Introduction: Historical Context
From the late 1970s through the early 1980s, as the hard rock scene surged and the role of the electric guitar in ensembles became increasingly prominent, there was still no guitar on the market that fully met the needs of cutting-edge guitarists.Of course, Fender and Gibson had long been the cornerstones of the music scene, but Fender—long after the departure of its founder, Leo Fender—had become fixated on repeating past designs, and its quality was declining year by year due to repeated cost-cutting measures.Gibson, for its part, lacked inspiration in its designs for the new generation of guitars following the Les Paul, and during this era in particular, it had become a company that seemed to do little more than churn out a barrage of bizarre models.
Amid such chaotic times, two figures emerged who could be said to have inherited the legacy of Leo Fender, the father of the electric guitar: Wayne Sherbel and Grover Jackson. Wayne Sherbel was the one who truly inherited the free spirit of the Fender Stratocaster and was the first to elevate it to new heights.He took the bolt-on guitar—which Fender at the time could only pass down conservatively—and evolved it into a new dimension by freely combining components while leveraging its advantages. Of course, the concept of “modular” design had existed since Eric Clapton’s era, but while Clapton’s goal was strictly to create a “Stratocaster,” Wayne Schebel sought a guitar that was even more free and avant-garde.It was Grover Jackson who added further originality to this vision and perfected it as a brand. Their achievements pointed to infinite possibilities for the evolution of the electric guitar and inspired countless designers. Although many talented guitar designers—such as James Tyler and John Thar—emerged later, there is likely not a single one who was not influenced in some way by the designs of Sherbel and Jackson.
Glover Jackson has many other achievements to his name, but since discussing Randy Rhoads would take too long, I’ll save that for another time. The star of this story is, of course, someone else: Wayne Sherbel’s shop, which served as the breeding ground for that legendary guitar. Wayne Sherbel, who originally worked in the painting trade, would paint and refinish guitars for his friends.Word of his work spread, and he began receiving numerous requests. Eventually, when he set up a full-fledged workshop in his converted garage, he even started receiving subcontracting work from Fender. Then, in 1974, he opened his own repair shop in California. There, in addition to painting and repairs, he sold Fender bodies, necks, and parts, while also assembling those parts to build guitars.Wayne Sherbel’s shop gained a strong reputation, attracting repair and modification requests that Fender itself could no longer handle at the time. It is said that requests for highly specialized customizations—particularly from professional musicians—were often referred to his shop.For example, many musicians at the time were troubled by the noise characteristic of the single-coil pickups found on Stratocasters, which were the mainstream choice back then. Wayne, who was highly skilled in various painting techniques, was able to reduce this noise by applying conductive paint as shielding inside the Strat’s cavity. Because he operated as a subcontractor rather than relying on the know-how passed down within Fender, he used his own unique methods—a fact that seems to have further strengthened Sherbel’s originality.
The number of musicians visiting his shop gradually increased, and it is said that Tommy Bolin—who had just joined Deep Purple at the time—was among them. Could one say it was the equivalent of what we now call a “Custom Shop”? However, looking at the backgrounds of today’s Fender Custom Shop master builders, many of whom come from the Charvel/Jackson lineage, one can see just how much young talent was concentrated there at the time.This might be similar to what happened in 1960s London, where Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and others frequented Jim Marshall’s shop, and the interactions with such high-profile customers eventually propelled Marshall into a world-class amplifier brand.The Sherbel shop was likely a place where infinite possibilities for the future converged. One young man who was a regular at the Sherbel shop bought a $50 neck and an $80 body. At the time, he was a guitar player making waves on the Sunset Strip club scene. And the guitar assembled from that neck and body would later become the stuff of legend.
And the rest, as they say, is history. With its innovative and free-spirited paint job and the cutting-edge Floyd Rose tremolo system, this ever-evolving guitar shook the world, and the boundless potential for development inherent in the electric guitar gave hope to future generations.“A guitar should be freer.” It’s no exaggeration to say that this model established the practice of breaking away from traditional styles and freely customizing guitars worldwide. It was also the moment when the electric guitar—unbound by fixed concepts—established its identity as an electric guitar.The B, W & R models being revived here are not mere replicas of the exterior; they are models crafted with passion that truly recreate that very spirit. These are custom models that go beyond mere collector’s items to inherit a free and rational identity. Below, through our workshop interview, we’ll share the passion infused into the production process and the builder’s personality.
