I Bought TOO MANY Guitars | Said no one ever

[@SteenTV]

Bring back crazy guitars! We need to see more stupid, brilliant, dumb and AMAZING going into guitar designs or else we'll end up with nothing new!

[@cheapskate8656]

Plenty of very cool innovative designs right now in the GGBO22 :)

[@grahamgarratt5836]

That a silver Russia guitar is actually from Belarus. It’s made by a company called Borisov. I have one and it’s beautifully brutal in its design. Try unscrewing the bottom strap pin, you might find a surprise. They did another guitar called a Solo II, a gorgeous guitar with two built in effects. Made an updated redesign of that model last year, the skills to do it came from your channel. What symmetry!!!!

[@graham6229]

Correct. The small loop on the neck area is not for the strap its a wall hanging loop

[@АнтонСлепухин-о3ю]

It's called "Formanta"

[@notplaying2379]

Are there tools in the strap pin?

[@АнтонСлепухин-о3ю]

@@notplaying2379 no. Those were only in Czechoslovakian guitars brended "Jolana". I don't remember any screwdrivers in soviet guitars.

[@aleclitvinov]

@@АнтонСлепухин-о3ю actually this is one of the few soviet instruments that had a screwdriver strap pin - while in jolana guitars it is a really common feature. this guitar also had a built-in fuzz effect, but sometimes the battery cavity was not deep enough to put a battery there. the neck profile is not even a "D", it's a slightly rounded rectangle. the scimitar shaped tremolo arm was cool, too.

[@hughjarrse]

It good to see he's swapping the Gibson S1 back to right handed, there just aren't enough right handed guitars in this world.

[@kingpishful]

11:45 Thats a Formanta from East Germany/Soviet Union, the socket is essentially their standard at the time. Things like synths (like the Polyvox) and hi fi equipment had the same sockets

[@onkelpool]

Ben, I heartily sympathize with you on this Formanta-guitar purchase! The woodwork is at a tolerable level for playing, all the active electronics are a complete hoot! Despite the fact that there was a schematic diagram in the passport of the instrument, I have never seen a working Formanta in my life! The guys at the custom design office couldn't even get the electronics on my brand new instrument to work. Their main work was prototypes for the orbital station, this "guitar" was too much for them!

[@patchofgravity]

Thank you for saving these rare and crazy guitars!!! so many people only care about Gibsons and Fenders, not about these lovely oddballs. I think Tim Sway did a video on the Russian type guitar. You should reach out to him. You rock Ben!

[@thekierongiles]

just love the way you steeled yourself before each reveal, and the look of awe and wonderment on your face said it all. your museum will definitely be a great place for the weird and wonderful.... oh yeah and the cool guitars on display.

[@MarcinOfTheNuclearVillage]

Oh Holy Hell! Jolana brings back so many memories. In mid 90's in Poland when I was starting up with classmates my first band, Jolana (or 'Czech's Revenge' as we'd like to jealously call it) was pretty much every teenager's dream. I played bass and I remember that my first 'instrument' (second hand) made by Polish Defil brand had string action of approx. 2cm above the twelve fret and at least 1/3 of frets literally levelled with the fingerboard or non-existent. Fun times! . ...and yeah, no such thing as 'too many guitars'!

[@theashen]

Just a note from Slovakia (where in the former Czechoslovakia Jolana were produced and I restore them) - it’s pronounced with a Y like Yolana. Love to see these guitars.

[@jeffkellogg76]

Ben nothing that you do is THE USUAL, and that’s what brings me back every day. Your eclectic brain gives your viewers a daily surprise or two every video. Also your diverse day trips make for great and often humorous viewing.

[@hafengr]

Ben that Hofner is simply the coolest double I have ever seen. Congrats on it bother!!! Enjoy!!

[@thormelsted]

The correct number of guitars to have is always n+1 where n is the current number.

