Brand New. Hey! Also did this for a tele I'm working on as well. 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. The Sportscaster's heavy yet versatile sound embodies Rush's bold sonic . Early estimates suggest that "Whitey" will bring in $200,000 - $300,000 at auction. The name came from Peter Henderson, who co-produced Grace Under Pressure. I mean I know some guys name their guitars, never heard of naming your speakers. RUSH - Authorized Replicas Of Alex Lifeson's Hentor Sportscaster Guitar Alex Lifeson plays a Gibson Les Paul Axcess guitar. Hentor Sportscaster Switching Question - The Rush Forum Very nice build and glad to hear that previous posts and discussion helped with your build. Joined . Oops, looks like you forgot something. They recruited bassist and vocalist Jeff Jones and became The Projection, which eventually became Rush in 1968. When Moving Did you have a router template that you used for the toggle? I hope to post some happy results within a week. 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. At some point I will document it some more in a build thread as I plan to redraw it etc. Be gentle. Although Alex Lifeson prefers (loves) Gibson guitars, he does dabble with some other manufacturers as well. To power his arsenal of guitars, Alex Lifeson needs quite a few amps to project his sound to a stadium filled with thousands of people. PAINTER. Home Guitarists Alex Lifeson Guitars and Gear List (2023 Update). For a good chunk of the 1980s, Alex Lifeson used a mysterious guitar called a Hentor Sportscaster. LOL. Get the latest and greatest Guitar news with one of our guitar magazine subscriptions. Im a fan of Alex Lifeson and Rush. Theres no guitar player that sounds exactly like Alex Lifeson. The cheapest option is to buy an old body with the right routing for the pickups and start there, though you will have to compromise on something whether its having a Floyd recess, the color, etc. The reversed jack cup was a not uncommon mod at one point, as it allowed you to plug a cord with an L plug into it. The attention to detail shows, and I can only imagine what a special instrument this must feel like, how much pleasure it must bring just to look at it. Im along for the ride. His bandmates even call him The Musical Scientist because of his sound experimentation. Hello my fellow Rush fans! 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. Here are a few of his favorites to take on tour and use in the studio: Alex Lifeson does a lot of fading to add some dramatic effect to his solo and rhythm parts. Julien's Auctions | When he was 12, he was given his very first guitar as a Christmas present and renounced the viola forever in favor of shredding the guitar. 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? 90249 | Early FR bridge? But even his Hentor Sportscaster had a humbucker in the bridge. Hentor Sportscaster | MayoNoise After playing it Alex wasn't to impressed with the pickup but thought the Guitar the pickup was installed in was great! . He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). alex lifeson gibson for sale | eBay Specifically, he used three Hiwatt 100s pushing four 412 Hiwatt cabinets. So I have a few builds going on, but with some spare alder, tomorrow I will embark on a Hentor Sportcaster inspired strat. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo ShopUp to 25% off select Gibson guitarsShop now, View similar gear from other sellers on Reverb. Handmade by luthier Freddy Gabrsek in Ontario, Canada, this guitar was made for me that took nearly 10 months to complete. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a very unique guitar. You must log in or register to reply here. (1,377) $10.00. Another guitar up for bids, Lifeson's 1980 custom-built Hentor Sportscaster electric guitar. Like with his guitars, Lifeson has gone through a few amps over the years. A true passion of mine, Ive designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Alex used this guitar heavily during the 1980's and named . Lifeson also regularly used the guitar on tour and in music videos over the years. The experts in contemporary and pop culture. The only difference is that the finish was taken off the neck to help with playability. beatbopboom. Well done and keep up the great work! 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). Then I found where Freddy G. said the wiring is Bridge/Neck + Middle/Neck, and I can't for the life of me figure out how . 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. Lifeson uses the Gibson HRF for songs like Hemispheres, Tom Sawyer, and Camera Eye.. I'm not familiar with the original that inspired this build, but I can still tell that this turned out exceptionally nicely! All images on our website are the property of their respective owners. RUSH Guitarist ALEX LIFESON's Iconic Guitars To Be Auctioned A 1980 custom Hentor Sportscaster that was the main . While his 76 ES-355 might not be his primary player anymore, its still one of Lifesons favorite guitars and frequently goes on tour with him. Historic dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang Happy Birthday to You to President Kennedy. The interaction between 2 light choruses was an a-ha moment. 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". The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. Hentor Sportscaster - Freddy's Frets Although I did have a pedalboard one time that I called Kevin. , Heres a link to some photos for the curious: This was my main '90s-era Paul Reed Smith guitar, Lifeson says. My name is Chris and Ive had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. "Hello my fellow Rush fans! Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster replicas now available. Lifesons original EDS-1275 Doubleneck was eventually donated to a museum in Toronto. Add to Cart. Alex Lifeson equipment | Rush Wiki | Fandom Hentor Sportscaster attempt | The Gear Page Lee. hentor; sportscaster; alex; lifeson; guitar; wiring; strat; gibson; switching; By MarkScudder, . The Iconic Alex Lifeson Guitar-His Custom-Built "Whitey" Gibson ES-355TD Electric Main Guitar from 1976-2015 Used During his Entire Time with Rush; a "Limelight" Stage Played 1980 Custom-Built Hentor Sportscaster Electric Guitar; "The Trees" and "La Villa Strangiato" Studio Played 1971 Jose Ramirez Classical Acoustic Guitar; a Moving Pictures Tour 1981 Gibson Howard Roberts . Alex Lifeson - Rush Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Mini Guitar Replica Collect. northgta@gmail.com. It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar," said the 68-year-old guitarist in a statement. Calling Alex Lifeson tone experts | The Gear Page RUSH Mini Guitars and Bass: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Replica Alex Lifeson Signature Guitar - "Great White". Alex Lifeson's White Gibson ES-355 Sells at Auction for $384,000 For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Alex Lifeson is often regarded as one of the most underrated electric guitar players of all time, . Of course, to craft his iconic sound, Lifeson has amassed quite the arsenal of gear. Some of you may know of the Hentor Sportscaster, a 1973 white Fender strat that Alex Lifeson modded. Alex Lifeson's treasured Gibson ES-355 sells at auction for $384,000 You can see this guitar in action throughout most of Rushs history, all the way from the 1970s in The Trees music video, through more recent tours, like on Working Man from the Time Machines Tour in 2011 (Lifeson really shreds on this one!). I actually cut two templates and stacked them together to give the template some more heighth. Some of you may know of the Hentor Sportscaster, a 1973 white Fender strat that Alex Lifeson modded. All he would do after he got home from school is go to his room and play guitar. His white 1976 custom-built Gibson ES-355TD will go under the hammer in May. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year, UK pricing 2.99 per month or 29.00 per year, Europe pricing 3.49 per month or 34.00 per year, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Lifeson said it had a really nice balance when he played it, and it had everything he looks for in a guitar. I held them together with double stick tape, and then I stuck the template on the guitar with the same double-stick tape. The guitar is reportedly Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing, and was used to record the solo for Rush's 1981 hit, Limelight (from Moving Pictures, released the same year). While Lee and Peart are incredibly important to the band's . 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. The Property from the Archives of Alex Lifeson auction will be split into two sessions, occurring at 10 a.m. In 2007, the company was bought by Gibson and eventually closed in 2010. 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. With a router, you have to do a multitude of shallow passes going slightly deeper each time. He also had black and CAR Strats with almost identical setups. He saw this beautiful, brand-new, white ES-355 that he just had to have, so he bought it! It has been my main guitar and is the iconic Alex Lifeson guitar. RUSH's Alex Lifeson Will Auction Off His Most Iconic Guitars For Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Miniature Guitar Model Officially Licensed; Neil Peart: Drum God . hennemusic Alex Lifeson Guitars & Gear List (2023 Update) - Guitar Lobby One has all his effects, the second is a straight feed that switches channels as needed, and the third is a backup, just in case one of the others breaks down. Looks like a late 60's to 70's strat with the big headstock, hummer in the bridge(PAF? Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster replicas now available - Rush Is A Band Crazy. The Property from the Archives of Alex Lifeson auction also included a number of other high-profile sales. Nov 4, 2017 #1 AnalogKid68 TDPRI Member. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Miniature Guitar Model Officially Licensed. This . Rare '85 RUSH Moving Pictures Mercury Records Vintage US Early Vinyl Repress Lp Near MINT!! Alex Lifeson Recalls Why He 'Couldn't Stand' His Gibson SG, Explains The most stressful part of this project has been relocating the three-way switch from its traditional Stratocastor location to the lower cutaway. Watch this gear and we'll notify you if it becomes available again. Alex Lifeson: "I purchased this guitar in 1976, it was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. Hard Prog Rock Geddy Lee Alex Lifeson Neil Peart. I found one link on mojocaster's build, but it's a bad link. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson will put some of his most iconic guitars The solution was a double-necked guitar that had both! 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. including the Gibson ES-355TD nicknamed "Whitie" a built-in custom guitar from 1976, and the Hentor Sportscaster guitar, built for him in 1980. There's also a 1992 PRS CE bolt-on neck guitar which was heavily used on Rush's 1993 album, Counterparts, and its accompanying tour which is expected to fetch between $50,000 and $70,000. