B1352 - Michael Kelly Patriot Instinct Partial Eclipse, Custom Collection, Bare Knuckle Pickups
If you have not heard about the "Mod Shop" in the U.S. and the Set-up and the Bare Knuckles Pickups...well, you don't know this guitar. And you need to learn quickly. This guitar is a highbred - U.S. and Korean. And it blows the doors off all competitors...
From Michael Kelly about the Patriot
"For over a decade, the Patriot has been one of the most award-winning archtop single cutaways on the market. Just pick up one to see why it has earned all of the critical acclaim. Each model has a deeply arched top and the most in-demand features."
From Guitar Player:
"THE FIRST THING I NOTICED ABOUTTHE PATRIOT DECREE WAS THE AMAZING CHERRY sunburst finish over a killer flame top. The look, coupled with the model name gave me visions of what Ace Frehley might play if he worked for Homeland Security. We’ve obviously seen these cosmetics before, so I was curious about how the PD would differentiate itself from the LP. Well, the Michael Kelly features a super-slick cutaway/neck heel that makes hitting high notes way easier than Space Ace ever had it. In lieu of a stop tailpiece, we have through-body stringing, which looks cool and gives you access to a gorgeous, tinkly harp sound if you pick behind the Tune-o-matic. Common wisdom says that this design also provides more resonance and sustain and, sure enough, the Patriot rings long, loud, and proud. Lastly, we have individual coil splitters for the two humbuckers— a great bonus that we’ll delve into in a moment. The neck has a super comfy profile with clean binding and nicely polished frets. The MK folks even went so far as to round off or “hotdog” the fret ends—my favorite way to dress frets and a rare bonus on an instrument in this price range. Nice! The nut is cut so that there is decent room before the outside strings get pulled off the edge of the frets, making vibrato on the high E much easier. This is a nice touch that far too many manufacturers overlook. The inlays look cool and unique, although a close inspection reveals some slight imperfections. The Grover tuners are another welcome feature and, again, somewhat surprising at this price. Thanks!"