alex lifeson hentor sportscaster alex lifeson hentor sportscaster

They recruited bassist and vocalist Jeff Jones and became The Projection, which eventually became Rush in 1968. The Freddy Sportscaster is deadly expensive for sure, its interesting as a benchmark and details Alexs customizations clearly. While Lee and Peart are incredibly important to the band's . Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Mini Guitar Model Officially Licensed - HANDCRAFTED with all the details just like Alex's famous guitar! Wow.and I thought I was a Rush dork!! Alex Lifeson's equipment in the chronological order he acquired them. The Hentor Sportscaster (build complete! That was the first issue that I read 100 times. Toward the end of the 80s, Alex Lifeson switched from playing his Gibson HRF to guitars from a new, relatively unknown brand called Signature Guitar Company. Although I did have a pedalboard one time that I called Kevin. , Heres a link to some photos for the curious: 70s style strat body finished in nitro lacquer. In the early 90s, Lifeson picked up a black PRS CE24. Brand New. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a very unique guitar. 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. For more information, head to Julien's Auctions (opens in new tab). The neck pickup on the 12-string has a coil splitter that Lifeson installed himself. For the wiring check, the link to the build thread I linked to above in post 6. The keys are elongated so Lifeson can press them with his feet while still playing guitar. Alexs only stipulation was that for every guitar sold, a portion of the profit goes to his charity Grapes Under Pressure. Unfortunately, the Alex Lifeson Memphis ES-355 is no longer in production, but if youre lucky, you can still find a few for sale floating around the internet. View Auction Results The Property from the Archives of Alex Lifeson auction will be split into two sessions, occurring at 10 a.m. 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's Friday night, and I think we need a MEME thread. . In 2007 for the Snakes & Arrows tour, Lifeson added the Garrison OM-20 octave mandolin to his guitar arsenal. Looking forward to seeing the finished guitar. There will be a HB in the bridge and I need to make a trace for the 3 way toggle on the horn. Julien's Auctions | The pickups were Alnico II replicas of the legendary 1950s PAF humbuckers that made Lifesons original 355 sound so good. The Hentor now sports Dimarzio single coils and also a large brass sustain block for the Floyd Rose, the biggest one Ive seen and yet there is still a good amount of movement available. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? Aleksandar Zivojinovic, otherwise known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is the lead guitarist for the legendary virtuosic rock trio, Rush. i know he was endorsed by them back then. While most Gibson Axcess models include chambering (hollowing out parts of the body) for weight reduction, Lifesons model has no chambering. Joined . With my engineering experience, Ive developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. Over the years, Lifeson has used almost countless Gibson Les Pauls on stage and in the studio. I actually cut two templates and stacked them together to give the template some more heighth. The Signature brand guitars were equal in quality to Schecters or Perfomance at that time, and they are even rarer. $39.99. Welcome to the all-new home of Alex Lifeson on the web. 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. 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. You are using an out of date browser. How does the L500 sound? By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. Lifeson began his musical journey at a young age, playing the viola. It has the same pickups, bridge, and hardware that youd find on any 52 reissue. northgta@gmail.com. The guitar is reportedly Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing, and was used to record the solo for Rush's 1981 hit, Limelight . I'm not familiar with the original that inspired this build, but I can still tell that this turned out exceptionally nicely! He would also use it in live shows, pushing a Marshall 412 cabinet. Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: This topic is being created to be the ultimate collection of information and discussion for my fellow "Hentor Sportscaster" enthusiasts out there. If you arent confident with wiring 920D and plenty of others can provide you with a good quality wiring harness for ~$80. From Gebresek's website: 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. Lifesons Moog is preset with a few bass sounds and some samples. Joined Oct 25, 2017 . That's some impressive knowledge John C. Didn't he use a white one like that during the recording and touring of Moving Pictures? For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. 70's style strat body finished in . I'm a huge Rush fan and Alex Lifeson was the reason I picked up a guitar. Another guitar up for bids, Lifeson's 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar. 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. 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. I havent been to a Rush concert in decades but in the late 70s, early 80s, I saw them every time they came to town. Hard Prog Rock Geddy Lee Alex Lifeson Neil Peart. He also has another early 90s PRS in Tobacco Sunburst that has a signature pickup in the bridge positionfrom his old Signature Aurora days. The Sportscaster's heavy yet versatile sound embodies Rush's bold sonic . This is an awesome guitar. For the Power Windows tour in 1985, Lifeson swapped out his chorus foot pedal for a rack-mounted TC Electronics 1210. Discover more about the fascinating celebrity memorabilia through our collections of catalogues, Mail and Pickup Only Wow, what an excellent rundown of Alexs gear and the videos were super entertaining! 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. The interaction between 2 light choruses was an a-ha moment. Lifeson loves playing heavy guitars, so being able to get that clean hollow-body sound out of a heavy guitar was like a dream come true. So first things first, I needed do some neck and bridge work while I waited for the parts I ordered (we'll get to all that in a later post). Solid Body Electric Guitars. 