ANDREAS SHARK BASS by Andreas Pilcher/Thomastik-Infeld: 4-String – includes the equally rare ‘
www.andreasguitars.com’ Original, fitted Gigbag and new TI strings - red alder (coated) body, bolt-on 24-fret maple neck, two Bartolini pickups, Schaller tuners, Badass-II Bridge, unique soft-coated finish, 2003-4.
Andreas Guitars were designed by Austrian Luthier Andreas Pichler, who was formally trained in luthiery from c. 14 years-old, and made in Austria 1995-2004.The Andreas factory was located in the Tyrolean region surrounded by the highest mountains in Austria. They used a 5-axis CNC machine and employed three workers in the production process. They used selected, uniformly dried woods, which were stored in a custom-made dry-room. The Andreas soft coating finish was applied using a special process and is one of the trademarks of the Andreas instruments. At the peak of production they produced around 30 guitars per month, and an estimated around 400 instruments in total. The international distributer of the instruments, Austrian string maker Thomastik-Infeld, acquired the brand in 2003 but no more instruments were made. Aria distributed the guitars in Japan.
Earlier Shark (‘Basking-Shark/s’) basses all came with Alembic AE-3 soap-bars and Alembic 2-band active preamps, aluminium fingerboards, extended scale, and transparent finishes. The guitars had options of HSS or HH configurations from EMG, Schaller, Seymour Duncan, or Andreas own custom made p/ups. They also featured unique transparent burst fishes, aluminium boards, aluminium headstocks, and hard tail roller bridges or strat’-style tremolos. Later versions of the guitars and basses featured this special rubberized opaque finish, wood fingerboards, simpler electronics, and overall components. There are some instruments made during transition period; for example, a super-rare version of the Shark 5 bass features Alembics and aluminium coupled with the rubberized finish.
It’s certainly collectable, but also playable (although unsure as to applicable genre...glamrock??). I wasn’t sure (initially) if the Badass-II was correct, but after some research it appears that it is. Unfortunately, though, the way it’s mounted reduces the ability to set a really low action (and I wouldn’t want to rout or reduce the body to facilitate this – it’s a rare instrument). I’ve also got a copy of ‘Guitarist’ (Spring 2001) which features Andreas’ guitars and the Basking Shark bass, which I’d be happy to include. It’s very light (7.8lbs.), has a pickup selector (3-way for SC/both/HB), 3EQ (in reverse!..B-M-T) and a neat accent (red) line running throughout the neck (front & back) below the D-string. There were quite a few paint chips when I received it but have managed to repair these with Revell#31 Model paint which seems to be a perfect match.
ANDREAS GUITARS electric guitars and other instruments
$1249. Price includes 48H Courier to USA
Now REDUCED to $1149 (inclusive))
