C.B. Perkins Inc. – Luthiers

G&L Korina Collection Guitars Coming Soon!

2011-07-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

G&L has just announced a new line of limited edition Korina wood guitars, and we are fortunate enough to have a few of them coming our way in August.

Korina wood was the wood used for the first Gibson Explorers and Flying V's. Korina is a rare tone wood. It is lightweight and balanced, and it produces a very resonant tone.

The guitars also feature Pao Ferro fretboards.

Korina Collection ASAT Junior II

Korina Collection ASAT Deluxe II

Korina Collection ASAT Classic Bluesboy

The ASAT Junior II model and the Deluxe model have a Gibson-style setup on the bridge and the tailpiece. The ASAT Junior II is also the first G&L model to feature P90s.

Looking at the wood package and the design of these guitars, they really are the best of both worlds between a Tele and a Les Paul.

These are part of a limited production run and they are selling fast. If you want one, give us a call or email us and let us know. We have four on the way, coming in late August, and we will likely be ordering more as well. Don't miss out!

Epiphone B3 Bass - Back in Action!

2010-11-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Erick (one of the owners here) owns an Epiphone double bass. About a year ago, it was damaged in an unfortunate incident on stage. He's been making do with various borrowed basses during that time, but they really weren't cutting it. This was the bass that he learned to play on, and it had taken on a personality of its own.

A little history: Erick bought the bass in 1993, and it had a broken neck at the heel at that time. He repaired it at the shop, and put on a new ebony fingerboard.

At that time, he didn't really know much about the age of the bass, but he has recently been in contact with Wendy at BassMonkey.net, and she has helped us to fill in some of the blanks. It turns out that Erick's bass is an extremely rare Epiphone B3. The bass was built in late 1939/early 1940. It is #149, and Epiphone probably started numbering at 100.

Erick played it actively for several years after restoring it, and then the neck separated again. He repaired it again, and all was well until February 2009, when someone tripped over it on stage at a car show and smashed in the face. Ugh. There are no words.

Erick took it to our very good friends at Stevens Violin Shop, and they did some of the heavy lifting, repairing the cracks in the face and doing quite a bit of intricate inlay work. Then Erick brought the bass back to our shop and put the finishing touches on it, just in time for a recording session with JP and the Rhythm Chasers.

He had ordered some new LaBella gut strings from Tone King Musical Accessories, but while waiting for them to arrive, he put the three year old gut strings back on it, to try it out.

His reaction:

"Even with the dead three year old strings, this bass sounds better than any of the others I've played. I feel like I can breathe again. I can play things I haven't been able to play in over a year. I can't tell you how great it feels to have my bass back."

The new strings arrived in plenty of time for the recording session, and of course now it sounds even better.

Here are some more shots:

Gorgeous flame maple back

Latest news: Lessons with David Becker, Gibson ES-5 Update

2010-04-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Lessons With David Becker

If you haven't heard, we are going to be hosting a Heritage Guitar event, featuring David Becker. You can read more about it here.

The new news? David Becker will be offering lessons on May 1st (Saturday)! There are a limited amount of spots available, so grab one now if you're interested. Call us (578-3428) or email us (erick (at) cbperins (dot) com) for more information on rates, or to sign up.

Gibson ES-5

In other news, we have added some updated information and photos to our post a few months ago about the 1949 Gibson ES-5. Check it out here. Contact us for more information about this great guitar. You can also see it on our online store.

Heritage Event Update: Featuring David Becker!

2010-03-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

We are excited to welcome jazz guitarist David Becker to our shop for the Heritage Guitar event on April 30th! Also, there will be an open jam session at the end of the event, so be sure to bring your guitar. Hope you can join us!

Heritage Guitar Event - April 30, 2010 7pm

2010-03-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

C.B. Perkins has been a long time Heritage dealer. For those of you who are not familiar with them, Heritage guitars are made in Kalamazoo Michigan. The company was started and is operated by Gibson employees, some of whom had been with Gibson since the 1950s. These are not mass produced instruments, they are made with old-world craftmanship.

This event will be hosted by our Heritage sales rep, Gregg De Lorto. He will talk about the product and the history of the company. There will be product samples and demonstrations of the guitars, as well as opportunities for our guests to play them.

If you are a current Heritage owner, we encourage you to bring your guitar.

This should be very informative and a lot of fun. We hope you can make it!

Friday April 30th, 7pm

Refreshments will be served.

RSVP by April 20th, to 408-578-3428 or email erick (at) cbperkins.com

1949 Gibson ES-5, a guitar with a soul!

2009-08-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to have this guitar on consignment in our shop. We have known the owner since the 1960s. This guitar is really special, everyone who has played it has remarked on its incredible sound and feel.

Details:

The serial number would indicate that this is a 1950, but since the f-holes are unbound, it is from 1949. Also we have recently confirmed that there were less than 20 of these guitars built in 1949, so this is from the first series.

All the electronics are original except the output jack.

The master tone control knob is not original, but all other knobs are original

There is a non original bone nut installed, and the guitar has been refretted professional (by us), with the original fingerboard binding intact.

It has Grover Rotomatic tuning machines, not original, and the back of the headstock has been touched up where the original tuning machines were placed.

Other than that repair, all of the finish is stock.

The bridge is not original, and has been pinned to the top with small concealed pins (this can be reversed if desired)

The tailpiece is a non original, but factory tailpiece, so it fits with the style of the guitar really well.

Overall, this guitar is in really good condition. It has been lovingly played for many years by a gigging musician, and taken care of very well. It is most definitely a players guitar.

If you are looking for pristine collectors item, this guitar is not for you. But if you are a serious, gigging musician, or a hobbyist, you will love this guitar.

As you might have gathered, this guitar has special meaning to us, and we want to find a good home for it, where it will be played and appreciated. Come on in and check it out, or give us a call with questions. You can also see it on our online store.

Summer Sale - Setups, Pickup Installs, and Retail

2009-07-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Our Summer Sale is on. Now through Labor Day:

Setups start at $125 (a $25 savings)
20% off pickup installations
Get special pricing on instruments, amps, and pedals

Call or come in for more information!

Happy Summer!

Upcoming Seminar - Musician's Roadmap

2009-05-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

Announcing an upcoming seminar at C.B. Perkins, Inc.: A Musician's Roadmap

Taking inquiries now - if you are interested in this topic, please let us know. Once we have enough inquiries, we will schedule the seminar.

Where do you want to go? And how do you get there?

You're a musician, a performer, a songwriter. Or maybe you have aspirations to produce or promote music.