[@kirikovs]

Formant guitar (12 min) Production of the USSR, the city of Borisov (now the Republic of Belarus) The body is a joiner's shield made of wood blocks between two pieces of plywood. The neck is beech with a veneer (1 mm) of walnut. the pickups do not remember which factory, but they were put on many guitars of the USSR. built-in Fuz ,top switch, battery compartment under the cover at the heel of the fingerboard(terrible sounding, just a monster). I've been playing this guitar since 1990. Completely black in color with yellow sparks in the overlay. Because of the wrong zero fret at the factory, the guitar did not build terribly. The vibrato\tremolo had to be blocked by removing the spring. At some point, I removed the native singles and put a humbucker.... But I didn 't keep the guitar . I regret it...

[@peterkitts8815]

That book sounds like something to sell in the museum. Along with posters of the more interesting guitars.

[@robertmansell3667]

Some interesting stuff there for sure,the Hefner is my favourite because it’s the only one with a bass neck on it 😉

[@mbontekoe3358]

Nice that Robert Fripp name checked you and showed the guitar you made him on his weekly "Robert at home" #6 at the weekend.

[@Craftlngo]

Robert Fripp is one of the reasons why Ben startet Crimson Guitars. Even the name of his company is a reference to him as he played for King Crimson.

[@ManNamedEd]

Brilliant video!! Very fun to watch!!! Would you ever build a double neck?

[@alexfraser7760]

Hi Ben, a very wise guitar teacher told me one day there is a formula for the number of guitars one should own! Current number + 1…..

[@paulneeds]

Let current number of guitars be equal to x Then required/necessary number of guitars equal y. So y = x + 1

[@bloemundude]

I love looking at pictures online of the old, small production run Italian and Japanese fiberglass guitars of the 60's. Old US and UK department store guitars, too. It seems that the only real innovation you see on electric guitars these days is how pointy the body is and how many strings south of the low-E you can convince people sound even more "menacing". Acoustics and classical guitars for fingerpicking seem to have decent diversity of designs, I'm happy to see.

[@adamjessep8595]

As a lefty, I'd like to see you follow through on the Gibson S-1 by completing the previous owner's vision for that guitar - i.e. a left handed conversion. That was one of the guitars that piqued my interest in the auction. Very happy to see that you bought it, but please give us lefties some love.

[@peejay6930]

I posted a comment yesterday on exactly the lines of your post, when Ben said he was going to do the right thing I genuinely thought he was going to "neaten" up the work of the previous owner, converting it back to righty couldn't be further from what that owner intended, I bought the black 93 lefty Les Paul :o)

[@peejay6930]

@Mark Seymour True, so you want absolutely everything do you? If Ben does open a museum that will be 100% of guitars lefties "won't be able to try"

[@peejay6930]

@Mark Seymour I'm not having a go mate, but that is an unbelievably ignorant view, Paul McCartney originally tried to learn right-handed and gave up because it was too hard, a few years later someone suggested (as he was left-handed) he should try lefty. I wonder just how many left-handed people were pushed to play right-handed and gave up? But let's imagine your "logic" makes sense, why would Eric Gales, Doyle Bramhall, Freddy King among many others actually choose to learn the guitar in an unbelievably hard way with the strings upside down? They presumably learned on right-handed guitars, maybe borrowed from friends or family, and found it more natural to play with upside down strings rather than play right-handed. But I guess that will be lost on someone who suggests lefties should play "the proper way" This subject came up be Ben said he was "going to do the right thing" and finish what the previous owner had started...... by swapping it to right-handed? Football is a game played with two feet, strange how few left footed players there are, isn't it?

[@peejay6930]

