wilshire vs. wilshire

[bloozeguy]

Had a chance to test drive a stock Wilshire (gloss finish, HBers) at the local GC and the special run "worn" finish model with the mini-buckers at a Ma'n'Pa shop. Played both through Fender Frontmans (Frontmen?). Really did NOT like the former--sounded tinny, even scratchy, and I couldn't get that quality out in either channel. Neck felt bulkier than I thought it would. Couldn't get it to hold tune.

The "worn" version, though, was comparatively a dream! Great variation in tone and sound, from Tele-like chicken pickin' to crunchy bluesy stuff to Beatle-like chiming. Reminded me of what some folks say here about Casinos--from a very thin solid-body! Sounded much richer and warmer than I'd have thought such a thin-bodied guitar would. And were those Grovers I saw?

The "worn" version seemed to me to be well worth the $80. difference in price I saw between the 2.

Would like to hear of others' experience with these models.

[jonnyg]

Had my worn cherry model a year now. Love it. Few minor adjustments plays like a dream. Not Grovers on mine but they may have changed to them now I don't know. Whatever mine are they're fine. As you say, good for country to blues but a little light for heavy metallers I would say. As the black ones don't seem to have been big sellers at the shops I visit I'm waiting for one going cheap. I've got an idea about putting a third pickup in the mid position like a Crestwood. I tried the pro with HB's and it didn't have the same feel to me. Not worse necessarily, but different, it didn't suit me.

[audiomitch]

I think the original Wilshires had mini humbuckers. Those are collectors items now. I have a humbucker version that I got from MF "Stupid Deal of the Day", but I swapped out the pickups right from the get go.

[bloozeguy]

Had my worn cherry model a year now. Love it. Few minor adjustments plays like a dream. Not Grovers on mine but they may have changed to them now I don't know. Whatever mine are they're fine. As you say, good for country to blues but a little light for heavy metallers I would say. As the black ones don't seem to have been big sellers at the shops I visit I'm waiting for one going cheap. I've got an idea about putting a third pickup in the mid position like a Crestwood. I tried the pro with HB's and it didn't have the same feel to me. Not worse necessarily, but different, it didn't suit me.

I think I may be off on the Grovers. At the same visit I played an AlleyKat which, I'm quite sure, have Grovers, and i may have mixed them up. BTW, preferred the worn Wilshire to the AK. I'd even say it has more of an "acoustic" sound, a quality which Epi seems to push in its pub for this Wilshire model.

[jonnyg]

I think the original Wilshires had mini humbuckers. Those are collectors items now. I have a humbucker version that I got from MF "Stupid Deal of the Day", but I swapped out the pickups right from the get go.

The 66 re-issue ones like mine still have the mini HB's. The model prior to that (limited edition I think) and the new Pro model have full size.

 

bloozeguy

I don't think the Wilshire sounds acoustic in any way. It's a different sound to a full size HB but it's still an electric sound.

[64CrestwoodCustom]

I have seen (and drooled over) the re-issue Wilshires but sadly have not had the opportunity to play one yet!

I owned a Crestwood Custom from late 1964 through about 2008 and loved it dearly. It was the easiest playing guitar EVER, and stayed in tune no matter WHAT I did! Money woes forced me to sell it, and I've been sorry ever since!

About half way through that time frame, I added a third small humbucker with an on/off switch so I could add the sound of the middle pickup to whatever was selected on the three-way. I liked that so well that it has become my "standard wiring" on all my subsequent guitars!

If I won a bazillion dollars in the lottery, and could buy Epiphone, the first thing I would do is re-issue a slightly updated Tremotone, true to the original in all respects except with the barrels re-sizied to work with modern (plain-third) strings!

The second thing I'd do is come out with a model I'd call the "Crestwood Supreme"... a three pickup Crestwood with my wiring scheme, two small humbuckers, and a Full Size humbucker in the bridge position. It would have the Tremotone, and Locking Tuners, and ONLY be available in Cherry Red!