The internet and digital technology have dramatically changed your world.

Do you understand the impact of the digital age on the music industry?

Do you understand how important a working knowledge of copyrights and intellectual property is?

Join us for an informative seminar put together especially for musicians by attorney and musician Gene Mascoli.

Gene has broad experience as both an intellectual property attorney and as a musician and composer.

You will learn about:

contracts
copyrights and intellectual property rights
music copyrights and royalties
music on the internet
infringement and fair use
digital technology, downloading, streaming
digital "no-nos" for musicians
online music promotion

Seminar will be held at C.B. Perkins.
5807 Winfield Blvd, B6, San Jose, 95123
Refreshments will be served.
Price $40, includes class materials and a special goodie bag courtesy of C.B. Perkins.

Call us, or send an email to sign up today: 408-578-3428, cbperkins@cbperkins.com

We hope you can make it to this important seminar!

Meet our Teachers

2009-05-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

We post a lot here about sales, and new things in our store, but we wanted to take a few minutes to talk about our 8 very talented guitar and bass teachers. They offer private lessons to students of all ages and abilities, covering nearly every style of music. Each lesson is half an hour long, and there are four lessons each month. Some teachers also offer hour-long workshops for more advanced students (by arrangement). When you sign up for lessons at our shop, we will help you find a teacher who will be a good fit for you or your child.

Well, without further ado, we'll introduce you to the teachers:

Kent Perkins:
When not building or repairing guitars, Kent teaches one-on-one workshop-style lessons in traditional chord solo guitar playing. As a professional guitarist with over 35 years of live performance experience, Kent offers a real-life approach to performing solo guitar. Kent accepts students of all ages and abilities. Kent has a very calming presence, and is great at explaining music theory. He challenges his students to stretch their abilities to the next level. Kent teaches guitar only.

Josh Perkins:
Josh has been teaching guitar at the family business since 1989. He is one of the areas hottest swing guitarists, and specializes in swing, hot jazz, blues, rockabilly, and various styles of rock. He takes students of all abilities. Josh can be heard playing with his band "JP and the Rhythm Chasers" at venues throughout the West Coast. Josh is very patient, and has a great ability to explain concepts to students in terms they can understand. Josh has an amazing amount of knowledge about the roots and origins of many styles of music, and is also familiar with current and popular music. Josh teaches guitar only.

Rick Silvestri
In addition to teaching all styles of guitar, Rick also serves as a bass instructor, teaching both electric and upright lessons. He specializes in rock, blues, and jazz, and takes students of all abilities. Rick has been teaching full time at C.B. Perkins Co. since 1997. He has performed with several premier Northern California rock and blues bands, as well as in local orchestras. Rick holds a Bachelor of Arts from Santa Clara University. Rick is very friendly and easy to work with, and because of his level of musical education, he can give his students a solid foundation in musical theory that will help them become better musicians.

Cris Snyder
Cris is a highly talented musician with extensive experience in entertaining live audiences in nightclubs, concert halls and theaters. He is also an experienced instructor with a great ability to communicate musical concepts clearly. Cris currently performs with Nuthin' Fancy, tribute to Lynyrd Skynrd (Bass, Vocals), Lydia Pense & Cold Blood (Bass), and California Dreamin' A Musical Journey Through the Golden State (Bass, Vocals). He has been studying guitar and bass since 1979. Cris is our newest instructor, and he is quickly developing a following. He has a very welcoming and outgoing personality, and his goal is not only to create educated musicians, but make his lessons enjoyable and fun for his students.

Chris Jordan
Chris has been playing guitar for twenty seven years and teaching guitar and bass for twenty years. He has performed with rock bands, jazz ensembles, and as a solo classical guitarist. Chris is currently studying composition, as well as performing in his own band and writing music. He is continually learning and experimenting with new ideas and material. Chris is well versed in theory and technique, and he also believes fun and creativity should accompany the learning process. If you are serious about improving your knowledge of music theory and honing your technique, Chris is the perfect teacher for you.

Karen Mollicone-White-Specializing in younger students
Karen was an elementary school teacher in the Oak Grove school district for 13 years, and has also been a student at C.B. Perkins Co. for many years. As an elementary school teacher, she was included in the 2005 edition of Who's Who Among America's Teachers. Karen is a talented guitar player with a gift for working with children. She is now retired from teaching, and we are pleased to have her on our team of guitar instructors. Karen has a great sense of humor, and the ability to put kids at ease and draw them in, making the experience of learning guitar very positive for her young students.

Tom Caprino
Tom has been playing guitar since the age of ten, and has over 40 years of playing experience. He studied under jazz guitarist Bud Dimock, and has been a side man for many recording artists over the years. Tom has also performed throughout the Bay Area for over 25 years, and has released two of his own CDs under the name Tom Casino. Tom has a very fun and engaging personality, and with his breadth of experience, he has a lot to offer his students. Tom accepts students of all ages and abilities.

Andres Faz
Andres is a master instructor, who has studied with composer Jose Villarreal and Juan Arevalo, Concert Master of the Mexico City Symphony Orchestra. He has over 60 years of playing experience. Andres specializes in Flamenco and Latin styles, along with fingerpicking style for Jazz standards. He focuses on more experienced students who would like to learn Flamenco and Latin style guitar, but he will also take beginners who want to learn these styles. It is our priviledge and honor to have him on our team of instructors. He is available to take a limited number of students, by arrangement.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our teachers. Now your assignment: come in and meet them for yourself, and while you're at it, sign up for lessons!

C.B. Perkins Toy and Game Corner

2009-03-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

Since both Josh and Erick have kids, and since we have so many kids coming into our shop for lessons, we decided to add a toy corner to our shop.

Some of the toys are musical, like kid's Ukuleles, harmonicas, kazoos (c'mon, they're kind of musical!), and shaker eggs. Some of them are just fun, like tins with tiddlywinks, jacks, and marbles. We also have tops, jump ropes, and yo yos.

We have this really cool Victorian toy called a Wonderball, which includes four Classic American Girls’ activities. You unwind a ball of yarn to find treasures, charms and trinkets of the past. It includes a handbook with the history of the Wonderball, Cat’s Cradle string games, friendship bracelet patterns and more.

Oh, and there also some parlor games for grownups, like Golf, Football, and Baseball. These are great for travel, or playing at your local pub.

And true to C.B. Perkins tradition, they are all made in the USA!

We don't have this listed on our site yet, but we will soon.
Come in and check them out!

Hamer Guitars

2009-03-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

We recently started carrying Hamer electric guitars, and we are really happy with them. These are all solid, set neck guitars, and they sell for under $400.

