Electric Guitar Specs

BODY WOOD

MUTT GUITARS are New SOLID HARDWOOD ELECTRIC GUITAR BODIES joined with New and Vintage Bolt-On Necks.

Mutt Guitar Bodies are hand-built in Woodland Hills, California. The HARDWOODS used most are American Poplar, Mahogany, Maple, Alder and Walnut--either alone or combined for various new tone enhancements or classic "tone wood" designs.

Some very unique sounds have popped off our work bench--tones that will set you apart from the pack.

MUTT GUITAR BODIES are what many call "SLAB BODIES." That is, they are not Archtops, they're Flat Tops.

American Poplar Hardwood is used for several of our base models. I like the tone poplar produces--it's right in the middle between mahogany, which has a lot of thick bass, and maple, which has a lot of high end treble. Poplar is very similar in tone to Alder, which is what most Fenders are made from. Poplar has been called "the poor man's Alder", sort of a reasonable comparison but it makes Poplar seem inferior. It isn't--some players even prefer it: Jimmy Page on Kashmir is playing a Poplar guitar. Poplar's tone really shines when combined with a bolt-on neck and Alnico pickups--which is how we do it around here.

Of course, if you prefer Mahogany, Maple or Walnut--I build guitars from these hardwoods as well. If you have other Hardwoods in mind, write me and let's discuss it.

Most guitars you find in the same price range as my Mutts are made of press board and/or plywood. Even when it claims to be mahogany, it's just a very thin--1/8th inch veneer on top of press board. Mutts are real hardwood guitars that resonate the way real wood guitars were designed to do. Hold one and feel the rigidness. Your can feel and hear how the strings have something solid to VIBRATE against. Put the body to your ear and tap it with your knuckle--you'll hear a distinct tone ping. Those plywood/pressboard guitars just give a dead thud.

Be smart and spend the same money for a Oneuvakind Real Hardwood guitar.

BODY SHAPES and SIZES

Ultimately, I'm attempting to acclimate the world to my original Mutt Body Shape as seen in the Mutt Standard, Special, Jr., Sparkle Mutt, Psycho Mutt GT and Lightning. This body size and shape is inspired by an LP in width, length and balance but it's more slender--usually 1-1/2 inches in thickness. So basically a Mutt Body is somewhere right between an LP and an SG in size and weight.

The Mutt T-Bird is about 2-1/2 inches shorter in horizontal length than the right-handed guitar it was designed to impersonate. The Mutt Master (aka. Surf Master & Jagasonic) is about 2 inches shorter than a Fender Jag. The Mutt Exploder is also a little smaller.

NECKS

On Base Model Mutts you typically get a choice of 2 Different "Bolt-On" Neck Styles: 24-3/4" Scale 3x3 LP Influenced or 25-1/2" Scale 6 In-Line Strat Influenced.

Both are usually Maple Backs with Rosewood Fretboards and ordered from various established sources. They're not quite "top of the line" but hey are invariably straight, feel good to play and setup quite well with proper intonation. (Fortunately, Necks are the one component that even the Chinese do well now.)

Once in a while, I'll build a guitar around a vintage neck I've found online. I've learned how to make old frets play evenly, how to recondition the fretboards and how to make these unique finds set off my Oneuvakind guitars even more so. So if you see one of my new guitar bodies sporting an old neck--it's because that neck was calling out for a body to get attached to.

If you'd like, you can also request Fender Licensed necks or you might want to request a specific brand like Warmoth. Then again, maybe you want something very old and priceless. I've yet to turn down a neck idea and I've even reshaped headstocks to kustomers' requests.

FINISH

A typical Mutt finish is a SOLID, metallic, luminescent or Kandy Kolor with a Lacquer or Poly clear coat on top. We don't use Grain Filler because we think it kills the natural wood tone. Our finish isn't quite as thick and deep as what you might be accustomed to because we want the wood tone to dominate. Natural wood finishes are also an option on most Mutts.

Obviously if you saw the Chiefs Mutt, you know I'll also do various Kustom Finishes. I'm not a total whizz, but I'll try whatever you ask and I'm getting a little better at this every day. (As long as you don't expect me to do tricky airbrushing and such...)

PICKUPS

Pickups are another thing that Aftermarket makers have gotten good at. We like Alnico Humbuckers. We think Alnico 5 Magnets usually give a good vintage tone and Alnico 2 pickups always do. For Single Coil Pickups, we like P-90 Soapbars, "P-Buckers", J-Masters, Dynasonics and some of their replicas. We also like Slim Single Coil Strat Style Pickups, whether authentic Fender or from various replica makers. We currently have a particular fetish for Vintage Japanese and European Single Coils from the 60's and 70's.

Our philosophy is this: you can dirty up a clean pickup but you can't clean up a dirty pickup. Having said that, we have and will mount Hot Ceramic Pickups when asked or when a metal guitar is the plan. We mount Hot Alnico pickups too.

(We've been doing some interesting things with Vintage Teisco and other Japaniese pickups on new guitars lately--see the MUTT SHARK.)

Active Pickups aren't quite our thing but I'll install them for a surcharge.The main idea you should get is this: PUT WHATEVER PICKUP YOU WANT ON WHATEVER MUTT BODY YOU DESIRE.

BRIDGES

...are GOTOH. These are very good quality and blow away the rattly and unreliable bridges you find on most guitars in the same Mutt price range. We occasionally mount another Tunamatic style bridge with Roller Saddles. Both are very solid and stay in tune.

TUNERS

are Premium brand and these are also superior to your average machine heads on guitars under $400. (Terrible bridges and tuners on otherwise decent guitars is one of the reasons Mutt was started.)

Other HARDWARE

and components vary as deals are scored from ebay and elsewhere. We have no problem with good Japanese or Korean parts but basically shy away from parts made in China. Jack plates are always metal, not plastic

YOU CAN ALSO KUSTOM ORDER A MUTT IN WHATEVER SHAPE OR KOLOR YOU WANT:

THINK OF THE TYPE OF WOOD AND WHAT PICKUPS YOU WANT AND CALL OR EMAIL. YOU CAN GET A CUSTOM MUTT STARTING AS LOW AS $349.

MODS and REPAIRS

We ARE doing the occasional guitar repair, mods and upgrades. (Just repaired a 20-year-old American Strat.) These services are probably most practical for regionally located customers, ie., Southern Californicators. Of course, if you have a private jet and just want to fly into LAX or Bob Hope Airport for a quick guitar mod or purchase, feel free to pop on by.

OUR AIM

Mutt is in no way trying to compete with the big established guitar companies in America. In fact, we idolize Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch. If their level of quality and tradition is like a classic luxury car, then think of your Mutt as a new GTO. Mutt is offering you a domestic option to own an affordable sporty guitar. Another way of looking at Mutt guitars might be this: it isn't your wife, it's your mistress. So marry into the big 3 but have an affair with MUTT.