I headed straight to the workshop!
Excuse me for barging in! There are already some interesting-looking necks and parts lying around—it’s really exciting. Despite my sudden visit, the builder, Mr. Odagiri, welcomed me with a smile.Contrary to his background—having spent nearly 10 years working with guitars in LA—he is a gentle and warm person, sometimes even to the point of seeming shy. He doesn’t have a bit of that unapproachable aura often found in veteran builders; within just a few minutes of starting our conversation, we hit it off and felt like old friends.
Now, let’s take a look at the actual instruments and ask him about them. First up is this model with a Stratocaster headstock.
The moment I picked it up, my first impression was, “This is crazy! There’s something special about this!” It was different from the nervousness you feel when holding an expensive vintage guitar—more like a thrilling sensation, I suppose… With that feeling in mind, I asked Mr. Odagiri a few questions.
So, let’s start by looking at the pickup in the back—I hear this is a Duncan ’59. I thought, “Oh, I see,” but at the same time, I also wondered, “Why?” (laughs)
Mr. Odagiri: “The conventional wisdom is that the original Franken was taken from a 1961 Gibson ES-335. However, if you look at photos from different eras, you’ll see different pickups installed—some of which appear to be vintage PAFs. It seems the original owner had a strong preference for PAFs. I think the Duncan ’59 really captures the characteristics of the original. While it’s naturally difficult to replicate that aged, mellow tone that comes with age, the power is nicely restrained, and I think the clean tone sounds great too.”
Since you used to be a buyer of vintage guitars, Mr. Odagiri, you’re quite knowledgeable about these things, aren’t you?
“From what I know, the original PAF has a clean, slightly aged tone with just the right amount of treble, and I think he achieved that sound by driving it through a Marshall amp.”
But there are various theories about his pickups—some say they’re DiMarzio, others that they might be old Jackson models, and I’ve even heard people wonder, ‘Who influenced Joe Holmes, who joined Ozzy Osbourne’s band back in the day, to put J-80s on all his Strats?’…
“There are various theories, but I won’t confirm or deny any of them. He’s probably insatiable when it comes to sound, so if he’s just experimenting, he’s likely tried a considerable number of them, isn’t he?”
I see… That’s true. But the ’59 model comes up so often as the epitome of vintage humbuckers—it really is that good, isn’t it?
“Think about why the ’59 is so iconic. It’s a pickup used as a matter of course in models designed for vintage sounds, but the fact that it’s used in so many guitars is proof of just how pure and straightforward its characteristics are.”
Come to think of it, Imperteri used a ’59 too, even though he said the PAF was his ideal.
“I think Imperteri has done quite a bit of research as well. He’s the type who shapes his sound through his picking, and if he’s aiming for a PAF-like tone and moderate output to clearly convey those nuances, I suppose the ’59 is the natural choice.”
I see. That “moderate” level is tricky to nail (laughs), but the ’59 is the one that best captures that balance, isn’t it? Earlier, he mentioned getting that sound with a driven Marshall—does this guitar sound similar?
“Yes, that’s right. Since it’s equipped with Duncan ’59 pickups, I think it’ll match any amp, but if you’re using a Peavey amp, I think you can get a sound closer to Sammy’s and later styles by lowering the midrange on the EQ, boosting the Bass and treble slightly, and adjusting the distortion to your liking.If you’re using a Marshall, turn up the mids and keep the highs and lows slightly subdued for a nice sound. As for distortion, I think a lighter distortion is closer to the early sound, while in recent years the distortion has become heavier.”
Memories of Jose
Mr. Odagiri, you really do like Marshalls, don’t you? I feel like I’m asking the obvious and might get scolded for it… (laughs)
“I do like the Marshall sound. However, since it’s impossible to reproduce that sound in the exact same environment, I have no choice but to use a model with a master volume control or an attenuator. Honestly, if I could play a vintage 100W Marshall whenever I wanted, I couldn’t be happier—but I own one and hardly ever use it. I think I’ve just always been fascinated by Marshalls.”
