Met John in 1988; he'd handmade a Tele around a Fender Tele neck I'd given a friend who'd had his guitars stolen. John's work was striking and I just had a feeling Carruthers would one day make one for me. In 2001, John made a mahogany Tele with some Les Paul specs, Seymour Duncan p/ups, vibrato, etc. To me, it's a beautiful thing. So, I asked him to make a second Tele; based on the '51 Nocaster & Jeff Beck's Esquire. Players notice it and comments have been so favorable that one guy has me passing on it to him in my will. Thirdly, John made a Strat neck with Jeff Beck's ""baseball bat"" specs. Never, during the years I've been taking other players to his shop, has anyone spoken rudely to me; given a surly attitude; presented shoddy work; made me feel like I was a second class citizen. I'm only a high school English teacher and he treated me with more respect than California's present administration. I've always found John Carruthers to be an artist, a gentleman, and a class act.
Pros: Superior craftsmanship to me
Cons: Takes a couple of months
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