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GMC Forum _ Ben Higgins _ Ben's Guitars
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 09:56 AM
Hi Dudes and Dudettes !
Just thought I'd share my 3 main guitars.. I'm incredibly lucky in that my father (self taught) can build guitars. It was a learning curve, with each one slightly improving over the previous one. The Explorer is the 1st one that he built specifically for me. If you're wondering why you haven't seen it in a video yet it's because it's SOOOOO heavy that I don't play it much. I used to use it as my live guitar for gigs but wanted something lighter. It's slightly larger and much heavier than a standard Gibson explorer.. and WAY heavier than a Les Paul so you get the idea !
The other two with the Jackson style bodies were something that he just decided to put together using existing parts he had (pickups, volume knob, bridge) and when I saw and played them I just had to have them !
I don't know the specs exactly.. but I will get more info and update 
I do have a question as well: If money were no object and you could have a custom guitar built, what shape would you have ?
Posted by: Chris Evans Jun 3 2011, 10:01 AM
those look really nice! you are very lucky and your Dad is a very talented man!!
I had the chance to get myself a custom built guitar, (my MK purple guitar) I went for a PRS sort of style, it was basically modelled on the same guitar that Cosmin has 
Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jun 3 2011, 10:02 AM
Oh so you have two of those jackson style beauties!
PS Can we exchange dads please? You just for a couple of months so he can build me a guitar?!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 10:21 AM
PS Can we exchange dads please? You just for a couple of months so he can build me a guitar?!
Sure I'll send him over to Sweden in a crate.. I'll send him with some rice and curry paste because he can cook amazing curries !
I hope your Dad can cook some interesting Swedish cuisine ? If he comes with a bottle of Swedish Snaps I won't mind...
Posted by: Stephane Lucarelli Jun 3 2011, 10:22 AM
Beautiful axes!
Don't you feel the need of a neck pickups?
Great ID, I'm in. My turn is in August!!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 10:27 AM
I had the chance to get myself a custom built guitar, (my MK purple guitar) I went for a PRS sort of style, it was basically modelled on the same guitar that Cosmin has
Yes your guitar is beautiful !! If we ever gig together we'll have to do the 'try each other's guitar' thing !
Don't you feel the need of a neck pickups?
Great ID, I'm in. My turn is in August!!
I only really miss the neck pickup for clean tones but not for distorted playing
Haha.. my poor Dad.. I'll have to tell him that he's going to be sent all over Europe and he'll have to accept it.
Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jun 3 2011, 10:29 AM
So what will I get form you dad? Does he construct guitars or cook? (Otherwise I am not interested!!!
)
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 10:30 AM
)He does both ! The curries are a bonus
But for this to be a fair exchange what does your Dad do ?
Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jun 3 2011, 10:32 AM
I am afraid my Dad won't do much more than mess with your mind - so I wouldn't allow you to keep him for a long time, as that might jeopardize your awesome guitar work at GMC
I knew that - that's why I want him! I was asking about Stephane's dad
Posted by: Chris Evans Jun 3 2011, 10:41 AM
ah yes, absolutly! if anything I`ll hope that some of the Higgins magic will rub off your guitar to my fingers and from your fingers into my fretboard!!
Fingers crossed we can organise something one day
Posted by: zen Jun 3 2011, 10:42 AM
They are stunning.
Maybe play the explorer every now n then to work the shoulders for added exercises
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 10:52 AM
Fingers crossed we can organise something one day
I doubt you'll get get anything more on your fretboard apart from sweat and grease !
Get this.. I was reading a guitar magazine years ago (remember those things ?) and somebody honestly described that dirt you get on guitar necks as 'finger poo'. Maybe play the explorer every now n then to work the shoulders for added exercises
Yeah.. and the neck. And the arms. And the back. And the legs !!
Posted by: Chris Evans Jun 3 2011, 10:55 AM
Get this.. I was reading a guitar magazine years ago (remember those things ?) and somebody honestly described that dirt you get on guitar necks as 'finger poo'. I love that, I`m gunna use that from now on! I took apart and totally cleaned up my Jackson and Ibanez last week, re oiled the necks etc, its amazing how much finger poo gets left behind, also the amount of skin shed from the picking hand that gets down between the pups! just hand poo in general?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 10:57 AM
I love that, I`m gunna use that from now on! I took apart and totally cleaned up my Jackson and Ibanez last week, re oiled the necks etc, its amazing how much finger poo gets left behind, also the amount of skin shed from the picking hand that gets down between the pups! just hand poo in general?
