James Tyler Guitars | Ultimate Weapon HD - Burning Water Top

James Tyler began his journey in the early 1970s, focusing on custom electric guitar work and repairs. As his reputation spread through word of mouth, Tyler became the go-to guitar technician for some of the biggest names in the Los Angeles studio scene throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. His passion for improving every aspect of the guitar, combined with a deep understanding of his clients' needs, cemented his status as a premier luthier. Players trusted him to deliver exceptional craftsmanship, and Tyler's hands-on experience with thousands of guitars gave him an unparalleled insight into what musicians truly want from their instruments. Today, owning a James Tyler guitar is synonymous with holding a piece of art, where even the smallest details - like the selector switch - feel like a revelation in quality and precision.

The Ultimate Weapon models are the contemporary designs of James Tyler Guitars' offerings, incorporating years of feedback from some of the most respected studio and live musicians in the world. These guitars are designed with modern looks in mind whilst ensuring that form, function, and sound stay true to the ideals of James Tyler Guitars.

The Ultimate Weapon HD sets itself apart in this range by getting back to basics - whilst looking far from it, thanks to the gorgeous Burning Water Top finish.

Body: The Ultimate Weapon HD is crafted from solid alder, a tonewood known for its balanced tonal response and light weight. This gives the guitar a lively resonance and a clear, punchy sound.

Neck and Fretboard: The neck is made from quartersawn maple, paired with an Indian rosewood fretboard. This combination provides exceptional stability, smooth playability, and a warm, rich tonal character. Featuring a comfortable Standard neck, this guitar feels amazing to play on with a 1959 Oval neck shape measuring .845" at the 1st fret and .975" at 12th. A 10"-12" compound radius helps to keep chords easy to fret on the lower frets and stops bends fretting out on the higher frets. Paired with a 1 5/8" nut width for a familiar feel.

Pickups: Equipped with a pair of humbuckers, the Ultimate Weapon HD brings with it even more of an edge. The Retro Reverse in the neck position delivers a PAF-like character with a warm, clean tone and a sweet top end that stays clear without being too bright, even in the mids; it offers smooth, creamy overdrive with classic voicing and great articulation. Paired with the Shark bridge pickup - bringing with it a tight low end, balanced mids with a satisfying bark, and sweet, singing highs.

Electronics: The control system features a 5-way blade switch, master volume, midboost preamp, and master tone controls. The active midboost preamp is a high gain/low impedance circuit that gives you lower lows and higher highs with a 2dB volume increase - on top of this, you can utilise the midboost control to increase the mids and output further. This preamp can be bypassed easily with the touch of a button for passive tones or added in to give some extra "oomf" at the perfect moments.

Bridge and Hardware: The Ultimate Weapon HD is equipped with a Gotoh two-post tremolo with James Tyler branded bent steel saddles, offering excellent tuning stability and smooth performance. Locking Hipshot tuners add to the guitar's reliability, ensuring that it stays in tune even during heavy playing sessions.

Case: The guitar comes with a Tyler Signature Hardshell Case, providing premium protection and durability.

James Tyler guitars offer an exceptional experience in every aspect. Even the selector switch is a joy to use! Once you hold one, you'll instantly recognise the sheer quality and craftsmanship. Tyler's distinctive design make the Ultimate Weapon HD a guitar that is as visually striking as it is sonically powerful. Whether you're a studio professional or a live performer, this guitar can handle anything from smooth clean tones to high-gain distortion with ease.