This is Tao Guitars T-Bucket model and happens to be the first production T-Bucket Model ever produced. It has been residing in my small personal collection for the last year or so. It plays and sounds like a dream. After purchasing another T-Bucket with the same neck profile, I've decided to pass this one along to another person/player, who will cherish it for the unbelievable, hugely playable work of art, that it is.
This T-Bucket is actually called "The T-Bucket" on the COA to further verify its uniqueness. Serial # 001 is as rare as they come in the high-end, Luthier built guitar world. The guitar has been very well taken care of and shows only slight use w/ some minor wear to the extremely lightly applied finish the hardware is aged by Tao. The only other T-Bucket Model before this incredible instrument was the actual Prototype.
This guitar plays astonishingly well and has opened up with time in a way we have only seen great acoustic guitars do. The notes just bloom, with great harmonic clarity and sustain. It is a magnificent wonder of an instrument that seems to breathe like a living organism. You feel it vibrate heavily in your hands and against your body while strumming chords or even playing single note runs. The tone is sophisticated and appealing to both fans of humbucking as well as single-coil type pickup tones. This set of pickups has all the grit of the best PAF style humbuckers while retaining all of the high-definition clarity and sparkle you usually only find in single-coils, but hey are true humbuckers. The Neck pup is based on a Wide Range Humbucker and the Bridge pickup is based on a Vintage PAF Humbucker, bust as mentioned, they are much more dynamic and have a nice, rich articulate top-end associated with a great Single-Coil.
This particular T-Bucket sustains forever and is built from only the finest materials. The body is made from extremely light weight Swamp Ash and the neck is Quarter-Sawn European Flame Maple, the entire guitar weighs in at 6.4lbs.
The neck is built from an impressive 4A grade highly figured European quarter-sawn flame maple. The fingerboard is made of beautiful dark Indian Rosewood. This is one of the very few T-Buckets with a gloss nitro finish on the neck, my other personal Tao being one of the only few I know of in existence. A beautiful decal beneath the finish serves as the side makers. Tao calls this style their "Gauge Panel Marker" The gloss finish really helps make the heavily flamed maple figure pop out and it feels immaculate. Most T-Buckets and Taos in general have Matte Nitro finish's on the neck.
The neck incorporates Tao’s progressive fretting process. They start with jumbo fret wire to the 12th fret and then the frets become more narrow as you move up the board. This is done to prevent finger fatigue in those usually cramped upper registers. The fingerboards radius is 12" With a 1 & 11/16” nut width. The carbon flex dual-action truss rod design, consists of a multi layered wood/carbon mixture for a larger push/pull than standard single-action truss rods designs.
This proprietary system prevents necks from warping & other problems related to the use of most standard rods, where the neck can only be tightened or loosened. This is ideal, as a guitars wooden neck is very sensitive to climate and humidity changes. The truss rod is easily accessible through a route in the board, right between the last two frets. No taking off the neck for adjustments with this guitar & the handy, handmade truss rod adjustment tool makes sure you always have control of your necks relief, with its perfect fit. A very nice and useful touch.
Both pickups have Tao’s unique handmade covers which are inspired by the world of hot-rods & classic cars. The Tao Boyz are very talented Machinists and they hand-build & fabricate mostly all of their own hardware. The Bridge on this guitar is a Glendale w/ Barden Brass compensated saddles (original Glendale saddles included) the control plate and back panel plate are both built by Tao, as is the switch tip and vol/tone knobs.
Tao is quickly becoming a very well known high-end boutique guitar brand for their un-compromised and brilliant work. They are only able to produce a few instruments per year as everything is done by hand, making them hard to find but once you try one you will be hooked. This instrument will surely further appreciate in value.
Comes with COA stating that this is Tao T-Bucket Ser # 001, Custom HSC W/ Aluminum Tao badge, Glendale Saddles, Custom Truss-Rod adjustment tool built by Tao & other assorted case candy.
(Check out the video link of Mr. Brice Delage playing this instrument in 2012 when it was brand new)
Specs: Body: Two Piece Lightweight Swamp Ash Neck: European Quarter-sawn Flame Maple Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood Pickups: Stephen's Design Z-Max Neck Pickup & VL 61 Bridge Pickup Bridge: Glendale "Half Plate" Cold Rolled Steel (Originally W/ Intone Aluminum/Brass/Brass Set, which is included) Joe Barden Compensated Brass Saddles (on guitar now) Scale Length: 24 3/4"
Neck Profile: Large U .86-.98 Radius: 12" Included: OHSC, Tools & COA Weight: 6lbs 4oz