I get a feeling that this phrase is going to be popular at GMC.. you read it here first, folks !
There's nothing better than having a nicely cleaned guitar though
Posted by: SpaseMoonkey Jun 3 2011, 11:48 AM
I love that, I`m gunna use that from now on! I took apart and totally cleaned up my Jackson and Ibanez last week, re oiled the necks etc, its amazing how much finger poo gets left behind, also the amount of skin shed from the picking hand that gets down between the pups! just hand poo in general?
Hmm I'm off next week I think I shall add this to my list, replace all strings and deep clean the kids. =D Thanks for the great idea!
Posted by: Chris Evans Jun 3 2011, 11:56 AM
well worth doing, they feel completly different afterwards
like new again
Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jun 3 2011, 12:10 PM
Very nice guitars Ben !
Posted by: Fran Jun 3 2011, 12:34 PM
Wow lucky you!
Those guitar look amazing, I bet it's awesome to have a luthier at home
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 12:57 PM
Thanks Guys, yes although I'm not under the same roof anymore it's still incredible to have a family member who can do that
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 3 2011, 01:36 PM
Ben - does he take orders from outside Great Britain?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 01:44 PM
Ben - does he take orders from outside Great Britain? I guess there's no reason why not.. I'm sure he'd be happy to
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 3 2011, 02:08 PM
Wow, nice guitars Ben, you are lucky that your Dad can make these All three guitars look awesome really, jackson style ones for practice, and Explorer for showing off at gig at knee-height
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 02:09 PM
Yes, Hetifeld style ! Although at that height I'll only be able to play a few power chords !
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 3 2011, 02:26 PM
Wow those are nice. Your father is a true craftsman. .Does he have a web site with some pricing info? I've never owned a "Custom Build" but I'd sure like to! Your a lucky guy to have three hand made guitars! Your pop RAWKS!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 02:37 PM
Thanks Todd, he'd be really happy to see all these comments.. look forard to telling him
He doesn't even have the internet.. I know, I know.. me and my other half even had to buy him a mobile phone a few years back and force him to have it !
He's very anti technology.. in some ways I don't blame him but it doesn't make him easy to get hold of !
Posted by: zen Jun 3 2011, 02:38 PM
omg .. look who i found playing your explorer since you ignore it so much 
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 02:39 PM
OMG ! The cat puts me to shame ! I better get practising quick !
Posted by: Piotr Kaczor Jun 3 2011, 02:42 PM
Ben - does he take orders from outside Great Britain? Exactly! I have a couple of orders from Poland! Beautiful instruments btw, Ben
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 02:45 PM
Hehe, thanks Piotr !
Posted by: Qenzoz Jun 3 2011, 03:34 PM
Wow they look awesome , I love the simple look of the jackson style ones
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 3 2011, 03:41 PM
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 3 2011, 04:31 PM
Beautiful guitars Ben!! Congrats your father for the great job!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 3 2011, 04:32 PM
Thanks Gabriel.. I will be sure to say so to him
Posted by: jstcrsn Jun 3 2011, 10:45 PM
I offer what all the others can't and that is the ability to stretch your dad's technique , to push his abilities to the utmost,
to boldly go where no custom luthier has gone before-okay it may be getting a little deep -
but if he wants to try his hand doing one left handed .I would be more than happy to play it, if only for the sake of constructive criticism
Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Jun 3 2011, 11:16 PM
The Jackson style bodies' ones are probably the sexiest's guitars i ever seen.
Posted by: Blister Jun 4 2011, 01:32 AM
Those guitars are gorgeous!
Get this.. I was reading a guitar magazine years ago (remember those things ?) and somebody honestly described that dirt you get on guitar necks as 'finger poo'. This has GMC Funnies written all over it!
I couldn't agree more, Todd. He has an awesome talent! Very cool.
zen...thanks for the new facebook profile!