What kind of Marshall does Mr. Odagiri own himself?
“In the mid-1990s, I was living in LA and had become good friends with KUMA, a Japanese guitarist making a name for himself there. At the time, I was a vintage guitar buyer and had connections with vintage shops across the U.S., so I’d often get requests from various people to track down specific items. One day, KUMA asked me to find a ’70s Marshall 100W head, so I tracked one down.When it arrived, we decided to go together to see José to ask him to modify the amp, so I took the JCM 800 (100V spec) I’d brought from Japan and went to see him.”
W…Wow! A José modification!? And you’ve actually met him!! Please shake my hand! (The author, completely flustered)
“When I first met Jose, he was already quite elderly—a really nice old man. In the small workshop he’d set up in his garage, Marshall heads were stacked up like a wall, each labeled with a customer’s name. The list included an impressive array of names: Metallica, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and others.” KUMA and another friend of mine were talking with Jose, and apparently there was a discussion about commercializing an amp he’d designed, but it seems the plan ultimately fell through. The idea of a guitar amp co-developed by him and Jose—a dream come true for any fan—actually existed. It’s a shame it never came to fruition, though.
We asked him to modify our amps, and a few weeks later, we heard from someone that José had passed away. We tried to find out what had become of the amps we’d ordered, but in the end, they were gone.”
I see… That’s too bad. But dreams are just dreams… Maybe it’s best if that sound just resonates deep inside our hearts, huh? (laughs)
“I had the chance to meet Jose about twice, and my impression of him as a highly skilled craftsman who’s truly trusted by others hasn’t changed to this day.”
That alone was a wonderful experience.
I’m so jealous.
Well, let’s move on… Next, let’s talk about the front pickup. It seems certain that he isn’t using it because it doesn’t produce any sound, so strictly speaking, it doesn’t really matter.
“As you all know, there are many mysteries surrounding the Franken front pickup. When the Franken replica released by the original brand was announced, many mysteries were solved, but the front pickup remains a mystery.
Since it was already installed in 1979, I think it’s probably a Fender, DiMarzio, or Duncan model, but given that the lead wires are reversed—black and white—I suspect it might be a Duncan. There are various theories about the bobbin material, but I personally think that red color wasn’t actually painted by the artist himself. The one on the replica doesn’t really look much like the original—it seems to have been made with a different concept and attention to detail—so I don’t think it’s a faithful replica of the real thing.”
What’s this attached to?
“As for this dummy pickup, I actually don’t have any particular preferences—I usually just stick a red plate on a standard Fender J pickup.”
I like how refreshingly straightforward it is that you say “without any particular attention to detail.” That’s true. It doesn’t make any sound anyway. But I’ve heard there’s some debate about whether his original was made of a material called “linen” or not…
“This one?”
(Mr. Odagiri says, pulling another pickup out of the drawer)
Exactly! This is it! Isn’t this the same one I saw in the photo?! So you really do have one after all~.
“This is my personal one, but I’ve spray-painted red over an old material—something like linen phenolic.”
Just as I thought—you really do have it. But if you’re going to do this, you might as well use this one—it’d be a perfect match.
“Well, I just recreated this as a hobby—it’s not like I can get my hands on multiple identical ones. As a luthier, I need to be able to provide the exact same thing when a customer asks for another one. Of course, if it were something that affected the sound—which is the most important part—I’d do whatever it takes to make it work. But since this part doesn’t produce any sound, I think it’s only fair to treat every instrument the same.”
I see~. If it were me, I’d happily put it on, but I guess it’s different from when you’re just doing it as a hobby… (laughs).
Next up, this coin. There are various theories about it—some say it’s to secure the Floyd Rose, others that it’s to stop a crack in the body from spreading.
“This 25-cent coin comes from a backstage room at a concert venue where he was scheduled to be interviewed for a guitar magazine. Apparently, he’d been struggling with the setup of his Frankenstein bridge even before that. As soon as the interviewer arrived, he apparently asked, ‘Can you lend me a 25-cent coin?’ He drilled a hole right there on the spot and attached it to the body, where it’s remained to this day. It seems he wanted to secure the Floyd Rose bridge by raising it slightly. At that time, he hadn’t yet adjusted the stud positions, so mounting it must have been quite a struggle. Back then, all the saddles were secured in the very front position.”
