Sam’s Blog

This one was certainly one of the stars of the Montreal Guitar Show. Specs are as follows:

-Texas ebony top, bookmatched and air dried
-Chambered walnut back
-Purpleheart accent stripe between top and back
-Ziricote neck, C-shape neck carve (0.88″ – 0.95″)
-Ziricote fretboard with sapwood (r = 12″)
-Ebony headstock veneer w/ pearl Cardinal Compass Logo
-Texas ebony control cavity cover plate
-21 jumbo frets
-Cardinal humbucker and single coil custom wound specifically for this guitar
-Volume, Tone and 3-way toggle
-Armadillo Machine Works bridge, knobs, p/up rings and switch tip
-Sperzel locking tuners in black
-Black string ferrules, strap buttons and jack plate
-Mallory 150 tone capacitor (0.047 puf)
-7.4lbs
-Danish oil finish on body, Tru-oil varnish on neck
-Bone nut (1-11/16″)
-Hardshell case, and fre ground shipping in the lower 48
-$2899.00 with a 48 hour approval period and 1-year warranty

Balanced with a nice lower mid push. Lots of detail and no clutter on close intervals.

Specifications include:
-Reclaimed antique yellow pine top and back
-Texas walnut chambered core
-Texas walnut neck w/large C-carve
-Osage orange fretboard ( r = 10″)
-21 jumbo frets
-Pearl side dots and dual position markers at the 12th fret
-Cardinal varnish thinly applied to maintain the the ever so slightly aged appearance of the pine
-Volume, tone and 3-way toggle (CTS pots)
-Seymour Duncan Antiquity Firebird p/up in the bridge postion
-Custom nesparo p/up ring
-Cardinal singlecoil p/up w/increased output in the neck position
-White-tailed deer bone nut (1-11/16″ width)
-Hipshot hardtail bridge
-Sperzel Sound Loc tuners
-Copper shielded control and p/up cavities
-Linseed oil and Tru-oil finish on neck
-48 approval period
-Free ground shipping in the lower 48.
-$2699.00 w/ case and 1-year warranty

Authentic Firebird tones in the bridge with a bit more high-end content thanks to the pine. Ringing, clear and with a nice thump in the lows. Morphs well between clean and scream. Neck p/up has a wide clear tone that warms up nicely with a harder pick attack.

It’s got one more trip to make and then it’s yours! This is absolutely killer.
-Cypress solid body
-Maple / bubinga neck
-34″ scale
-Gotoh hardware.
-Custom Cardinal single coils. wound specifically for this bass
- 7lbs!!!!!

Get a little piece of history! Free shipping in the lower 48. Delivers with a 48 hour approval period.

We’ve made all the changes we need for the production version of our 4-string bass. Now it’s time to let the the second SOUTH prototype do its wonderful work in the hands of some lucky player. There are few cosmetic nicks and a little hazing, but NOTHING of consequence.

Specs include:
-Burled redwood top w/ matching control cavity cover
-Chambered mahogany back w/ maple accent stripe.
-5-piece laminate neck constructed of mesquite, maple and bubinga
-2 Cardinal bass p/ups w/ permanently attached ebony covers
-Thin, hand rubbed varnish on body and neck
-Volume, Tone and 3-way toggle (there is room in the control cavity for preamp mods)
-Gotoh hardware
-34″ scale length
-Pearl side dots
-Case included with free ground shipping int he lower 48.
-48 hour approval period
-List price is $3300.00 SALE PRICE $2399.00

WEST w/custom options:
-Highly burled mesquite top
-TX walnut back (there’s a bit of quilting in the figure)
-Cocobolo neck, medium,slightly flat C-carve
-Highly figured cocobolo fretboard w/12″ radius
-21 jumbo frets
-Sperzel Sound Loc tuners w/graduated string post heights
-Hipshot bridge
-Cardinal single coil p/ups voiced specifically for this instrument (More midrange bark)
-Ebony pickup covers
-Cardinal varnish on body
-No finish on neck or fretboard
-Matching, inset cocobolo control cavity cover
-Pearl side makers and 12th fret position markers
-Gator case included
-48 hour approval period, free ground shipping in the lower 48.
-Price SOLD

WEST Proto #1 – Serial #’d and documented as a proto. Big neck, semi hollow $1399.00 SOLD

EAST Copper Top #1 – $1499.00

EAST Mesquite – $1099.00 SOLD

All of these guitars are in perfect playing condition. They do have slight dings, small scratches and a bit of finish hazing. All frets have fresh crowns, and they play perfectly. Beautiful tones abound from all. Prices are “as is” with a 48 a hour approval period, and we’ll honor a full 1-year warranty. Gig bag included and free CONUS ground shipping.

EDIT: We will gladly add a neck pickup, tone control and 3-way switch, if desired.

We went all out with our first production ZENITH. This new Cardinal platform will feature elements that are both traditional and Cardinal. Note the T-style bridge and custom wound Cardinal p/up. The bridge will accept other Cardinal p/up winds, as well as myriad after market opportunities. Features include:

- 2-piece HIGHLY figured mesquite top
- 1-piece semi-hollow TX ash back
- Maple neck, baseball bat C-carve
- Mesquite fretboard w/ 10″ radius
- 21 jumbo frets
- 25.5″ scale length
- T-style bridge w/compensated saddles
- Custom Cardinal p/up
- Sperzel Sound Loc tuners w/graduated string posts
- White-tailed deer bone nut
- Cardinal gloss varnish on body
- Tru-oil on neck and fretboard
- $2199.00 w/case and free ground shipping in the lower 48
- As usual, ZENITH #1 comes with a 48 hour approval period
- Clips available on our blog. We can email them to you if needed

This spectacular WEST is ready for your guitar playing bliss. Features include:

- 2-piece figured TX walnut top
- 2-piece mesquite back
- TX walnut neck, medium C-carve, 1-11/16″ nut width
- TX ebony f/b, 12″ radius
- 21 jumbo frets
- 2 Cardinal single coils custom wound for the instrument, OOP in the middle position
- Volume, Tone, 3-way toggle
- Danish oil on body, varnish on neck
- Locking Sperzel Tuners
- Hipshot bridge
- 7.2lbs
-$2399.00 with a 48 hour approval period. Email us for more details
-Gig bag and ground shipping in the lower 48 included in price.

This a fantastic instrument. The neck p/up is wound warm and clear at around 6.5K ohms. The bridge p/up is hotter and fuller in the upper mids. A great mix of mellow to rock tones. Playability is second to none. You can’t go wrong with this one.

It is a spectacular guitar. There’s no other way to describe her. We built two like this side-by-side, and this on is ready for your plucky fingers. Specs include:

- Semi hollow WEST construction
- 1-piece bois d’arc top
- 2-piece clear mesquite back
- Mesquite neck with a chunky C-carve
- Bois d’arc fret board with a 12″ radius
- 2 Cardinal single coil pickups. Both have Alnico V magnets and are 9K+ K ohms
- Custom Cardinal varnish
- Hipshot bridge
- Sperzel Sound-Loc tuners. Gotohs are optional on this guitar.
- Volume, Tone and 3-way toggle controls.
- 21 jumbo frets
- 25.5″ scale.
- 2 pearl dots at the 12th fret
- Pearl side markers
- Padded gig bag included
- 48 hour approval period. Contact us for details
- Free ground shipping in the lower 48.

This WEST is stunning in person, and plays and sounds even better. A truly unique and uncompromising
guitar.