And better yet, they are made in Indonesia, not China.

This is a great guitar as is, but add a Lollar or Seymour Duncan pickup to it, and it becomes a kick-ass guitar.

We can customize these Hamers with Humbuckers or P-90s. Just contact us for pricing and details.

Right now we can offer a special price on these guitars, so if you are interested, let us know right away!

Guitars from a book store?

2009-02-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

Why should you buy a guitar from us, and not your favorite online bookseller? (not naming names, but you know who we mean!)

We are not a huge warehouse, so we can actually pick up the guitar you are interested in and talk to you intelligently about it. We check out every guitar that comes into our store. If it is defective, or not up to standard, it never goes up for sale. That means you don't have to deal with returning a defective guitar that nobody has looked at. And we'll set up the guitar to your specifications before it ships. You can even choose the type of strings that go on the guitar. Need accessories or an amp? We have those, too.

We will talk with you about what you are looking for and help you pick out a guitar you'll be happy with.

Our instruments are stored in a climate controlled environment, not boxed up in a cold warehouse ready to be automatically shipped when you press Buy it Now.

Online does not equal cheaper. We are not asking you to choose price vs. service. In many cases we can match or even beat the price you saw at that online bookstore.

But while we're on the subject of service...

Have you ever tried to find a phone number for one of those big stores? We don't have a voice automated phone system, and our number is at the top of every page of our website. When you call us, you will be getting a real live, knowledgeable, courteous person who is dedicated to selling you a guitar you will enjoy. Heck, there are only four of us here, so we can make that statement pretty confidently (of course, you may get our voicemail if you call at 3am, because, well, there are only four of us. We'll call you back, though). Contacting us via email? You will receive the same level of service.

We only sell stringed instruments and accessories here, and we stake our reputation on every product we sell. If you are unhappy for any reason we will do everything we can to fix it.

Guitar Repair - Not for Amateurs

2009-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Does your guitar need work? Why should you bring your guitar to a Luthier instead of your buddy's cousin who works out of his garage?

Our labor rates, though competitive, might be higher than that guy down the street, but have you thought about what you are paying for? Why is it worthwhile to bring your guitar to an experienced luthier? While you might think you're saving a few bucks, that cheaper work could cost you.

With our shop you are getting:

Experience. We have many years of experience working on guitars of all types. We interview you about your playing style so that your guitar will play and sound the way you want it to. That may include helping you choose the right pickup for the sound you're looking for, or doing a setup that will match your playing style.

We know our way around guitar electronics, so your parts will be installed correctly, and they will work they way they should. If you ever have problems, bring it back and we will fix it. Guaranteed.

Have a vintage guitar you want to restore? We have the experience and the appropriate parts (in most cases) to restore your guitar to original. Do you really want to risk your valuable instrument with someone who may be "learning on the job"?
Honesty. We will not sell you work that your guitar doesn't need. If you are interested in consigning a guitar with us, we will be honest about what your guitar is worth, whether that is more or less than you think. And if your guitar is not worth working on, we'll tell you that, too.
Quick turnaround. For minor work or maintenance, you can make an appointment so that you can have your instrument back the same day. For longer jobs, we will give you an honest estimate of the time your job will take, and communicate with you throughout the process.

And finally, our shop is climate controlled and insured, with a high grade security system. Your guitar will not be exposed to temperature changes, and will be safe while it is with us.

NAMM Show News Part Two! Heritage and G&L.

2009-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

Continuing with our NAMM Show updates, we were very impressed with the new offerings from G&L and Heritage guitars.

First G&L. They came out with some new models, such as the G&L "Aged" guitars. These are similar to the "Relic" guitars from Fender, but we find these much more tastefully done, not over the top at all. They use nitrocellulose lacquer as well.

G&L has also come out with a new Jazz Bass model:

And the new carved top Tributes are really a steal for the price (inquire for prices)

If you are interested in any of these G&Ls, we can place a special order.

Heritage

Heritage has come out with a couple of great new models with Lollar P-90s.

First, the 137 double-cutaway, with slab mahogany body and Lollar P-90s:

Then, Heritage has a 535 with 2 Lollar p-90s (the one with the natural finish is coming to our store):

We expect to have these guitars in our store by this weekend (1/24)

NAMM Show News Part One! Seagull and Godin.

2009-01-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

We're just back from the NAMM show, and we are excited about the great new guitars we saw. The crappy economy out there is not stopping the music industry from innovating! In fact, it has made us think more carefully about the value of what we buy.

Case in point, Godin guitars has come out with a new solid wood series of its Seagull guitars. These are solid spruce tops, solid mahogany back and sides, for under $800! And they are made in Canada. You will not find a better guitar for anywhere close to this price.

Seagull also has updated their Performer series guitars, with cutaways, solid spruce tops, and laminate flame maple back and sides. Seagull does a high quality 3-layer laminate, which is maple-wild cherry-maple.

More from Godin, the new Redline series. These are affordable high quality shred style guitars that we think look and sound amazing.

These guitars are coming to our store this by this weekend (1/24), so please inquire if you are interested. Anything we don't have in stock, we can special order.

Huge Shipment of G&Ls Just In!

2008-08-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

We were recently able to acquire a large shipment of G&L Guitars (and a couple of Basses, too). We've got ASAT Classics, ASAT Bluesboys, S500s, Commanches and Legacys. Come and check them out!

Guitars

Basses

Don't see the exact G&L you really want? Give us a call, or an email. We specialize in special orders, and would love to help you get that guitar you've been lusting after!

Updated pictures of Godin 5th Avenue with Lollar P-90

2008-08-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

We have been overwhelmed by the response to our custom upgrade of the Godin 5th Avenue guitar! Thank you to everyone who has contacted us.

These guitars are really looking (and sounding) amazing with the Lollar P-90 and the Vintage-style knobs we are using. We are taking orders for all colors right now. Here is a picture of the prototype with the Cognac Burst finish.

We are currently working on a Black version as well, and will post pictures once it is completed. We are selling these upgraded 5th Avenues for $795. You will not find a better sounding archtop for this price anywhere! Call or email us to place your order!

The Godin 5th Avenue Wins Over a Vintage Purist

2008-07-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

We are excited to offer the new Godin 5th Avenue guitar. The 5th Avenue is an archtop guitar, made of Godin's signature 3 layer Wild Cherry laminate. Like all of Godin's guitars, the 5th avenue is made in Canada.

The sound was enough to impress Josh, a famously tweaky vintage guitar purist. He is considering selling his '56 Gibson ES125 and using this guitar.

