Maybach Teleman T54 | Assessment

MSRP: (UK) £1655 / (US) $TBC

Because the Fifties, the time period “twang” has been used to explain the standard, overtone-rich sound of the T-style guitar, which redefined the nation and rock ‘n’ roll sound formulation of the time. This success manifested an unparalleled timelessness for this kind of guitar, which merely by no means ever goes out of trend. With that in thoughts, Nick Jennison takes a better have a look at Maybach’s T-style six-string: the Maybach Teleman T54.



Are you able to think about what life could be like if we nonetheless drove Mannequin T Fords, did all of our day-to-day work on 1971 Kenback-1 computer systems, and known as to order pizza on a Motorola DynaTAC 8000X? This would possibly look like an absurd instance, however we’re nonetheless very happy to play one of many first commercially produced solid-body electrical guitars – the Tele.

What separates the Tele from the archaic relics talked about above? Effectively, not like the primary vehicles, computer systems and cell phones, the standard Tele has by no means been topped in the case of reliability, performance and flexibility. A slab of wooden with one other slab of wooden bolted to it and “high quality managed” by having Mexican store staff stand on it to see if it might break, variations on the Tele might be seen doing nation, blues, jazz, steel, Americana, experimental indie and three-chord rock ‘n’ roll. Leo actually did get it proper first time.

The Maybach Teleman T54 is a loving tribute to probably the most treasured of Teles from the Fifties. It contains a slab sugar pine physique (sure, the early Teles have been pine) and a maple neck with a skunk stripe. It has an ashtray bridge with three brass saddles, a three-way blade change, grasp quantity and tone, cut up put up tuners…You get the gist. It is a traditional recipe and never one which needs to be messed with.

There is a handful of contemporary “participant” updates that I am completely happy to see, although – a twin motion truss rod (albeit with a “heel-end” adjustment, that means you must take the guitar’s neck off to make tweaks), and up to date saddles for higher stability and intonation, however past that it is all traditional Tele all the way in which.

Visually, the Teleman is a stunner. At a distance, it appears like a cultured, well-cared-for Tele, however look nearer, and you may see a tastefully aged nitro end, with lacquer cracking and bumps and scrapes in all the precise locations. The naked wooden is soiled; the steel elements are patinaed… it appears previous, however in a very, very nice method.

Tones come courtesy of a pair of Amber pickups – a standout function in an already wonderful guitar. Hand-wound in Germany underneath the watchful eye of Wolfgang Damm, these pickups simply drip Tele tone. They twang and chunk with stunning complexity and large dynamic vary, however they’re additionally highly effective sufficient (and crucially, quiet sufficient) for bluesy overdrive, high-gain lead tones and partitions of girthy fuzz. In addition they reply superbly to the amount and tone pots, that means all you Roy Buchanan/Albert Lee/Steve Morse followers can get as flashy as you want with swells, sweeps and fake wah sounds.

Playability-wise, the Teleman strikes an awesome stability between fashionable consolation and the “struggle” all of us love from an awesome Tele. The neck is fats and deep however not uncomfortable, and the motion is low sufficient and the frets excessive sufficient for some ripping fretwork and massive pedal metal bends. That is to not say you’ll be able to’t pound on this factor if you wish to, although – it will take Keef or Springsteen-style battering with out breaking a sweat.

Which brings me on to probably the most spectacular function – the worth. This can be a custom-shop commonplace instrument, designed in Germany and hand constructed (and hand aged) in Europe… nevertheless it is available in at 2/5ths of the worth of an analogous instrument from the “huge boys”, regardless of being each bit pretty much as good. It feels bizarre saying {that a} handmade, excessive finish guitar is a “cut price”, however that is about the one phrase I can use to explain it.

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