Boutique Guitars Wales

Boutique Guitars Wales Reliable guitar repair service based in South Wales with over 30 yrs experience.

The Ibanez Roadstar II Series is a line of vintage Japanese-crafted guitars and basses produced by Hoshino Gakki from 19...
13/09/2026

The Ibanez Roadstar II Series is a line of vintage Japanese-crafted guitars and basses produced by Hoshino Gakki from 1983 to 1991, known as durable "Superstrats" and workhorse instruments.

General Specifications..

* Production: Made in Japan (MIJ).
* Body Materials: Basswood, alder, or mahogany depending on the specific model tier, often featuring contoured body shapes.
* Neck Material: 1-piece maple.
* Neck Profile: Roadstar Standard.
* Fingerboard: Rosewood or maple with pearl dot inlays.
* Scale Length: 648mm / 25.5 inches (guitars); 34 inches (basses)
* Frets: Typically 22 medium or jumbo frets.
* Hardware: Chrome, black, or gold depending on standard vs. deluxe models.
* Pickups & Electronics: Ranged from single-coil setups to HSS and HH configurations (such as Super 6 or Super 58 pickups) paired with volume, tone, and coil-split switching.

A new TUSQ nut and light fret dress needed here..

Sigma J200 Gibson 335 DotFender Ultra THE LEGEND IS ALIVE –SIGMA GUITARS ARE BACK …In the late 1960s the situation for U...
08/09/2026

Sigma J200
Gibson 335 Dot
Fender Ultra

THE LEGEND IS ALIVE –
SIGMA GUITARS ARE BACK …

In the late 1960s the situation for US guitar manufacturers became difficult: guitars that were made in Japan, looking very similar to US guitars, were flooding the market but at a much lower price. These guitars increasingly endangered the US manufacturers dominance on the market, and a few American companies reacted to that development in an appropriate manner: They did not take any legal steps but instead launched a counter offensive. That’s when “Sigma Guitars” was born. In 1970 “SIGMA”, the brandname for acoustic guitars, was launched. They were built by specially trained staff in the most efficient guitar factories in Japan and then sent to the US for inspection before being released for sale and shipping to the music stores.
“Sigma Guitars” were soon to have an excellent, yes even legendary, reputation. Some models were said to be of outstanding quality, both, in construction and sound. That’s why it is striking, but not surprising, that there are hardly any second-hand Sigma guitars up for sale. Most owners still swear by their instruments and would never part with them. There are Sigma fans, Sigma communities, Sigma websites; and even collectors have specialized in Sigma guitars.
I feel committed and obliged to carry on this tradition. As a luthier and guitar repairman of the finest acoustic and classical guitars now for over 40 years, it is a great honor that I was able to obtain the rights to the esteemed name “Sigma Guitars Est. 1970” as well as the distinct Sigma logo in various places in the world. Our business partner and guitar manufacturer is one of the most respected producers who has been building outstanding quality guitars for nearly half of a century. This is where the circle closes: “Sigma Guitars Est. 1970”, has returned, and I am proud to be part of the legend.


An evening with Ibanez and Gibson..Ibanez RG550 2000 Fujigen Gibson Flying VIbanez Soundgear
02/09/2026

An evening with Ibanez and Gibson..

Ibanez RG550 2000 Fujigen
Gibson Flying V
Ibanez Soundgear

1954 inspired S type finished in 2 tone nitro.
27/08/2026

1954 inspired S type finished in 2 tone nitro.

Tom Anderson Guitarworks ‘ Bobcat on the bench for a Tone Pro’s 2 bridge replacement..
25/08/2026

Tom Anderson Guitarworks ‘ Bobcat on the bench for a Tone Pro’s 2 bridge replacement..

Brunswick Acoustic Bass Bridge Repair..
21/08/2026

Brunswick Acoustic Bass Bridge Repair..

Tom Anderson Guitarworks..Cobra model: Finished in Tigers Eye, with the most ridiculously bookmatched Quilted maple top....
16/08/2026

Tom Anderson Guitarworks..
Cobra model: Finished in Tigers Eye, with the most ridiculously bookmatched Quilted maple top..this level of figuring is often called ‘tubular quilt’

This maple cap is from Tom’s ‘Private Stock’

Nylon & Steel Strings up next..
13/08/2026

Nylon & Steel Strings up next..

Fender’s Road Worn Stratocaster line evolved from early Custom Shop relic experiments into a mainstream, Mexican-built s...
09/08/2026

Fender’s Road Worn Stratocaster line evolved from early Custom Shop relic experiments into a mainstream, Mexican-built series offering authentic nitrocellulose lacquer aging, shifting from heavy-handed 2009 aesthetics to refined, vintage-correct specs in recent iterations.

Origins and the 2009 Debut
* Custom Shop trickle-down: Relicing started in the Fender Custom Shop in the 1990s. Fender brought this aged aesthetic to mass production in Ensenada, Mexico.

* 2009 launch: The original Road Worn ’50s and ’60s Strats featured genuine nitrocellulose lacquer finishes, real physical wear, and Tex-Mex pickups.

* The critique: Early models drew criticism for heavy-handed, somewhat uniform sandpaper wear patterns that looked slightly artificial.

Mid-Era Shifts: Player and Classic Series (2011–2015)
* Road Worn Player (2011): Introduced modern modifications like flatter fingerboard radiuses, jumbo frets, and hotter pickups, aimed at contemporary players rather than strict vintage purists.

* Subtler aging: Fender toned down the heavy rust and aggressive dings, shifting toward softer satin neck feels and more understated cosmetic aging.

* Classic Series integration (2015): Relicing became more refined, though some models mixed nitro bodies with poly-undercoated necks.

Vintera Integration and Modern Iterations (2020–Present)
* Vintera Road Worn (2020): Fender folded the relic line into the Vintera ecosystem, aligning specs with specific decade-correct appointments and period-accurate pickups.

* Vintera II Road Worn Series: Upgraded the line with more convincing, organic finish checking, authentic neck wear mirroring real vintage instruments, and classic appointments (like 7.25" radius fretboards and vintage-style hardware) that capture Custom Shop vibes at a mid-tier price point.

A superb Tom Anderson Classic up next.. truly next level instruments..the devil is in the detail.. superb craftsmanship....
05/08/2026

A superb Tom Anderson Classic up next.. truly next level instruments..the devil is in the detail.. superb craftsmanship..every guitar built to order..fewer than a thousand manufactured annually..these guitars are made in California - and are reassuringly expensive…

Address

Caerphilly
CF831PF

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