From Godin:

The Godin 5th Avenue brings you back to a time when the archtop acoustic guitar reigned supreme. With the soul of a 1950’s archtop, the 5th Avenue is a true vintage spirit of yesterday with today’s level of modern playability. With more projection & volume in the low/mids than traditional archtop acoustic guitars, the dynamically rich tone of the 5th Avenue makes this sophisticated instrument a dream to play, but not a nightmare to pay for. The Godin 5th Avenue now makes the affordable North American archtop guitar a reality!

How affordable, you ask? The 5th Avenue retails for $625, and we are selling it for just $515 including a gig bag.

We can also announce that towards the end of this year, Godin will be releasing a version of the 5th Avenue with a single P90.

...but you don't have to wait until then. We are offering a Godin 5th Avenue with a single Lollar hand-wound P-90 by Jason Lollar.
We can offer these guitars for $795 with a gig bag. These guitars are available for custom order right now!

Call us or email us for more details!

C.B. Perkins Shop Offering Custom Drum Refinishing!

2008-05-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

We are now offering custom hand-rubbed lacquer drum refinishing, with a quick turnaround and at a very affordable price!

We have gotten quite a few requests for this service, and since we have many years of experience refinishing stringed instruments, we are glad to offer it.

How it works:

Call us, or bring in your equipment for a quote.
You disassemble the hardware and we do the rest.
You get your refinished equipment back within 30 days.

Call us, or email us for more information!

Summer Customer Appreciation Special!

2008-05-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

As a thank you to all of our great customers, we are rolling back prices to 2005 on our full setups!

Have you been putting off that work you know your guitar needs? Do you have buzzing frets? Is your action high or uncomfortable?

Have you noticed pits or unevenness on your frets?

Maybe you just want your guitar to have that custom fit and feel.

Now is the time! Full setups are just $125 for all guitars (even with Floyd Rose).

Save up to $50 off our regular setup prices. Hey, that will almost buy you a tank of gas (well, okay, half a tank)!

A full setup includes:

Fret level
Fret Recrown/Repolish
Adjust neck action
Adjust intonation (electric guitars)

Come in today! This offer is good until June 20th.

The Harbor Beach Company, Technical Background

2008-02-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Following up on the previous post about Harbor Beach Amplifiers, here is some more history of the company, along with detailed technical information about the amplifier design.

Harbor Beach Audio was developed in 1983 in Harbor Beach, Michigan.

The designers wanted to develop the ultimate speaker that had a common denominator with other speakers. They wanted the speed and efficiency of a folded horn, the low end extension of a transmission line without regressed sound,and the consistency of a ported system.

With our technology we were able to incorporate all these elements. With our ATC ( Advanced Transducer Control) musicians are able to fully express themselves in all their musical endeavors. Our ATC technology has the ability to control the transducer in any application by keeping a consistent amount of air pressure behind the transducer at all times.

By keeping this pressure tight over the driver we are able to out-perform conventional speakers in a variety of ways. Lower extension, tighter bass, higher efficiency, increased midrange, clarity due to less distortion. With HBA speakers you can expect a 30-40% increase in performance from our box to 98% of the competition.

Compare it for yourself, you will be pleased.

Harbor Beach Amplifiers

2008-01-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

In 2005 the engineers of Harbor Beach Audio approached C.B. Perkins with the idea of applying their pro and home audio technology to the instrument amplification world. This caught our attention and shortly thereafter we received the first prototype. We were impressed and excited to be involved in the development of this product. The goal was to develop a cabinet with the improved performance of a high end audio speaker, with the color and tradition of conventional instrument cabinets.

Over the course of the next two years we at C.B. Perkins would listen and evaluate various cabinets and speakers with a musician's ear, making suggestions on speaker types and the overall sound. C.B. Perkins and Harbor Beach Audio also spent time developing classic exterior designs for their boxes.

Only the highest quality materials and components are used for our cabinets.

Standard open back cabinets deliver a tube-iness and cabinet resonance that is warm and familiar, but can be somewhat muddy and slow. Conventional closed back cabinets and porting systems can help this problem, but Harbor Beach's unique design surpasses both options.

Our design expands the frequency range and efficiency of any driver, delivering a strong tight bass with more clarity, speed and imaging than traditional cabinets. For example when using an acoustic Piezo pick-up you will find the sound to be balanced, fast and warm with our cabinet. We also recognize some of the charms of the traditional open back sound, so we experimented with running the Harbor Beach as an extension. It proved to be a deadly duo.

Whether you choose to use our cabs exclusively or paired up, you are sure to find more pleasure and ease in your playing and listening.

Joshua Perkins
C.B. Perkins Inc

Designed and engineered by our top engineers in the USA, and proudly made in the USA.

Patent Pending

Our Non-Snobby Classical Department

2007-11-15T10:19:00.000-08:00

It sounds kind of funny to talk about "departments" in such a small guitar shop, but we do have members of our company that have more expertise in certain areas than others. Today, I want to focus on our Classical Guitar Department.

The Classical Guitar Department consists of Kent Perkins and Andres Faz. Both Kent and Andres are experienced classical players who have years of experience. They are in charge of deciding which classical guitar lines we carry, and they try out each guitar that comes in. They are constantly looking for the best quality guitar for the price, and if a guitar does not meet their standards, it is never offered for sale.

Kent and Andres have enough knowledge to help professional players (the ones that tweak about every detail, you know who you are), but at the same time they are approachable, and happy to help beginning and intermediate players as well. Whether you are a classical, flamenco, or contemporary nylon string guitar player, Kent and Andres can answer your questions and help you pick out the perfect guitar.

In other words, they have the Classical Snob knowledge without the Classical Snob attitude.

To reach Kent or Andres, it's best to call us at 408-578-3428. Email will have to be printed and handed over to them, because though they are experts on the guitar, on the computer...not so much.

Thanks for reading!

Peppino D'Agostino at C.B. Perkins!

2007-05-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce a special evening of music and conversation with Peppino D'Agostino!

Peppino is a very good customer of ours, not to mention an amazing musician. We are excited to have him at our shop.

Date: Sunday July 1st
Time: 4pm

There will be a raffle with a chance to win a Seagull guitar!

If you would like to attend, please give us a call at 408-578-3428. Attendance is limited, so reserve your seat right away.

C.B. Perkins Yahoo Group!

2007-03-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

We have just launched a Yahoo Group!

What's the big deal, you ask?