I see! So that’s why it’s in that position—because he moved the Floyd Rose! No wonder I thought it was in such a weird spot. By the way, I wonder if he ever returned that 25-cent coin… Well, I guess it’s kind of like when we borrow a 5-yen coin to secure our guitar straps.
Okay, next up. The switch located where the center pickup would be. There’s a rumor that this was just thrown in there haphazardly—or rather, that the owner left it as is because he didn’t know how to wire it properly.
“As for the dummy selector switch and wiring in the center pickup cavity, I didn’t pay any particular attention to it other than trying to make it look as similar as possible.”
Yeah. I like that straightforward answer. Okay, next one (lol). This reflector-like thing attached to the back—is this used to make the lights sparkle on stage?
“It’s a part called a reflector. But take a closer look. You don’t often see something this identical.”
It really does look just like one. It’s the kind of part you often see on bicycles, right?
“That’s right, but take this red reflector, for example—it’s divided into eight sections, and you shouldn’t be able to find an exact match for it in Japan. We had to specially order just this part from overseas.”
Whoa… really? I totally thought they were the kind of thing you could buy at a bike shop. But how are they different from the ones sold in stores? I’d think you wouldn’t usually go to such lengths for parts that don’t affect the sound…
“This is important. After all, it’s the part that emits light!”
O-oh… I see. (Feeling a bit intimidated by Mr. Odagiri’s dead serious expression) You’re right… the way it glows is different.
“An electric guitar is all about that glow. We absolutely have to reproduce that authentic glow here.”
Unraveling the Mystery of the Franken
W-well, let’s get back on track and take a look at the neck this time. The fretboard seems flatter than a Fender’s.
“The fingerboard has a 300R radius. This isn’t so much tailored to the player himself as it is designed with general playability in mind—I think it strikes a balance between those who say a flat surface doesn’t suit their taste and those who dislike a radius that’s too steep. The frets are medium jumbo. We take our time with the edge finishing to ensure a meticulous finish.”
The neck is comfortable to grip, too…
“The neck profile is a standard C-shape. The actual instruments—the first Large Head and Small Head models—feature Warmoth’s maple veneer and likely have a thin profile, but the next Small Head 1 P22F is believed to be a Kramer, with the logo removed. I also own a Kramer Pacer with a Strat-style headstock, and its neck profile is a standard C-shape. After that, the specifications changed again starting with the banana-head neck, and it’s believed that’s when the grip became asymmetrical.”
So the tuners are Schaller, right?
“Ever since his debut, he’s consistently said that Schaller tuners are the best. It seems that hasn’t changed even now. Back when he was fitting Kramer necks to his ‘Franken’ guitars, he used specially shaped tuners—but those were also Schaller tuners that Kramer used. For the banana-head models, he used Gotoh tuners as an exception, but later, with Music Man, he switched back to Schaller.”
But doesn’t this look a little different from the actual shape shown in the photo?
“This one?”
(Saying this, Mr. Odagiri fetches a hard case from the back of the workshop. When he opens it…?) Wow!
“It’s an early Kramer Pacer A serial. This is probably the one he actually used.”
So he really does have one after all~.
“This one’s made by Gotoh. And this one is…”
(Mr. Odagiri pulls out yet another guitar.) Wow!
“This is a C-series Pacer. These tuners are Schaller, but the screw positions are laid out like Goto’s.”
It’s just irresistible to see actual instruments from that era like this. I see. So that’s the historical context—that’s why there’s such meticulous attention to detail, and conversely, even the parts that don’t seem to have been fine-tuned have their own reasons. When it comes to assembling the neck and body, is there anything specific you do?
“As for the assembly, since the Floyd Rose is mounted directly to the body, the string height tends to get too high. To avoid that, I shave down a section on the back of the Floyd Rose and remove the spring plates. I also mount the Floyd Rose nut as low as possible. The neck should be straight or have a slight reverse bow, and I think shims are essential.”
Shims? So you use shims, huh~.
“Huh?”
Well, shims aren’t really used much on component-style guitars, are they? People usually say it’s better to adjust the pocket instead—you know, so the body and neck fit snugly together. Don’t you do that?
