The gate guitar project
The gate to our new location in Vienna needed replacement. To me it looked like prime guitar-building material. Nice weathered Pine boards - resonant and light - with a wonderfully textured surface! So, in June 2012, a year after moving into our new shop, we finally got around to make guitars out of it - a limited series of 50 (the boards yielded just about enough wood).
Now, after 9 years the project is complete. 49 Gate Guitars (2 of them Lefties) and 1 Gate Bass were made. Only scattered pieces of the wood remain and they will be integrated into other projects.
Gate Guitar Custom 'BAUDOUIN' #050
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck w/ Rosewood fingerboard 25 ½"scale
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
BoneTop P-90 style pickups
ABR bridge
Bigsby B5
3-way switch, vol, tone w/ push-pull for series mode
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #049
Meranti body
Maple neck w/Ebony fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Fralin Blues Special Tele pickup in neck, DiMarzio 'Gravity Storm' HB in bridge (splittable) from Thomas Nordegg's stash (Steve Vai's & other's tech).
Wilkinson adjustable tailpiece
Vol, tone w/push-pull for HB split, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #48
Mahogany body
Bird's Eye Maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
Spalt BoneTop P-90style in neck
Häussel custom HB in bidge
Vintage Strat style tremolo bridge, wide spacing
Volume, tone, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #047
Alder body
Maple neck w/ Katalox fingerboard, 24 ¾" scale
BoneTop P-90 style pickup set
Hipshot fixed bridge
Gotoh vintage style tuners
3-way switch, vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom 'Pasadena Gate' #046
Alder body
Bird's Eye Maple neck & fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
TV Jones Powertron in neck
BoneTop Blues Special in bridge
Tele style bridge w/bras compensated saddles
Vol, tone, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #045
Alder Body
Maple neck w/ Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
Lollar Mini-humbucker in neck
Lindy Fralin HO humbucker in bridge, splittable
Hipshot tremolo with Hipshot Trem-lock
Vol, tone w/push-pull for HB split, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
3.6 kg
Gate Guitar Custom #44
Meranti body
Mahogany neck w/Rosewood fingerboard, 24 ¾" scale
Fralin Blues Special Tele pickup in the neck
BoneTop P-90 style pickup in the bridge
Wilkinson adjustable stop tail with locking studs
Gotoh vintage style tuners
3-way switch, vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom Thinline #043
Chambered Mahogany body
Maple neck w/Indian Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
BoneTop P-90 in neck
BoneTop Blues Special in bridge
Tele bridge w/compensated brass saddles
Vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
3.1 kg
Gate Guitar Custom #042
Alder body
Maple neck w/Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
Lollar Mini-humbucker in neck
Lindy Fralin HO humbucker in bridge, splittable
Hipshot tremolo
Vol, tone w/push-pull for HB split, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
3.6 kg
Gate Guitar Custom #041
Alder body
Maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Spalt P-90 style pickups
Vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode, 3-way switch
Hipshot fixed bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
3.3 kg
Gate Guitar Sullivan Custom #040
Mahogany chambered body
Flame Koa neck
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Spalt BoneTop P-90 in neck
Fralin BoneTop Tele-style in bridge
Tele-bridge w/compensated brass saddles
Vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom 7-String #39
The first Gate 7-string also sports the first 7-string BoneTop pickups.
Alder body w/ Purpleheart center & Wenge strips
Maple neck, Bocote fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Hipshot open back tuners /w pearloid buttons
Spalt BoneTop pickup set
Vol, tone w/ push-pull for series mode, 3-way switch
Hipshot fixed bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
3.5kg
Gate Guitar custom 'Memento' #038
This is maybe the most interesting Gate Guitar so far, a very special instrument. The customer brought a box with some highly personal mementos, each with a deep story attached. Using them all would have filled the surface, and having some of these personal objects clearly visible to all somehow felt invasive. So I decided instead to rout large chambers into the body, with African power symbols (suggested by the customer) cut into the top through which one could glimpse the objects. This way all of the objects are represented, but in an unobtrusive, subtle way.
Mahogany body
Maple neck, Ziricote fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
ABR bridge and stop tailpiece
Gotho vintage style tuners
Vol, tone , 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #037
Figured Pearwood body, chambered
Bird's Eye Maple neck
Katalox fingerboard, 24 3/4" scale
TV Jones Classic in neck
Lindy Fralin Split Blade Tele style in bridge
Reverse Tele bridge w/compensated brass saddles
Vol, tone, 3-way switch
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #036 VIENNA STYLE
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
ABM adjustable wraparound tailpiece
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, tone, 3-way w/push-pull for series mode
The body shape is based on a template for a parlour type acoustic guitar my luthier friend Andreas Neubauer here in Vienna got from an old local luthier’s shop, ca. 1870’s. The body is hollow except for a block under the tailpiece, with an inset top of old pine (from the old gate to our new shop), finished with a resin coat. I call the guitars in this series the “Vienna style”. The graceful curves and the handrubbed finish are reminiscent of the classic well-worn Viennese coffe house chairs. Direct and dynamic with a nice touch of transparency in the tone.
