Reviewed By: Jac Harrison
Purchased from: Manufacturer
Street Price: $2,000 USD with case + shipping
About:
Malinoski Guitars is a manufacturer of handcrafted custom boutique American built electric and electric bass guitars.
This Howlin' Moon model #152 has an acrylic lacquer and
oiled walnut/ambrosia maple and ash/wenge stripe body dressed with an
oiled ambrosia maple/douglas fir pickguard-control plate that flows into a 24 3/4" scale 7/8" slim "C" shaped maple neck with
a padauk fretboard featuring 24 large frets topped with a 1
11/16" delrin nut with a total weight of 6 lbs 13 oz.
Hardware:
Hardware:
Tonepros AVT2G wraptail nickel tumbled bridge, chrome hipshot locking
machine heads, (1) volume (1) tone controls in tiger wood.
Electronics:
Malinoski P-90's -- (1) neck P-90, 42g A2 V of 7.2 (1) bridge P-90, 42g A5 V of 8.6 with (2) 500K pots (1) .033uf polyester film cap, (1) variable compensation tone
circuit, (1) 3-way toggle switch.
Sound
Amp Used:
Selector position 1: Just Neck
A fat P-90 very 59' reissue sounding but smoother
Selector position 2: Neck & Bridge Parallel HB
A very usable bright aggressive parallel neck humbucker
Selector position 3: Just Bridge
A warm broken in P-90 bridge
Action, Fit & Finish:
Everything on this guitar was hand made excluding the bridge, tuners, knobs and pots. The pickups, pickup covers, body, neck, fretboard, etc. This is really a playable piece of art. The action was low without buzz, and the intonation was dead on. The finish was natural and beautiful without a flaw. The guitar felt like it was built with care and attention to detail as are all Malinoski Guitars.
Reliability & Durability:
The guitar is well built. There was no pick-up hum or crackles from the electronics -- all knobs and hardware installed snug and proper.
Impression:
Every time I play one of Peter's guitars I'm just blown away by his creativity and vision. His guitars look like abstract art -- but at the same time they play better than most guitar on the market today. His unique body designs hug the player allowing for a comfortable playing position whether you are sitting or standing. With this model weighing in at just 6 lbs 13 oz or 1/2 the weight of a traditional Les Paul -- there is no reason why you couldn't play this beauty all night.
With most light weight or weight reduction guitars (like a Les Paul or Parker Fly) you sacrifice your tone as the guitar gets lighter. I'm not sure how Peter does it -- but this guitar sounded fat and full with an amazing amount of sustain and she has that soundboard snap you really only get with a full arch. After playing at least 25 different models over the last 2 years -- I've just stopped wondering how he is able to defy logic and I just enjoy playing his masterpieces.
So to the review -- I had my bassist with me at the NY Amp Show when I was in the Malinoski Guitars room and we got to jam for a few. This girl was sexy and thin with a deep cutaway allowing me to fly up and down her neck without any hesitation. The overall tone I was able to get was very similar to what I would expect from an SG or Les Paul. I am a neck player that prides myself on having one of the best humbucker that I have ever heard in one of my personal guitars -- but I do not have a P-90 setup that I'm comfortable with. The Malinoski P-90's are no joke -- and when I'm ready for my next personal guitar -- it may just be a Malinoski.
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| Me in the Malinoski Guitars room at the NY Amp Show June 1st 2013 |
So to the review -- I had my bassist with me at the NY Amp Show when I was in the Malinoski Guitars room and we got to jam for a few. This girl was sexy and thin with a deep cutaway allowing me to fly up and down her neck without any hesitation. The overall tone I was able to get was very similar to what I would expect from an SG or Les Paul. I am a neck player that prides myself on having one of the best humbucker that I have ever heard in one of my personal guitars -- but I do not have a P-90 setup that I'm comfortable with. The Malinoski P-90's are no joke -- and when I'm ready for my next personal guitar -- it may just be a Malinoski.
What I would change:
Not a damn thing --
My advice:
I have the same advice as I did with the last 3 Malinoski guitars I reviewed. If you are a collector, or you are looking for that unique guitar, that will make you stand out this is it. So my advice is buy one.
Contact:
Peter Malinoski Guitars
MD, United States
MD, United States
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Posted 6/2013
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