I am presently offering one body style that comes in several different models. The guitar body is a modified classical shape that is slightly larger in the lower bout with sloped shoulders and the 14th fret at the body joint.
MODELS
SMSA: The original Sullivan Guitar. It has an S shaped custom bridge with an S curve cut in the end of the fingerboard. |
SMSA-E: The SMSA with an RMC or LR Baggs pickup system. |
SMSA-T: Features a more traditional looking bridge and a square cut fingerboard. |
SMSA-TE: The SMSA-T with an RMC or LR Baggs pickup system. |
OPTIONSElectronics: I generally use RMC or L.R.Baggs electronics, but will install some other brands at customer's request.
Custom Build: Customers can purchase a guitar already built or have one custom built and select the types of wood used, hardware, and any special appointments such as inlays and paint colors etc.
STANDARD FEATURES
Turbo Bracing: All guitars come with a special patented turbo bracing system. The design was created by Paul McGill and is being used with his permission. The turbo braces are independent from the top.
Top Bracing: Spruce tops have scalloped bracing and cedar tops generally have a tapered X brace with scalloped tone bars. Each top is braced individually according to its stiffness and tap tuning. The guitars have a full dynamic range and are very loud for their size. I attribute the volume to McGill's turbo system.
Necks: The guitars also come with a dual action truss rod, adjustable from inside the body, to insure maximum playability. Neck joints are a traditional dovetail and the necks are usually two pieces of mahogany laminated together with a .020 black line down the center.
Finish: The guitar bodies come standard with a very durable high gloss finish while the necks are finished in satin, which feels very smooth and playable.
Hardware: I use gold Gotoh mini or gold Schaller mini tuning machines.
All guitars come with a case.
Examples of Sullivan Guitars
SMSA-E - 0002: This SMSA-E features nicely figured Koa back and sides with a western red cedar top. It has an abalone rosette and abalone purfling that boarders the top. Abalone logo and dove inlayed into the cocobolo headstock laminate. Cocobolo bindings and end wedge w/ mitered purfling lines. Custom abalone fretboard markers. RMC electronics. TKL custom case.
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SMSA-E - 0003: This SMSA-E features cocobolo back and sides with a western red cedar top. Abalone and koa rosette. Curly koa binding and end wedge W/ mitered purfling lines and a back center strip. Bookmatched koa headstock laminate w/ abalone logo inlay. Abalone top purfling. Custom abalone fretboard markers. RMC electronics.
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SMSA-E - 0009: This SMSA-E Features palo escrito back and sides with a bearclaw sitka spruce top. Brazilian rosewood bridge, bindings, and trim. Mitered purfling lines. 7-pc.-laminated neck w/ purple heart center strips and colored lines. Custom spalted maple rosette w/ abalone center. Custom abalone fretboard markers. L.R.Baggs I-Beam w/ external access batery box. Gotoh tuners. Travelite case.
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SMSA-TE - 0010: This SMSA-TE features a traditional bridge. Western red cedar top. Figured black walnut back & sides. Bookmatched burled walnut headstock laminate w/ abalone logo inlay. Curly maple binding and end wedge. Mitered black and white purfling lines. LR Baggs Duet II pickup system.(internal condenser w/ LB-6 saddle pickup)
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SMSA-T - 011: This SMSA-T Model features a Alaskan bearclaw sitka spruce top and nicely curled Australian blackwood back and sides. The rosette is spalted maple w/black and white lines. Cocobolo binding and end wedge with mitered purfling lines. Fingerboard has a large abalone diamond inlay on the 12th fret. Cocobolo headstock laminate and heel cap. Traditional style bridge with a compensated saddle. Schaller tuners. Travelite case. Click on the pictures for more details.
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SMSA-T - 012: This SMSA-T features curly maple back and sides with a western red cedar top. Bindings, end wedge, headstock laminate, and heel cap are all curly koa. Mitered purfling lines. Custom multiple colored line rosette w/ koa. The neck has a 1/4 inch curly maple center strip w/ a .020 black line on either side. Gotoh tuners and a Travelite case.
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SMSA-T - 014: This SMSA-T Features indian rosewood back and sides and a nicely figured Alaskan bearclaw sitka spruce top. Purfling lines, top, back, and sides, mitered into a cocobolo end wedge. Cocobolo headstock and heel cap with black side lines. Traditional style bridge with a compensated saddle. Gotoh tuners. Travelite case.
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SMSA-WM - 016: This guitar features nicely figured black walnut back and sides with a western red cedar top. Traditional style cocobolo bridge. Walnut headstock laminate, heel cap and rosette. Black ebonized fiber bindings. Travelite case. The WM series of the SMSA shape has been built with the working musician in mind. A lot of the fancy trim has been kept simple with the emphasis being put on sound and playability. I think for the money these guitars are the best yet. Click on the pictures for more details.
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SMSA-WM - 017: This guitar features nicely figured black walnut back and sides with a western red cedar top. All the spec's are the same as serial #016, listed below, except the entire guitar is done in a satin finish. Please read description on #016. Click on pictures for more details.
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SMSA-WM - 018: This guitar features nicely figured Black Walnut back and sides with an Alaskan Bearclaw Sitka Spruce top. Traditional style Indian Rosewood bridge. Walnut headstock laminate, heel cap and rosette. Black ebonized fiber bindings. The body has a gloss finish with a satin neck. The WM series of the SMSA shape has been built with the working musician in mind. A lot of the fancy trim has been kept simple with the emphasis being put on sound and playability. This guitar comes in a Travelite case. For the money these guitars are the best yet.
