MotorAve

• SN. 0066
• Base Price: $2850.00

Features and Specifications

• Solid, one-piece, Old Growth African Mahogany Body
• Metallic Gold in Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• LeMans '59 Neck Profile
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• VooDoo Vintage Humbucker pickup
• MotorAve Custom SoftSTop Tailpiece (+$300.00)
• Quartersawn Mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-cut, 3-Ply Black Pickguard
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™

SN. 0064

Base Price: $2850.00

Specifications

• Solid, one-piece, Korina Body ($300.00 upcharge)
• Aged Pelham Blue in Nitrocellulose Lacquer ($100.00 Metallic finish upcharge)
• Silver Competition Stripes ($200.00 Upcharge)
• '59 Neck Profile
• Reverse Headstock ($250.00 upcharge)
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• Lollar P-90 Bridge pickup
• Lightning Bar Wraparound Tailpiece
• Quartersawn Korina neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-Cut, Brushed Aluminum Pickguard ($150.00 Upcharge)
• Dual Tone Cut Switches for P-90
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™

SN. 0063

Base Price: $2850.00

Specifications

• Solid, one-piece, Old Growth African Mahogany Body
• Vintage Cherry in Nitrocellulose Lacquer ($150.00 Trans finish upcharge)
• LeMans Standard Neck Profile
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• Lollar P-90 Bridge pickup
• Lightning Bar Wraparound Tailpiece
• Quartersawn Mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-cut, 3-Ply Black Pickguard
• Dual Tone Cut Switches for P-90
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™

SN. 0062

Base Price: $2850.00

Specifications

• Solid, one-piece African Mahogany Body
• Vintage White in Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Natural Neck Finish
• LeMans '59 Neck Profile
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• Lollar P-90 Bridge pickup
• Handmade "Soft Stop" adjustable tailpiece ($300.00)
• Quartersawn Mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-cut, 5-Ply Black Pickguard
• 3-Way pickup Selector
• Dual Tone Cut Switches for P-90
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™

SN. 0061

Base Price: $2850.00

Specifications

• Solid, one-piece African Mahogany Body
• MotorAve Gold Metallic in Nitrocellulose Lacquer ($100.00)
• LeMans Standard Neck Profile (.830" / .880")
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• Bare Knuckle P-90 Bridge pickup
• Adeson "Burns Style" Neck pickup ($200.00)
• Lighting Bar Wraparound tailpiece
• Quartersawn Mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-cut, 4-Ply, Black Pickguard
• 3-Way pickup Selector
• Dual Tone Cut Switches for P-90
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

The Adeson "Burns" style pickup

This is an accurate recreation of the Burns pickup as used by Queen's Brian May to create one of the most recognizable guitars tones in rock-n-roll history as well as some of the very best, early overdriven tones on the rock scene.
In the neck of my LeMans I have found it to have a tone similar to that of a really great Strat neck position when run clean, but dial up some gain and there is also some thickness and growl with wonderful low note definition like a low output PAF style humbucker. It balances perfectly with the P-90 in the bridge and adds to the guitar's versatility.

It also just looks really, really cool!

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™ 

Vital Stat's

• Serial Number. 0053
• Weight: 6 Pounds, 6 Ounces

Fat Sound's Take

Classic 50's Michigan build philosophy, methodology and construction quality meets 60's Italian 'Pawn Shop Prize' design. Um....it doesn't get any more Rock-n-Roll than that!

Having been flawlessly built, entirely by hand, in MotorAve's small, one man shop in North Carolina, LeMans #53 is a stunning example of Mark Fuqua's craftsmanship.

The spec's for this guitar are identical to the guitar owned and played on stage by Fat Sound manager Mike Ayers of The Connells.

While there are many ways to spec' this model, Seyffert Green nitro over Mahogany with a Lollar P-90 and Lightning Bar wraparound bridge is our personal favorite.

Seyffert Green is a gorgeous metallic nitrocellulose lacquer that manages to complement the 60's Italian vibe of the LeMans model while simultaneously appearing fresh and modern. It's a perfect color for this model. The brown honey toned neck accents the guitar perfectly and provides a nice highlight of Fuqua's ramped neck/body joint design.

