NGD/Review: Dean Gordon Virtus (full-carve headless) custom-build

[Alberto7]

To me, this one is rather uncommon. How did you decide on neck hum and bridge single as a combination?
View attachment 144177

Unless OP has VERY particular tastes, it's probably one of those things you do when you have more positions than you know what to do with.

It's what happened with my Oni. I wanted full hum and single coil plus a couple of parallel positions, and ended up with this monstrosity


I also have full hum+single coil, but it's all wired in parallel. From what I can tell, adding different coils in parallel is almost like adding/removing EQ corresponding to the location of each coil, plus a few dynamic characteristics like levels of attack, etc. A bit more predictable than a what it would sound like wired in series. Like if I am in position 4 (bridge in parallel) but wanted a slight bit more bass/creaminess to the tone, I'll go all Initial D on that switch and jump to position 7.

It's not like I immediately know which combination I want to use, but if I am not happy with a particular sound, I'll play with the switch to see if I have anything that helps before I adjust any amp or pedal settings.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

View attachment 144173

I owned a Larada Legion and the one-cut design with the fused upper area didn't work for me. It forces your thumb to the side and while it's still playable, it's so different from all other guitars that it's always a bit jarring and alien. I guess if it was my main guitar my muscle memory would adapt to it more intimately.

I do have serious GAS for the Emi though, but I'd want a 6-string version with a different pickup configuration.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Unless OP has VERY particular tastes, it's probably one of those things you do when you have more positions than you know what to do with.

It's what happened with my Oni. I wanted full hum and single coil plus a couple of parallel positions, and ended up with this monstrosity
View attachment 144180

I also have full hum+single coil, but it's all wired in parallel. From what I can tell, adding different coils in parallel is almost like adding/removing EQ corresponding to the location of each coil, plus a few dynamic characteristics like levels of attack, etc. A bit more predictable than a what it would sound like wired in series. Like if I am in position 4 (bridge in parallel) but wanted a slight bit more bass/creaminess to the tone, I'll go all Initial D on that switch and jump to position 7.

It's not like I immediately know which combination I want to use, but if I am not happy with a particular sound, I'll play with the switch to see if I have anything that helps before I adjust any amp or pedal settings.

To me, this one is rather uncommon. How did you decide on neck hum and bridge single as a combination?
View attachment 144177

It's pretty much like Alberto7 said. That particular wiring was not my choice, but a limitation within the Freeway switching's wiring. If I wanted the tones I was after, it would have to be wired a specific way, and that position you pointed out is like a side-effect. It's not a bad tone but it's similar enough to another position that I don't know if I'd ever use it.

 

[vark]

I owned a Larada Legion and the one-cut design with the fused upper area didn't work for me. It forces your thumb to the side and while it's still playable, it's so different from all other guitars that it's always a bit jarring and alien. I guess if it was my main guitar my muscle memory would adapt to it more intimately.

I do have serious GAS for the Emi though, but I'd want a 6-string version with a different pickup configuration.

Got you, that makes sense

https://reverb.com/item/80999643-schecter-usa-custom-shop-pt-vintage-ss-butterscotch-w-maple-fb

https://reverb.com/item/75752054-schecter-custom-shop-usa-sunvalley-pt-vintage-ss-telecaster-mn-3-tone-sunburst

there is also this model, the PT shape is super comfortable for me and is one the best interpretations of the "modern tele" imo

https://reverb.com/item/64535324-ormsby-tx-vintage-gtr-6-run-15-multiscale-cr-cream

or this, not sure if that's your thing but it falls short on the bridge single coil criteria

 

[Ben Pinkus]

This is so cool

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Got you, that makes sense

https://reverb.com/item/80999643-schecter-usa-custom-shop-pt-vintage-ss-butterscotch-w-maple-fb

https://reverb.com/item/75752054-schecter-custom-shop-usa-sunvalley-pt-vintage-ss-telecaster-mn-3-tone-sunburst

there is also this model, the PT shape is super comfortable for me and is one the best interpretations of the "modern tele" imo

https://reverb.com/item/64535324-ormsby-tx-vintage-gtr-6-run-15-multiscale-cr-cream

or this, not sure if that's your thing but it falls short on the bridge single coil criteria

I have a Schecter PT Special and I love it, but it's got a P90 at the neck, which I love for its mellow/sweet tone when clean. The models you posted do look promising (though are their neck heels contoured? They have the metal plate, but sometimes those might be slanted to get the heel thinner).

As for the Ormsby, I try to stay away from multiscale, especially ones with really drastic fanning like that.

 

[vark]

I have a Schecter PT Special and I love it, but it's got a P90 at the neck, which I love for its mellow/sweet tone when clean. The models you posted do look promising (though are their neck heels contoured? They have the metal plate, but sometimes those might be slanted to get the heel thinner).

As for the Ormsby, I try to stay away from multiscale, especially ones with really drastic fanning like that.

looks decently comfortable, not the most amazing but quite good for a traditional T style

 

[Shawn]

Very nice.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

I just realized I made a mistake in describing the wiring and the diagram. The split-coil at the bridge is actually outer-coil, not inner-coil.



Also, in my first post, I said the neck humbucker sounds like my Strandbergs, but that's only when the string was totally new. Just a day later the strings got a lot warmer sounding, and the neck humbucker became much warmer-sounding. I would say now it sounds closer to the Air Norton in my Ibanez, or the neck pickups in the two PRS SEs I had, as well as the Schecter C-1 Exotic and the E/A Classic I had.

 

[JDB123]

Do you play it with the lower horn resting on your right leg, or your left?

Since switching to headless guitars exclusively myself, I find that I basically only play guitars "classical style" while seated now. Does Dean's headless Virtus design accommodate that? He and I have talked in the past about builds but this thread really got my GAS going.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Do you play it with the lower horn resting on your right leg, or your left?

Since switching to headless guitars exclusively myself, I find that I basically only play guitars "classical style" while seated now. Does Dean's headless Virtus design accommodate that? He and I have talked in the past about builds but this thread really got my GAS going.

I play it exactly the same way I play Strandberg and Abasi--I put the lower right corner body carve on my right thigh and have the guitar at 45 degrees. This is by far the most comfortable and convenient for me. Here's a photo of Dean demonstrating the position (I asked him to take a photo of it because I wanted to make sure it can be played that way comfortably):


He also demonstrated it with the guitar between the legs like this (but I don't play it this way):