Well, we get lots of great used instruments and amps coming through our store, and sometimes we have stuff that we just want to clear out at incredible prices. We usually put this stuff on eBay, but we would love to give our customers a heads up on it first. We also wanted a spam-free way to let people who are interested know about events and new things going on at the shop. This blog is one way to do that, but the Yahoo group is an additional way that we can communicate with you.

How will it work? When we get used items in, we will post a message on the Yahoo group. If you are interested, email us or call us, and you can purchase it. That's it!

Want to join? Well here ya go:

Click to join cbperkinsusedstuff

One week turnaround on set-ups

2007-01-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

Astounding, but true. Is your action too high or too low? Does your guitar struggle to stay in tune? Are your frets dented or flat? If so, we are here to help. A full set-up levels, re-crowns and polishes your frets, properly adjusts your neck, cut or shim nut slots, adjust bridge or saddle height, and set intonation. Quite often a new instrument no matter the quaility is in need of a minor set up. This is a free service we offer with the sale of most our instruments. Stop by or call to inquire on our rates.

You've Bought The Best Christmas Gift...Now What?

2006-12-05T15:26:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when our customers are buying guitars for their loved ones, but have no idea where to hide this big gift. Inside the house is too vulnerable to snooping. The garage and car is definitely out because extreme temperature changes wreak havoc on guitars. Your friends at C.B. Perkins have this problem covered. You might not know of this service, but we store guitars through Christmas Eve at no extra cost to you. You and your guitar can rest assured. We keep our shop nice and cozy for your guitars at night.

On the same note, but slightly different. Sometimes we get calls from wives looking for their husbands at our shop. We have customers who are collectors and might need some extra time to break the news to the wife/husband/child that there is a new member of the guitar family is on the way. We at C. B. Perkins are here to serve you and your situations. We will deny this abeting to your spouse, significant other, children and anybody who asks. We'll just keep this between us.

Custom ordered G&L ASAT Deluxe

2006-08-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

This G&L just came in, and it is gorgeous!!
It's an ASAT Deluxe in Honey Burst.
Details:

Gun oil tint neck
Beautiful flame maple top
Birdseye maple neck and headstock

Here's the guitar with another happy G&L customer:

If you're interested in a custom-ordered G&L, let us know! Custom-ordering is one of our specialties. We'd be happy to help you!

New Godin Seagull and La Patrie Guitars!

2006-08-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Godin company has just come out with some beautiful new guitars.

The Seagull Maritime

The Seagull Maritime is a very attractive guitar, with great sound and nice projection. This guitar has the new Polished Lacquer finish, giving it a satiny sheen similar to the traditional French Polish seen in the 19th century.

The Seagull Coastline Cedar Grand

The Coastline is a parlor size guitar with a very focused sound and nice projection. Like the Maritime, the Coastline also features the Polish Lacquer finish. The small size makes it very comfortable to play.

The La Patrie Etude

All we can say is: Just try and find a better classical guitar for $300. You can't do it. This is a great sounding guitar. It has a hand rubbed finish, giving it a beautiful, classic look.

The La Patrie Hybrid

The Hybrid is a classical guitar for steel string players. Its sunburst finish, radiused fingerboard and cutaway makes it very attractive, and gives it a non-traditional look. If you are a steel string player, but would like to try a classical, this would be a great guitar for you.

Epson Lap Steel Guitar

2006-08-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours recently came into possession of this very interesting Epson lap steel guitar. He has been doing research on it, but hasn't come up with much information. Anyone out there know about this brand?
We have been thinking it might be one of the department store guitars from the 50s.
Here are some pics:

C.B. Perkins in the news

2006-07-14T04:12:00.000-07:00

Erick, Sami, Kent and Josh recently did an interview with our community newspaper, the Almaden Resident, about the launch of our online store.

They did a great job with the article, and there's a nice picture of Erick!

Guitar Care Tip: Don't Leave it in the Car!

2006-07-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

It's summer, and around here, it's been really hot. It's also a time for playing guitar at outdoor gigs, on the beach, in the park. Well, while you're toting your guitar around, keep this in mind:
Leaving your guitar in the car can cause major damage! As we're sure you're aware, it gets really frickin' hot inside a car on a hot summer day. The drastic changes in temperature really play havoc with the wood. On acoustic guitars, the bridge can pop off, and on both electric and acoustic guitars the neck can warp.
So, even if it's just for an hour or so, PLEASE don't leave your guitar in the car.
Oh, and leaving it in the trunk overnight? Also a baaaad idea.

Made in China - Part One

2006-06-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Both Erick and Josh have always tried to avoid buying products made in China if at all possible. Erick, for example, refuses to buy a toaster made in China, meaning that his wife (me) is using a broken toaster until we can find one.
Why not buy "made in China" stuff? Well, it is usually poorer quality, it hurts our economy, and there is also the whole communist thing.
So anyway, this objection to Chinese-made products carries over into the business as well. Of course, we can't completely avoid carrying Chinese-made products because of demand and pricing, but we search far and wide for quality North American and European made products. We also have some great quality Japanese, Korean, and Indian made products that we are proud to carry.
This extra effort has paid off, as we have found that our customers appreciate an alternative to the All China, All the Time parade of products you find at many stores.

Which brings us to this:

We have carried these tuners for some time now, and they are a great product. They are among the most expensive tuners we carry. They were also formerly made in the U.S.A.. We were very dissapointed to learn that they are now made in China, and what is more, they are still selling at the same price as they were when they were made in the U.S.
So what to do? Well, we're going to blow them out at wholesale prices. They normally sell for $59.95, and now we're going to sell them for $34 each, plus shipping. When they're gone, we're not buying them any more, but we'll look around and see if we can find a comparable product made somewhere else.

We really think it's worth paying a little more, or looking a little harder for a better quality product. Keep checking back here for more in the Made in China series.

Cell phone mishap - Ovation USA 1777

2006-06-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

So here's some free advice - When you're shopping in a guitar shop, or anywhere else that sells expensive and fragile items, DON'T talk on your cell phone when handling stuff!
A customer was putting another guitar back on the rack when his cell phone rang. He answered the phone, and then dropped the guitar. It fell on this beautiful, USA built Ovation, and chipped the back.
The upside is that now we can sell the guitar for half off (Upside for you, not for us!).
We have it listed on our store, so check it out!
And please, don't pick up guitars and talk on cell phones at the same time!

C.B. Perkins Online Store is Live!

2006-06-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

At long last, our online store is launched!
We are very excited about this new venture, and we hope you are, too. We are still adding products as fast as we can, so if something isn't there now, it probably will be soon.
Check it out, and let us know what you think!