According to Mark Fuqua, #53's neck carve is patterned after a particularly great feeling 1959 Les Paul that passed through his hands while he was the shop manager of San Francisco's infamous Black Market Music.

This guitar is priced at the current selling price for a new LeMans with these spec's because it is in as new condition and is available without the 2 year wait.

Highly Recommended!!

Construction

• 100% Hand-Built. No CNC
• Traditional Hot Hide Glue Used For All Wood-To-Wood Joints
• Tapered, Straight, Long-Tenon, Mortise Neck Joint (extends 4” into the body)

Features and Specifications

• Body: Hand Carved Mahogany
• Finish: Seyffert Green Metallic Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Neck: Quartersawn Mahogany, Scarf-Jointed For Strength and Increased Stability
• Finish: Honey Brown Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Carve: '59 Mild V-C (.880” / 1.0” - Mild V from 1st to 5th fret, Normal C up the neck)
• Fingerboard: East Indian Rosewood, 12” Radius, Real Clay Dot Inlays
• Nut Method/Material: 'Painted In' Bone
• Nut Width: 1.680”  (2.190” at end of fingerboard)
• Scale Length: 24.625”
• Fret # and Size: 22 German Jescar FW9675 (.100" Wide x .050" Tall)
• Pickguard: Hand-Cut, 3-Ply Black Plastic
• Pickup: Lollar P-90
• Control Plate: Hand-Cut and Brushed Aluminum
• Controls: Volume, Dual Hi-Cut Switches
• Pots/Jack: CTS / Switchcraft
• Tuners: Gotoh Kluson
• Tailpiece: Lightning Rod Wraparound
• Strap Locks: Flush-Mount, Recessed ‘Seatbelt’ Style (uses Dunlop male component on strap - provided)
• Case: Cedar Creek Custom Hardshell

Fat Sound Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!™

SN. 0046

Weight: 6.6 Pounds (9.6 Ounces)

Nassau or "Corvette" Blue Metallic with spring loaded, custom design Soft Stop Tailpiece and Adeson "Burns" style pickup in the neck position.

Base Price: $2850.00

Fat Sound's Take

The LeMans P-90 models reminds us of a mid-50's Les Paul Junior in terms of the sonic qualities. Immensely fat, yet defined low end with huge punch and girth while retaining the ability to clean up nicely. These guitars actually sound 50 years old. This is a phenomenal sounding and playing guitar with truly astounding construction. Built entirely by hand with all of the best spec's. One of the most perfect Rock-n-Roll guitars we've ever played.

Specifications

• Solid, one-piece African Mahogany Body
• Nassau Blue Metallic in Nitrocellulose Lacquer ($100.00)
• LeMans Standard Neck Profile (.830" / .880")
• Long Tenon, Set Neck
• Bare Knuckle P-90 Bridge pickup
• Adeson "Burns Style" Neck pickup ($200.00)
• Handmade "Soft Stop" adjustable tailpiece ($300.00)
• Quartersawn Mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• East Indian Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Hand-cut, Brushed Aluminum pickguard ($150.00)
• 3-Way pickup Selector
• Dual Tone Cut Switches for P-90
• Custom aluminum control plate
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros TOM bridge.
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks for Dunlop locking system

The Adeson "Burns" style pickup

This is an accurate recreation of the Burns pickup as used by Queen's Brian May to create one of the most recognizable guitars tones in rock-n-roll history as well as some of the very best, early overdriven tones on the rock scene.
In the neck of the LeMans we have found it to have a tone similar to that of a really great Strat neck position when run clean, but dial up some gain and there is also some thickness and growl with wonderful low note definition like a low output PAF style humbucker. It balances perfectly with the P-90 in the bridge and adds to the guitar's versatility.

It also just looks really, really cool!

Fat Sound Award for Design and Sonic Excellence!!!™
Highly Recommended!!!™

SN. 0045

Incredibly striking LeMans in Ice Blue Metallic with Silver Racing stripes and Aluminum pickguard option.