“Of course, you can modify the neck pocket so you don’t have to use shims, but that doesn’t really feel like a Franken guitar to me. The original Franken guitar uses a heavy pick as a shim, and apparently the guitar still sounds great.Besides, inserting shims is extremely common even with Fender guitars.”
“It’s not a Franken!” That last line really hit home. It’s true—it’s precisely because this guitar has a history of having its neck swapped out multiple times that it possesses that kind of flexibility. I see—that’s the key point. You know how it often goes: there are those incredible guitars built by specialized builders where the sound changes just by removing a single screw… This is the complete opposite of that.
“The neck-to-body joint is certainly crucial for a guitar’s tone, but whether the presence of shims is a problem or not—you’ll just have to experience it for yourself.”
I definitely experienced the quality of this guitar firsthand. That’s right. It’s true that no matter how precisely a guitar is built, if it doesn’t sound good, it just won’t—and I’ve experienced many times how even old Fender Strats, with their rough joints and shim adjustments, can still have an amazing tone… Preconceived notions aren’t good. I’ll reflect on that… But I get the feeling I’m not the only one who has a somewhat negative image of shims…
“It’s hard to use theory to convince someone who believes, in theory, that shims are a bad idea. But it’s a shame when people make snap judgments based on preconceptions, or something like that. Whether it’s shims or pocket adjustments—since both options are available—I’ve chosen shims for this guitar because I believe that’s the right approach.”
I understand that it’s harder to disprove something. It’s kind of like trying to prove to someone who believes in aliens that aliens don’t exist—it’s nearly impossible. Basically, it’s just a matter of telling them to stop getting hung up on the details and just play it, right?
“It’s a bit ironic to say this about a guitar I built with such meticulous attention to detail… (laughs)”
That’s true (laughs). But whether it’s that attention to detail—or rather, that focus on not being too particular—I feel like I’m starting to get a sense of what really clicks with you, Mr. Odagiri. I can’t quite put it into words, though (laughs). So, do the shims in this guitar also have heavy picks embedded in them?
“I use thick paper, but since the thickness varies from time to time, I don’t have a specific standard. My mentor also used to say that since paper is originally made from wood, it’s not a bad match.”
Banana Head and Floyd Rose
What kind of strings should I use?
“I don’t specify any particular strings, but I usually use Ernie Ball 09–42. He himself uses a 09–40 or 42 set, and while he used to use medium picks, it seems he’s been using heavy ones lately.”
Is there anything else I’ll need?
“I think the MXR Phase 90 is essential for recreating his sound. Set the knob between 0 and 10 o’clock; the vintage version has a weaker effect and seems to produce a more similar sound. I like running the MXR 6-band EQ, the Phase 90, and a flanger through a Marshall. I don’t use any distortion pedals. I use a Boss delay, but I’m not really happy with it.”
Was the original one the SDE3000?Also, was the reverb the PCM70? I tried to replicate that sound back in the day and bought an H3000D/SX. But changing programs took too long, and I was told that to use it live like the original, I’d need another unit and a 4x4, so I gave up. I couldn’t afford a PCM70 either, so I made do with just one Rocktron REPLIFEX for reverb. Actually, I really like the REPLIFEX and still use it… but never mind me.
“Oh yeah, and speaking of those days, there was the Palmer PDI-03, right? It was an amazing system—you’d use it to drop a fully cranked Marshall down to line level, split the signal into dry and wet, and run it through an H&H MOSFET 800. Everyone tried to copy that setup, didn’t they?”
It cost a fortune, though… (etc.)
And so, we got completely carried away talking about gear and our financial struggles, veering way off topic, and had a great time. But it’s not over yet. Today, I still have to hear another story—about a Banana Head Kramer-type guitar.
“When did you start using this model?”
“He used to play a black-and-white Franken, an Ibanez Destroyer, a white Gibson Les Paul Custom, a black-and-yellow-striped Sherbel, and a red-white-black Franken, among others, during live performances. Amid all that, he ended up signing an endorsement deal with Kramer. Back then, he apparently preferred the sound of a Gibson but liked the look and other aspects of a Fender, so he was likely very enthusiastic about the joint development project with Kramer.Since he was still using a Pacer with a Stratocaster headstock, I’d guess it was around 1980–1981.”