Stunning Custom Ordered G&L !

2006-06-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

We do a lot of custom orders in our shop, it's one of the things we specialize in. Many of those orders are for G&Ls and Heritages.

This custom G&L came in a couple weeks ago, and I'm only now getting time to post it. We've been busy getting our online store ready to launch, so keep an eye out for an announcement on that very soon!
Anyhow, back to the guitar. It is an ASAT Special Semi-Hollow with a Bigsby in Will Ray Metallic. It has a matching headstock and a maple fingerboard with gun-oil tint.

The happy customer:

A close up:

If you'd like us to help you with a custom order, just give us a call or shoot us an email!

Will Ray Workshop

2006-06-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed having Will Ray visit our shop again. This was his third visit, and it was a great success. He answered questions, demonstrated some great G&L guitars, and jammed with some of our guests.
We held a raffle for a Will Ray model G&L Tribute, donating part of the proceeds to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement foundation.

Here are some pics:

From Left to Right: Erick Perkins, Will Ray, Kent Perkins, G&L Sales Rep, G&L Sales Rep, Josh Perkins.

Will Ray of the Hellecasters!

2006-05-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

We are hosting a special workshop on Tuesday night, June 6th, with guitarist Will Ray.
Will has come to our shop a couple of times before, and it is always a great time.
He will be answering questions, playing some tunes, and sharing insights on being a musician. Of course, you can also buy Will's CDs.
Last time he was here, many of our clients even got to jam with him!

If you are in the area, we would love to have you come.

Tuesday, June 6th, 7:30pm
Please RSVP by emailing us at erick@cbperkins.com.

This event is sponsored by G&L guitars.

Sale on all Godin products!

2006-05-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

We are clearing out all of our 2005 Godin products to make room for the new models coming in!
This includes:

Seagull
Godin
Norman
La Patrie
Art and Lutherie

Call us for prices. 408-578-3428
We ship to anywhere!

Peppino at C.B. Perkins Co.

2006-05-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

We were honored to have Peppino D'Agostino visit our shop yesterday. He lives in the Bay Area, and endorses Godin Seagull guitars, which is one of our favorite lines. Godin referred him to us when he needed setup work done on his guitar.

It's our honor and pleasure to do work for artists like Peppino. As well as being an internationally known player, he is a very nice, humble gentleman.
His guitar, of course, is a Seagull Artist Peppino model. The Peppino model is a cutaway, has a spruce top, and rosewood back and sides. What makes it unusual is the extra-wide 1.9 inch nut width, almost a classical guitar nut width on a steel string guitar.
You can read more about Peppino D'Agostino, and find out about his upcoming performances, on his web site.

So you want to be a Luthier?

2006-05-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

We got an email recently, asking what it takes to become a Luthier. We get this question quite often, so we thought it would be a good idea to address it here.

I'm a guitar enthusiast, just started about 3 years ago. You can say it's something I truly enjoy on a daily basis. You can also say that I'm a "do it yourself" kind of guy so I've been really interested in learning how do my own setups for my own personal taste. As I delved deeper into that and I got interested into making guitars.

So my basic question is this: What does it take to become a luthier? What would I have to do?

Luthiery is still very much a traditional trade. The way trades used to work is that if you wanted to become a blacksmith, dentist, doctor, carpenter, or even lawyer, you would become an apprentice to someone experienced in the trade. Now, people mostly go to school to learn their trade or profession. Luthiery, for the most part, still works in the traditional way. There are schools around the country that teach luthiery, so you could certainly check some of those out. I was actually very surprised when doing a google search to find a large number of luthiery schools. You can also become an apprentice to a master luthier. Find a guitar shop, and be willing to do anything they need you to (mopping floors, dusting guitars, etc.). Respect the person you learn under, and be flexible to adapt to that shop's way of doing things. It takes years to learn the trade, but if you are dedicated, you can make it happen.

1971 C.B. Perkins Rose Guitar

2006-05-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of our original, handbuilt guitars. We are not currently making our own guitars, but we made quite a few back in the 1960s and 70s. This one is from 1971, and was built by Charles (the original C.B. Perkins) and Kent Perkins. It is a nylon string classical guitar.

About the guitar:

Inlay of a rose on the lower bout, bass side
Originally had a high gloss finish, redone to a satin finish
German spruce top
Honduras Rosewood back and sides

The Rose guitar currently belongs to Karen, one of our teachers.
It was first sold to the daughter of Josh and Erick's pediatrician, and she took it to Europe. It got damaged, and she brought it back to us to repair, then decided that she would rather have a Brazillian rosewood guitar. We built one for her, and kept this one. When Karen bought it, she had us change the finish to satin so it would have more of a natural look. It really is a stunning guitar, in looks and in sound.

Guitar of the Week - Pedro Maldonado Flamenco

2006-04-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

This week's guitar is a Pedro Maldonado Flamenco guitar, built in Spain in 1975. We got this guitar from the original owner, who ordered it directly from Maldonado.

About the wood

Spruce top (which has darkened considerably with age)
Cypress back and sides
Spanish Cedar neck
Ebony fingerboard
Rosewood bridge

About the sound

This Pedro Maldonado is the perfect Flamenco. It is lightweight, and has amazing tone. It has that barky Flamenco sound, but also has sweet, subtle tones. It has been played a lot over the years, which has only improved the sound.

This guitar has been well-loved, after all, it's 31 years old. It has a bit of a weathered look, but we think that just makes it better.

More Heritage Amps!

2006-04-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

We just got two Heritage amps in:

A Patriot combo amp, 2x12 with Burgundy covering and an oatmeal grill cloth
A Briton II head and cab in black tolex

These are in stock and ready to go, so let us know if you're interested!

In addition:

We ordered a Victory Head and Cab at the NAMM show earlier this year, and it is now in production. If you are interested in this amp, let us know, as we can still customize the covering, and even have Heritage drop-ship it directly to you, saving shipping costs.

Have a great week!

Just in! Heritage Liberty Head and Cabinet

2006-04-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting a long time, but the Heritage Liberty head and cab finally came in.
It has the lacquered tweed cover, and is rated at 45 watts.

Heritage describes this as their version of the classic tweed amp.

2 Jensen 12" speakers
6L6 power tubes

Josh, one of the shop owners, and someone who is notoriously tweaky about amps (usually only playing vintage), plugged in a Heritage H137 2nd Edition and a G&L Legacy. After playing through the amp for a while, he said "This is the perfect amp. There's nothing wrong with it."

That's really high praise coming from Josh, believe me.

