Bilt guitars??

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
Post Reply
User avatar
Mechanical Birds
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3617
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:24 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by Mechanical Birds » Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:34 pm

Hey Those of you who've bought a Relevator LS - if you want the big trem base plate instead of the typical mastery style or whatever, is that something you can choose or is it something they just used to do but no longer do or what?

One of these is basically my dream guitar but I feel like it totally changes the vibe once you lose the big, Marauder looking trem plate.

User avatar
foxisther
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:15 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by foxisther » Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:12 am

Gavanti wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:46 pm
foxisther wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:30 am
Hi, I just made an order for a Bilt Zaftig with Lollar Imperials.
I've been a telecaster player all my life and wanted something different.
Do any of you here have any experience with Lollar Imperials in a Zaftig?
Also, I was looking to get a Mono case for the Zaftig and wondered if anyone knows which size of case would fit the Zaftig?
That green one with Imperials at CME has been really tempting.I'd be interested to hear how you like yours.

I used a Mono semi-hollow case with my Zaftig. It was a great fit for it, and has been a fine fit for my Jags too since I let the Zaftig go. If it would only fit a Bass VI and subtract about 5 pounds off whatever guitar it carries, it would be perfect.
Yeah that one at CME almost got me. I wish there was a demo video of a Zaftig with Imperials.

I wanted something like this strat like Zaftig but was told that this was only a prototype.
Image

User avatar
loudwizard
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:52 am

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by loudwizard » Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:39 pm

I love my dumb El Hombre. Great guitar.

Anyone ever seen a Bilt baritone? I have the bug.

User avatar
bacca51
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 377
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:14 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by bacca51 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:40 am

foxisther wrote:
Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:12 am
I wanted something like this strat like Zaftig but was told that this was only a prototype.
Image
That's really cool. The large curvaceous body and that pickguard remind me of a fender XII. Im surprised they don't offer that. Seems like less work and parts for them.

User avatar
transients
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 2:09 pm
Location: St. Pete, FL

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by transients » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:39 am

Does anyone know if Bilt has ever done a 24" scale guitar?
I know the Hombre is 24.75 and they'll do 24.75 Revelator/Zaftig as well, but I am curious if anyone has ever requested a 24" from them.

User avatar
mediocreplayer
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1331
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:59 am

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by mediocreplayer » Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:47 pm

I asked them and they said sure.

User avatar
Jester
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:44 am

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by Jester » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:45 am

loudwizard wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:39 pm
I love my dumb El Hombre. Great guitar.

Anyone ever seen a Bilt baritone? I have the bug.
I’ve got one! In fact it was the first one they ever made! Plays like a dream

User avatar
blake480
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2560
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:10 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by blake480 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:12 am

I have owned in the ballpark of 10-15 different BiLTs. I love them. Definitly one of my top 3 boutique builders. Espeically for a cool/affordable guitar. Really awesome guys to work with also. My favorite model out of all I've owned is the Zaftig. Something magical about that design. Everyone I have owned has been great. Only one I haven't owned is the El Hombre. But I've had Zaftig, Relevator LS, Relevator, Volare, Corvaire. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about them.

User avatar
thatfenderguy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 266
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:49 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by thatfenderguy » Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:07 pm

Mechanical Birds wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:34 pm
Hey Those of you who've bought a Relevator LS - if you want the big trem base plate instead of the typical mastery style or whatever, is that something you can choose or is it something they just used to do but no longer do or what?

One of these is basically my dream guitar but I feel like it totally changes the vibe once you lose the big, Marauder looking trem plate.
I do believe you can choose. They accommodate just about everything.

User avatar
blake480
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2560
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:10 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by blake480 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:44 pm

thatfenderguy wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:07 pm
Mechanical Birds wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:34 pm
Hey Those of you who've bought a Relevator LS - if you want the big trem base plate instead of the typical mastery style or whatever, is that something you can choose or is it something they just used to do but no longer do or what?

One of these is basically my dream guitar but I feel like it totally changes the vibe once you lose the big, Marauder looking trem plate.
I do believe you can choose. They accommodate just about everything.
Yes you can still get the big plate. Might cost a little more. but they will do it.

User avatar
Mechanical Birds
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3617
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:24 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by Mechanical Birds » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:06 pm

These are in so many ways my ideal guitar. Honestly the coolest game in town.

User avatar
DesmondWafers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1746
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:15 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by DesmondWafers » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:36 pm

I just got mine today. It feels a lot like the av65 jazzmasters so far, especially the neck. I much prefer the lollar firebirds to av65 jm pickups, so there's that. The finish work seems impeccable; I know it's poly, but I actually prefer this to the "look at it and it chips" av65 finish. The fret and nut work is perfect, in a completely different league than a production fender.

User avatar
blake480
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2560
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:10 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by blake480 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:49 pm

DesmondWafers wrote:
Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:36 pm
I just got mine today. It feels a lot like the av65 jazzmasters so far, especially the neck. I much prefer the lollar firebirds to av65 jm pickups, so there's that. The finish work seems impeccable; I know it's poly, but I actually prefer this to the "look at it and it chips" av65 finish. The fret and nut work is perfect, in a completely different league than a production fender.
Nice man! You got the shoreline gold one from Ryan? He’s one of my favorite guitaraist. That was a killer deal also. He’s @ryverb on instagram. I also love those lollar firebird pickups. They are my favorites. I have them in a Novo serus J at the moment. Ryan loved that BilT. So I’m sure you got a good one.

User avatar
DesmondWafers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1746
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:15 pm

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by DesmondWafers » Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:05 am

Gotta say, so far it's shaping up to be my new #1. I've never had another guitar that could even come close to beating my tele.

Also, these guitars always looked sort of weird to me in pictures, but in real life it's completely different. I think it has to do with the forearm contour; if you look at the guitar sideways they look great, but in the promo pictures where they're standing straight up, the extreme angle plays some sort of optical illusion.

User avatar
andy_tchp
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8010
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:36 am
Location: Brisbane

Re: Bilt guitars??

Post by andy_tchp » Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:14 am

DesmondWafers wrote:
Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:05 am
Also, these guitars always looked sort of weird to me in pictures, but in real life it's completely different. I think it has to do with the forearm contour; if you look at the guitar sideways they look great, but in the promo pictures where they're standing straight up, the extreme angle plays some sort of optical illusion.
That's interesting to hear - I always find they look fairly awful in promotional shots with awkward proportions all round. They're probably much better when hung off an actual human being.
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

Post Reply