Huh.
“It seems he was particular about the neck; even before the ‘Banana Head’ model was created, he had necks made separately from Kramer. He had Kramer build a guitar similar to the ‘Franken’ for his South American tour, but I don’t think the one-piece maple neck with the ‘Banana Head’ profile attached to it was actually made by Kramer. Looking at the photo of the back, the grip is quite thick and appears to be U-shaped. It seems he was going through a lot of trial and error.”
Huh. (I give it a quick grip.) Wow! It feels different somehow.
“A Kramer with a Banana Head—which looked similar—first appeared in the 1984 music video for ‘PANAMA.’However, the back of this neck clearly has a different grip—one that looks like a C-shape at first glance, distinct from the earlier Warmoth or Schecter models. I realized this neck had an asymmetrical grip when I read an interview announcing the Music Man EVH, which stated that the asymmetrical grip on that model was molded from a banana-head Kramer.”
Now that you mention it, it’s definitely that asymmetrical grip like the Music Man’s. But it feels a bit thicker than the Music Man’s, though.
“The B,W&R 1984 Special has a wider nut width and wider neck-end width than the Music Man. This is because it was designed to match Kramer’s specifications from that era. And while the asymmetrical grip might make the neck itself feel slightly thicker, it creates a unique playing feel. Feedback from players who’ve used it so far includes comments like, ‘I feel like I’ve suddenly gotten better,’ or ‘I don’t want to play any other guitar.’”
Hmm, hmm. (Still holding it.) It’s true—once you get used to it, this might actually be easy to play. I see… So the asymmetrical grip started around this time, huh? The later P.V. models are like that too, right? Mr. Odagiri, you’ve gone from Franken to Kramer, Music Man, and then P.V.—do you still prefer Franken the most?
“While he himself switched from Kramer to Music Man, P.V., and then to his own brand, I love them all. Since the genuine models have been properly distributed since the Music Man era, there’s no point for me to make replicas. But for the models before that, since there was no official sales channel from the original manufacturer, you couldn’t get them unless someone made them. Now, the original brand has released the Franken, but it’s not something just anyone can buy.”
The fact that you couldn’t get them unless someone made them is so cool! It’s like, “If Casshan doesn’t do it, who will?”… Is that too old-school? Yeah… Okay, next, let’s take a look at the body. This one doesn’t have any coins or reflectors, and there’s no front panel either. So I guess people don’t ask about it much. Oh! Right, I was going to ask this earlier—the way the Floyd Rose is mounted is pretty flush, isn’t it?
“I want to mount the Floyd Rose directly to the body. To do that, I have to shave down the front of the bridge plate so it doesn’t touch the body when it’s lowered. By removing the fine-tuning springs, you can tune the 6th string to D and play E without needing a D tuner or unlocking the nut. Back in the ’80s and ’90s, everyone was using Floyd Rose, so it might not have been that interesting.
But now that fewer people are using it, it seems to sound fresh again.”
But Floyd Rose is making a comeback lately, isn’t it? It’s actually got quite a long history.
“He started using the Floyd Rose tremolo unit back in 1979, when Mr. Floyd Rose was still handcrafting them one by one. His first unit was Rose’s second prototype, and I hear it was handed over to him without even being chrome-plated. I saw the black-and-yellow Stratocaster equipped with this unit during his 1979 tour in Japan, and he played the entire show—from start to finish—without ever switching guitars.This was a revolutionary design that kept the guitar in tune even when he used the tremolo arm aggressively during his solo segments, and it caused a huge sensation at the time, sparking a massive craze. Later, this unit went into mass production and evolved into its current specification. His guitar was equipped with a prototype hand-built by Mr. Rose himself, which featured a larger sustain block than the mass-produced version, and the overall size was also different from the mass-produced model.”
Oh, right. Looking at the photo, it does have a big one on it, doesn’t it? Doesn’t this one have one?
“Of course, I tried experimenting with that, too. I ordered some machined brass ones and even made some myself. But, well, this is just my opinion…”
What is it?
“When I switch to a larger block, the guitar feels like it tones down. Specifically, the overtones get suppressed and the sound gets quieter—it’s almost like there’s a slight brake applied.”