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. By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. This guitar made tons of appearances throughout the 70s. Some of you may know of the Hentor Sportscaster, a 1973 white Fender strat that Alex Lifeson modded. Well, it sounds like youve got the idea well thought out so it should work out well in the end. Growing up, his musical idols included other legendary rockers like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. The Lifeson Signature model also had a fine-tuning Floyd Rose-type bridge. Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: Alex Lifesons very first guitar was a Kent steel-string acoustic his parents got him for Christmas when he was about 12 years old. As he said in an interview with Total Guitar, Theres nothing particularly special about it, but it has 24 frets, and I needed it for a song.. It also appears in the music videos for Vital Signs, Countdown and The Enemy Within. The words Fender, Telecaster, Stratocaster and the associated headstock designs are registered trademarks of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Frankly, Im not even a die hard Rush fan, and before today could not even name the lead guitarist. Also did this for a tele I'm working on as well. The Strat above is the famous "Hentor Sportscaster" used during the Grace Under Pressure era. 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'll . Hopefully by this time next week I'll be able to show you th finished product. The model name is "Alex Lifeson Axcess Les Pauls Gibson" and it includes, among other things, a tremolo handle as well as special pickups (microphones). Fax: 310-742-0155, A 1976 custom-built Gibson ES-355TD, aka Whitey, played by Lifeson throughout most of his career with Rush. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Oct 8, 2022. 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. The pickups were swapped out with DiMarzios for the rhythm and bass positions and a Bill Lawrence L-500 in the back position. But the cool thing is all the notes on the aged masking tape inside the cabinet, which Im curious to discover more about: He has them on many of his Les Pauls, including his signature Axcess Les Paul. After he picked it up around 1980, the HRF became one of his primary players for the next few tours and albums. Alex Lifeson is often regarded as one of the most underrated electric guitar players of all time, . Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? 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. I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. Alex Lifeson Mini Gibson ES-355 Replica Geddy Lee Mini Tour Edition Fender Jazz Bass Signals 40th Coffee Mug Signals 40th Metallic Litho Rush Golden Ale Bottle Opener Signals Royal Tee Hold Your Fire Beanie Signals Scarf Looking to make a purchase with an existing Rush Backstage gift card? Best regards! Vintage 80s Rush - Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson On Stage - Pin / Button / Badge. I'm 99% sure he used his Hentor Sportscaster for that and for the hyper-clean arpeggios during the choruses. Don't ever buy a Bill Lawrence PUP from anywhere but here: He actually had a Teal/Greenish strat around the same time: never even see that one. Regular price $49.99 Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355 Gibson Alpine White Miniature Guitar Model. Thats how a three-piece rock band can produce sounds that even five-piece bands would struggle with! Sincerely, Hello my fellow Rush fans! I have had the Hentor in my possession for about 6 months and have documented every property and detail of this amazing and unique . Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Now youll have to play some Rush tunes. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. After rocking on his Canora for a while and discovering that music was what he really wanted to do, Alex Lifeson decided it was time to buy his first proper guitar to get his new band Rush going. To reflect our commitment, we updated our terms and conditions. I never noticed the inverted jack on that thing. I mean I know some guys name their guitars, never heard of naming your speakers. The 3 way Gibson switch is super simple and more intuitive than soldering a 5-way blade selector - the routing to place the switch on the lower horn will be a bit of work of course, but perfectly doable with a hand drill. Its essentially an oversized hollow-body Les Paul. He also had black and CAR Strats with almost identical setups. These two upgrades as well as others are listed in my OPTIONS category. Later, Lifeson admitted that he loved the sound of the Signatures, but he wasnt a fan of how they felt. In the later tours, Lifeson swapped from having a chorus foot pedal to a rack-mounted chorus effect. While in my possession over the last few months I made suggestions to Alex on upgrading the guitar. By _pete_, November 22, 2009 in Electric Guitars. Lifesons original EDS-1275 Doubleneck was eventually donated to a museum in Toronto. "I used a white modified Fender Strat that I called the 'Hentor Sportscaster'. and volume and tone? 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" A lot less expensive than the excellent "Hentor Sportscaster" replicas made by Freddy Gabrsek. 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. Lifeson has been back and forth with his main guitars over the years, but ever since he landed a deal with Gibson for his signature Les Paul Axcess, the model became his undisputed favorite six-string for both stage and studio. It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. There is no back plate on the guitar, consistent with the original model. Nice job. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. It also had a Tune-O-Matic bridge and a Maestro Long Vibrola tailpiece. "I didn't really play for about a . Alex Lifeson knew that and following in the footsteps of one of his favorite guitarists Jimmy Page, he picked up a Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck in 1976. I also had a Lifeson cover story issue (transcriptions of Red Barchetta). 