Blade guitars playing them for years can't fault them and used some guitars over the years so many people should be playing them lot better than most fenders play great 👍
This particular Levinson guitar doesn't have it, but the 'Falcon Trem' Gary Levinson designed is probably the best "vintage/modern" hybrid trem in existence... and no one hardly knows about it. Such a shame.
The "R" series guitars are a bit more "polite" sounding (when the VSC is not engaged) than the Texas Vintage, the latter sounding very much like a Fender. However, when the VSC is used you can go from close to piezo like tone with the bass/treble boost to a very rich full on tone when mid boost. They are great guitars and I recently played a Fender Custom shop strat, considered to one of the best Fender Custom shop strats this store had ever had and I would not have swapped it for any of my Blades Here are the specs of Blades from a brochure c 1990 -R1 - soft maple body with opaque colours, one piece maple neck or maple neck with rosewood finger board; Graduated locking Levinson/Gotoh tuners; Vint-Edge tremolo with hardened bass plate and saddle tracks; EZ-Access neck rod; variable spectrum control electronics; Levinson SS1 pickups; graphite nut; jumbo nickel silver frets; -R2 - As R1 but light ash body in translucent colours -R3 - as R1 except body in opaque colours; Sperzel trimlock tuners; Falcon (floating) tremolo; Adjustable tension string guide -R4 - As R3 except ash body in translucent colours All models were available as "RH" with Levinson LH4 humbucker in bridge position My Blades - 1989 R2; 1989 T2; 1991 RH4; 1997 Texas Vintage 62.
Woohoo, now that‘s a surprise... I bought my „Burgundy Mist“ R4 in ´92; it‘s the guitar I‘ve had the longest. It‘s undergone 5 or 6 pickup swaps since (since 2012 it‘s loaded with Fralin Dual Blades). The active circuit still works like a charm - that plus its trem system still make it the most flexible axe in my stable. BTW, if I‘m not badly mistaken, the R1 and R3 models from the 90ies don‘t have Alder bodies, but rather „soft maple“. The R2 and R4 came with Sen bodies.
Dobro veče, uvaženi gospodine Pekariću! Zainteresovan sam upravo za ovaj model Blejda, R 1 ako sam dobro razumeo iz komentara uz ovu prezentaciju. Kakvo je Vaše mišljenje o OVOM Levinsonovom uratku i koliko mislite da je pristojna cena za ovaj instrument? Unapred zahvalan kolega s juga Srbije, na granici s Bugarskom!
Beautiful guitars i have a blade rh2 great guitar plays great sounds great plays a look better than most fenders never let this one go and ive had some big brand named guitars over the years 👍
HEY BRETT! hope you had a great x mas with the family this reminds me of the fender plus strat from the early 90's that the jeff beck strat was based on.i love that VSC switch i want one on my strat!
I am lucky enough to have 4 Blades - an RH4 I bought new in 1991, an R2 and T2 (tele) both from 1989 and a1997 Texas Vintage 62. They are wonderful instruments, quite difficult to come by here in Scotland but worth the search. Great guitars and always have had quick response from Christian at Blade with any questions. Just so under rated
made in japan body/neck distributed by tune guitar technology now called tune guitar maniac,final assembly,inspection in switzerland,i have a early blade texas strat,great guitars
Thanks for this review. I have 2 Blades, a Texas Pro Standard and an RH2 Classic. Love em, they totally blow Fenders away, but the resale value isn't there in NorthAmerica because they aren't so well know.
I had one for a while in black with mirror plate it was a SSS configuration, asi recall it was well made also, fender Stratocaster headstock I wonder if they had permission?
These guitars are priceless! I have a '91 one as well, plays like a dream, sounds great in all positions. No offense to Levinson, but the newer ones have much less clarity and versatility.
Great sounding tonal options! I remember the Blade ads in the magazines, but never knew anybody that owned one. Is the trem a regular Fender style or some other proprietary design?
Blade's basses from that period are also yummy. Mine is an amber colored fretless Jazz Bass, which I bought new around 1992. Quite a heavy beast, though.