Owner's Comments

"Absolutely love it! Plays great, the tone is SO cool, not just another P90/Junior type of tone. It reminds me of a killer Esquire with the guitar volume slightly backed off, then it morphs into a beefier Esquire on steroids tone. I like that it doesn't approach a humbucker in its tone. I've had several P90 guitars that with some gain almost sounded like a humbucker, but this one still sounds like a P90. It still has a unique "growl" in the midrange that my korina LeMans has, it must be the body style. I love both of them in that they are not a clone of something, they have their own vibe!

What Lollar is in it? [ED: Standard Lollar P-90]

I love the tone switches, I use all the setting. I can't wait for rehearsals.

Anyway, thanks AGAIN for another stellar guitar. BTW, it looks
KILLER!!!!!"

Gilbert T.
Reno NV

Specifications

• Solid Mahogany, highly carved body
• Ice Blue Metallic Nitrocellulose finish
• Silver Racing Strips ($200.00)
•  '59 Soft V - C Neck carve
•  Long Tenon, Set Neck
•  Lollar P-90
•  Lightning Bar Wraparound tailpiece
•  Natural Toned Mahogany neck
•  Quartersawn mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
•  Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
•  Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
•  Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
•  24.625” scale length, 22 frets
•  Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
•  Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
•  Brushed Aluminum pickguard option ($150.00)
•  Tone Cut switch option
•  Custom aluminum control plate.
•  Kluson tuners, Tonepros AVR ll bridge.
•  CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
•  Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks

Beyond description.........one of the most amazing, all hand-built guitars you could dream of owning.

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. 0017

"Seyffert" Green Metallic with Lightning Bar wraparound tailpiece

Owner's Comments (Mike Ayers - Manager, Fat Sound Guitars)

"Mark Fuqua brought this LeMans by the shop a few months ago for us to use as a demo for our customers. Of course I flipped out immediately over
the aesthetics, as I have a real bent for anything unusual or out of the ordinary. Then I plugged it in.....whoa! Unbelievably thick, rich and
piano-like.

Years ago, I had a '61 Les Paul Junior that sounded phenomenal but for some reason I never bonded with it. It was neck-heavy, which drove
me crazy. No one wants to play a neck and have to hold it up at the same time. I loved the tone, but I never got the piano-like low notes that I
wanted. This LeMans had it. It was sort of like someone had taken my old Les Paul Junior and put it in one of those "The Fly" machines and merged it
with the best Fender Broadcaster I had ever heard; the result being something brand new....a culmination of a couple of the best vintage tones.

I asked Mark if he minded if I borrowed the guitar for a big show I had coming up with my band, just to get a feel for it live. (Plus, I look really cool with, and
everybody wants that) I intended to use it for two songs midway through the night since I hadn't practiced with it and was less familiar with it than I
wanted to be. I put it on about halfway through the set, and I never took it off. The tone and feel were amazing and I bonded with it instantaneously.

The next day I called Mark and bought it from him. I disguised the request as wanting it as a "demo" for the shop; the selfish truth,
however, is that I had to have it. I have had it now for a couple of months and I have never looked back. Trust me, you won't either."

Mike Ayers - manager Fat Sound Guitars, guitarist for The Connells and Mommie
Raleigh, NC

Standard Features/Specs

• Hand carved Mahogany or Spanish Cedar body.
• Quartersawn mahogany neck, scarf-jointed for strength and increased stability.
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays.
• Width at nut is 1.680”, 2.190” at end of fingerboard.
• 24.625” scale length, 22 frets
• Tapered, straight mortise neck joint extends 4” into the body
• Standard neck carve is .830” at 1st fret, .880” at 12th, slim profile (larger necks available by request)
• Medium fretwire .100” wide and .050” tall. “painted in” bone nut (other fretwire available by request)
• Pigtail or Lightning Rod wraparound tailpieces
• 3 ply plastic pickguard, custom aluminum control plate.
• Kluson tuners, Tonepros AVR ll bridge.
• Lollar, Bareknuckle or Wolfetone P-90 or humbucking bridge pickups
• CTS volume pot & Switchcraft jack.
• Flush-mount ‘seatbelt’ style straplocks
• Black, Vintage White, Vintage Cherry or one of *several* MotorAve custom metallic colors as well as custom paint-to-match colors with Mark's approval.
• Average weight 7 - 7.5 lbs.
• Cedar Creek, custom hardshell case
• Lifetime warranty to original owner.

