5 Creative ways we love to customise our guitars

It would be a dream to own a guitar made to your exact spec and style, from body shape to the choice of material, but, unfortunately, reality isn’t so kind on the wallet. Inspired by the release of our limited edition ‘ZX Custom Range’, we wanted to share our favourite ways to add style and character to our guitars.

Here are some simple examples of ways you can make your guitar, more you.

1. Strap

   

   19 Music Store – Guitar Straps

   This may seem obvious but it’s simplest way to inject some personality without a screw driver or having to recall your design tech classes in secondary school. Skulls, super heroes, band logos or cute owls, I can confidently say that there are masses of choice. Find the right strap for you, be sure have a serious think about material, size, padding and aesthetics. To attach, simply securing your strap on the knobs on the bottom and top of the body. Simple, no?

2. Strings

   Brand new strings are certain to change the playability and sound of a guitar in ways you never knew were possible. Gauge, which is basically the diameter of the string is the main contributor to that. A higher gauge is recommended if you’re a picker,

   

   Quincy’s Texas XZ1

   demonstrating a tighter string with considerably more tension.

   For a looser bend then go for a lower gauge, all strings range up from .010 to the heaviest at .059.

   The second exciting thing when thinking about string choice is of course, colour. To want to stand out on stage thenwe recommend a glow in dark hot pink (no judgement, we love it), for a classic look try a classic brown or dark colours. It’s completely personal.

3. Scratchplate

   

   Sleek – Quincy’s Memphis XZ1

   The scratchplate or pickguard attaches to the body of the guitar, replacing your weathered scratchplate can transform your axe. As always, this is personal. You could choose a cheap standard design and material or you could step it up a notch and go for something extravagant. For inspiration check out Quincy’s limited edition ‘ZX Custom Range’ (available now). We haven’t held back on design, material or finish, with a graffiti design, bright reflective gold or a slick matt black.

4. Knobs

   I’d be surprised if you can find one electric

   

   Atitude – Quincy’s Texas XZ1

   guitar in the world that doesn’t have at least one knob, they can make a dramatic difference to the look and feel of the instrument. Quality wise; what you spend is what you get, you could opt for a change of colour, material, shape or size. You can get anything from a beautiful solid wooden knob, to a polished chrome knob or a glow in the dark lime green knob.

5. Trussrod Cover

   

   Style – Quincy’s Texas XZ2

   For guitars that require a pick up, we see this as a perfect opportunity to have a play. If you haven’t guessed by now, there is literally any colour or finish out there. We love to choose a colour theme for our customisation, for example the Texas XZ1 features deep popping red body with a vibrant reflective gold scratchplate and truss rod cover, completed with neon DR yellow strings. A chrome pickup cover, knobs and scratchplate looks super sleek, while a vibrant pink ensemble will scream fun.

Click to check out Quincy’s brand new limited edition ‘ZX Custom Range’

Danny’s Winnipeg Review

Having recently purchased the Winnipeg by Quincy, Danny wanted to share his thoughts (and a few pictures) for our 335 style electric guitar.

Read Danny’s review below…

I’ve played many different guitars in my ten years of playing, mostly Epiphones and Fenders, and they’ve always been solid body. The Winnipeg was my first experience with a semi-hollow body electric, and I was very surprised, in fact I think I’ve found my new favourite style of guitar.

The guitar came with flatwound strings attached, which sound really great combined with the warmth of the neck pickup. I find myself using the pickup switch in the middle position quite a lot in order to give it a little bit of a more trebly sound, however. The guitar is great because you can get so many sounds out of it, no matter what you’re trying to achieve.

I was surprised at how loud the guitar is when being played unplugged. It’s by no means as loud as an acoustic would be, but it’s loud enough to play unplugged and be able to hear it nicely, and more than a solid body. Which is nice when you just want to pick up a guitar that’s comfortable to play without having to mess around with equipment.