@Mark Seymour "And why would so many left-handed players choose to do the opposite of what you said, and play the instrument right handed?" Is that a choice? I guess if all you have is stale bread, you "choose" to eat it. "learn it the right way round in the first place." There it is again, Michael Batio is a very good example, he's ambidextrous, he's better than me and you lefty and righty, he simply picked up the guitar that was available, had it been lefty the "double axe" may never have existed. "Not sure what football has to do with anything - the best players are good with both feet" you don't know much about football, do you? Are world class golfers, tennis players, pole volters and darts players just as good with both hands? " if you wanted to learn the piano would you need a special one of those too?" well there are left handed pianos, but yet again you miss the fundamental point, you can't flip a piano and realise it's easier to play that way, seeing as you missed it the first time, I'll reiterate, millions of people (left and right) try to learn the guitar, many of them will give up because it's too hard, now it shouldn't take a genius to realise that it must be harder to learn if you hold it (in which to you is) an unnatural position, you see left handed people who have never even picked up a guitar playing "air guitar" lefty. "90% of people enjoy or only 10%, it makes more sense to aim for the 90%" Yeah, what the point in me and you paying for disabled access to your museum when only 00.1% of people use it? The guitar that started this conversation had been adapted SPECIFICALLY to be played left handed, that was the previous owner's marked intention, that's the point, it can't be reversed, it's a done deal, it will become a right handed guitar converted to left handed and then converted to a right handed version of a lefty conversion. There are plenty of lefty violinists, and you can but left handed saxophones. Let's assume everything you believe is true, you should be able to learn to play lefty in a week or so, you already know all the chords and scales, you know where to put your fingers and you are familiar with the fretboard ley out. But back to my actual point, seeing as left handed guitarists actually exist, do you really think they should have nothing, not even a butchered 70s Gibson S1?

[@moogoomoogoo5990]

So interesting. The Hofner was my favorite.

[@Craftlngo]

A little bit of googling, showed that the Vintage Formanta was built in the sixties in the USSR or Czech Republic. The company built also Keyboards and recording hardware.

[@PelleKuipers]

And those instruments are often baaaaad. There are even guitars that just have everything wrong but look like they should work. Source; friend of mine used to own 250 (!) of these type of instruments.

[@alexcorona]

I felt bad about buying a telecaster when I already have 3 bodies, now I don't feel bad at all.

[@AndrewAHayes]

I love those organ type switches, that is cool!

When you flick the switches of that Formante, my 75 Ford's heater came on

[@peterjohnstone7006]

A guitar museum sounds like an awesome idea.

[@RichardSteel]

Fantastic vid. I can’t wait to see some of the restorations. Love this thanks.

[@x1um1n]

I've been doing a restomod on a Borisov Solo-II which is the final version ('89-90) of the Formanta. Happy to send some pics if you want to see the hardware. Mine is a hardtail, but it has the bridge cover, which most are missing.

[@philiphurdwell3443]

Love this, keep diversifying, I will 100% visit the museum.!!!!!!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I won't stop.. I'm having far too much fun !

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

"I Bought TOO MANY Guitars | Said no one ever" might well be true. (I know I certainly want more lol) But, "You have TOO MANY Guitars" is practically the mantra for every partner of every guitarist with more than 3 or 4 guitars. Hell, I know someone who's wife questioned why he wanted a SECOND guitar!

[@Paul-D]

My answer would've been, Im only permitted with 1 wife, so I shall permit myself more guitars hahaha

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@Paul-D Well, the one wife thing really depends on what religion you follow and what country you live in lol.

[@Paul-D]

@@RainMakeR_Workshop haha yes very true

[@alexcorona]

Grounds for a divorce

[@briw4647]

please buy a Dr Brian may guitar for your museum , either a guild or burns ( the older ones) . the guitar is so iconic, im sure it deserves a mention in the museum

[@davidneale-lorello2954]

I am utterly delighted to hear your rekindled joy in your art. I understand very well how a passion can devolve into "just a job." "Follow your bliss" and "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" depend on keeping in touch with that spark that moves us. Thank you for sharing your passion and your skills -- you make the world a better place!

[@HjalteBundgaard]

that's the most unique guitars I've seen in years, please make a video (or a couple) where you shine one or two up a bit, or fix the most critical damage

[@HatchA_Makes...]

Buried my father in-law yesterday, bought a new cafetiere today, discovered it doesn't quite make the full pint-and-a-quarter that my old one made, so it's been a rough couple of days, to say the least. This video - and especially your energy, Ben - is most welcome, and a much needed boost to the Spirit. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Thank you for everything you do! Steve.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Ahh. We are so sorry about your father-in-law - and the cafetiere. But very pleased that Ben was able to bring a little joy. I hope that things will improve for you and your family. DC

[@HatchA_Makes...]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Thank you ☺ Ben led a moment of "introspective silence" for my cafetiere during the stream last Sunday. It was lovely. The content you guys have been putting out has been a very welcome distraction for me, personally over the past few months. I'd like to extend my thanks to you all... 😊

[@alpeterson]

Ok so now that you’ve fallen in love with that double neck I’ll say again pleeeeeeease do a doubleneck build series! A couple, small bodied doubleneck like that would be so much fun!

