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PureSalem Tom Cat Guitar!

jwguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
153
Hi folks here is a new guitar that I just acquired. It is a PureSalem Tom Cat. The body is similar to a Guild Thunderbird guitar. The PureSalem is a bolt on neck with an ebony fingerboard and a two p-90 pickups. Despite the strange body shape it is quite ergonomic!

 

Brian Krashpad

Active member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
211
Interesting that they would produce it as a bolt-on when the original is a setneck.

I own a DeArmond Jet Star, which is also based on the Guild Thunderbird, but has humbuckers and is a setneck.

64187965_109d547812_c.jpg
 

jwguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
153
Interesting that they would produce it as a bolt-on when the original is a setneck.

I own a DeArmond Jet Star, which is also based on the Guild Thunderbird, but has humbuckers and is a setneck.

64187965_109d547812_c.jpg
Wow! That is a great looking guitar! I always liked the Darmond guitars from the late 90’s. You hardly see them on the used market which is saying quite a lot. I’m not sure why PureSalem did a bolt-on version of this guitar. However, I do know that one of the first generations of the Tom Cat model did have a set neck. One thing I really like about the PureSalem TomCat guitar is that it has an Ebony fingerboard. It makes it very easy to play.
 

Brian Krashpad

Active member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
211
Wow! That is a great looking guitar! I always liked the Darmond guitars from the late 90’s. You hardly see them on the used market which is saying quite a lot. I’m not sure why PureSalem did a bolt-on version of this guitar. However, I do know that one of the first generations of the Tom Cat model did have a set neck. One thing I really like about the PureSalem TomCat guitar is that it has an Ebony fingerboard. It makes it very easy to play.

I love ebony boards too, for the same reason. My LP Special DC has an ebony board.

36276117785_49b9ecab0d_b.jpg
 

Brian Krashpad

Active member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
211
I never knew that LP specials had ebony boards. I always thought they used rosewood or roasted maple. Very interesting and beautiful guitar!

Thanks, they almost always are either rosewood, or more recently baked maple, as you say. I didn't realise that this one was ebony, until it arrived (I bought it from an internet friend on the opposite coast to me). This pic shows the darkness of the ebony a bit better.

full
 
Last edited:

Phil 52

Active member
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
823
Interesting that they would produce it as a bolt-on when the original is a setneck.

I own a DeArmond Jet Star, which is also based on the Guild Thunderbird, but has humbuckers and is a setneck.

64187965_109d547812_c.jpg
Some decades ago I had the opportunity to purchase the same DeArmond model at my local guitarshop.
Alas, I let it pass. Could kick my ass every time I get reminded on this
 

ZZ Not

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
744
Thanks, they almost always are either rosewood, or more recently baked maple, as you say. I didn't realise that this one was ebony, until it arrived (I bought it from an internet friend on the opposite coast to me). This pic shows the darkness of the ebony a bit better.

full
BK. I wonder if yours is perhaps a obeche fingerboard. I had a 2011 LP Junior with a obechec fretboard that also looked and felt like ebony.ff.JPG
 

Brian Krashpad

Active member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
211
Some decades ago I had the opportunity to purchase the same DeArmond model at my local guitarshop.
Alas, I let it pass. Could kick my ass every time I get reminded on this
Over the years, I owned a total of 5 DeArmonds. Started out with a cheapie boltneck Jet Star Special. It was not special. BUT the senteck MIKs with USA DeArmond pickups were/are fantastic guitars.

I owned two Jets Stars, but the second (in "Moon Blue") was bought specifically to flip, and because the money went to charity (some "music in schools" program). In fact, I ended up trading that second Jet Star for one of the M-series Aristocrat based LP-type guitars, a black M-75 that I found locally. I didn't fancy the harp tailpiece on it, and replaced it with a similar, but much prettier, M-72 in "antique burst," that had a tune-a-matic bridge assembly instead. I held onto that one for a good long while. In a perfect world where I had unlimited storage space, I would've held onto it, but once I got a batch of Gibson Les Pauls, it felt a little redundant. Here's that M-72:

64238476_14f19c75b3_b.jpg


So I'm down to the one Jet Star, in crimson transparent. That'un will stay!

50016822597_1503ccbb6d_b.jpg
 

jwguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
153
Over the years, I owned a total of 5 DeArmonds. Started out with a cheapie boltneck Jet Star Special. It was not special. BUT the senteck MIKs with USA DeArmond pickups were/are fantastic guitars.

I owned two Jets Stars, but the second (in "Moon Blue") was bought specifically to flip, and because the money went to charity (some "music in schools" program). In fact, I ended up trading that second Jet Star for one of the M-series Aristocrat based LP-type guitars, a black M-75 that I found locally. I didn't fancy the harp tailpiece on it, and replaced it with a similar, but much prettier, M-72 in "antique burst," that had a tune-a-matic bridge assembly instead. I held onto that one for a good long while. In a perfect world where I had unlimited storage space, I would've held onto it, but once I got a batch of Gibson Les Pauls, it felt a little redundant. Here's that M-72:

64238476_14f19c75b3_b.jpg


So I'm down to the one Jet Star, in crimson transparent. That'un will stay!

50016822597_1503ccbb6d_b.jpg
Those guitars are much better quality than the new Made in China Guild guitar line which is now owned by cordoba.
 
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