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Alvis Aka The Buckocaster

Johnston Custom Guitars T-style

Word to musicians: do not surf eBay, Reverb or Craigslist after 3am. Your resistance to G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) will be low and you’ll make questionable decisions. I bought the body during such a nocturnal surfing expedition after a search for “Buck Owens guitar.” I think it was all of $65 and the odds were even that it would be a disaster. But, amazingly, it wasn’t, even though it’s glued together from 3 pieces, and the paint job is probably Liquitex acrylic. We deliberately left it rough and “unfinished,” to look like I swiped one of Buck’s barn doors and made a guitar out of it, with just a light coat of nitro to keep the paint (and splinters) from flaking off. The Buckaroos’ red/white/blue guitars had blue headstocks, but I thought red would look better. Bridge p/up is a Don Mare “White’s Lightning” stacked humbucker, second coil is engaged via push-pull on the volume pot. Neck p/up is a custom-wound rhythm that Johnston had made for me. Middle switch position wired for Esquire “cocked wah” sound. John at Johnston Custom Guitars carved this neck for me and made it into a “soft v profile,” similar to the neck on my Martin, and man does it feel great. Very light, and extremely resonant, with a “broken in” feel. This is the one I keep next to the bed. Another Johnston Custom Guitars creation, and he did a fantastic job as always.

Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Alvis Aka The Buckocaster Harry keeping Alvis warm…or the other way around.