GATE Guitar Custom #035 VIENNA STYLE
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
Bigsby tailpiece & rollerbridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, tone, 3-way w/push-pull for series mode
Gate Guitar Custom 'Dark Bird' #034
Pine body
Chunky Mahogany neck
Indian Rosewood fingerboard, 25 ½" scale
TV Jones Superton pickup set
Tone Pros adjustable stoptail
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Volume, tone, 3-way switch
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #033 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Bigsby tailpiece & rollerbridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone, 3-way w/push-pull for series mode
3.5kg / 7lbs10oz
Gate Guitar Custom #032
Basswood body
Basswood neck w/ Indian Rosewood fingerboard
25 ½" scale, 22 6150 frets
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Seymour Duncan Antiquity '59 in neck
Lindy Fralin Split Blade HO tele in bridge
Vol, tone, 3-way switch
Tele bridge w/compensated brass saddles
Dunlop Straplocks
3.1 kg
GATE GUITAR CUSTOM #031
Mahogany body
Bird's Eye Maple neck
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 ½" scale, 22 Dunlop 6150 frets
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Lollar Charlie Christian/Imperial HB combination
3-way, vol, tone
Hipshot fixed bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
3.6 kg
Gate Guitar Custom #030
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, Madagascar Rw fingerboard
25 ½" scale, 22 Dunlop 6150 frets
Gotoh vintage style locking tuners
ABR bridge, Bigsby B7
BoneTop P-90 style in neck and bridge
Vol, tone w/push-pull for series mode
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #029
Mahogany Body
Mahogany neck, medium fat C
Indian Rosewood fingerboard & headstock overlay
25 1/2" scale, 10-12" radius, 22 Dunlop 6150 frets
2-way truss rod, bone nut, 42mm
Gotoh vintage style tuners
ABR bridge, Bigsby B-5
BoneTop P-90 style in neck
Fralin "Pure PAF" humbucker in bridge
3-way switch, CTS pots and Orange Drop cap
Dunlop Straplocks
3.8 kg
Gate Guitar Custom #028
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck
Indian Rosewood fingerboard
25 ½" scale
Hipshot locking tuners
Rollerbridge and Bigsby B5
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt Bonetop P-90 style pickups
3-way switch, volume, tone w/push/pull for series mode
Tibetan prayer bead inlays
Gate Guitar Custom #027 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Bigsby tailpiece & rollerbridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone, 3-way w/push/pull for series mode
3.5kg / 7lbs10oz
Gate Guitar Custom #026 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Tone Pros wraparound adjustable tailpiece
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone, 3-way w/push/pull for series mode
3.2kg / 7lbs1oz
Gate Guitar Custom #025 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Indian Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Tone Pros wraparound adjustable tailpiece
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone, 3-way w/push/pull for series mode
Gate Guitar Custom #024 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany body
Mahogany neck, 3-bolt solid
Indian Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Tone Pros wraparound adjustable tailpiece
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone, 3-way w/push/pull for series mode
Gate Guitar Standard #023
Mahogany body
Bird's eye Maple neck
Bird's eye Maple fingerboard & headstock overlay, 25 1/2" scale
Lindy Fralin HO humbucker splittable in bridge
Blues Special singlecoil in neck
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Hipshot bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Standard #022
Mahogany body
Flame Maple neck
Indian Rosewood fingerboard & headstock overlay, 25 1/2" scale
Lindy Fralin HO humbucker splittable in bridge
Blues Special singlecoil in neck
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Hipshot bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Standard #021
Mahogany body
Flame Maple neck
Indian Rosewood fingerboard & headstock overlay, 25 1/2" scale
Lindy Fralin HO humbucker splittable in bridge
Blues Special singlecoil in neck
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Hipshot bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #020
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2" scale
Hipshot fixed bridge
Gotoh vintage style tuners
BoneTop P-90 in the neck, Fralin Pure PAF in the bridge position
Dunlop Straplocks
Volume, Tone, 3-way switch
Gate Guitar Custom #019 Vienna Style
Hollow Mahogany (Sapele) body
Mahogany (Honduras) neck, 3-bolt solid joint with machine screws and inserts
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Tone Pros wraparound adjustable tailpiece
Dunlop Straplocks
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Volume, Tone w/ push/pull for series mode, 3-way switch
Gate Guitar Custom #018
Mahogany body
Flame Maple neck
Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale
Lindy Fralin P-92 in neck, BoneTop Tele-style in bidge
3-way, Vol, Tone w/push/pull for series mode
Vintage brass bridge
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #017
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck w/Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard & headstock overlay, 25 1/2 scale
BoneTop P-90 in the neck, high-output BoneTop Fralin humbucker (12.5k) splittable in the bridge
Volume, tone w/push-pull for humbucker split, 3-way toggle
Tuneamatic bridge w/Bigsby B5
Vintage style Gotoh locking tuners
Dunlop Straplocks
3.8kg/8.3lbs
Gate Guitar Custom #016
Mahogany body
Flame Maple neck w/Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard and headstock overlay, 25 1/2" scale
2 x BoneTop P-90 pickups
Volume, tone, 3-way toggle
Jazzmaster style tremolo w/rollerbridge
Sperzel locking tuners
Dunlop Straplocks
3.5kg/7.7lbs
The original satin finish was subsequently polished to a gloss finish (last 2 images)
Gate Guitar Custom #015
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck
Ziricote fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale
Lollar Charlie Christian Tele combination
Compensated Tele bridge w/ brass saddles
Volume, Tone w/ push/pull for series mode
3-way
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #014
Mahogany body, flame Koa neck w/Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard, 25 1/2 scale. Lollar Imperial humbucker in custom bridge. Switchable between series/parallel/split mode. Gotoh vintage style tuners, Dunlop straplocks.