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SMSA-TE - 019: This SMSA-TE features a western red cedar top with curly maple back and sides. 9 pc. laminated neck w/curly maple and koa center strips. Beautiful curly koa bindings, back strip and end wedge w/mitered purfling lines. Abalone top purfling. Curly koa heel cap and headstock laminate w/colored side lines. Custom spalted maple rosette w/colored lines and abalone center. Water buffalo horn bridge pins w/abalone dots. Clear pickguard. L.R.Baggs M1A active soundhole pickup.
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SMSA-E - 021: This SMSA-E features a bearclaw sitka spruce top with beautifully figured quilted mahogany back and sides. Tortoise bindings, end wedge and pickguard. The fingerboard markers are special order mother of pearl with abalone center elongated diamonds. Mother of pearl and abalone lotus flower and abalone logo inlays on the headstock. Parisian eye bridge pins. Cocobolo bridge, headstock laminate, rosette rings and heel cap. L.R.Baggs dual source pickup system
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SMSA-WM - 022: This is another WM (working musician) model that was so popular with the players at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Societies event this past summer. The WM series of the SMSA shape has been built with the working musician in mind. A lot of the fancy trim has been kept simple with the emphasis being put on sound and playability. This guitar features black walnut back and sides with a western red cedar top. Black ebonized bindings with black and white purfling lines front and back. This guitar has a beautiful spalted maple rosette. The neck is solid quarter sawn Honduran mahogany with a nicely figured walnut headstock laminate and heel cap.
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SMSA - 024: This model SMSA features quilted mahogany back and sides with a engelmann spruce top. The back, sides, and neck have a beautiful reddish mahogany sunburst. The guitar has walnut bindings with multiple colored line purflings, top, back, and sides, mitered into the end wedge. Headstock laminate and end wedge are bookmatched, figured walnut. Multiple colored lines under the headstock laminate and heel cap. This guitar also features an S style Indian rosewood bridge. The guitar comes with a Golden Gate deluxe case.
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SMSA - 025: This model SMSA features beautifully figured African Babinga back and sides with a sitka bearclaw top and S style cocobolo bridge. The top has a very nice tri-colored sunburst reminiscent of a vintage Strat. The guitar has curly koa bindings with purple, orange, and black purfling lines top, back, and mitered side lines. Curly koa end wedge, heel cap and headstock laminate. Spalted maple rosette with bordering colored lines. The neck is a 7 piece lamination with koa and purpleheart center strips and custom abalone fingerboard markers. This guitar is definitely an eye catcher. The guitar comes with a Golden Gate Deluxe hardshell case.
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SMSA-T - 026: This model SMSA-T is a real eye catcher that features wildly figured Zebrawood back and sides with an Alaskan Bearclaw Sitka Spruce top. The guitar has a beautiful Spalted Maple rosette with an abalone center. Abalone fretboard markers and headstock logo. Ebony bindings, end wedge, headstock laminate, heel cap and bridge. Black and white purfling lines front and back. Tusq bridge pins with abalone dots. The guitar comes in a Golden Gate Deluxe case.
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SMSA-TE - 028: This model SMSA-TE was custom built for country music recording artist Clinton Gregory. The guitar features beautifully figured black walnut back and sides with an Alaskan bearclaw sitka spruce top. A 7 piece Honduran mahogany neck with a curly maple and walnut center strip, bordered with black lines. The guitar is decorated with abalone top purflings w/ purple and black lines, abalone center in a stunning spalted maple rosette, curly maple bindings, end wedge and heel cap with black and white mitered purfling side lines. The headstock laminate is curly black walnut with a black and white side lines. There is an inlaid abalone S logo in the top of the headstock. The guitar also features a L.R/Baggs Hex Pickup system with an onboard Deluxe Pre-Amp and an external access battery box, clear pickguard, Gold Gotoh mini tuning keys and a Golden Gate Deluxe case.
Clinton Writes:
In October of 2010 I met a man named Jim Sullivan who drove a tour bus for me one week end. On the way back home to Nashville he offered to build me a guitar. At first I couldn't believe that someone would want to do something like that for me, but he did just exactly what he said he was going to do and the guitar he built is excellent in every way. The intonation has been done with superb accuracy. He made the neck width and shape to fit my hand perfectly. The wood he selected for this guitar beats all I've ever seen. The back and sides were made from a black walnut tree that fell during some tornadoes that came through Tennessee a few years ago. The L.R. Baggs Hex Pickup system really brings out the great sound of this guitar on stage. The guitar looks great (like a piece of art), and plays like a dream. If you ever get a chance to hear or play a Sullivan guitar I highly recommend you take the time to do it!!! This is the best guitar I've ever owned........
But above all that, Jim has become a really good friend, and as we all know that is a rare thing these days. God Bless You Jim.
Clinton Gregory
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SMSA-TE - 029: This is a Tennessee black walnut guitar that was custom built for Dennis Payne, who is currently in the Bakersfield exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Dennis is our latest artist endorsement and we're very proud to have him on board with us. The guitar was built to his specifications including wood selections. The guitar back and sides are beautifully figured black walnut with an Alaskan sitka bearclaw top and Honduran mahogany neck. It has a spalted maple rosette with ebony bindings and end wedge. Black and white purfling lines front and back. The guitar has been fitted with an L.R.Baggs Hex pickup system, onboard deluxe pre-amp and a external access battery box. This guitar is a monster acoustically as well as plugged in and Dennis is a great player that always makes any guitar he plays sound good!
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