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by, Luthier's Guitar & Bass Technical Discussion. Well, it sounds like youve got the idea well thought out so it should work out well in the end. A lot less expensive than the excellent "Hentor Sportscaster" replicas made by Freddy Gabrsek. The keys are elongated so Lifeson can press them with his feet while still playing guitar. Thanks for alerting me about the problems with the photos. Lifeson manages to achieve this sound with his hallowed 'Hentor Sportscaster', a Frankenstein guitar a modified Fender Strat with a Floyd Rose vibrato arm to create his archetypal tone. It only came with a white finish (of course) and featured gold hardware. Body weight, wood species and resonance to match the original Hentor. Hello Chris, great article but Id like to bring some corrections to your information the Signature Guitars section: Alex started using the Signature Aurora Prototype built buy Russ Heinl (a personal friend of Alexs) for the Hold Your Fire and Presto albums almost exclusively (this it the White Aurora, his #1), he had 5 Auroras on tour with him and used mostly his #1, #2 Charcoal grey & his #3 Dark emerald green metallic in the live performances. Hi folks, New member to the forum here and wanted to share some pics from my first Warmoth build - a replica Hentor Sportcaster, based on the Fender Stratocaster that was the predecessor to the actual Hentor. It is this performance which critics point to when asked to define the sound of Rush. but there's no way you're getting that solo with a 355. For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. Can't make it to the auction, then watch live streaming with Julien's Live. Alexs only stipulation was that for every guitar sold, a portion of the profit goes to his charity Grapes Under Pressure. Hey! Another six-figure six-string was Lifeson's custom-built Hentor Sportscaster, which was snapped (opens in new tab) up for $187,500. Currency: Anyone know the details of that white strat with the black pickguard he used for a while? Whether he wants to add a clean line under the heavier sound or some added effects, Lifeson can switch the Coreblade on and off to get the effects hes looking for. Alex is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the Hall of Fame rock group Rush. 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. Oops, looks like you forgot something. Hello my fellow Rush fans! My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelors degree from Youngstown State University. Lifesons Moog is preset with a few bass sounds and some samples. Lifeson runs that second output into the piezo switcher on his pedalboard, so he can turn the piezo on and off with the touch of his foot. Wow, what an excellent rundown of Alexs gear and the videos were super entertaining! Alex Lifeson's equipment in the chronological order he acquired them. From about 2000 on, he used Gibsons almost exclusively, most of them being Les Pauls. These three instruments are expected to sell for five figures each. Various knobs and fittings came in the mail this week, and it's time to prepare for the real gut-check part of the project: routing out the body to accommodate the Gibson-style switch and the new wiring pattern. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. In the rock and roll world, theres hardly anything cooler than a double-necked guitar. This is easily one of the most iconic Alex Lifeson guitars ever. Bringing back memories. In addition to the Hiwatt 100s, Lifeson also used a Fender J.B.L. Garrison Guitars was an instrument manufacturer in Canada founded in 1999. As it turns out, the whole Hentor Sportscaster thing was a joke. The Whitey Gibson ES-355TD is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000. The pickups were swapped out with DiMarzios for the rhythm and bass positions and a Bill Lawrence L-500 in the back position. . Neil Peart 'Last Words' Dying To Geddy Lee Revealed Learn More, We understand the importance of online privacy and are committed to complying with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 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). Hopefully by this time next week I'll be able to show you th finished product. So I took the occasion to level, re-crown and polish all the frets. 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! I updated the permissions on the media folder so hopefully that fixes the issue. Currency: and volume and tone? "I used a white modified Fender Strat that I called the 'Hentor Sportscaster'. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song? This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Figure this was the bass cabinet (bottom) of the 3rd stack, I believe Alex used 4 stacks at the time. 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. Lifeson picked up one of their mandolins to use for a handful of songs, and sometimes, for only part of a song. Hed take only a quick break to eat dinner, then go right back up to keep playing until bedtime. Although I do like a lot of their music, Im just not into a lot of the electronic/synth type stuff, but I do love guitars and amps and learning about them, especially when they are custom, modified (frankensteined sometimes), how theyre utilized, and just the history in general. Thanks, I could not see from the photos if there was a gap and that you had put the pickup ring underneath. Hard to imagine he was 27 at the time. To make the guitar even cooler, it has two output jacks. Geddy Lee also has a set of Moog Taurus Bass Pedals on his pedalboard, preset with different sounds. What's something super simple you like to play just because it's fun to play? I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. Alex Lifeson Auctions His Legendary Guitars | Society Of Rock Seymour Duncan released another AWESOME signature set! 