I use the Winnipeg for recording quite a lot, without using an amp in between my computer and the guitar. I just plug it straight into my audio interface and it works a charm, there’s no hum or hiss, it just works and sounds great.

The Winnipeg comes in a stunning golden colour with a rosewood fretboard, which looks good with the rest of the guitar, supported by a nice sized neck, which feels easy to play. The size of the body of the guitar is impressive in contrast to the weight of the guitar overall, which seems light and comfortable whether its being played whilst sat down, or stood up using a strap.

If you’re like me and you want to try an ES-335 style guitar without the hefty price tag that Gibson and Epiphone attached, then be sure to give the Winnipeg by Quincy a try, you’ll be doing yourself a favour.

 

 

The NEW YORK

A bass that has firmly cemented it’s place in our family, New York by Quincy. Complete with a Maple neck and stunning gloss finish, inspired by Leo Fender’s orignal Jazz Bass.

The J Bass is a electric bass that demands to be heard, standing as part of the foundations of the iconic genres; jazz fusion, blues and heavy metal. Shooting to fame in the 1960’s the J Bass has been in the hands of some incredible musical icons like Adam Clayton of U2, The Becker Brothers: Will Lee and Marcus Miller. I take it you’ve heard of With Or Without You? Clayton used his jazz bass to create his iconic simplistic yet rhythmic sound, not something out of reach with our J Bass Model.

Not only does the New York look and feel similar to the original, it also boasts a classic block inlay along the neck, providing a unique distinction in appearance to many other similar models. The immaculately finished basswood base, Canadian maple neck and polished chrome hardware accentuates the sheer quality and substance of this deluxe model. The New York supplies a rock-solid sound, while delivering pure style.

Marcus, Adam and Will are fantastic, but we love Quincy’s James Beecham

Check out his skills in his demonstration of the New York below. We got it on our first take!

We are very excited to have James’s help on many more exciting new bass arrivals later on in the year!

The team at Quincy have worked very hard to bring such a finely crafted bass for an amazing £199 with free UK shipping!

We welcome you to try it yourself at our Manchester based show room with the support of our knowledgeable team.

Visit our website to find out more about the New York, along with our full range of exciting bass guitars visit our website!
http://www.QuincyMusic.co.uk

Alternatively for more detailed specifications for this unique electric guitar visit our marketplaces!

eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391405253061?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

How To Choose Your Musical Companion

With so many guitars available and so many important features to consider, the choices are endless. Whether you’re a first time buyer or just looking for something new, it’s easy to get confused and intimidated by technicalities and specifications. Worry not, check out our simple guide to help inform you on what to consider when finding your new musical companion.

1.Acoustic or Electric?

This is an important question you need to ask yourself early on in your search, this decision will define your sound and the music you play. If you’re looking to shred like Slash then electric is the way to go, in which case you would benefit buying an amp to allow you to train your ear to a high standard. Electric guitars create a unmistakable magnetised sound, often heard in rock music or dramatic film sequences. As opposed to electric guitars, if you want to play like Dylan, then acoustic if your calling. An acoustic is simply a sound box, it’s sound made entirely from vibrations of strings when plucked or strummed. Spanning many music genres, rock music, folk music or flamenco music, an acoustic is the guitar you’ll want if you’re searching for a raw, harmonic sound.

2. The right body for you

You can find a guitar suited to any body, shape or height. Many of you may rely on your favourite rock stars guitar of choice when considering this factor, but what is important is that try, try and try again, Slash’s Gibson Les Paul may not suit you. Quincy’s Manchester based showroom is available to visit by appointment to anyone wanting to spend time finding the best fit. It’s very much about your body, with 3/4 guitars available for the little ones (or those that value convenience when travelling) or a shallow bodied guitar making it easier to reach what you need. For a good all rounder we advise traditional acoustic, the style is dependant on how you intend to play and what feels comfortable. As you’d try on a pair of new jeans or a swanky pair of shoes, we advise you try before you buy!