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! My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelors degree from Youngstown State University. Most of Lifesons Les Pauls arent much different than the ones you can pick up from any Gibson dealer. . They went out to the store and picked up a $59 Canora the following Christmas. (Image credit: Julien's Auctions) 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.. They were really just modified Strats that Lifeson renamed Hentor Sportscaster after Rushs producer at the time, Peter Henderson. His guitar, however, is a Rickenbacker with a brass neck and a 12-string neck. Well from that pic it s a slab board with a bullet truss rod so most likely a custom built something. It will be a little bit of a pain in the ass, but its not hard at all. I updated the permissions on the media album so hopefully you can see the photos now. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. 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! Another notable Lifeson axe his 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar used on the recording of RUSH's seminal albums since "Moving Pictures", in particular "Grace Under . What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? Ok, got to work on the body today. Early estimates suggest that "Whitey" will bring in $200,000 - $300,000 at auction. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Grapes Under Pressure charity. There just isnt another guitar player like him. What would a lead guitarist be without an awesome wah pedal!? Hey! Oops, looks like you forgot something. 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.. Replica Pat Martino 2015 - Honeyburst . 90249 | It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. Lifesons Fender Super Reverb would stick with him for a few albums, including Fly by Night and Caress of Steel. Thats what gives him that special Life-O-Sound that blends acoustic and electric sounds. PAINTER. Rare '85 RUSH Moving Pictures Mercury Records Vintage US Early Vinyl Repress Lp Near MINT!! He bought a 1968 Gibson ES-335 for Rushs first tour. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. 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. Along with his fellow Rush bandmates, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, Lifeson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and is ranked 98th on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists list. When Moving Did you have a router template that you used for the toggle? 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. The signature was a Canadian guitar manufacturer located in Toronto. 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. Although Alex Lifeson prefers (loves) Gibson guitars, he does dabble with some other manufacturers as well. It was created specifically for Rush's 40th Anniversary tour. I only get one shot at this so I've been doing a lot of research on this. 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. Playing bigger gigs, he needed the extra power! Lifeson prefers to use the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah to help his solo parts stand out. 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). These three instruments are expected to sell for five figures each. Well done and keep up the great work! Although he jumped around to a few different guitar manufacturers throughout Rushs history, Lifeson always found his way back to the Gibson Les Paul. #1. 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. Can't make it to the auction, then watch live streaming with Julien's Live. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. This is an awesome guitar. If you plug in the second output jack, it splits the magnetic pickups and the piezo pickup, so Lifeson can send the two signals to separate amp configurations! That looks great and well worth all of the setup. In 2008, Alex Lifeson teamed up with his favorite guitar-makers to create a signature Gibson ES-355 thats (almost) as good as his original 1976 model. Product #: AL-280 AXE HEAVEN has created handcrafted RUS AXE HEAVEN HOME - WE SHIP WORLDWIDE Be gentle. Anyone know the details of that white strat with the black pickguard he used for a while? The body is from a 2014 Fender Japan ST62-FR. One of the greatest rock groups of all time, selling more than 40 million records worldwide during the bands four-decade history. is it the Signature guitar he was using? Specifically, he used three Hiwatt 100s pushing four 412 Hiwatt cabinets. Hard to imagine he was 27 at the time. $1,799. "Hello my fellow Rush fans! https://images.reverb.com/image/upl,t_large/v1581972430/h0nfvf6whdarq19a1o7i.jpg, Fender "Squier Series" Floyd Rose Standard Stratocaster 1992 - 1996 | Reverb, https://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/vintagecream.html, https://www.tdpri.com/media/hentor-sportscaster-wiring-diagram.32741/full?d=1427069188, 2023: The Year Epiphone Became Unaffordable, Don't store picks in zip bags for too long. This program is designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. 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. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. He took a few classical guitar lessons from a friend when he was young, but he mostly sat by his record player trying to learn the solos from his favorite guitarists. Here are a few of his most notable. The auction will also play host to a 1976 Gibson Dove acoustic guitar which was used to write several songs from 1977's A Farewell to Kings, including Closer to the Heart and a 1970 Gibson Les Paul acquired by Lifeson during Rush's inaugural tour in 1974. Custom built to match the specs of Alex's 80's Sportscaster Strat! To make sure everything matched onstage, Lifeson had his Hughes & Kettner cabinets built to look like steampunk machines, complete with copper piping, gauges, and even a small television screen. Part of our "Music Icons" auction happening on May 20th, 21st and 22nd, "Property From The Archives of Alex Lifeson . A few months ago I figured out, thanks to posts on forums like this, that I pretty much had the basic components needed to build my very own Hentor Sportscaster and have it be fairly period-correct. The black one is exclusive to Alex, you wont be able to find a signature model of that one in stores! He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. Bringing back memories. 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 . A video diary of a handmade replica of Alex Lifeson's Hentor Sportscaster.