Thomas # 001 ~ 2017 - Natural ~ Quilted Maple

2017 Thomas Custom Guitar (#001 or 2 made) Made in Florida, USA

Guitar Luthier Michael Thomas studied guitar building under Bay State Guitars owner Sylvan Wells at his shop in the Daytona Beach area. Sylvan Wells has been blessed to have a Guitar he designed and built for Miranda Lambert enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Bay State was the first guitar company in the USA and Sylvan acquired the company many years ago on a visit to Massachusetts. Sylvan Wells trained Michael Thomas in guitar building. They were friends.  

Background Info: Guitar Builder Sylvan Wells was in the Nightcrawlers group at age 17 in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.  As a teenager he  opened for the Beach Boys with his group the Nightcrawlers.  Sylvan also went to high school with Greg Allman and Duane Allman of the Allman Bros Band in Daytona Beach. He had a hit with “Little Black Egg" while in the Nightcrawlers ... He later became an successful Attorney in Florida. He also makes fine crafted Wells Guitars. 

The Thomas Guitar is rare indeed and due to Michael’s passing away just over 5 years ago even more rare. Both electric guitars Michael Thomas manufactured by hand are Custom One of a Kind designs crafted lovingly in Holly Hill, Florida over a period of one year and there is nothing like it anywhere… The guitar serves as the best of the Telecaster and Les Paul body shape designs combined and is chambered. The Natural beauty of his guitars is unsurpassed. The heel transition is smooth and silky as is the headstock. The little black button near the control plate is there in case the new owner decides to add a kill switch some time in the future, for cool playing efx. 

The Thomas Guitar comes with a Quilted Maple Top and Back, Walnut, Brazilian Rosewood, and Bubinga hardwood (African Rosewood) and ebony fretboard. Adorned with custom mother of pearl large fret Moon Markers and steel silver frets, and steel/graphite truss rod, it is both sturdy and lightweight. You can play guitar for hours and never strain your back. That’s a plus.  There is a “snakebite” tribute of 2 dots on the back of the neck - see photos. Frets are polished. All hardware is brand new.

The GFS Gold Humbucking and Single Coil pickups and gold bridge plate are beautiful and brand new and come with the custom guitar. The body is shielded against hum with copper shielding tape installed by hand. The red guitar strap is by Ernie Ball and the strap locks are Schaller style gold color. The Gold Imperial Tuners are built to last, with excellent smooth velvet like tuning stability and look classic and modern at the same time. The body is gorgeous but has normal surface dings and cosmetic scratches from being played in the past with silver chrome hardware that was removed by Sylvan.

About the GFS Pickups :  GFS Humbucking Pickup ~ Professional Series Alnico II. "The Kwikplug system from GFS finally allows the quick and easy installation of traditional vintage voiced passive pickups and INSTANT interchangeability.” The Single Coil pickup has the same high quality build. The materials used to build these in Florida are sourced from the USA, Europe, and Japan. Plastic covering still on the front to protect the finish of the Humbucker. Comes with matching gold screws and is just a beauty. These guitars are a labor of love...The great warm, vintage sound. Made with all the good stuff. Genuine Alnico II bar magnets, hand magnetized and assembled with the correct vintage geometry, and silver non-magnetic baseplate. GFS Pickups have the patented Kwikplug™ no solder design feature for ease of changing pickups, when desired. 

About Obsidianwire Pro-Wired Electronics: The toggle and volume and tone control plate is a loaded with Obsidianwire custom designed control plate electronics. They use only the finest components and craftsmanship. It is made in Christchurch, New Zealand by the Goodall family and shipped in from the Michigan, USA office. All hardware on the Thomas Guitar is seriously upgraded to only the Best for Serious Collectors of fine American made instruments. Serious offers only please.