Here’s a rather special one: this is a Palir Titan Custom, a hand-built boutique T-style solid-body from Palir Guitars of Southern Louisiana USA.

Palir has built a reputation for highly individual custom instruments, with each guitar offering its own combination of woods, electronics, finishes and ageing. Their Titan model is their take on the classic T-style platform, but these are very much custom-build instruments rather than mass-produced guitars.

This particular Titan is an especially interesting specification, with a Lollar Phunbucker at the bridge which is coil-tapped, and a Lollar P-90 in the neck, giving it considerably more tonal muscle and versatility than a conventional Tele-style pairing.

The combination promises everything from articulate, woody T-style snap through to fat, harmonically rich overdrive and proper P-90 grunt. This guitar weighs 8.19 lb.

And then there’s the finish...

The distressed/relic treatment is superbly executed, giving the guitar genuine vintage character without making it look like a generic factory relic. Palir's ageing and finish work is one of the things that really sets these instruments apart.

Previous Palir Titan examples have received particularly strong comments for build quality, neck feel, fretwork and playability. This one is no exception. The fretwork is superb, the neck, which has an ebony fingerboard, feels beautifully played-in, and the guitar has an excellent setup with very little play wear. It is a genuinely inspiring instrument in the hands — the sort of guitar where the craftsmanship becomes apparent the moment you start playing it.

Highlights:

Palir Titan Custom
USA-made boutique T-style solid body
Highly individual custom-build specification
Lollar Phunbucker bridge pickup
Lollar P-90 neck pickup
Exceptional build quality
Superb fretwork and playability
Distressed/relic finish with beautifully executed ageing
Excellent current setup
Little play wear
Supplied with Fender tweed-style hard case
Certificate of Authenticity included
A genuinely rare and unusual Palir specification

Palir Titans don't come along every day, and this particular pickup combination makes this one especially interesting. It has the familiar DNA of a T-style guitar, but with considerably more character, range and attitude.

A proper boutique oddball — beautifully made, beautifully finished and built to be played.

Palir Titan Custom – USA Custom Built Electric Guitar 2016