There are many color, bridge, pickup, etc.....options available.

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™ 

• SN. 077
• Weight: 9 Pounds, 6.4 Ounces

Fat Sound's Take

Mark Fuqua is one of the most talented luthiers alive today.....the BelAire is MotorAve's top-of-the-line model. Mark handcrafts each instrument personally in his small, one man shop. No CNC machines or other expensive, high tech equipment is utilized....just basic power and hand tools, a tremendous amount of passion, talent and attention to detail. MotorAve guitars are some of the most soulful instruments we've experienced. Fat Sound's owner and shop manager both count MotorAve models among the finest in their small, carefully selected, personal collections.

The BelAire is a gorgeously crafted, hollow body instrument with solid mahogany top, back and sides and a pure nitrocellulose lacquer finish. #77 was spec'd with Mark's proprietary, string through tailpiece which is cut, sanded and finished by hand from a solid block of aluminum.

The BelAire is a classic example of functional art. This guitar possesses the ability to range from fat, full jazz tones to full-on rock-n-roll without batting an eye. The overdrive tones will actually surprise you as they are very thick and meaty. The notes release from compression at just the right instant and feedback is highly controllable.

Among the finest guitars available today.

Lead time is generally 20-24 months for any MotorAve model. BelAire #77 was ordered just under two years ago by an overseas customer who Mark has been unable to reach during the 30 days since the guitar was completed. #77 is therefore a very rare instance of a new MotorAve that's available for immediate purchase. This is only the second, new BelAire that's been up for grabs in the time that Fat Sound has been Mark's exclusive dealer.

Specifications

• Bookmatched, Solid Mahogany Top
• Goldtop Metallic Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Bookmatched 1/4" Mahogany back - Medium Honey Nitro-Lacquer
• 1/2" solid mahogany side, 1/4" solid mahogany top - Medium Honey Nitro-Lacquer
• 4" center core
• 24.625" scale length
• Neck: Set-In (tapered, straight mortise), Quartersawn Mahogany with Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rails
• Neck Carve: MotorAve Standard (.830" at 1st fret, .880" at 12th fret)
• Fingerboard: Ebony
• Fingerboard Radius: 12"
• Fretwire: Medium Nickel Alloy - .100” w x .050” h (Jescar #FW9665)
• Fret #: 22
• Nut Width: 1.68"
• Nut: 'Painted In' Bone

Features

• Fingerboard Inlays: Golden Pearloid Blocks
• Headstock Inlay: Golden Ivoroid
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• Single ply white binding throughout - headstock, neck, body, and soundhole.
• Guitar interior finished in clear nitro to match the guitar's back and visible through the f-hole
• Proprietary aluminum, String Through tailpiece. Entirely cut and sanded by hand by Mark Fuqua from a raw block of aluminum.
• Custom, brushed aluminum pickguard, T-rod cover, and jackplate.
• Grover Imperial tuners, Tonepros AVR ll bridge, Reflector cap knobs.
• Wolftone Dr. V's pickups with brushed covers.
• TKL Form Fit Custom Hardshell Case.

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. 59

Weight: 8.4 Pounds (6.4 ounces)

Date of Completion: February 22, 2011

This is a truly astounding instrument with a solid mahogany back in a medium honey toned nitro-cellulose back and solid mahogany top Deep Gloss Black  nitro-cellulose

Accented by Mark's handmade, aluminum pickguard, truss rod cover and proprietary, hand-made Trapeze tailpiece.

Specifications

• 4" center core
• 1/2" solid mahogany side
• 1/4" solid mahogany top
• Bookmatched 1/4" mahogany back
• Carbon fiber reinforcement rails
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays
• 2.19” at end of fingerboard.
• 1.68" nut width
• 24.625" scale length
• '59 Neck Carve taken directly from an actual 1959 Les Paul - .880” / 1.0” Mild V from 1st to 5th fret, normal C up the neck
• Medium fretwire - .100” wide and .050” tall.
• Golden Ivoroid Block Inlays
• “painted in” bone nut.
• Single ply white binding throughout- headstock, neck, body, and soundhole.
• Guitar interior finished in clear nitro to match the guitar's back and visible through the f-hole
• Proprietary aluminum Trapeze tailpiece that is entirely cut and sanded by hand by Mark Fuqua from a raw block of aluminum.
• Custom, brushed aluminum pickguard, T-rod cover, and jackplate.
• Grover Imperial tuners. Tonepros AVR ll bridge. Flattop, Knurled, Chrome knobs
• Wolftone Dr. V's pickups with brushed covers (other pickups are available)