[@BuHeTy]

My father always mentioned these Jolana guitars. We were in eastern soviet bloc (Bulgaria). So these were one of the finest available.

[@Furtheronmusic]

That Berlin is fabulous. I really wanted one of those 30 years ago

[@crasheenarino]

Lovely collection! How about a swirling tutorial? I noticed that Ibanez like 7 swirl in the background!

[@frankiechan9651]

I love this concept/series. Anything to get us away from yet another single cut, strat-type, tele type etc Back before guitars became appliances or commoditised and accountants and marketing types took over. Re: the Russian guitar - Tim Sway did a series on some East European oddities that he found and may have some pointers on resurrecting them. And yes - no such thing as too many guitars,

[@PhantomOfTheMall]

I’m with the teacher-dude, that Jolana Tornado is absolutely “THE CAT’S PAJAMAS”!!! Yeah, the others certainly have a vibe as well, but I love those hollowbody/f-holes type guitars!

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

Looking forward to things like the fabrication of the saddle for the Formanta guitar.

[@Kevin-nr9lj]

Oh wow. My rest of the year is sorted now

[@jamesrockland9616]

Project #4081, vintage guitar book... lots of great ideas but only one Ben, careful not to spread yourself too thin ;)

[@guitfidle]

Love this stuff!! I've been eyeing a few Soviet era basses, Jolana, Musima, and Orfeus hollowbodies similar to those 335 shaped Jolana guitars. Fun stuff!!

[@bigjules5139]

As soon as Ben said "plastic guitar ", I immediately thought of Plastic Guitar by Anton Barbeau! That Höfner though! *swoon*

[@brynjones7371]

Love what you're doing, good luck with the museum.

[@PastelComGini]

The plastic guitar is really cool. The back recalls me of bakelite (if this was the name). The red one is ultra cool And the Hofner... man, what's more than ultra? It's giga ultra gorilla cool I'm impressed on how it resonates acoustically. I'm not sure, but I think that Tim Sway got his hands on one of these Forma..ttas? once If not, it was something alike. I guess lots of guitars at that time had similar solutions for switches, I could be wrong.

[@Cpmnk]

Cant wait to visit the museum when its up

[@markmilligan8773]

What a wonderful preview you have me salivating for more. 🤤 I love interesting and different the weirder the better. Can't wait to book my tour of the museum/research guitar lab

[@bollockswanganui7611]

A guitar appreciation video of the obscure and historic ......... I LOVED IT! more please.

[@CaptainK1rk]

Ben make sure you check those Jolanas thoroughly! They have hidden screwdrivers in the strap buttons! I don't know why other manufacturers don't do the same.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Really?? That's incredible! I'll check it out 1st thing tomorrow, thank you! B

[@drewlaws983]

That Hofner is a thing of beauty!

[@ricardohollisio]

That Vintage Formanta with the DIN lead connector is wonderful. Never seen anything like it before but now I want one badly.

[@PaulCooksStuff]

That's 2023 teardown livestreams sorted 🤣 24:20 The pickup covers you were looking for, are they meshed, or solid? It was hard to see on a phone screen postage stamp. If they're fine mesh, you could maybe try Dylan. He did a few limited edition pups with fine mesh covers recently. He might divulge his supplier.

[@richardfoskett8903]

Ben - there’s a video somewhere on KZbin of Jeff Beck at home talking about his gear. He’s got a Macaferri just like that which he uses to noodle on! They sound great…

[@TheStobb50]

When you’re building up the reference Library don’t forget lefties, so I can enjoy my visit

[@loopinnerthe]

Haribos for grown-ups. Fave is the one with the DIN connector, you have to find the PSU and get it fully working.

[@abbert4798]

Excited to see the Trogly collab :)

[@djsinister76]

I can't wait to see all the videos of repairs for them all! I really can't wait for the 1976 Gibson. My birth year! Would love to find one for myself

[@jellybingus416]

That Hofner is so cool!!

[@BraMKJ]

A Crimson / Trogly collab would be awesome!