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. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. 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. 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. It was custom-built in Kalamazoo just for me. ET on May 22. Learn More. News of . 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. Oct 8, 2022. Success! 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. For more information, head to Julien's Auctions (opens in new tab). You must log in or register to reply here. The Freddy Sportscaster is deadly expensive for sure, its interesting as a benchmark and details Alexs customizations clearly. Roughed out on the bandsaw, sanded close to the line and routed to shape. Its such a great guitar that it still goes out on tour 30 years later! It's going to be a freehand job, but I have some scrap wood I plan on practicing on. Regular price $49.99 Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355 Gibson Alpine White Miniature Guitar Model. 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 . Lifeson controls which amp he wants to use with a foot pedal switcher. It looked like a Fender Stratocaster with a few stark differences. So many people have said Alex used a "Gibson switch" or "Les Paul style switching" that I went out and got a Les Paul switch. If you go back to Moving Pictures, you can see Alex in the "Limelight" video play a modified black Strat with what appears to be the stock Fender maple neck, with no locking nut. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Grapes Under Pressure charity. Heres a rundown of the guitars, amps, and effects that Alex Lifeson has used over his decades-long career. First, the Hentor Sportscasters pickup toggle switch was located on the horn of the guitar, similar to a Gibson. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. In 1963, at only 10-years old, Lifeson decided to form a band with his neighbor John Rutsey, who played the drums. What Guitar Does Alex Lifeson Use? - Guvna Guitars Learn More. Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear. The body is from a 2014 Fender Japan ST62-FR. He did, however, modify his 1958 Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Reissue to include a Piezo pickup in the bridge along with dual outputsa configuration he later incorporated into his own Gibson signature model. 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.. I'm happy with the overall results and removing a few grams of wood from this heavy specimen will make it easier on the back when playing for extended periods. It was Lifeson's favorite guitar for soloing and can be heard on the solo for "Limelight." Hentor Sportscaster inspired strat - Fender Stratocaster Guitar Forum 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. 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. They went out to the store and picked up a $59 Canora the following Christmas. I found the answer to my question. I've read he used Floyd Rose tremolos with and without the fine tuners, and there are versions with the cream-colored humbucker and some with the black and chrome humbucker. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Replica Guitars Now Available Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community. Press Releases - Julien's Auctions For a limited time, save in the Gibson European Demo Shop. This guitar was favored by Lifeson as his primary instrument for soloing - in particular the solo for the band's hit single "Limelight" , and can be seen in the . Alex Lifeson has given me permission to backwards engineer and meticulously blueprint his iconic Hentor Sportscaster so that I may make and sell accurate replicas. He also has another early 90s PRS in Tobacco Sunburst that has a signature pickup in the bridge positionfrom his old Signature Aurora days. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? 70's style strat body finished in . Neck is also MIJ, gorgeous, plays super . While most Gibson Axcess models include chambering (hollowing out parts of the body) for weight reduction, Lifesons model has no chambering. Rush's Alex Lifeson Is Auctioning Off Some of His Most Iconic Guitars Opens in a new window or tab. 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. It was created specifically for Rush's 40th Anniversary tour. He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. "Julien's Auctions is proud to present this magnificent collection of coveted artifacts of rock history directly . As a joke, he called these Hentor Sportscasters - a made-up name inspired by Peter Henderson's name, who was the producer of Grace Under Pressure. 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! All these amazing Lifeson-inspired features are finished off by an incredible figured maple top. Looking forward to seeing the finished guitar. It requires routing a pocket for the switch and two channels for the new wiring location. It's Friday night, and I think we need a MEME thread. He bought a 1968 Gibson ES-335 for Rushs first tour. Alex Lifeson Hentor Sportscaster Mini Guitar Model Officially Licensed - HANDCRAFTED with all the details just like Alex's famous guitar! This guitar made tons of appearances throughout the 70s. For the Hemispheres tour, Lifeson swapped from his standard Fender Super Reverb to Hiwatt amps. Alex Lifeson auctions off over 60 vintage guitars and other treasured