Top and back bound Built entirely by hand with no CNC work, yet possessing as high a level of fit and finish as I have ever seen, the BelAire is simply a classic example of functional art. This guitar possesses the ability to range from fat, full Jazz tones to full on rock-n-roll without batting an eye. The overdrive tones will actually surprise you as they are very thick and meaty. The notes release from compression at just the right instant and feedback is highly controllable.

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

Comments from BelAire #59's New Owner

"Hey Stu.

Needed to extend a huge thank you! The BelAire is the nicest guitar I've ever played by a mile. The level of detail is out of this world and thetones I've gotten are like no other. The feel of the neck/set-up makesit just feel like an extension of me. I'm completely blown away andrunning home to play her right now...

Best and look forward to ordering a new MotorAve soon."

Jeff R.
New York, NY

SN. 51

Weight: 8.4 Pounds (6.4 ounces)

Date of Completion: June 5th, 2010

This is a truly astounding instrument with a solid mahogany back in a medium honey toned nitro-cellulose back and solid mahogany top in Nassau Blue Metallic nitro-cellulose

Accented by Mark's handmade, aluminum pickguard and truss rod cover and proprietary, hand-made Trapeze tailpiece.

Specifications

• 4" center core
• 1/2" solid mahogany side
• 1/4" solid mahogany top
• Bookmatched 1/4" mahogany back
• Carbon fiber reinforcement rails
• Hot hide glue used for all wood to wood joints.
• Rosewood 12” radius fingerboard with real clay dot inlays
• 2.19” at end of fingerboard.
• 1.68" nut width
• 24.625" scale length
• '59 Neck Carve taken directly from an actual 1959 Les Paul - .880” / 1.0” Mild V from 1st to 5th fret, normal C up the neck
• Medium fretwire - .100” wide and .050” tall.
• Golden Ivoroid Block Inlays
• “painted in” bone nut.
• Single ply white binding throughout- headstock, neck, body, and soundhole.
• Guitar interior finished in clear nitro to match the guitar's back and visible through the f-hole
• Proprietary aluminum Trapeze tailpiece that is entirely cut and sanded by hand by Mark Fuqua from a raw block of aluminum.
• Custom, brushed aluminum pickguard, T-rod cover, and jackplate.
• Grover Imperial tuners, Tonepros AVR ll bridge, Reflector cap knobs.
• Wolftone Dr. V's pickups with brushed covers (other pickups are available)

Top and back bound Built entirely by hand with no CNC work, yet possessing as high a level of fit and finish as I have ever seen, the BelAire is simply a classic example of functional art. This guitar possesses the ability to range from fat, full Jazz tones to full on rock-n-roll without batting an eye. The overdrive tones will actually surprise you as they are very thick and meaty. The notes release from compression at just the right instant and feedback is highly controllable.

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. 0052

Weight: 7.4 Pounds (6.4 ouces)

Nitrocellulose Black finished Maple top over light, medium honey toned one piece mahogany back.

Fat Sound's Take

See listing above for McQueen Prototype #1

Owner's Comments

"First. It's gorgeous.
Second. It's so easy to play it's stupid.
Third and most important. The tones that I'm getting out of her are just sick. I am Page, Gibbons, and Clapton... And more. This guitar sings, breathes. These are the tones I've been searching out for 15 years. This guitar feels like an extension of myself. It's just ridiculous... Oh yeah she has a name and it's Elinor.
Mark and Stu thank you so much......Now that I've played it... I would have waited for years"

Anthony L.
Dallas, TX

Specifications

• Mahogany body and neck
• Eastern Red Maple Cap
• East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Gold Pearloid, block fingerboard inlays ($250.00 option)
• 1 11/16th" nut width
• 24.625" Scale length
• Long Tenon neck joint
• Hand crafted, aluminum pickguard, control plates and truss rod cover (underside of main control cavity plate and pickguard is hand engraved with model, date of completion and Mark's signature)
• Wolftone Dr V's humbuckers neck and bridge
• Tone Pros bridge with a custom brushed finish applied by Mark

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. 0050

Weight: 7.4 Pounds (6.4 ouces)

Nitrocellulose Goldtop finished Maple top over light, medium honey toned Flame Cedar  back.

