and tone? With my engineering experience, Ive developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. hentor; sportscaster; alex; lifeson; guitar; wiring; strat; gibson; switching; By MarkScudder, . Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, Journey and Steve Lukather play Black Magic Woman. Part of our "Music Icons" auction happening on May 20th, 21st and 22nd, "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson . Hello my fellow Rush fans! Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all. alex lifeson hentor hentor sportscaster rush sportscaster strat modification stratocaster 1; 2; Next. 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. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? The Myth of Creation Legend has it that Russ Heinl, an old buddy of Alex's, approached him in 1986 with a prototype of a new MIDI pickup. The Signature brand guitars were equal in quality to Schecters or Perfomance at that time, and they are even rarer. Looks like a late 60's to 70's strat with the big headstock, hummer in the bridge(PAF? Aside from the Guitar Players I used to have a handful of Guitar For The Practicing Musician (an '80s mag with transcriptions for those who don't remember this one). 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. Handmade by luthier Freddy Gabrsek in Ontario, Canada, this guitar was made for me that took nearly 10 months to complete. For more information, head to Julien's Auctions (opens in new tab). Next Last. I decided to listen to more experienced voices and I cut a template from 1/4 inch medium density fiberboard. First, the Hentor Sportscasters pickup toggle switch was located on the horn of the guitar, similar to a Gibson. Finally, Lifeson would get his own signature Gibson Les Paul! 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. Although I do like a lot of their music, Im just not into a lot of the electronic/synth type stuff, but I do love guitars and amps and learning about them, especially when they are custom, modified (frankensteined sometimes), how theyre utilized, and just the history in general. He bought a 1968 Gibson ES-335 for Rushs first tour. ), Gibson three way switch on the lower horn, 5 way with that? When Jeff Jones left the band, he was replaced by Lifesons high school friend Geddy Lee. Germany, What's your favorite 335 style guitar for under $1000 used. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Mini Guitar Model Officially Licensed Officially Licensed - HANDCRAFTED with all the details just like Alex's famous guitar! Home Guitarists Alex Lifeson Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update). Learn More. Wow, what an excellent rundown of Alexs gear and the videos were super entertaining! Once Rush started hitting it big, Alex Lifeson went out and bought a Fender Super Reverb amp. I've found someone who's willing to lend me their router and bits, and I'll be spending part of my weekend prepping the body for surgery, taking measurements and drawing stencils and such. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. The keys are elongated so Lifeson can press them with his feet while still playing guitar. I'm just gonna go ahead and share my work. Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear. All guitars are officially licensed by Fender and RUSH ; Includes Stand ; Not Playable, but extremely collectible! I don't know if helps that one is emulating tape the other emulating . if youd like more information, please contact me, as I own his #1 & #3 Aurora, and his H&K zenTera amp. His bandmates even call him The Musical Scientist because of his sound experimentation. 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. 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. The interaction between 2 light choruses was an a-ha moment. 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. Alex Lifeson is always looking for new sounds to add to the Rush repertoire. He thought it looked so unique with its bright-white finish, and the sound was incredible! Whitey is featured on all albums from A Farewell to Kings to Test for Echo, and can be seen played by Lifeson on stage during all Rush tours from 1977 to 2015 as well as in many of the bands music videos. Although he doesnt play his signatures anymore, he did install a signature pickup into one of his primary PRSs he still brings on tour. Guitars Kent Acoustic Canora 1968 Gibson ES-335, Tobacco Sunburst 1963 Fender Stratocaster, Sunburst (Sold) Amplifiers Kent Marshall (#1) Guitars Gibson ES-335, Tobacco Sunburst A rented Rickenbacker 12-string acoustic Amplifiers Marshall 50 watt with a 4x12 cabinet Effects . Custom built to match the specs of Alex's 80's Sportscaster Strat! What would a lead guitarist be without an awesome wah pedal!? There were several main differences between a standard Fender Stratocaster and the Hentor Sportscaster. It deserves to be played and need to thin out the inventory. Alex Lifeson - Rush Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Mini Guitar Replica Collect. The amp setup was a couple of Dean Markley 2x12 combos, two Marshall 2x12 combos, two . Its a double-cutaway, solid-body guitar with humbuckerswhich is right in line with most of Lifesons guitars. Wtf? Since he already got his signature ES-355, this time, he opted for a solid body. I'm a huge Rush fan and Alex Lifeson was the reason I picked up a guitar. Let us know if you have any questions or comments below! It can be heard on 16 of the band's studio albums from their 1974 self-titled debut to 1996's Test for Echo and seen in several music videos. 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. When you think of Alex Lifeson, you either picture him with a Les Paul or his white ES-355. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. He has spent so many years experimenting with different guitars, amps, and effects, that its nearly impossible for anyone to recreate. 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 . He has three of these contraptions behind him on stage at all times. This program is designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. 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. Lifeson had 3 modded Strats. The Freddy Sportscaster is deadly expensive for sure, its interesting as a benchmark and details Alexs customizations clearly. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. He wanted to be able to get a cleaner sound out of the 12-string, so he put the guitar under the soldering iron and chainsaw, as he said in an interview with Gibson. Although Alex Lifeson prefers (loves) Gibson guitars, he does dabble with some other manufacturers as well. A video diary of a handmade replica of Alex Lifeson's Hentor Sportscaster. Lifeson prefers to use the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah to help his solo parts stand out. Niagara on the Lake luthier Freddy Gebrsek has received permission from Alex Lifeson to create and sell replicas of his Hentor Sportscaster which Alex used extensively during the early 1980s. Its an HSS, two knobs (volume / tone) with a Floyd rose non fine tuner trem (no locking nut). That way I could start with a shallower initial cut. I think it cost $10. He recalled the string height was very high off the neck, making it difficult to playas most beginner acoustics are. Lee. Now thats a really nice job of routing. That does it for this overview of the Alex Lifeson Guitar collection. It also appears in the music videos for Vital Signs, Countdown and The Enemy Within. While Lee and Peart are critical to the band's success . 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! This is an awesome guitar. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In addition to his arsenal of Les Pauls and ES-355s, Lifeson also carried a 1952 Reissue Fender Telecaster with him on the road. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelors degree from Youngstown State University. Alex Lifesons two true guitar loves are the Gibson ES-335 and the Les Paul. The Lifeson Signature model also had a fine-tuning Floyd Rose-type bridge. California In 2010, the band wanted to go for a steampunk vibe. In the later tours, Lifeson swapped from having a chorus foot pedal to a rack-mounted chorus effect. The most stressful part of this project has been relocating the three-way switch from its traditional Stratocastor location to the lower cutaway. Lifeson is known for his outstanding riffing, odd chord structures, and electronic effects.