Gary F.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 4 2011, 09:04 AM
to boldly go where no custom luthier has gone before-okay it may be getting a little deep -
but if he wants to try his hand doing one left handed .I would be more than happy to play it, if only for the sake of constructive criticism
A........ left handed guitar ???
That is dangerous territory where only the brave or the foolish dare to tread. I'm sure he could do it ! Hehe..good point !
I would dearly love to see how Jason could put the 'finger poo' conversation into a cartoon ?!?!
Posted by: Bondy Jun 4 2011, 02:41 PM
I thought your guitars were proper custom shop jobbies, your dad is super talented
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 4 2011, 05:08 PM
Yeah, I'd hate to think how many thousand they would cost if they were...
Posted by: Mike RR24 Jul 21 2011, 06:14 PM
Ben those are awesome. I love the bare wood look. That explorer rocks as well.
I like my Jackson RR24 but I can hardly sit with it. The Ibanez is better cause it will rest perfectly on your leg.
It's a little Dean ML looking. I have a question for you. I bought that Ibanez cause I heard all this talk about how good they are and I wanted an entry level one to try. Do they get alot better in the $1500-$3000 range?? I was thinking of getting a little better one. I bought my daughter one for $500.00 but was kind of cheezy for that price. I say that because if you look at a $500.00 Schectre it is alot nicer I thought. Of course the schectre is heaver. I love the thin body of her IBANEZ. Does the Prestige model get a little better ???
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jul 21 2011, 07:06 PM
I like my Jackson RR24 but I can hardly sit with it. The Ibanez is better cause it will rest perfectly on your leg.
It's a little Dean ML looking. I have a question for you. I bought that Ibanez cause I heard all this talk about how good they are and I wanted an entry level one to try. Do they get alot better in the $1500-$3000 range?? I was thinking of getting a little better one. I bought my daughter one for $500.00 but was kind of cheezy for that price. I say that because if you look at a $500.00 Schectre it is alot nicer I thought. Of course the schectre is heaver. I love the thin body of her IBANEZ. Does the Prestige model get a little better ???
I don't have a lot of experience with Ibanez aside from a few RG's.. I know nothing about the Prestige but I've heard brilliant things about Schecter. There was a thread a while ago by a member about buying a new guitar and he went for a Schecter over an Ibanez and LTD (can't remember where the thread is or who it's by)
Schecters look like they have a bit more substance to me.. but Ibanez's are nice and light (although I don't dig the tone)
I would try and visit a music store with both axes in and feel and hear for yourself because it's a very personal thing
Posted by: pikman Jan 6 2012, 08:46 PM
Beautiful axes Ben! wow man those rock!!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 6 2012, 09:15 PM
Thanks Homey, glad you like 'em !
Posted by: SirJamsalot Jan 6 2012, 11:16 PM
Hey Ben, does you dad do figureheads too? I'd love to had a custom guitar built, with a figurehead on the bottom wing of the cutout- something like this! 
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 7 2012, 11:53 AM
Whatever you meant to include in the post didn't show up
I imagine it's probably a cool ship masthead thing.. some elgegantly shaped woman ! But no, he's never done anything like that before.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jan 7 2012, 12:07 PM
I imagine it's probably a cool ship masthead thing.. some elgegantly shaped woman ! But no, he's never done anything like that before.
I'd be curious to see the photo SirJamsalot wanted to post!
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jan 7 2012, 12:37 PM
I'd be curious to see the photo SirJamsalot wanted to post!I think it was http://mirror-us-ga1.gallery.hd.org/_exhibits/tall-ships/_more2002/_more08/figurehead-of-barquentine-Palinuro-BG.jpg.
Posted by: snackajacks Jan 7 2012, 12:46 PM
I would trade my rg550 in for one of those woodenstyle jacksons man.
how long did it take him to make one of them ?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 7 2012, 03:47 PM
how long did it take him to make one of them ?
It varies.. sometimes months, sometimes weeks... to be honest, I don't know !!
Posted by: metaldan Jan 26 2012, 08:44 PM
I custom designed my own headstock but I prefer a traditional 'soloist' shape. Whacky shapes aren't my thing, ya dig? hahah.
