1 Topic by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2008-02-01 11:30:03)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

There's a guy out of Michigan who started his own guitar company: Bumstead Guitars
I guess the bodywork is all done in Germany, and some of the electronics are asian - and then the guitars are inspected in the US. They look pretty close to a Gibson. The graphic on the headstock is pretty cool though - its a street sign man bashing a guitar. There's a couple SG's he makes with 3 pickups - one of them has three sets of volume and tone controls (and no toggle switch) .... interesting.

I already made an appointment to go over there and play some.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
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  • From: New York
  • Registered: 2008-01-31
  • Posts: 50

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

It looks so much like a Les Paul. I would think there would be legal trouble from Gibson.

Technique doesn't come into it. I deal with emotions.
-Jimmy Page

3 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2008-02-01 11:33:10)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

They're a little different. There looks to be some cool wiring and electronics inside the guitarr...6-way switches and built in overdrives.
the SG 3 pickup has 3V 3T, which could be interesting...

The logo text and symbol is nothing like gibsons.

I've been wanting to get a "michigan" guitar, and have been looking at these, Heritage, and Reverend.
Reverend's website is great! their guitars with 3 P-90s sound awesome.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

I purchased a "Bumstead Super" back in November of 2007. The guitar is a SG-3 style except it has a pair of independent volume and tone controls for each pickup.

I expected the guitar's quality to be no better than a Korean knockoff.  Boy was I wrong! On a scale of 1 – 10 (10 = very high quality) I would give the Super an 8.5 as it is out of the box.

After I changed out the stock factory strings and had the action adjusted to my liking I would give it a solid 9. This guitar smokes any Epiphone and can hold its own against a Gibson SG-3. The German craftsmanship is immediately evident. The sound is also rich.

I also like the fact that the owner of the company (Sean Bumstead) is easily accessible. He really cares about the product and it shows. I had a ton of questions about the guitars before I made my purchase and must have sent him 10 or more eMail. He replied promptly to each one.

I am getting ready to purchase one of his Imperials, which is LP style guitar. I had the opportunity to see and play a red-wine color one first hand. The detail on the guitar is incredible.
- Solid mahogany,
- split maple top and a split maple back,
- top and back ivory bindings
- real mother of pearl inlays on the neck
- Netrocelulose Laquer (sp?) finish.

The guitar also comes equipped with a pair of killer gold pole humbuckers and a wicked overdrive circuit. The tone combination is staggering.

I hope this guy is able to get these in stores around the Ohio area. Right now I think he is only in Detroit.

  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

Hi Tonedef (Hope you're not)...Thanks for signing in. I don't play but I love the word  Humbuckers....Thanks for the info.    Cathy

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

tonedef, you're lucky you got one of the early models.  The new ones are getting a different more unique headstock so it's not confused with other brands. The electronics and pickup wiring really make the instrument (combined with everything you mentioned) I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one this spring.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

NPB_EDT.1979, based on your response about the headstock design, I emailed "Bum" to see if he had any photos to share of the new design. He graciously informed me that he was in the process of trademarking the design, so he is restricted in what he can show right now. He said that  the new design will be on all of his guitars by spring. He also was kind enough to forwarded a temporary web page so that I could see a blueprint diagram of it. I am really impressed.

The new headstock design is a reverse or upside-down "open book" with the edges fluted out. Bum said that it was the outline of a woman's rump. Classic!

Bumstead also confirmed that going forward all guitars will be serial numbered. - Great move!

I also had the opportunity to see a green burst Imperial of his. The guitar had a green burst pillow top and green burst pillow back. The finish was a true emerald green. All I could say was "Holly Sh*t!"

I am really excited about this guitar company. Its like Apple against Microsoft, but without the highbrow attitude. I think Bumstead's humble nature is what makes his product stand-out.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

tonedef wrote:

NPB_EDT.1979, based on your response about the headstock design, I emailed "Bum" to see if he had any photos to share of the new design. He graciously informed me that he was in the process of trademarking the design, so he is restricted in what he can show right now. He said that  the new design will be on all of his guitars by spring. He also was kind enough to forwarded a temporary web page so that I could see a blueprint diagram of it. I am really impressed.

The new headstock design is a reverse or upside-down "open book" with the edges fluted out. Bum said that it was the outline of a woman's rump. Classic!

Bumstead also confirmed that going forward all guitars will be serial numbered. - Great move!

I also had the opportunity to see a green burst Imperial of his. The guitar had a green burst pillow top and green burst pillow back. The finish was a true emerald green. All I could say was "Holly Sh*t!"