So, here are pics:

Instrument of the Week - Weber Absaroka Mandolin

2006-04-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

We've talked before about the great quality and workmanship of Weber products, and this mandolin is another amazing instrument.

This is the Absaroka model, and it has a custom finish. The mandolin has an early vintage Gibson look, with a spruce top and maple back and sides. It has remarkable projection, and a great sound.
We ordered the radiused fingerboard, which plays much nicer than a traditional flat fingerboard.

Guitar Care Tips

2006-04-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Lots of people ask us how to take care of their guitars, so here are some tips:

Watch temperature changes. It may be convenient to carry your guitar in the trunk of your car, but the extreme temperature changes can really damage the wood. Don't leave your guitar in the car!
Along the same lines, don't keep your guitar in a garage or storage unit. Same idea as a car, temperature changes are bad for wood.
Depending on the humidity where you live, you may want to consider a humidifier, or something to decrease the humidity. You can get a humidifier that goes in your case, or you can buy a special case (Humicase) that keeps your guitar at the correct humidity.
3 or 4 times a year, rub olive oil on the fingerboard and the bridge. These areas are usually unfinished, and the olive oil helps keep the wood in good shape.

C.B. Perkins Spring Clearance Sale!

2006-03-24T19:56:00.000-08:00

We're clearing out our inventory to make room for all the new stuff coming in!

Through April 30th, we're taking 50% off of selected:

Electric, acoustic, and classical guitars
Basses
Bass and guitar amps

We can't announce which lines we are marking down because of dealer agreements. If you're in our area, stop by and check it out. If you aren't, give us a call, or send us an email. You can see which lines we carry here.

Guitar of the Week - Jackson USA Soloist 1TF

2006-03-24T17:38:00.000-08:00

Yikes, this week is almost over, and we haven't posted our guitar yet!
This week's guitar is another Jackson USA. This one has a gorgeous bookmatched flame maple top that is just plain yummy. The natural finish on this really shows off the wood.
The thing that we were most impressed with on this guitar (other than the finish, of course) is that it's perfectly balanced. This means that when you hold the guitar where the neck meets the body, it isn't neck heavy or body heavy, but feels balanced.
The neck is very fast and comfortable, making this a guitar that is a lot of fun to play.
If you're interested in this or any of our other guitars, give us a call, or send us an email.

Heritage H137: Snapped up before it hit the floor!

2006-03-16T22:47:00.000-08:00

The UPS guy had just dropped off the H137 when Rick, one of our teachers, spotted it.

"I don't care if I'm buying a house, I've gotta have this." And so it was gone. We haven't seen Rick this excited since he bought an H157 the day it arrived. Hmmm, sensing a pattern...

The H137 is designed like the old Les Paul Juniors. It has a slab mahogany body and two P-90 pickups. This one has a trans-cherry finish.

The sound is punchy, and the neck feels really nice. It's a very versatile guitar.

This was the first of the new 2nd editions we have gotten in. We have more of these on the way, with unique colors and designs. Keep an eye out, as we'll be telling you about them here as they come in.

Guitar of the Week - Jackson SL2H Soloist

2006-03-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

The Jackson SL2H Soloist is the first of the USA Jacksons that we ordered at the NAMM show. The finish is called "Black Ghost Flames". The pickups on this are:

Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck in the bridge position
SD 59 in the neck position

It has a great, fast neck, and is basically a premium shred guitar!

Shred Machine!

We will be getting more Jacksons in over the next few weeks, and we'll be posting about them here as we get them.

Gibson ES150 Charlie Christian Model

2006-03-16T19:54:00.001-08:00

We recently had the priviledge to work on a 1939/1940 Gibson ES150 Charlie Christian model guitar. This guitar is in remarkable original condition. We did a setup and replaced a volume pot and an output jack. Other than that, all the electronics are original.

We are huge archtop fans and Charlie Christian fans, so it was a great opportunity to have this guitar in the shop. Josh (one of the shop owners and a guitar teacher) got to plug it into a 1938 Gibson EH185 Amp, the same amp that Charlie Christian used. The tone was amazing. It sounded like an old recording of the Benny Goodman sextet.

Being able to work on guitars like this is one of the coolest things about being a Luthier.

Guitar of the Week - Heritage H555

2006-02-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

This Heritage H555 has a Trans-Wine Red finish, Seymour Duncan 59's, and Schaller tuning machines.
The 59's give it a classic sound. It has a very comfortable neck. It's a great playing, beautiful guitar.

Weber Gallatin Mandolin

2006-02-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

We've posted about Weber mandolins before, and we just got another one in. These are gorgeous instruments.
We're very excited to be stocking more mandolins in our shop, especially custom instruments like these. They have a clear, bell-like tone, and the wood is just so dang pretty. The top is solid spruce, and the body is solid mahogany. It has a radiused ebony fingerboard. This is an excellent playing, great sounding mandolin.
Did I mention it's gorgeous?

See what I mean?
The finish color is Light Faded Leather.
We're going to be getting more Webers in over the next few months, and we'll be posting pictures as we get them. In April or May, we'll be getting a Weber archtop Jazz guitar. Keep an eye out for that one.

Alhambra Luthiery Series Classical Guitar

2006-02-16T20:32:00.000-08:00

At the risk of repeating ourselves, we have to say that this Alhambra classical guitar sounds amazing for the price.
It has a solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides.

As always, contact us if you are interested in this or any other guitar.

Custom G&L Legacy

2006-02-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

This G&L Legacy is a really cool 50's style guitar with an orange finish. The neck and heastock are also finished in orange. I love the effect the finished neck gives the guitar. The combination of the orange finish and the cream colored pickguard almost makes you want to eat this guitar, or at least gives you a craving for an orange creamsicle!

If you are interested in this guitar, please contact us.

Heritage H140 CM, 2nd Edition

2006-02-16T20:17:00.000-08:00

We just got this Heritage in, and it is stunning. This is the new 140 series, with HRW pickups. It has a beautiful flame maple top with a trans blue finish.

Weber Yellowstone Mandolin

2006-02-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

This is a customized Weber Yellowstone mandolin. It has a non-traditional radiused fingerboard, a spruce top and maple back and sides. This is really a beautiful mandolin, with a remarkable sound.
Weber is a family-owned company that makes hand-built guitars and mandolins. We have just started carrying these instruments, and we are very excited about them. If you are interested in this mandolin, or any other Weber products, please contact us.