You're dad and I have something in common... here is the axe I just built... I am working on her twin now
She has different pickups and I've added a sustainer/eq unit instead of a tone knob... but she's getting worked on because I didn't drill the holes for the bridge right and had some tuning stability issues. Once she's back together I'll take new pics.
Hope you don't mind if I show ya...
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 26 2012, 08:56 PM
You're dad and I have something in common... here is the axe I just built... I am working on her twin now
She has different pickups and I've added a sustainer/eq unit instead of a tone knob... but she's getting worked on because I didn't drill the holes for the bridge right and had some tuning stability issues. Once she's back together I'll take new pics.
Hope you don't mind if I show ya...
Wow, she's a beaut ! I love the dragon inlay
Is that a flame maple fretboard ?
Posted by: metaldan Jan 26 2012, 08:57 PM
Thanks Ben!
The fretboard is bird's eye maple. Looks much better in person, that pic is kinda blurry...
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 26 2012, 09:23 PM
The fretboard is bird's eye maple. Looks much better in person, that pic is kinda blurry...
Bird's eye.. even nicer !
Posted by: maharzan Jan 27 2012, 05:51 AM
Wow I didn't know you had 2 same guitars.. It reminded me of saying my friends I have 7 very same jeans and I change everyday when I had only one and they were asking why I wore the same jeans always.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 27 2012, 06:49 AM
Truly killer guitars there! Does your Dad sell custom guitars or were these one off jobs just for you? What a cool Dad! If he does do custom guitar work, does he have a web site/price list etc?
When is he going to make you the Samurai sword guitar? Soon!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 27 2012, 10:37 AM
It reminded me of saying my friends I have 7 very same jeans and I change everyday when I had only one and they were asking why I wore the same jeans always. Haha, jeans are so good though aren't they ?
When is he going to make you the Samurai sword guitar? Soon!
These ones were just one offs really. He made them because he had some spare parts and wood lying around. He does it mainly through word of mouth and is more of an occasional thing rather than full time so no web site or anything
Posted by: Yash May 30 2012, 05:48 AM
Really cool Soloist style guitars your Dad built. Really like them. I always wanted to own a custom Soloist. You're so lucky Ben
Posted by: Ben Higgins May 30 2012, 09:40 AM
Yeah I love these guitars. Just so easy to pick up and play, no messing around
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 11 2012, 12:04 PM
Updating this thread with pics of the Epiphone Gothic V I've had for a few years. 
Posted by: WeePee Jun 11 2012, 01:22 PM
Woah !! You have radiators in England.
Just kidding !
Nice axe and good looking thru-neck. But that cable output is in weird place. 
What are the pick-ups ?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 11 2012, 01:37 PM
Just kidding !
Nice axe and good looking thru-neck. But that cable output is in weird place.
What are the pick-ups ?
The pickups are just factory standard Epiphone ones I guess
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 27 2012, 11:15 AM
The head stock looks a lot like the CAPARISON stocks I"ve seen, which are spiff! Yours is reversed of course
Did you pattern it after a Caparison?
How much of this did you hand build? Are you a Luthier as well? For the headstock did you start with a standard neck and power saw or with a chunk of raw rood? Great finish too! Is the finish on the neck and body yours as well?
You're dad and I have something in common... here is the axe I just built... I am working on her twin now
She has different pickups and I've added a sustainer/eq unit instead of a tone knob... but she's getting worked on because I didn't drill the holes for the bridge right and had some tuning stability issues. Once she's back together I'll take new pics.
Hope you don't mind if I show ya...
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 27 2012, 02:49 PM
A little bit off topic but, I got my hands on a Caparison Horus...man what an Axe
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 27 2012, 04:43 PM
Niiiice, was that a recent purchase ?
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 27 2012, 10:48 PM
Ah, no it belongs to a good friend of mine
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 28 2012, 11:18 AM
it belongs to a good friend of mine Oh I see.... cheating on your PRS with another guitar....
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 30 2012, 03:32 AM
I've been cheating on my Ibanez with Minarik and ESP. Such Mistresses! Time consuming, twitchy, and unpredictable but when they do behave it somehow makes it worth it
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 30 2012, 07:56 AM
It's good to keep the competition alive between the women from time to time
Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 30 2012, 09:01 AM
Haha, you wild, wild guys !
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