[@aperezdeal]

I just want to say that my 11 month old daughter enjoys watching your videos with me.

[@BrentJJ]

Good on ya Ben and Co. ...guitars are fun in many, many ways...☮

[@JayKughan]

Great grab, Ben 👍 Looking forward to cheking out how you sort out the Maccaferri headstock. Cheers!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Me too.. I have no idea at all what I'm going to do there.. yet 😀

[@Forest_Fifer]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars one of those 3d printing pen things?

[@JayKughan]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars In efforts to retain as much of the original material as possible, maybe a perspex cover (with your logo) might be the solution. Something to close the gap while highlighting the battle scar at the same time. I think the hollow aspect of the headstock is a pretty cool thing to highlight. It's not something you see every day. Whatever you decide, I'm looking forward to watching you go nuts over it 😄 Cheers..

[@jamesfurz7406]

Ben FYI the boys @SherwoodPhoenix have a Danelectro Silvertone 1448 in working order. It's not really for sale and kept in the back room, but would be cool for a museum piece....

[@SweetTGuitars]

You can get that pickup cover material from Philadelphia Luthier Tools and Supply! I'm almost positive I've seen it on that site!

[@camorbz]

Love this post. Love the oddball and away from the Gibsons and Fenders - please do more like this. And I still think you're from KZN.

[@cherepaha8719]

Hell althogh it marked as "Vitnage formanta" that must be "Solo"... I had the next version "solo 2" and that monster of a guitar was the worst thing I've ever play in my life. That was such a disastrous thing: frets placed at wrong positions, profile of the neck as square as a brick, weak electronicks and constant buzzing and humming. Not to say how lucky I was to have it with built-in effects removed. Those are fameous for driving owners insane... The only guitar I'd be happy to forget.

[@blakewilliams3702]

I respectfully disagree with your title…..my wife tells me that almost daily….

[@hafengr]

Hofner my favorite!!! Could not pay me enough!!

[@cheapskate8656]

Not having a neck angle makes perfect sense to me. I'm on my 4th build now (current one is for the GGBO) and I have no neck angle on any of them. To me its a needless complication, unless you are making a replica.

[@steelfan3657]

Love the wierd stuff. Old crazy guitars are awesome to play with and look at. I have a 68 Teisco Delray that is tulip shaped and I love it.

[@groovedodger]

Hi fellow Teisco fan here they did make some interesting guitars like the tulip shape (some that were garbage as well though). I have a EP11T hollow body bigsby style trem roller bridge gizmo.

[@steelfan3657]

@@groovedodger mine was my grandfather's It’s an et-200. Love it

[@StephenGallacher]

On the subject of Patrick Eggle guitars, I've been playing Pat's designs for years and my oldest Berlin, Built in 1991 but I didn't get it 'til 97, has an issue - it's been fitted with a single action truss rod, but the neck seems to have settled in a position where the neck remains straight under tension and actually needs to have some relief added, easily done with a dual action rod. I'm wondering if it's possible for the truss rod to be swapped, and how much Crimson would charge to do this job. It may even make an interesting video from Ben's home workshop.

[@jimbecker5675]

Tim Sway did some projects with old Russian origin guitars in the last year or so. Interesting beasts!

[@robvandermolen6767]

I got the same problem about buying guitars since I don't play in my band anymore as too old. No need to add it drives my Wife crazy-currently 126 guitars at home, only 7 on Reverb, just to calm her down a bit. What interesting, as guitar player I had only two same guitars for 27 Years

[@normbarrows]

It's always cool to see something different.

[@edwjak]

Hofner just amazing!!! Happy for you!

[@simonnotthepieman1581]

I love weird 'n' crazy guitars. Unfortunately, I think I know the auction you referred to in this video. In their June auction, all my Dad's (RIP) guitar collection (around 200 pieces) was sold in that auction. They were supposed to be mine but his 'other half' decided to lie and say there wasn't a will and she's having them all and that if I wanted any I had to be the winning bid. I couldn't do it, the greed makes me sick. He'd left her enough that she didn't need the guitars too. I didn't even want all 200 pieces, but there were some I did want (Gilmour Strat, D45, Fender Journeyman's, PRS, Amps etc). I haven't visited their website because I don't want temptation to look at the auction results and see more sadness

[@archloy]

for the plastic (wired) guitar : make a molt, melt white Lego (with acetone, it's ABS plastic), polish, taint and glue ?