Antonio Loriente Classical Guitars

2006-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

We just got these Antonio Loriente Spanish-made classical guitars in, and they are impressive. For the price, the sound is incredible. These guitars retail for between $1500 and $2800 (including a deluxe HumiCase). These sound better than some guitars we've seen for twice that. If you are interested in any of these guitars, please email us or give us a call.

Clarita
The Clarita has a solid Spruce top and solid Rosewood back and sides.

Angela

The Angela has a Spruce top and Maple back and sides. The finish is a French Polish. It. Is. Gorgeous! The maple is really stunning, and the french polish gives the guitar such a great look, and sound.

Marieta

We found the Marieta extra impressive. It has a large Spanish sound, with good bass response and clear trebles. We have had a lot of classical guitars come through our shop, and this is one of the most impressive we've seen in a while. This one has a solid Cedar top with Rosewood back and sides, and a French Polish finish on the top.

Featured Guitar of the Month – Guild D55

2006-02-15T07:52:00.000-08:00

Guild D55 Antique Sunburst
This is Guild's flagship dreadnought guitar, and it sounds amazing! When we got this one in and had a chance to play it, all we could say is "Wow!" It has a very balanced sound. For a new guitar, it is very open and projects very well.

Jackson USA Guitars

2006-02-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

We recently became a dealer for USA Jackson Guitars. We think these guitars rock, and we are proud to have them in our store. Each USA Jackson is built to order, and we have quite a few of them coming in over the next 3-6 months.
We'll post more about each guitar as they come in, but here is what we have on order:

Phil Collen PC1 in Chlorine
SL1 Soloist in Metallic Black
SL1T Soloist in Natural
SL2H Soloist in Trans Black
SL2HT Soloist in Black Flame
SL2H-MAH Soloist, Mahogany, in Burnt Cherry Sunburst

Keep checking back for updates and pictures as we get these guitars in. As always, contact us by phone, email, or by commenting on this post if you see anything here you can't (or would rather not) live without. We'll be glad to set them aside for you.

Email Address and Upcoming Posts

2006-02-09T22:34:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. Here I am telling everyone to email us, and not putting the email address ANYWHERE. Sorry about that, and thanks, Randall for pointing it out.
So it's cbperkins @ cbperkins dot com. And I also put it over in the sidebar. For those who don't know, the spaces are there to avoid those evil automated dealies that search for email addresses to spam. We already get enough mortgage offers and penis enlargement ads, thanks.
Anyway, please contact us with any questions, comments, anything at all.
We hope to have some new posts soon. In the works:

Weber Guitars, a new guitar maker that we met at the NAMM show. They make beautiful archtop guitars and mandolins. We're getting an order in soon, and we're very excited about this company. When we get the guitars, we'll post some pictures and more about the company. Meanwhile, check out their website.
Greg Kihn and Chris Jackson of KFOX radio broke one of their guitars while horsing around on the morning show. We're fixing it for them, and Erick has been doing on-air spots during the morning show. We'll be posting pictures of the guitar restoration and the whole sordid story of how the guitar got broke in the first place.
Our online store. We hope to have this up and running in the next month or so. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Stay tuned!

One Last Heritage from NAMM

2006-02-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

As a follow up to our series of posts about our Heritage NAMM show samples, here is one more guitar.
This one is a David Paul Signature model.
It has a Trans Wine Red finish, and HRW pickups. Ain't it pretty?

Godin Samples from NAMM

2006-02-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

At the NAMM show recently, we were able to pick up some great guitars and basses from Godin. We've been working with Godin for a long time, and we love their guitars. Here's what we brought back from NAMM:
(all fingerboards are rosewood unless otherwise stated)

Basses

A5 Fretless Semi Hollow, with a satin natural finish and an ebony fingerboard
Freeway 5 with active electronics and a natural mahogany finish
Freeway 4, black pearl finish, passive PJ configuration

Guitars

Mulitac Duet Nylon, natural high gloss finish, ebony fingerboard
A6, natural satin finish
LG, with Seymour Duncan P-90s and a natural semi-gloss Mahogany finish
LG, with Humbuckers and a Cognac burst high gloss finish
Solidac with a Light burst finish and a quilted maple top
Freeway classic in black
Freeway classic with a flame maple leaftop in trans blue
Freeway SA, black
Freeway classic, with a flame maple leaftop in light burst, and a maple fingerboard.

If you're interested in any of these guitars, please contact us (cbperkins @ cbperkins.com, no spaces or 408-578-3428) for special pricing.

Who is C.B. Perkins?

2006-01-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

The initials C.B. stand for Charles Blaine Perkins, who started repairing instruments in 1923, when he was a music teacher. He wanted to provide playable instruments for his students and taught himself the craft of luthiery. Eventually, he began building his own guitars, and started a business repairing and selling guitars. Today, his son and grandsons continue the tradition. We still repair, restore, and customize guitars and other stringed instruments, and we carry quality guitars, basses, amps, and accessories in our retail shop. We pride ourselves on great customer service and quality work. Our shop is located in San Jose, California. We also sell online at our eBay store.

H575

2006-01-26T21:48:00.000-08:00

This is one of a series of guitars we brought back from the NAMM show. Scroll down to see them all. Call us to inquire about pricing.
This one was Erick's (our service manager) favorite. It has an Almond Sunburst finish, Schaller pickups, and solid carved maple top, back and sides. For a maple instrument, this has a very nice acoustic projection.

H555

2006-01-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

This is one of a series of guitars we brought back from the NAMM show. Scroll down to see them all. Call us to inquire about pricing.

This guitar has an Antique Natural finish. It has gold hardware, and is a semi hollow. It has a great sound, and the grain of the maple is stunning.

H535

2006-01-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

This is one of a series of guitars we brought back from the NAMM show. Scroll down to see them all. Call us to inquire about pricing.

This one is a cream color with white blushing. It has Seymour Duncan 59's for the pickups. The light color makes this guitar very unusual and striking.

Heritage NAMM Samples

2006-01-26T21:25:00.000-08:00

We just got back from the NAMM show last weekend, and we spent quite a bit of time at the Heritage booth. Some of the samples Heritage brought to the show were so impressive, we just couldn't leave them behind, so we brought them back with us!
If you see something here that you can't live without, give us a call or send us an email to inquire about details and pricing.

The Golden Eagle

This one has a Antique Natural finish on the top, and a Burnt Amber finish on the back and sides, with a matching Burnt Amber pickguard. The contrasting colors of the wood give this guitar a really striking appearance. It also has Grover Rotomatic tuning machines with Imperial handles. This is an incredible Jazz guitar. After playing this guitar, the only way we could describe the sound was "Wow!"