Exceptional Boutique Guitars
Building a Brand on the B&G Little Sister
The luthiers at B&G are creating some of the most unique and sonically satisfying instruments on the planet. Since no local B&G dealers existed, the owner of Denver Guitar Exchange traveled to the West Coast to test the Little Sister and satisfy the curiosity piqued by myriad online reviews and demos. He was so blown away by the build quality, playability, and tone of these instruments that he decided to create Denver Guitar Exchange to give Colorado the opportunity to experience these amazing instruments.
Choose from one of our current orders in process or place an order for a true custom build experience; build time is currently 10 months for Private Build guitars. The upgraded maple tops have not yet been selected for the next Private Build batch in process. So, customers can still choose the figured maple piece from the B&G stash that speaks to them.
b3 - An American Legacy
Crafted by World Renowned Master Luthier Gene Baker
Gene Baker is the mastermind behind b3 guitars. His storied career began in the Gibson Custom Shop then the Fender Custom Shop as Senior Master Builder. Gene then formed Baker Guitars USA which were highly regarded in the boutique guitar market. In 2009, recognizing Gene’s rare expertise in instrument design and production, Premier Builders Guild (PBG) founder Michael Bernstein asked Gene to serve as Chief Guitar Master Builder for PBG, a new boutique, masterbuilt instrument company based on a new approach. In 2012, the D’Angelico Guitars brand recruited Gene and his team to build authentic, limited edition USA Masterbuilt reissues of the iconic D’Angelico models.
The culmination of Gene’s experience led to his own b3 line of guitars. Each model is designed to achieve the ideal characteristics of a specific tonal space. All are precision instruments for serious musicians and embody the unique expertise and passion of a man widely considered among the very best in boutique lutherie. They are acclaimed by players at all levels, leading gear editors, and fellow luthiers for their unsurpassed design and craftsmanship.
b3 guitars personify vintage craftsmanship and feel while seemlessly integrating modern features such as the Buzz Feiten Tuning System and the best in modern hardware. Denver Guitar Exchange is proud to be an authorized dealer of b3 instruments.
b3 SL
The b3 SL is a masterbuilt double cutaway monster of a guitar. With Mahogany neck and back with figured Maple top and Lollar Imperial pickups, it has the look, feel, and classic tone of the best vintage LP style guitars. Tons of options to available to shape the visual and sonic characteristics to fit your needs and personality.
Two b3 SL Deluxe guitars on order - Dark Tobacco Burst and Bengal Burst.
b3 Phoenix
The b3 Phoenix is Gene's brilliant interpretation of a Tele on steroids meets Firebird. This versatile guitar conjures some of the best tones of the guitars that inspired it while having a unique and exceptional personality all its own. This guitar is the best of both worlds and designed by a man renowned for his craftsmanship in both the Fender and Gibson Custom Shops. Tons of options to available to shape the visual and sonic characteristics to fit your needs and personality.
One b3 Phoenix V (Black & Tan) in stock. One b3 Phoenix V (Dark Cherry Burst) with one-piece Korina body and neck and one b3 Phoenix III (Pelham Blue) semi-hollowbody on order.
Guitar Player Magazine Review
January 10, 2014 by Dave Hunter
Long a notable builder in his own right, for the past few years Gene Baker has headed up the Premier Builders Guild team in Arroyo Grande, California, and this is the shop where the b3 Fire SL is made. At first glance this guitar might seem like just another double-cut Les Paul variant, but the shape shifting of the upper horn helps the b3 Fire SL hang differently, putting it in a playing position that I found more comfortable than the traditional Les Paul. The entire guitar is so beautifully put together that it just begs you to play it—and when you do, it rings sweet and true even before being plugged in.
As the spec box indicates, the b3 Fire SL comprises many of the classic elements of the LP format, with quality components at every turn: TonePros hardware, Lollar Imperial pickups, a Tusq nut with Buzz Feiten Tuning System, and Dunlop Strap Loks. More fundamentally, the wood itself screams of similar quality and attention to detail. The softly V’d ’59 neck carve feels superb in the hand, with nary a ragged fret end, and a lightly chambered mahogany body keeps the overall weight equally appealing. Finally, a distressed “lemondrop” nitro finish, with cherry back and neck, seems the perfect way to show off the remarkable flame of this carved maple top.
Fired up, the b3 presented ballsy, confident dual-humbucker tones, yet with the oft-surprising finesse of a great Les Paul when called for. It laid down anything in the broad range of classic rock just as effortlessly as you might suspect, yet when eased back, exhibited a depth and grace that is rare in guitars of this format. The neck pickup rolled effortlessly from warm, vocal, jazz tones to singing blues-rock, and there was even more versatility across the board when I popped up the neck-position Tone control for some single-coil action. But kick it to the bridge pickup, crank the amp, and the rock-all- day bluster is where this guitar really won me over. For its effortless playability and rich, muscular dual-bucker tones, the b3 Fire SL wins an Editors’ Pick Award.