[@SirSneakerPimp]

Berlin Pluss = PRS! The PRS design is almost a complete copy of that guitar!

[@Furtheronmusic]

You'd have loved a store called Frenchies that was around for many years in Gillingham Kent. Had so many weird old 60s etc stuff go through there.

[@jenspetersimonsen4235]

Should you ever visit Aarhus, Denmark, YOU HAVE TO have pizza (or a burger) at Mackies Pizza where they have a few handfulls of very special guitars on their walls ... most definitely more rare than high-end, but a testament to guitar building over the years 🙂

[@jenspetersimonsen4235]

BTW love the vid ... jumping around shop like a 4yo in a candy store ;-D

[@kevjones5047]

Unboxings are like Christmas... love the weird stuff, but that short scale Airliner was speaking to me.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I think that that will be a forever guitar for me. I fell in love the first time I saw it

[@Xarthis]

1 - i will buy tickets for the Berlin (but so will everyone else, I guess) 2 - Someone will have to play Jimi Hendrix' "Machine Gun" on the Kay, while making all the appropriate gestures

[@paulberger6540]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a breakdown/restore video of the Hofner doubleneck! That's an amazing instrument(s)!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I absolutely will do, I am so so glad I managed to buy this one.

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

The Hofner doubleneck takes the cake for sure, but I've owned a Supro resoglas much like the Airline you got, and they are pretty special too. Just ask Jack White...

[@Steve-GTRDR-Brand]

A Kay Rifle guitar was the second guitar that I ever owned back in the very early '80s!

[@johnrau2265]

That plastic guitar might be where Kaman (Ovation) decided that their original Applause guitars could be almost sans wood. The bridge was wood and a bit of bracing inside. Are those big dots on the back of the neck where they injected the light colored plastic for the fret markers?

[@MangledGuitars]

DUDE! THAT GUILD S300 ON THE WALL WAS MY FIRST SET NECK! I WANT IT!

[@therabbitcanada]

if only that Formanta was lefty! Soooo cool!!!

[@jameslewis2635]

That Airline Resoglass gave me real 'White Stripes' vibes. With replacing the top material for the bridge pickup you might want to just look for some material with the right stitch pattern and then spray it with some gold paint. The cool design award for me goes to the Formanta (even though I don't even like single coil guitars that much). The socket for that thing looks like a mini-din socket, you may get away with connecting it up with a mini-din cable and then convert it to jacks at one end. Persnally I think it would look great sprayed black or with a dark woodgrain finish along with the current scratchplate and pickups.

[@whssy]

Meg White did actually have one of those Airlines IIRC. Not sure why a drummer needed a guitar but nevertheless....

[@happyraver1958]

I want a pink, short-scale, shreddy bass guitar!!!

[@Ralf1erudd]

I had a Patrick Eggle Berlin years ago. It had a back bowed neck! Took ages to get them to only partially sort it out.

[@rvaguitars]

Those macaferri’s sound surprisingly good. I used to have one of the islander ukes and it was super good

[@neilschlemeel5751]

My wife would TOTALLY DISAGREE with that statement lol...I only have 10 guitars...4 basses...9 drumkits...a whole PA system... I personally don't see a problem with it lol

[@larrywhitley3359]

Check with House of Tone for the pickup foils.

[@seanjoynt2605]

All of those are badass!! I think I do like the double neck the best out of those. 😁

[@seankelly7211]

When I think of "weird and quirky" guitars I remember all the ones played by Dave Hill from the band "Slade" in the 70`s . Dave had some really strange looking guitars that I had never seen before, or since! I wondered where he got them and if he still has them now!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I had the same impression.. haven't thought about them for years!

[@seankelly7211]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Noddy Holder seemed to only use Telecasters and SG`s, but Dave was from another planet!

[@davidbolton9546]

@@seankelly7211 Framus Super Yob

[@smmyers5956]

BEN,, If you can find the right color there is a thing called plastic welding.

[@Tsudkyk]

The only problem with buying too many guitars is storage space and time to play them.