I am really excited about this guitar company. Its like Apple against Microsoft, but without the highbrow attitude. I think Bumstead's humble nature is what makes his product stand-out.

lol - you sound like a commercial

Hey tone - how did you find this website?
All your posts have been on these guitars....no introduction post?
Let us know who you are and where you come from in the Introductions part!

There's plenty of people here that want to know more about how you first heard of Joe and what else you listen to...

welcome to the forum!
-Nic

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

Yeah man.  Who you is?  Whatcha do.  How come by you, Joe?  Got to Intro thread; GOOD IDEA Nic79.  The whole forum will welcome you there...plumb exhilarating, 

muchlove
bigjeff

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

bigjeffjones's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

Kinda embarrassed myself. I'm just a bit enthusiastic about geetars. Sorry.

I'll post some junk about myself in the Intro section. Nothing really to say other than I'm 30 yr old male who likes long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, puppies and camomile tea...

I actually found this site a few months ago while looking up some background information on Joe B. Very cool.

  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

No worries.  Enthusiam is good.

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

bigjeffjones's Website

12 Reply by Lansing (edited by Lansing 2008-02-19 14:28:10)

  • From: Lansing Michigan
  • Registered: 2008-02-19
  • Posts: 5

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

Tonedef-
I’m just as enthusiastic about my Bumstead Imperial and the company in general. I purchased it directly from Bumstead about 1 week ago. I had some questions about the guitars, so I called the company. To my surprise I got the owner himself on the telephone. Talk about a down to Earth guy. I was shocked at how humble he is about his business. And he never tries to hard sell anything. I think it is because he knows that his guitars sell themselves.

I stopped by his place in Clarkston where he has a private showroom in his home. It’s a very comfortable area to review his guitars. We just sat around knocking back a couple beers and played his guitars. I mentioned that I owned a REVEREND, another Detroit area guitar company, and he was like “Oh man those guitars are cool!”  And then he joked "maybe they will hire me?!" By the end of the evening I felt like I made a friend. I am genuinely envious, because he’s a big kid with the keys to kicking candy store. I would rate his guitars A++ ! I wish Bumstead Guitars the best of luck.

Lansing's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

Just checking in.

I wanted to note that I ordered a new REGAL from Bumstead and will have it in about a week. I’ll forward photos as soon as I get it. I am so amped about it!! I ordered the guitar in emerald burst with both a pillow maple top and back. The guitar is similar to the Imperial, however it lacks the built-in Overdrive.  Bumstead also showed me the new SUPER and FURY. He’s added a tone circuit to the SUPER that dynamically changes the tone. I almost like this circuit better than the OD. I don't know how it is made, but it is different than the old Varitones. It really gives the guitar a lot of expression. And the Fury is just plain cool. At first I was not into the color, which is kind-of a retro seafoam green, but now I think I actually dig it.  The Super and Fury also feature some new pickups. Bumstead includes three boutique humbuckers that he is having made to his specifications. They are almost like the old burstbuckers. Really ritch in tone. I would like to get a pair of these for my Epiphone.

  • From: Upper Yukon, Alaska
  • Registered: 2006-12-05
  • Posts: 128

Re: new Michigan guitar company "Bumstead"

WE are really in the golden age of guitars & custom amps right now I do believe.  Bunch of great builders in USA that have waiting lists; and are up there in price.  These guys build it all from scratch, even their own pups.  Top builders strats & teles start 1800-2000 and up.  Gibson clones more like 3-4.  I don't think I would ever buy new a stock gibson or fender again.

I had a local builder here in Alaska (thinking regional) build me a tele and it's ok, way better than any stk or fender custom shop amer tele but in retrospect I would have went to a more nationally known builder.  There's a half dozen builders out there across this country that are heads above everyone else, no joke.   You will wait 8 months after throwing down gran deposit.  The top builders have an edge on the rest, choosing wood, building necks, just balancing the whole deal together.  The guitars they built 5 years back, that sold for 1000, have tripled in price.  They only make so many, change models, hold their resale value; won't see these on craigs list.  When you do see them on various emporiums, they go like right now.

My take on all the local builders who don't have long wait times is that they build good guitars and all, but the top builders do it better, more consistently, they got something extra figured out.  All the local guys will have you play their favorite homemade guitar, then try to buy it off them.  Even try to get a guarantee your guitar will be as good as their best build.   Then, they will fess up that once in a while one of their builds is heads above the rest and they really don't know why.  With the top builders, most of the buyers seem convinced or brainwashed they will never need another guitar. 

Here's another take,  many of the bigger pickup builders claim all in shop but actually you find out coming from overseas.  You have to get to the small time guys, kiss their butts for their numbered, signed. dated handwounds; and you'll be amazed how much better they are.  Remember QUANTITY does not make QUALITY.