By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. Although Lifeson helped propel Signature to new heights by showing off its capabilities on stage, the Signature Guitar Company ultimately closed its doors in 1990, and Lifeson switched back to Gibsons and PRSs. This is an awesome guitar. Joined . Always interesting to see these builds - Alex definitely had a bunch of different "looks" for his Strats over the years before evolving to that somewhat "final" white Hentor. Alex Lifeson plays a Gibson Les Paul Axcess guitar. Next Last. This . The primary jack blends the magnetic and the piezo. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. This setup carried Lifeson all the way through the Moving Pictures tour in 1981. Body weight, wood species and resonance to match the original Hentor. . The guitar is reportedly Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing, and was used to record the solo for Rush's 1981 hit, Limelight . Don't mind the trace lines for 3 single coil pups - that's just habit. Thanks, I could not see from the photos if there was a gap and that you had put the pickup ring underneath. After he picked it up around 1980, the HRF became one of his primary players for the next few tours and albums. 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 . 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. 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. There just isnt another guitar player like him. When Moving Did you have a router template that you used for the toggle? A portion of the proceeds will go to the Grapes Under Pressure charity. It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. Part of our Music Icons auction happening on May 20th, 21st and 22nd, Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson will feature over 60 vintage guitars and other career memorabilia from the personal collection Alex Lifeson, the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist and co-founder of Rush. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all. Please check the fields highlighted in red. Lifeson picked up one of their mandolins to use for a handful of songs, and sometimes, for only part of a song. My name is Chris and Ive had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. In 2010, the sound experts at Hughes & Kettner gave Alex Lifeson his very own signature model amp. Check the other thread I linked to in the post above yours, there is more detail on how it looks. The natural finished Strats of that era had ash bodies. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. In the rock and roll world, theres hardly anything cooler than a double-necked guitar. 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. It was Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing and can be heard on the solo for "Limelight." Discover more about the fascinating celebrity memorabilia through our collections of catalogues, Mail and Pickup Only When the router decides to go in its own direction you wont be able to stop it. For a good chunk of the 1980s, Alex Lifeson used a mysterious guitar called a Hentor Sportscaster. just odd never seen that one before Ok got a lot done today since I have 2 other guitars drying up after clear coating them. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. PAINTER. Heading up the 100-plus-lot sale is a custom-built Whitey Gibson ES-355TD, which Lifeson describes as the main guitar he used throughout his decades-spanning tenure in Rush. Ok, got to work on the body today. List price: Previous Price $49.99 . It also had only two knobsone tone and one volumeunlike the three that you usually find on Strats. 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. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar (opens in new tab). The Freddy Sportscaster is deadly expensive for sure, its interesting as a benchmark and details Alexs customizations clearly. The Whitey Gibson ES-355TD is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000. Does it have to be white? Thats how a three-piece rock band can produce sounds that even five-piece bands would struggle with! As if a Floyd Rose on a Les Paul isnt unique enough, in addition to the two magnetic humbuckers, Lifeson also added a Piezo pickup into the Floyd Rose bridge. All guitars are officially licensed by Fender and RUSH ; Includes Stand ; Not Playable, but extremely collectible! and volume and tone? The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. The guitar had to be retired from touring after that. Frankly, Im not even a die hard Rush fan, and before today could not even name the lead guitarist. Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear. Or why not treat yourself? Another six-figure six-string was Lifeson's custom-built Hentor Sportscaster, which was snapped (opens in new tab) up for $187,500. Lifeson uses the Gibson HRF for songs like Hemispheres, Tom Sawyer, and Camera Eye.. He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a very unique guitar. Historic dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang Happy Birthday to You to President Kennedy. Alex Lifeson has always been experimenting with his guitars and equipment. Learn More. The addition of all the pictures and videos just awesome. All these amazing Lifeson-inspired features are finished off by an incredible figured maple top. Fender PA 100. The Les Paul and the ES-335 became his two primary players through the rest of the 1970s and cemented his love for Gibson guitars, hollow-bodies, and Les Pauls. The wiring is neck, neck/middle, bridge. not a floyd on it though odd it has two HBs and not the HSS like the others. There is no back plate on the guitar, consistent with the original model. After a year strumming the Kent acoustic, Lifeson started begging his parents for an electric guitar. I'm 99% sure he used his Hentor Sportscaster for that and for the hyper-clean arpeggios during the choruses. Brand New. I never noticed the inverted jack on that thing. Lifesons telecaster doesnt make too many appearances on stage or in the studio, but it is one of his primary writing instruments, so bonus points for intimacy. What's your favorite 335 style guitar for under $1000 used. He borrowed most of his equipment from friends and relativesas most budding musicians do. The Morely made its first appearance in 1975 on the Fly By Night tour and has been a consistent part of his pedalboard ever since. 