Well, that’s not good, is it?
“Normally, yeah. But think about it. Imagine plugging straight into a Marshall 1959 Full-Up amp and playing at full volume with a Stratocaster that has just one rear pickup mounted directly on the body.”
It’d be too scary to play. Everyone would know exactly how good—or bad—you are…
“I think the sound would get pretty wild and out of control. In fact, he was actually limiting the Marshall’s voltage. So I think this large block wasn’t installed to produce more low end—I think it was there to act as that kind of brake.”
I see!
“People often say his skill lies in his muting technique, but I think it’s precisely because he had such an exceptional sense of knowing exactly which notes to hold down that he was able to produce that kind of sound.”
Usually, people try to make the guitar ring out as much as possible, right? It’s a reverse approach—or maybe he really is a genius. So, this guitar doesn’t come with a large block.
“I build these with tone in mind, after all (laughs). But if you find the sound is too loud and it’s bothering you, please let me know. In that case, I’ll install one for you.”
Is this one also equipped with ’59 pickups?
“It’s clear from the photos that his Kramer has a Duncan JB installed. Since that’s an ’80s JB, it has the same leg length as a Gibson, so the legs were too long for a direct mount. We had to bend the legs and drill new holes to install it.
The current JB has shorter legs, so we can’t replicate that look with this model. For that reason, the B,W&R 5150 uses a Duncan ’59.
“Since he’s been swapping out the pickups and necks on this model in recent years, he probably isn’t that particular about it anymore.”
Well, we’ve covered a lot, and time is running short, but finally, what was the moment that made you, Mr. Odagiri, think, “I’m going to build this guitar!”?
“I think there are many people like me who love that sound and who have taken guitar playing seriously precisely because of him. What I learned by listening to and copying his playing is still useful to me today, and I don’t think that will ever change. His playing incorporates many genres and is packed with techniques.When it comes to tone, it’s amazing in a way that while people who use distortion pedals think a Marshall amp’s clean sound won’t distort no matter how much you turn up the volume, there’s no end to the people who say his sound shouldn’t be distorted at all. It took me a while to realize that that Marshall sound was actually his signature sound.”
That’s why you went to the U.S., right?
“I lived there for about nine years, and I had so many experiences that would have been impossible if I’d stayed in Japan. Maybe because of the nature of LA, I saw a lot of so-called celebrities and guitarists, and I went to live shows.Of course, I saw his live shows many times, and my partner at the time (the bassist I played in a band with) went to his home several times for work-related interviews. I also heard stories from locals about their amateur days—I heard all sorts of stories, from the truly significant to the trivial.
Among the many people I got to know, what I now find deeply regrettable is the passing of Mr. Sakashita, who was working hard as a Japanese luthier.We became quite close; he sold me guitars at a discount, we went to guitar shows together, I visited his workshop to watch him work, and I even stopped by his home several times. I don’t know exactly what happened, but the passing of such a cherished guitar maker is truly sad and regrettable.
I can’t possibly recount all my days in LA here, but I cherish each of those memories and pour those feelings into the guitars I make.”
Thank you so much for today. Please let me hear more stories next time!
In Closing
After the interview ended, my first thought was, “Man, that was fun.”If you’ve read this far, I think you’ve already gained a more than sufficient understanding of Mr. Odagiri’s character and the passion he pours into his work—even without me saying anything more. The depth of his dedication is extraordinary. While there were many moments where I almost wanted to interject, thinking, “Is that really what matters?!”—he actually maintains a firm core philosophy regarding what an electric guitar should truly be. It made me realize just how much we had been swayed by unreliable information.His sincere approach—not merely creating a replica at the level of a simple imitation, but steadfastly pursuing only what the original aimed for, or what it likely intended—was truly remarkable. He is committed to a spirit of focusing on what matters and ignoring what doesn’t; I can’t help but feel that this seemingly contradictory stance embodies the very essence of what makes electric guitars so fascinating.
If you’ve read this and thought, “Ah, I see,” please be sure to pick one up and try it out for yourself next time. And if you feel something from the experience, this feature will have served its purpose.
*The models introduced on this page were created based on the artists’ images and are not signature models.