I new a guy who had the Strat and a Tele both in a nice purple colour. He never played them though. They just stayed in their cases under the bed. Such a waste. Great guitars. I think he was hoping they would be worth some money some day
2024... I purchased a used levinson BLADE and really kicks butt. Price was $1800.0 used with a levinson hsc. I don't know where or when it was built. Perhaps, Sweden? I've been trying more information on it for 4 or 5 years now. It's serial # is 127781... HSS, serious flame top, sperzel locking tuners, wamie-bar and one hell of a roller-bridge ... etc.; etc.' °°° I am unsure if there is a way to get in touch with Gary Levinson to find out more on it. He doesn't have a website contact email address. Can anyone help me with this? If I could send/post a photo of the BLADE, I would, if it would help. Thanks Bret ... you are a superb player, and have super demo website. Your very dedicated to society in what you do. Gary B: Denver, CO Later for now.
Built good look good but do not sound good and feel synthetic. I am from Basel Switzerland home of Levinson and have played and owned several blades.Put it against even a cheap fender and hear and feel what I am talking about.
Hi guys Are all of you stratissh players? Or sometimes you need something else? Lps sgs teles ect I want to know Is there a quitar to handle rock/blues jazzy blues/Santana's style Or we need 2/3 quitars?
Blade guitars are so good!
I have several but my 1989 RH4 is the one i take most of time . Play it for almost 30 years now and it never let me down.
This has got to be among one of the best Strats I've ever heard. Possibly the best. There should be more like this one
Blade rules!😊
Blade guitars playing them for years can't fault them and used some guitars over the years so many people should be playing them lot better than most fenders play great 👍
Deberías salir más al mundo. Fender, PRS
Got a blade tele when I was 16/17 on the advice of my guitar teacher who had one. Still my number one... tough guitar to edge out.
This particular Levinson guitar doesn't have it, but the 'Falcon Trem' Gary Levinson designed is probably the best "vintage/modern" hybrid trem in existence... and no one hardly knows about it. Such a shame.
Great demo. Nice to hear a demo where the guitar is in tune and the sound and playing is good.
It really came alive with that second amp.
The "R" series guitars are a bit more "polite" sounding (when the VSC is not engaged) than the Texas Vintage, the latter sounding very much like a Fender. However, when the VSC is used you can go from close to piezo like tone with the bass/treble boost to a very rich full on tone when mid boost. They are great guitars and I recently played a Fender Custom shop strat, considered to one of the best Fender Custom shop strats this store had ever had and I would not have swapped it for any of my Blades
Here are the specs of Blades from a brochure c 1990
-R1 - soft maple body with opaque colours, one piece maple neck or maple neck with rosewood finger board; Graduated locking Levinson/Gotoh tuners; Vint-Edge tremolo with hardened bass plate and saddle tracks; EZ-Access neck rod; variable spectrum control electronics; Levinson SS1 pickups; graphite nut; jumbo nickel silver frets;
-R2 - As R1 but light ash body in translucent colours
-R3 - as R1 except body in opaque colours; Sperzel trimlock tuners; Falcon (floating) tremolo; Adjustable tension string guide
-R4 - As R3 except ash body in translucent colours
All models were available as "RH" with Levinson LH4 humbucker in bridge position
My Blades - 1989 R2; 1989 T2; 1991 RH4; 1997 Texas Vintage 62.
Woohoo, now that‘s a surprise... I bought my „Burgundy Mist“ R4 in ´92; it‘s the guitar I‘ve had the longest. It‘s undergone 5 or 6 pickup swaps since (since 2012 it‘s loaded with Fralin Dual Blades). The active circuit still works like a charm - that plus its trem system still make it the most flexible axe in my stable.
BTW, if I‘m not badly mistaken, the R1 and R3 models from the 90ies don‘t have Alder bodies, but rather „soft maple“. The R2 and R4 came with Sen bodies.
Yes man;the Humbucker and all other sounds are very great,,UNERREICHT!Thx for chairing!
Rock on!
@@BrettKingman
Quanto costa questa chitarra?!Grazie Mille!
Killer sound! I own a 1992 RH4 and it's definitely my best axe ever, versatile as could be. Cheers
Dobro veče, uvaženi gospodine Pekariću!
Zainteresovan sam upravo za ovaj model Blejda, R 1 ako sam dobro razumeo iz komentara uz ovu prezentaciju.
Kakvo je Vaše mišljenje o OVOM Levinsonovom uratku i koliko mislite da je pristojna cena za ovaj instrument?
Unapred zahvalan kolega s juga Srbije, na granici s Bugarskom!
