Canton Klein Guitar Body Upgrade on eBay
Did you know you can subscribe to free email or RSS alerts of new articles?
While we wait for more on Canton Custom Guitars’ three new models, here’s a quick look at a Klein style guitar body Rick is auctioning on eBay.
Some details…
- Chambered Alder body with a book matched curly maple top
- Routed for the Trans-Trem or S-Trem bridge (the more common R-trem has a different route pattern)
- Routed for 2 humbuckers
- Designed for the Musicyo/Gibson era Steinberger 4 bolt neck
Keep in mind that the humbuckers and rings are merely sitting on the guitar - they are not mounted which explains the fact they look a bit crooked.
One particularly nice feature Rick Canton adds is the extra contouring around the neck heel which isn’t found on the original Klein electric guitar:
For those interested, it’s eBay item 230209787504 and the auction is scheduled to end Monday, January 14, 2008 at 4:08 PM PST.
It doesn’t look like a Klein. Looks like a poor copy. Why mess with a classic if you can not do it right? Call it whatever you want but don’t call it a Klein style.
[Reply]
Welcome to the site, KashiOat but I disagree with you on both counts. “Klein style”, as in “the style of a Klein”, is as accurate as can be. It’s not intended as a replica. Think “Strat” vs. “Superstrat”. A “Superstrat” is a “Strat style”. The designation neither takes away from the original nor makes assumptions about the new guitar - other than the fact that it resembles the original. And Canton’s work hardly appears poor to me. I don’t see how you draw this conclusion from the photos.
I’ve written about this before but one of my least favorite things about the Klein is the combination of front and rear routing which necessitates pickguard, rear control cavity and pickup ring. I appreciate Rick not carrying over the original’s motley approach to routing.
In addition, Canton adds neck heel contouring which is a decided improvement over the conventional approach of the original. I’ve always been a bit surprised that Klein didn’t do more to improve this area.
[Reply]
as happenstance would have it , about a week or so after i came to this site and started learning, i saw the body on Ebay, and noticed that the sellers origin was about an hour away from me. Imagine my surprise when i discovered the seller was the Rick Canton, whose designs i had seen here. great to have him so close by!!
While this particular rout wont work for me, i did go up and visit with him, looked at his designs, his guitars , etc. He attached the neck and pickups on this very piece so i could get a feel for it.
Its very lovely - I like the heel and upper bout contour, i like the thickness of the chambered body, and had a great ergonomic fit, as you would imagine. Holding is believing.
Rick is a great guy, was very generous with his time and patient with my questions, and a deep and conscientious builder. Im glad i made the connection with him!
[Reply]
The guitar looks great and it certainly has many style-features of Klein’s original design. I like the contouring around the back of the neck. I wish the contouring on the front preserved the maple cap. This is lost on many guitars and negatively effects the looks. Like all instruments, a guitar has to be played to deterimine if it is comfortable and sounds well. What one player likes may not fit someone else’s hands. I would hope that more luthiers use Klein’s plans to make after-market bodies like this more available and bring down the prices. The design is a classic, just like the Telecaster or Stratocaster design.
[Reply]