Gate Guitar Custom #013
Mahogany body and neck, Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale. BoneTop P-90's, ABR bridge w/ Bigsby, Vintage style Gotoh locking tuners.
gate guitar standard #012
Mahogany body, Maple neck w/Rosewood fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale. Lindy Fralin "Unbucker" humbucker splittable in bridge, Blues Special singlecoil in the neck position. Gotoh vintage style tuners, Hipshot bridge, Dunlop straplocks.
Gate Guitar Standard #011
Mahogany body (Honduras)
Maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard
25 1/2” scale
Gotoh vintage style
tuners
Pine top from the old gate
Lindy Fralin Strat SC in the neck, Unbucker (splittable) in the bridge position
Hipshot through-the-body bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #010
Mahogany body and neck, Macassar Ebony fingergboard, 25 1/2" scale, Lollar Firebird minihumbuckers, TonePros bridge and stoptail, Gotoh vintage style tuners.
Gate Guitar Custom Tele #009
Gate Guitar Custom #009. Mahogany body, fat Maple neck, 25 1/2" scale. BoneTop P-90 in neck, Fralin Blues Special Tele in bridge, compensated brass saddles, Gotoh vintage style tuners, Dunlop straplocks.
Gate Guitar Standard (Custom) #008
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck w/Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale
Reverse headstock w/overlay
Hipshot tremolo, Hipshot locking tuners with barrel knobs
Lindy Fralin Unbucker in neck, J Barden two-tone in the middle, Lindy Fralin HO in the bridge
3 3-way switches, one for each pickup: full, split, off (26 sounds)
Volume, tone
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #007 "Lefty"
Mahogany body
Basswood neck w/Rosewood fingerboard
25 ½" scale, 22 Dunlop 6150 frets
Gotoh vintage style tuners
Spalt BoneTop P-90 style pickups
Vol w/push-pull for series mode, tone
3-way switch
Hipshot fixed bridge
Dunlop Straplocks
Gate Guitar Custom #006 "Pearly Gates"
Mahogany neck and body. Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard 25 1/2" scale. Cocobolo headstock overlay. Gotho vintage style locking tuners, Bigsby B-5, Gotoh tuneamatic bridge. BoneTop P-90 style pickups. Switchable series/parallel via Tone push-pull. Hard bypass via Vol push-pull.
Gate Guitar Custom #005
Mahogany body and neck, Ziricote fingerboard, 25 1/2" scale. Lollar Charlie Christian Tele combination. Compensated Tele bridge and Gotoh vintage style tuners.
Gate Custom Bass #004
Mahogany body, Maple neck with Cocobolo fingerboard, 34" scale. Lollar J-Bass pickup combination, Hipshot Ultralite Y tuners, Hondo vintage bridge.
Gate Guitar Custom #003
Gate guitar custom model. Mahogany body topped with Pine boards from the gate, Mahogany neck w/Rosewood fingerboard, scarf joint and headstock overlay, 25 1/2" scale. Bigsby vibrato, Gotho ABR bridge, Gotoh vintage style tuners. BoneTop P-90 style pickups.
Here's Brice Delage performaning with GG #003 at the 2012 Montreal Guitar Show:
Gate Guitars Standard #001 & #002
Based on the successful Totem-X series, these hava a Lindy Fralin SC/H (splittable) combination, Mahogany body, Maple or Maple/Rosewood neck, 25 1/2" scale. Hipshot bridge and Gotoh vintage style tuners complete the package.