Beautiful guitars i have a blade rh2 great guitar plays great sounds great plays a look better than most fenders never let this one go and ive had some big brand named guitars over the years 👍
I LOVE my Blade Delta Classic (Tele-style). Would love to find an RH-4 in good nick, though, especially the Standard with the rosewood fingerboard.
Great playing!
HEY BRETT! hope you had a great x mas with the family this reminds me of the fender plus strat from the early 90's that the jeff beck strat was based on.i love that VSC switch i want one on my strat!
Wow those tones are superb! am seriously interested in getting hold of a rh2 or rh4 at some point
A proper players guitar. Megastrat. 👍🏻
Yes, it is!
Such a great selection of sounds. I want one! Tasty chords Mr Kingman.
I am lucky enough to have 4 Blades - an RH4 I bought new in 1991, an R2 and T2 (tele) both from 1989 and a1997 Texas Vintage 62. They are wonderful instruments, quite difficult to come by here in Scotland but worth the search. Great guitars and always have had quick response from Christian at Blade with any questions. Just so under rated
made in japan body/neck distributed by tune guitar technology now called tune guitar maniac,final assembly,inspection in switzerland,i have a early blade texas strat,great guitars
Thanks for this review. I have 2 Blades, a Texas Pro Standard and an RH2 Classic. Love em, they totally blow Fenders away, but the resale value isn't there in NorthAmerica because they aren't so well know.
I had one for a while in black with mirror plate it was a SSS configuration, asi recall it was well made also, fender Stratocaster headstock I wonder if they had permission?
I believe they got pulled up on the headstock and had to create their own version in the early 90s.
These guitars are priceless! I have a '91 one as well, plays like a dream, sounds great in all positions. No offense to Levinson, but the newer ones have much less clarity and versatility.
Great sounding tonal options! I remember the Blade ads in the magazines, but never knew anybody that owned one. Is the trem a regular Fender style or some other proprietary design?
Pickups really sound nice. I don't think I heard a bad sound.
Blade's basses from that period are also yummy. Mine is an amber colored fretless Jazz Bass, which I bought new around 1992. Quite a heavy beast, though.
Yolanda Charles always talks very positively about Blade bases
I new a guy who had the Strat and a Tele both in a nice purple colour. He never played them though. They just stayed in their cases under the bed. Such a waste. Great guitars. I think he was hoping they would be worth some money some day
He's right they will.
Ha! I have an early 90ies all black one. I am pretty sure they are called "RH 2" cause they are humbucker equipped though.
I just picked up a blade Tele with fender noiseless pickups. Feels , looks n sounds as Tele as you could imagine . I love it.
from the looks of the wood showing in the neck pocket , suspect that the body may be poplar? just a guess. sounds great !
Good guess amigo. When a Strat sounds this good to me the wood for the body and name on the headstock is secondary. Cheers
If its an R1, then body is maple.
@@caleywontdie thanks
japanese sen ash probably
@@caleywontdie Is a RH1, and maple body yes!
2024... I purchased a used levinson BLADE and really kicks butt.
Price was $1800.0 used with a levinson hsc. I don't know where or when it was built.
Perhaps, Sweden?
I've been trying more information on it for 4 or 5 years now. It's serial # is
127781... HSS, serious flame top, sperzel locking tuners, wamie-bar and one hell of a roller-bridge ... etc.; etc.' °°°
I am unsure if there is a way to get in touch with Gary Levinson to find out more on it. He doesn't have a website contact email address.
Can anyone help me with this?
If I could send/post a photo of the BLADE, I would, if it would help.
Thanks Bret ... you are a superb player, and have super demo website. Your very dedicated to society in what you do.
Gary B: Denver, CO
Later for now.
would you prefer the blade to the fender strat
VSC centre isn't flat it's bypass
I have the made in China Tele Delta
Is this the made in Swiss period?
japan
At least the jack is in the right spot, the only place I'll ever have it for that matter. :)
Built good look good but do not sound good and feel synthetic. I am from Basel Switzerland home of Levinson and have played and owned several blades.Put it against even a cheap fender and hear and feel what I am talking about.
If they are so cheap and nasty why have you owned 'several' Blades? Bullshit meter going off the scale.
My RH4 blew my Custom Strats away literally. I sold them all Levinson Blade are built better, feel Better and sound better 😜
Hi guys
Are all of you stratissh players?
Or sometimes you need something else? Lps sgs teles ect
I want to know
Is there a quitar to handle rock/blues jazzy blues/Santana's style
Or we need 2/3 quitars?