Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Elitist Country Deluxe - Any owner stories?


EPIDEN

Recommended Posts

The Elitist Country Deluxe looks like a great guitar based on the Chet Akins Country Gentleman. I have a chance to acquire one in a trade, but thought I see what the consensus is on this guitar.

 

25.5: scale 1.75" width at nut, I can imagine it must be a boomer!

 

Any owners out there with an opinion? Even better, anyone play this model AND a Emperor Swingster with the 24.75 scale and slightly thinner neck? If so, thoughts on feel and sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Chet Atkins which is the exact same guitar except for the label and truss rod cover. I'm not that good at describing guitar tones and such. I can tell you the build quality is top notch, and the orange flame is stunning to see in person. I have all my guitars hanging on the wall and anyone that looks at my guitars (players and non-players) always comments on it. I also have an Elitist 335 and a Gibson 355. Both the Elitists are pretty close in quality to the Gibson. I only gigged once with the Chet because I don't want to scratch it up. It worked as well as any humbucker equipped guitar I have gigged with and to my surprise even sounded great with classic rock type distortion. The wider nut took me a little getting used to but was fine after playing for a while. Although it looks like a Gretsch, it is not twangy and doesn't sound anything like a Gretsch.

 

There was a review of the Country Deluxe in Guitar Player magazine a few years ago. You can find it easily with a Google search.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks SG and Gunner.

 

Gunner, I am going to spend some time with it tomorrow. I did find that review, thanks. It gave me even more Gas. Incidentally, I figure it will cost me an equivalent of $1,400+/- to acquire it. Seeing these were selling in the $1800-1,900 range at retail, it seems like a fair deal. Now I just have to see if in fact the Country Deluxe Elitist is my cup of tea when I play it for an extended period tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I passed this one up. It's a nice guitar just not my cup of tea...

 

Update: Well it may be sacrilegious to post this here, but I fell in love with the most unexpected guitar I could have fathomed and had to share it.

 

I took home this Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin II in Natural finish. Words are beyond how great this guitar sounds and feels.

 

Godin001.jpg

Godin003.jpg

Godin002.jpg

Godin005.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't apologize.. I have a Godin 5th Ave and it is a very fine and fun guitar... cheap and cheerful as they say. I play mine often.

I also like the Kingpin and Kingpin II.

Folks seem determined to dismiss the Godins because they are an inexpensive laminated guitar...to their detriment.

Congrats on yours.

 

 

The Country Deluxe appealed to me on paper, not in actuality. It is a rather heavy unit . I liked the nut width and the neck.

 

I bought an Elitist Byrdland which I prefer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hey all,

 

I'm also considering an Elitist Country Deluxe, and was curious if there are any considerations I should regarding the fact that it has a floating (ie - not permanently fixed/bonded) bridge assembly. Are there any potential issues if I intend to play blues (thus a fair bit of bending) or rock (and a bit more heavy handed with the pick hand...); are there any considerations here, or for care/maintenance? Do they go out of tune easier? Any intonation issues? Thanks for any input!

 

 

JB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well' date=' I passed this one up. It's a nice guitar just not my cup of tea...

 

Update: Well it may be sacrilegious to post this here, but I fell in love with the most unexpected guitar I could have fathomed and had to share it.

 

I took home this [b']Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin II[/b] in Natural finish. Words are beyond how great this guitar sounds and feels.

 

Godin001.jpg

Godin003.jpg

Godin002.jpg

Godin005.jpg

Just saw one of the Kingpin IIs in a shop this weekend. I've been trolling for a used Korean-made Joe Pass, and now I find my world would be turned upside down IF the Godin didn't run for over twice what I'm hoping to shell out. And the Pass's slightly thinnner-profile neck. But, geez, that KP is sweet, esp. in the wine-red!

Moral of this story--there should be a JP-ish model with P90s (Wildkat doesn't count)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...