The T-Bucket is Tao's nod to Leo Fender's Telecaster, but with some more modern and Gibson-like features, such as a shorter 24 3/4" Gibson scale length, 1 11/16" nut width and a 12" fingerboard radius. The body is built out of light weight Swamp Ash with a trapezoid shaped inlaid pick-guard made of the same maple used for the fingerboard. The neck is built out of 1/4"sawn flame maple for extreme durability, sustain and resonance.
Speaking of resonance this guitar does not stop ringing. It blooms even unplugged like only some of the finest acoustic flattop guitars do. The entire guitar weighs in at 6lbs 10oz. This particular T-Bucket is fitted with an ABM 2-point Vibrato, that has a fully routed out tremolo cavity. This allows the player to not only be able to push downward but also allows for extreme upward motion.

The electronics in this guitar are also extremely unique. The pickups are hand wound "Double-D" splitable humbuckers by Benedetti Pickups with handmade aluminum covers by Tao. They are asymmetrically wound humbuckers that can be split into true single coils, without any noticeable /perceived volume drop. When in humbucking mode they deliver a beautiful mid-output PAF-like tone but with more sparkle and clarity. When they are split they sound much like a Tele or Strat style pickup. They are uniquely voiced, yet familiar both at once. Both single coil and humbucker enthusiasts will love this matched set. Since each pickup is splitable via separate pots (one on the volume pot one on the tone pot) you can mix and match the two pickups anyway you'd like to in the middle position.

The neck feels like a dream. It is a slightly wider than most Fender-style guitars with it's 1 & 11/16" nut width, making it easy to fingerpick or flat-pick. The neck profile is a "perfectionists" Medium C-shape, with a touch more heft than your average Med C. The fretwork is impeccable and the frets still have their full life ahead of them. With the way Tao frets their necks, you can not see or feel the tangs from the side of the neck as they were cut to size and then put in from the top of the fingerboard. This way they will never begin to protrude and become sharp on the sides with changes in humidity. Tao also uses their "Progressive Fretting" system. This is where the frets get increasingly thinner as you travel up the fingerboard past the 12th fret to avoid cramping while doing complex chords. 

All in all between the finish work where you can feel and see the wood grain, the versatile hand-wound pickups, lightweight balanced feel (seated or standing) and the inspiring fully routed out vibrato cavity; this guitar is one of our favorites to have ever come through the shop.
This T-Bucket is in very good playing condition, however it is a used item and exhibits a few finish scratches and dings from honest use. The most noticeable is a long scratch on the back beneath the tremolo cavity route. See pics or ask for more. 

Specs:


Body: Lightweight Swamp Ash


Neck: 1/4" sawn European Flame Maple


Nut: Hand Cut Bone


Nut Width: 1 11/16"


Neck Shape: Medium C .85" - .95"


Scale Length: 24 3/4"


Fingerboard: European Flame Maple Slab Board (Highly Figured)


Fingerboard Radius: 12"


Tuners: Gotoh Vintage Locking


Bridge: ABM 5200 w/ Steel Saddles


Pickups: Benedetti Double D Humbuckers (Splitable)


Controls: Volume & Tone w/ Push-Pull Pots For Individual Coil Splitting, 3-way Selector Switch


Fretting: Tao Custom Fretting


Frets: Medium Height, Nickel/Silver
Weight: 6lbs 10oz


Case: Mono Vertigo, Semi-Hard Protective Gig Bag


Case Candy: COA & Handmade Truss Rod adjustment tool, built from the same maple as the neck