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. Rush - Spirits of the Radio - Grace Under Pressure 1984 720 [HD] - YouTube, Rush Alex Lifeson Killerwatt Magazine Photo Mini Poster Pin Up | eBay. When you think of Alex Lifeson, you either picture him with a Les Paul or his white ES-355. I've read he used Floyd Rose tremolos with and without the fine tuners, and there are versions with the cream-colored humbucker and some with the black and chrome humbucker. Now thats a really nice job of routing. You are using an out of date browser. View Auction Results For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. If you listen to any Rush songs written after 1982, theres a decent chance the guitar part was originally written on Lifesons 1952 Reissue Tele. One of the greatest rock groups of all time, selling more than 40 million records worldwide during the bands four-decade history. What would a lead guitarist be without an awesome wah pedal!? The words Fender, Telecaster, Stratocaster and the associated headstock designs are registered trademarks of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Handmade by luthier Freddy Gabrsek in Ontario, Canada, this guitar was made for me that took nearly 10 months to complete. Crazy. Signature is the brand not to be confused with a fender signature strat. The neck pickup on the 12-string has a coil splitter that Lifeson installed himself. 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. A lot less expensive than the excellent "Hentor Sportscaster" replicas made by Freddy Gabrsek. This was my main '90s-era Paul Reed Smith guitar, Lifeson says. A custom-built 1980 Hentor Sportscaster - used by Lifeson extensively during the recording of Rush's Grace Under Pressure album and for the "Limelight" solo - also fetched a princely sum, selling (opens in new tab) for $187,500. That turned out just great! Hello Chris, great article but Id like to bring some corrections to your information the Signature Guitars section: Alex started using the Signature Aurora Prototype built buy Russ Heinl (a personal friend of Alexs) for the Hold Your Fire and Presto albums almost exclusively (this it the White Aurora, his #1), he had 5 Auroras on tour with him and used mostly his #1, #2 Charcoal grey & his #3 Dark emerald green metallic in the live performances. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. Add to Cart. i know he was endorsed by them back then. If you arent confident with wiring 920D and plenty of others can provide you with a good quality wiring harness for ~$80. 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. In 2008, Freddy Gabrsek, a luthier based in Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario, requested permission to replicate and sell Alex Lifeson's white Sportscaster. I'm just gonna go ahead and share my work. Currency: Hello my fellow Rush fans! Alex Lifeson is set to put up his most legendary guitars for bidding at the Julien's Auctions "Music Icons . ET on May 22. His white 1976 custom-built Gibson ES-355TD will go under the hammer in May. It smashed right into his prized ES-335 (and his double-neck EDS-1275, which well get to later), cracking the headstock. 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. Epiphone Alex Lifeson Signature Les Paul Standard Axcess 2021 - Present - Viceroy Brown. The solution was a double-necked guitar that had both! BA1 1UA. Will include my original invoice, certificate of origin, and comes with high end black case. 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. ET and 1 p.m. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar. You can hear Lifeson rock the wah pedal on songs like Cygnus X1 and countless other riffs throughout the Rush repertoire. but there's no way you're getting that solo with a 355. . This isn't normally my thing, but I wanted to find out what made the mid 80's Alex Lifeson so distinct. He has spent so many years experimenting with different guitars, amps, and effects, that its nearly impossible for anyone to recreate. three way switch, large brass sustain block, Hentor Sportscaster logo on peghead face, Freddy Gabrsek logo and serial number on peghead back. A lot less expensive than the excellent "Hentor Sportscaster" replicas made by Freddy Gabrsek. 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. Home Guitarists Alex Lifeson Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update). Julien's Auctions | I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. the horizontal brace says Feb 25th 1978 Carnaby Road 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. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, who is gearing up to release a debut album with new project Envy of None, is giving his . He loved the feel and tone of the guitar, and it easily became his primary player for years to come. The Lifeson Signature model also had a fine-tuning Floyd Rose-type bridge. ), Gibson three way switch on the lower horn, 5 way with that? Sincerely, It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar." . He thought it looked so unique with its bright-white finish, and the sound was incredible! Once Rush started hitting it big, Alex Lifeson went out and bought a Fender Super Reverb amp. Las mejores ofertas para Mini Guitarra Modelo Axe Heaven Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355 Gibson Blanco Alpino estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! So many people have said Alex used a "Gibson switch" or "Les Paul style switching" that I went out and got a Les Paul switch. Ive seen pictures of the original with white pickups and a non fine tuner Floyd also. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar." . Although he doesnt play his signatures anymore, he did install a signature pickup into one of his primary PRSs he still brings on tour. 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. 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. See the full list of notable Alex Lifeson Guitars below. 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 rights reserved. He uses this amp to add a little extra to his regular tone. Alex Lifesons very first guitar was a Kent steel-string acoustic his parents got him for Christmas when he was about 12 years old. All images on our website are the property of their respective owners. Basically, if you click on a product link on this site and buy that product we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Im curious about the wiring form3 pickups on the LP styled 3 way switch. I found one link on mojocaster's build, but it's a bad link. 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 . I've never used a router, but I think I'm fairly well prepared, but I have to admit I'm still a bit nervous. You can see these cabinets in action on the Time Machines tour. 1 of 2 Go to page. Lifesons main EDS-1275 is white and features humbuckers on both sides of the guitar. Lifeson is known for his outstanding riffing, odd chord structures, and electronic effects. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? I had the ultimate pawn shop find recently north of Toronto, a late 70s Marshall 412 tour cabinet from the All The Worlds a Stage era, as far as I can tell. It was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. The most stressful part of this project has been relocating the three-way switch from its traditional Stratocastor location to the lower cutaway. In 2007, the company was bought by Gibson and eventually closed in 2010. ", A 1970 Gibson Les Paul acquired by Lifeson during Rushs inaugural tour and played extensively on all Rush albums and tours from Fly By Night and 2112 to Hemispheres., A 1971 Jose Ramirez acoustic guitar used by Lifeson to record all classical-style tracks on the album Hemispheres, including The Trees and La Villa Strangiato., A 1976 Gibson Dove acoustic guitar played on numerous tours and used by Lifeson to write Closer to the Heart and other songs from the 1977 Rush album A Farewell to Kings., A 1976 Gibson J-55 acoustic guitar used by Lifeson to compose Rushs platinum-selling album 2112 as well as A Farewell to Kings and served as the main acoustic guitar on Natural Science and Camera Eye from Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures.. It is this performance that critics point to when asked to define the sound of Rush. It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. The 1210 is a spatial expander and chorus flanger that helps Lifeson create his unique Rush sound. Lifeson had 3 modded Strats. The Property from the Archives of Alex Lifeson auction also included a number of other high-profile sales. Alex Lifeson has announced plans to sell off his most iconic guitars for charity with Julien's Auctions.. 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. Rush drummer Neil Peart tragically died yesterday from cancer, and his final public words to Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson came during a 2017 Classic Rock Magazine interview where he discussed a new . Always make certain the base is flat on the surface. "Freddy's Frets", a custom guitar shop from the Niagara on the Lake area on Ontario, has received permission direct from Alex Lifeson to create and sell replicas of his "Hentor Sportscaster" customized Fender Strat guitar. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. Some reference if you can stand the 80'sness of the videos. Lifeson said it had a really nice balance when he played it, and it had everything he looks for in a guitar. 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. Custom built to match the specs of Alex's 80's Sportscaster Strat! 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). Another one of Lifeson's iconic guitars is another custom-built ax, his 1980 Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar, which was used in the 1981 album Moving Pictures and was the main recording guitar . Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Figure this was the bass cabinet (bottom) of the 3rd stack, I believe Alex used 4 stacks at the time. From Gebresek's website: if youd like more information, please contact me, as I own his #1 & #3 Aurora, and his H&K zenTera amp. Hey! He also has another early 90s PRS in Tobacco Sunburst that has a signature pickup in the bridge positionfrom his old Signature Aurora days. 