Fat Sound's Take

See listing above for McQueen Prototype #1

Specifications

• Flamed Cedar body and neck
• Eastern Red Maple Cap
• East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Gold Pearloid, block fingerboard inlays ($250.00 option)
• 1 11/16th" nut width
• 24.625" Scale length
• Long Tenon neck joint
• Hand crafted, aluminum pickguard, control plates and truss rod cover (underside of main control cavity plate and pickguard is hand engraved with model, date of completion and Mark's signature)
• Wolftone Legend humbuckers neck and bridge
• Tone Pros bridge with a custom brushed finish applied by Mark

 
Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. 0047

Weight: 7.6 pounds

Fat Sound's Take

See listing above for McQueen Prototype #1

Specifications

• Mahogany body and neck
• Eastern Red Maple Cap
• East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Gold Pearloid, block fingerboard inlays ($250.00 option)
• Mark Fuqua's '59 Neck Carve
• 1 11/16th" nut width
• 24.625" Scale length
• Hand crafted, aluminum pickguard, control plates and truss rod cover (underside of main control cavity plate and pickguard is hand engraved with model, date of completion and Mark's signature)
• Wolftone Legend humbuckers neck and bridge
• Tone Pros bridge with a custom brushed finish applied by Mark

 
Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

SN. Prototype #2

Weight: 7.2 pounds

A freakin' phenomenal guitar!!!

This is prototype #2. This is the first McQueen to be built with the McQueen script on the headstock. These first two McQueen models are destined to be valuable Collector pieces in my opinion.

Owner's Comment

"GOOD GAWD!!!!"

Kim A. (Guitar collector extordinaire who's owned nearly every guitar known to man)
Houston, TX

Fat Sound's Take

See listing above for McQueen Prototype #1

Specifications

• Mahogany body and neck
• "Period Figured" Eastern Red Maple Cap ($250.00 option)
• Vintage Sunburst
• East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Gold Pearloid, block fingerboard inlays ($250.00 option)
• 1 11/16th" nut width
• 24.625" Scale length
• Hand crafted, aluminum pickguard, control plates and truss rod cover (underside of main control cavity plate and pickguard is hand engraved with "prototype", model, date of completion and Mark's signature)
• Wolftone Legend humbuckers neck and bridge
• Tone Pros bridge with a custom brushed finish applied by Mark

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™ 

Weight: 7.4 Pounds

Above guitar has $250.00 Golden Ivoroid Block inlay options. Base model is $4,000.00

The guitar pictured above is the prototype for Mark's new McQueen model. This will be the only McQueen model to not have the "McQueen" script on the headstock

Mark builds each guitar entirely by hand using no CNC machinery, yet his fit-and-finish is as good as any CNC guitar I have seen. This level of craftsmanship, time and perfection come at a cost both in terms of price and lead times.

Mark builds about 25 guitars per year. As of 5-21-2010 the lead time for this model is about 12-18 months......expect it to be 3 years very soon.

Owner's Comments

"First. It's gorgeous.
Second. It's so easy to play it's stupid.
Third and most important. The tones that I'm getting out of her are just sick. I am Page, Gibbons, and Clapton... And more. This guitar sings, breathes. These are the tones I've been searching out for 15 years. This guitar feels like an extension of myself. It's just ridiculous... Oh yeah she has a name and it's Elinor.
Mark and Stu thank you so much......Now that I've played it... I would have waited for years"

Anthony L.
Dallas, TX

Fat Sound's Take

"I first was drawn to the phenomenal aesthetic design of the instrument, but thoughts of rock-n-roll stage presence and Hot Rods quickly faded in to the subconscious as I realized I held in my hands one of the most meticulously built, incredible sounding and smoothly playing guitars I've experienced in my nearly 40 years as a guitarist.

