Knaggs

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I bought this one about 3 months ago with the thought that I would be returning it, I could not return it and it is by far the best guitar I have ever owned I do not have any dislikes about this guitar whatsoever. They are expensive but what isn't that's very nice nowadays?
 

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gbsmusic said:
I bought this one about 3 months ago with the thought that I would be returning it, I could not return it and it is by far the best guitar I have ever owned I do not have any dislikes about this guitar whatsoever. They are expensive but what is it that's very nice nowadays?
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That is one badass guitar!
 
WizardSouth-JP said:
I own 4 Knaggs Eric Steckel models at the moment, and I play them as they're on par with any top tier Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul, with better hardware and pickups IMO. The Severn is a different build that I generally favor - bolt on necks and 25.5" scale work best for me if I'm not playing a singlecut, so the set neck of the Severn changes the attack to my ears and it's got a softer punch than a regular bolt-on guitar. Their trem is also a bit different so that also probably has some impact on the way it sounds. Knaggs guitars are certainly pricey but compared to other offerings/builders they're less than a Custom LP, B3, Huber. Used you'll definitely save some dough - but if you're buying a Severn try to play it before you buy or have the shop play test it to see if it's resonant when unplugged - that's the key IMO.
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Is the pickup placement an issue? Seems so far from the bridge that I have to imagine the attack is softened compared to an LP. Maybe that’s what people like about them? Or am I wrong in that assumption?


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Bxlxaxkxe said:
Is the pickup placement an issue? Seems so far from the bridge that I have to imagine the attack is softened compared to an LP. Maybe that’s what people like about them? Or am I wrong in that assumption?


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It's not an issue but I'd need to measure the distance on one of my LP's to the bridge pickup pole and see the variance. The attack and snarl of the Knaggs Steckel rival both my 57 & 58 Custom Shop Pauls. I swap the bridge pickups to suit the characteristics of each guitar (some hotter than others) but the Steckel Candy signature pickups have a nice clarity and openness to them, definitely none of them are soft or dull sounding. Hope that helps.
 
WizardSouth-JP said:
It's not an issue but I'd need to measure the distance on one of my LP's to the bridge pickup pole and see the variance. The attack and snarl of the Knaggs Steckel rival both my 57 & 58 Custom Shop Pauls. I swap the bridge pickups to suit the characteristics of each guitar (some hotter than others) but the Steckel Candy signature pickups have a nice clarity and openness to them, definitely none of them are soft or dull sounding. Hope that helps.
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Good info thanks man. Would love to try one of these steckels someday soon. May keep an eye out.

Have you tried the candy pickups in an LP? I love Alnico III pickups
 
Bxlxaxkxe said:
Good info thanks man. Would love to try one of these steckels someday soon. May keep an eye out.

Have you tried the candy pickups in an LP? I love Alnico III pickups
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2 of the Steckel guitars I own had the Saturday Night Specials in them before his Candy's were standard - but I did play the 2 with the Candy's before I decided to swap them. I haven't put the Candy's in anything else as both my LP's have Bare Knuckles in them (Mule in the Candy Red 58 & a Rebel Yell in the Candy Blue 57.) I seriously doubt I'll change those out for the Candy - but they'd be a good replacement for the stock Custombuckers IMO as the stock Gibson pickups aren't potted so they squeal for higher gain. If I recall the Candy's are potted as Eric runs loads of gain on his Mezzabarba.
 
Bxlxaxkxe said:
Is the pickup placement an issue? Seems so far from the bridge that I have to imagine the attack is softened compared to an LP. Maybe that’s what people like about them? Or am I wrong in that assumption?


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My Knaggs and my LP’s all measure different. The distance between the pickup pole and where the low E string makes contact with the bridge is 1/8” bigger on the Knaggs compared to my R0
 
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I changed the top hat knobs and ordered a set of Black Seymour Duncan Hot Rail pick-ups. It's a keeper and I cannot do single coil, and I don't like the cream color pick-up covers.

I spoke with Dave who has worked with Joe since the beginning, and with Joe at PRS before that, for about 15-20 minutes about wanting to change out the pick-ups with 2 full size Humbuckers and fitting a Floyd Rose on it but that ain't gonna happen! I'd be better off buying a different guitar. It would mess up the one I have now and I like the way it plays.

The neck profile is absolutely perfect for my hand. I've played it no less than 5 hours a day since I've got it and it is superior to any guitar I've bought in the last few years. I have no trouble playing anything on it and my picking hand never misses a string. I brought the vibrato system back into play and it stays in tune and lowered the action a little. I use a custom set of strings by taking a pack of .011-.049 and taking out the .o17 G string then moving the .014 to G and the .011 to B and add a .008 to the high E.

Top to bottom - .049, .038, .028, .014, .011, .008. To me, the feel is just right, and the difference between good playing and bad is bending a string into tune, not bending the string a semi-tone flat, every, single, time.

Knaggs 2 by John Bazzano, on Flickr
 
Wish they made a small neck carve like a Gibson 60s. Love the shape of their necks so I can play them but my SS is by far the biggest neck I own. WAY more comfortable than a R4 with its big shoulders.
 
The Hot Rail pick-ups are fantastic! Holy crap are they good. What a difference, totally quiet and totally ripping.

2015 Knaggs Severn Trem by John Bazzano, on Flickr


"I want to make guitars with the highest amount of sustain and harmonic information. We call it ‘the Knaggs ring’ – it’s a guitar with as much energy coming out of it as humanly possible"

"The Severn has a 25.5” scale and was originally made with three single-coils. The treble pickup is usually not on a plate in a Stratocaster-style guitar but I chose to do that, which almost gives it a Tele sound; it’s a cross between the two."
 
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mooncobra said:
Went out of tune? Like immediately?
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No, at home it would be fine for a while then I'd take it to a gig and sound check it was super unstable after letting it sit. Between that, the weight and the value of a guitar I would not gig with = up for sale
 
I’ve never thought crazy expensive guitars gave me a better tone ever , Amps are different story
 
njshred said:
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Here are my Leopards.
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Some day, some day I will have at least one more Knaggs. I gave mine a kiss today because I :love: it!

I paid what the guy was asking, $2,500.00, is that too much for a guitar? All my guitars are worth about that much. Expensive to me is $$,$$$+ Knaggs are not expensive IMO. I paid $5000.00 for my amp and had Mike do a $1,000.00 mod and I bought the good power tubes for $550.00. It's a C+/++ switchable, I think I have what I want. I'm 62, and there is nothing in this world I want, more than what I want. Tone to die for, I've played a lot of gear over the years! Not much money really, I could sell it for about what I paid for it, in a day if I had too, at my age.

I have bought cheap good guitars. I've bought cheap good amps. One great guitar, one great amp, over ten so-so guitars and a 5150 shouting hiss at me? Me? I'll take one guitar that I kiss and one great amp that puts a smile a mile wide on my face.

I don't drink, drug or smoke ciggs. I used to spend at least $10k or more a year on that stuff but 15 years ago I quit that shit, well, all except my "emotional support bong"! Weeds legal here and it's so cheap it's crazy.

Fuck cheap gear, you can have it all. A couple of years ago I gave all my cheap stuff to some friends, they were happy, it lightened my load and freed up some room.
 
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When I switched the pick-ups to humbuckers I also changed the 250k pots to 500k. Well, I used whatever old 500k pots I had laying around. After switching guitars while playing, I felt that the guitar didn't have the sparkle that my other guitars have. So I ordered the best pots I could find and I installed them last night. The guitar is now "metal" grade and sounds as good as any of my other guitars.


New pots make a huge difference!
 
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