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. Rush's Alex Lifeson is collaborating with Julien's Auctions on an upcoming auction titled "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson". As for pickups, the Alex Lifeson Signature Les Paul features 496R and 498T humbuckers with push/pull series and parallel switching thats activated with the standard tone and volume knobs. Another guitar up for bids, Lifeson's 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar. Im a fan of Alex Lifeson and Rush. alex lifeson hentor hentor sportscaster rush sportscaster strat modification stratocaster 1; 2; Next. Regular price $59.99 Geddy Lee Vintage Tour Edition Mini Fender Jazz Bass Model Officially Licensed. As part of Julien's Auctions' "Music Icons" auction, happening on May 20, 21 and 22, "Property From The Archives Of Alex Lifeson" will feature over 60 vintage guitars and other career memorabilia from the personal collection Alex Lifeson, the legendary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist and co-founder of Rush, One of the greatest rock groups of all time, selling more than 40 million . Its an HSS, two knobs (volume / tone) with a Floyd rose non fine tuner trem (no locking nut). News of . You must log in or register to reply here. Lifeson thought that guitar was so cool because it was shaped like a Gretsch Country Gentleman. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. In 2011, Alex Lifeson got to team up with his friends at Gibson once again to create another unique signature guitar. Germany, Lifesons original EDS-1275 Doubleneck was eventually donated to a museum in Toronto. Pretty much all he used from the Fenders were the Strat bodies and neck/middle single coils. Hello my fellow Rush fans! Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar." . By _pete_, November 22, 2009 in Electric Guitars. "I didn't really play for about a . It instantly became his primary player that graced both the stage and the studio for the next few years. I'm not familiar with the original that inspired this build, but I can still tell that this turned out exceptionally nicely! Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Alexs only stipulation was that for every guitar sold, a portion of the profit goes to his charity Grapes Under Pressure. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, Journey and Steve Lukather play Black Magic Woman. I held them together with double stick tape, and then I stuck the template on the guitar with the same double-stick tape. For more information, head to Julien's Auctions (opens in new tab). It may not display this or other websites correctly. You are using an out of date browser. 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. LIFESON. His go-to chorus pedal is the Boss CE-1 Chorus. The neck also has a rounded Axcess profile to help Lifeson reach the higher frets more easily. To do that, he has used a Morely Volume Pedal for almost his entire career. You could probably do it with a drill and then rout a couple of channels by just lining up a couple of strips of wood to act as a template. With a router, you have to do a multitude of shallow passes going slightly deeper each time. I mean I know some guys name their guitars, never heard of naming your speakers. The guitar is expected to sell at auction for between $100,000 and $200,000. Nov 5, 2017 #2 AnalogKid68 TDPRI Member. A quality build and a much better price than to have one made for you. First, the Hentor Sportscasters pickup toggle switch was located on the horn of the guitar, similar to a Gibson. PILOT. 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. Ive been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. I really like that it retains its overall Stratocaster-ness but is also has some unique features. 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! 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. 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. Lifeson runs that second output into the piezo switcher on his pedalboard, so he can turn the piezo on and off with the touch of his foot. It also had a Tune-O-Matic bridge and a Maestro Long Vibrola tailpiece. He even uses it during Rushs induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The body is from a 2014 Fender Japan ST62-FR. Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: PROPERTY FROM THE ARCHIVES OF ALEX LIFESON, Register to Bid by Phone, Proxy, or in Person. But the cool thing is all the notes on the aged masking tape inside the cabinet, which Im curious to discover more about: Learn More, We understand the importance of online privacy and are committed to complying with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. I also had a Lifeson cover story issue (transcriptions of Red Barchetta). Btw, to answer your other question, to route an American standard 2 pole or a vintage routed body for a Floyd, you will need to fill the cavities and drill new holes then refinish. It's Friday night, and I think we need a MEME thread. You are using an out of date browser. Alex Lifeson Signature Guitar - "Great White". Buy 1, get 2 15% off. 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. Alex Lifeson uses three of his signature Hughes & Kettner amps on stage. Vintage 80s Rush - Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson On Stage - Pin / Button / Badge. It requires routing a pocket for the switch and two channels for the new wiring location. 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. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. It also appears in the music videos for Vital Signs, Countdown and The Enemy Within. Like with his guitars, Lifeson has gone through a few amps over the years.