The fact that I'm also a car nut and have read about Steve McQueen's penchant for racing his Jaguar XKSS......one of my dream cars.....up and down the streets of LA....like Motor Ave. after dark only added to the appeal of this model for me. Coincidentally this quote from a Motor Trend article that I've read a hundred times regarding Mr. McQueen and his love affair with street racing in the Hills of LA after dark fits this new model for MotorAve Guitars guitar to a T: "He could be kindhearted one moment, evil-spirited the next. He exhibited a wicked sense of humor and a violent temper." Now if that ain't rock-n-roll.......tell me what is.

And it also is the perfect descriptive sentence for the new MotorAve "McQueen"

Mark builds each guitar entirely by hand using no CNC machinery, yet his fit-and-finish is as good as any CNC guitar I have seen. This level of craftsmanship, time and perfection come at a cost both in terms of price and lead times.

Mark builds about 25 guitars per year. As of 5-21-2010 the lead time for this model is about 18 months......expect it to be 3 years very soon."

-Stu Carter, owner Fat Sound Guitars

Specifications

• Spanish Cedar body and neck
• Maple Cap
• Standard Neck Carve
• East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Gold Pearloid, block fingerboard inlays
• 1 11/16th" nut width
• 24.625" Scale length
• Hand crafted, aluminum pickguard, control plates and truss rod cover (underside of main control cavity plate is hand engraved with serial number, model number, date of completion and Mark's signature)
• Wolftone Dr V's humbuckers neck and bridge
• Tone Pros bridge

Fat Sound's Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!!™

See above listing of MotoVox #1 for full details and the story behind this amazing guitar

Owner's Comments

"Mark and Kate Fuqua of MotorAve just dropped off # 5/5 Limited Edition MotoVox today. Thought I'd share a few photographs of it for the other guys waiting on theirs.

The thickest, meatiest guitar I have ever played when running into an overdriven amp yet still perfectly capale of offering a gloriously shimmery clean tone in the middle and neck positions. Into a Sommatone OD35 or Matchless Spitfire or Xits X10...the amps I've been using the most this week.....it offers tones that'll make you cry.

You other 4 guys are going to flip when you get yours!"

Stu Carter, owner Fat Sound Guitars

Specifications

• Body Style: Univox Hi-Flier with Glue in neck
• Color: Mossl Green Metallic nitrocellulos lacquer
• Neck Wood: Rosewood over Mahogany
• Neck Finish: Medium Honey stained, high-gloss
• Neck Joint: Extra Long Tenon with dual carbon fiber reinforcement rods
• Scale Length: 24.625"
• Nut Width: 1 11/16ths
• Neck Carve: Modified '59
• Pickups: Dual Lollar P-90's
• Electronics: 3-way toggle style switch, master volume, master tone
• Knobs: Gold Reflectors
• Case: Custom, Ultra-Deluxe, Cave Creek with full width center pocket

Fat Sound Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!™

See above listing of MotoVox #1 for full details and the story behind this amazing guitar

Options: $100.00 custom color upcharge

One-of-a-kind in incredible combination of Mark Fuqua's Aluminum pickguard, the owner's choice of "Moss Green Metallic" and gold reflector knobs with Cream P-90 covers..............stunning combination of colors on this one!

Well spec'd Mr. Boswell!

Specifications

• Body Style: Univox Hi-Flier with Glue in neck
• Color: Mossl Green Metallic nitrocellulos lacquer
• Neck Wood: Rosewood over Mahogany
• Neck Finish: Medium Honey stained, high-gloss
• Neck Joint: Extra Long Tenon with dual carbon fiber reinforcement rods
• Scale Length: 24.625"
• Nut Width: 1 11/16ths
• Neck Carve: Modified '59
• Pickups: Dual Lollar P-90's
• Electronics: 3-way toggle style switch, master volume, master tone
• Knobs: Gold Reflectors
• Case: Custom, Ultra-Deluxe, Cave Creek with full width center pocket

Fat Sound Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!™

Owner's Comments

"The MotorAve, MotoVox #1 is stunning!