3. Material and Finish

For the more experienced buyer, the material in which their guitar is made is extremely important, it contributes to it’s appearance and even it’s sound! For example, Rosewood which typically originates from India, features complex overtones while Walnut supplies bright high-end tones and enhances midrange tones. Our favourite here at Quincy is Spalted Maple, our 335 inspired model the Vancouver was designed with this beautiful timber in mind, producing a dry sound with strong emphasis on high tones. If the natural look doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to consider a finished exterior like Quincy’s Memphis, our stratocaster style electric guitar with 50s duck egg blue finish.

4. Expand your toy box!

After buying your guitar and as you learn more, it maybe useful to expand your musical toy box. A bag for transport, a strap to stand and perform, a pick (or twenty), a capo and even a cleaning kit to keep your precious companion clean and ready for action at a moments notice. The great thing about a bag or a strap is that it can perfectly suit your style or interests, you have freedom over colour, design and even shape at a affordable price. For you aspiring heavy metal guitarists, it’s a good idea to get an amp early on, this will help you later on when you don’t have to worry about the moment you plug in.

For more information on finding the right guitar for you, contact our friendly and knowledgeable team who are happy to help! No question is a stupid question.

If you’d like to try out our wide range of Quincy electric and acoustic guitars, our Manchester based showroom is open to you via appointment only simply call 07984 545056 or email us at info@quincymusic.co.uk

For accessories visit http://stores.ebay.co.uk/19music/ for unique bags, straps and accessories

The VANCOUVER – Mr. 335

At Quincy, we never tire of hearing the soul piercing sound of Larry Carlton, aka Mr 335. Our current and long time obsession with Carlton began in the 1970’s and has inspired our latest Jazz/Blues collection. Our go-to album Then and Now was recorded at his resident studio named Room 355 in 1978, leaving no terrain uncovered Carlton’s album features timeless classics and an exclusive reissue of Mr. 335 live in Japan.

The album cover features a beautiful drawing of Larry’s original 335, the main inspiration for Quincy’s Winnipeg. We replicated the smooth, symmetrical, elegant design and construction of the 335 style, making it a perfect companion whether you’re a full time Jazz/Blues enthusiast or a beginner starting their journey the right way.

After the release of the Winnipeg model, we decided to take unforgettable design a step further. We opted for one of our favourite tone woods, Spalted Maple with a sunburst black finish, combined with a stunning Rosewood fingerboard, we named this unique model the Vancouver. The Vancouver, exclusive to Quincy, has gone to on to be one of our best selling electric guitars, we believe it plays, sounds and feels as good as any other 335 style guitar! This exquisite guitar features an array of seriously impressive sounds from the biting blues of BB King to the Fusion of Larry Carlton.

Then and Now Front

Watch the video below to see the talented Mel Dean of Loose Change/Tony Christie demonstrate The Vancouver!

As a mentor to many of the team at Quincy and we were honoured to have Mel demonstrate the Vancouver’s exquisite soaring tones. Mel commented that this is his guitar choice when teaching his students.

Visit our website to find out more about the Vancouver and the full range of exciting instruments visit our website!
http://www.QuincyMusic.co.uk

Alternatively for more detailed specifications for this unique electric guitar visit our marketplaces!

eBay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vancouver-QUINCY-6-string-semi-hollow-electric-guitar-335-shape-spalted-maple-/391405247329?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/string-Vancouver-Quincy-ELECTRIC-SUNBURST/dp/B00Z1AUNSS

At Quincy we are a knowledgable team of instrument designers,  our passion stems from our many musical heroes and spans wide across musical genres; Pop, Blues and Jazz. Here we’ll share our design inspirations and musical obsessions, along with demonstrations of our careful crafted instruments.

Check out our website for our exciting range of unique string instruments at http://www.QuincyMusic.co.uk.

Make sure to follow us on Facebook to hear about upcoming collections and regular giveaways!
http://www.Facebook.com/QuincyMusicInstruments/