As any recording simply cannot capture the emotion and energy of an inspired live music performance, or a “beautiful” photograph’s woeful inability to capture the majesty of Hawaii, the limitations of language and the usual guitar descriptors simply do not allow adequate, or meaningful, description of this amazing guitar. Mark Fuqua’s (MotorAve Guitars) skill, vision, artistry, craftsmanship and mercurial ability to channel “mojo” into his pieces are conspicuously evident in this extraordinary piece. This guitar is a truly inspired and inspiring rock and roll machine, the embodiment of finesse and fury.
Or...
"How much more cool can a guitar be?" and the answer is "none, none
more cool"

Jeff H.
Martinsville, VA

The MotoVox Story

Available via invitation only. You must have already owned, or had on order, a MotorAve guitar to have been considered for invitation.

This is Mark's interpretation of the 70's Univox Hi-Flier that was originally built as a one-off guitar for Tim Ristau, a mutual and dear friend of Mark and myself who worked for Carr Amplifiers for many years and now handles any Carr warranty work.

Hi-Flier Wikipedia Link

The old, 70's Univox Hi-Flier, which was essentially a cool/cheap knock-off of a Mosrite Ventures model is a guitar that Tim Ristau of Raleigh's Superfine Ampworks has been passionate about since owning one as a young guitarist.

The Hi-Flier was also the very first electric guitar that I personally owned having purchased one second-hand in 1977 for $40.00 at Finklestein's Music and Pawn in Wilmington, NC at age 11 after cutting lawns and washing cars to save up the money. I'd walk down to Finklestein's twice a week while saving my money just praying it was still there. It had 1/4" high action beyond the 5th fret but I didn't care; it was the coolest thing I had ever seen at that tender age and I just had to have it.

Mark agreed to build a guitar for Tim that was essentially the aesthetic equivalent of the Univox, but with MotorAve's level of fit and finish, wood, hardware and electronics quality. It was pure dumb luck that Tim's childhood guitar just happened to be the same model I had owned and for which I still had a deeply rooted affinity.

The MotoVox is made entirely by hand of solid mahogany, has a hot hyde glue-in neck joint (versus the Univox's bolt-on neck) with an ultra-long neck tenon and dual carbon fiber neck-to-body support rods to eliminate the potential for SG style tuning issues, a hand-made aluminum pickguard, which is signed and numbered on its underside, and truss rod cover, Marks flawless scarf joint headstock, vintage correct 24.625" Gibson scale length with 12" radius and modern Jescar fretwire and is finished in ultra thin, perfect nitrocellulose lacquer.

Pickups are Lollar P-90's.

This is a phenomenal, huge sounding guitar that, as mentioned above, was initially intended strictly as a one-off built on a lark for Tim. Of course Mark being the amazing luthier and extreme perfectionist that he is, the guitar became something more than just a fun copy of a Hi-Flier; it became a serious guitar that is absolutely stunning and sounds truly amazing.

Upon completion, Tim brought this guitar by my shop for me to play and to photograph and I immediately fell in love with it. A combination of nostalgia, retro-cool looks and amazing Rock-n-Roll tones caused quite a stir at my shop while the MotoVox had its brief, 24 hour stay for its photo shoot.

My first inclination was to ask Mark to build one more for myself and then my business head kicked in and my second inclination was to ask Mark to make the MotoVox a permanent offering in his lineup.....much to the unspoken, but obvious chagrin of Tim Ristau who was present when this idea began to take shape.

After discussing this with Mark it quickly became clear that he does not want to become a copier of previous designs since he has his own, very clear vision of what MotorAve Guitars are and is adamant about building instruments that are original designs and he initially declined to build more of these guitars, but after much cajoling (i.e. begging) on my part, Mark has agreed to do a limited run of five of the "MotoVox" guitar which I feel is a guitar that is way too cool to build just one of, that my best clients and loyal MotorAve owners should have access to and is also a guitar that I desperately want for myself.

To qualify to purchase one of the four available MotoVox guitars (#5 is going in to my personal collection) you have to already own a MotorAve or have a MotorAve on order and be invited to be a part of this limited run.

Fat Sound Award for Sonic and Design Excellence!!™