The Six String Side: Sully Conspiracy Series Stardust

My new Sully Conspiracy Series Stardust

 When I started this blog over ten years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. In an older post, I mentioned playing my '90 Strat, and someone suggested I detail the fleet, so here ya go. Hopefully ya'll enjoy the change in pace. I'll post something periodically whenever it makes sense. This is #11

Three years ago now, almost to the month, I received my first Sully Conspiracy Series guitar. That was Sully's Raven model, and I have really enjoyed this guitar since then. I have also been smitten with Sully's (Jon Sullivan is the company owner) use of sparkle finishes and with his Stardust design, which is very unique. The Raven could be seen as a reverse bodied Gibson/Jackson Guitars Firebird derivative, but the Stardust is completely Jon Sullivan's design, and I really like it. 

Jon Sullivan described the Stardust as a reverse, sort of, take on his other unique design, the '71 Trella. But I think this Stardust is even less like anything out there, yet still very tasteful and it doesn't look oddly proportioned or too weird. In fact, I'd go as far to say that this design is something you could easily have seen in the heyday of electric guitar designs of the late 1950's and 1960's. It's sort of an offset, yet it still has that single-cut feeling too. I envision this as a sort of evolution of some Japanese designs I've seen from the 60's. But maybe that's just me. 

This Stardust features a bolt on, roasted maple neck

Other than that, this is a lot like the Raven I have with a few small differences. This Stardust has a bolt-on neck instead of the glued in neck of the Raven. The neck itself, while still a three-piece maple neck, has a roasted treatment. That's exactly what it sounds like- they roast the wood to drive out moisture and stabilize/age the wood. It's supposedly "better". We'll see....

Of course, the Pop Life Sparkle paint is different. I always wanted a sparkle finish guitar, and when Jon released details on the last run of the Conspiracy Series, this finish was offered on the Stardust, so between the facts that I like the design and the finish, well, I had to get it! 

And, I think it is important to remember that I ordered this guitar last February! That was a different time for me. I was working at Andy's. We were headed into what we were hoping would be a big year. I had some cash coming in from bicycle parts sales, which is how I generally fund stuff like this guitar, and I had no reason to believe that what ended up happening in November would happen. Fortunately, by November I had the vast majority of the guitar already paid for. All I had to do was wait until now to get it! If I were in the situation which I have been in since last November until now? I wouldn't have this guitar. So, a lot of things had to come together for this to happen, and somehow they did. 

This Stardust has the same pick-ups, electronics, and other hardware that my Raven does, just in black instead of chrome/white. I was a little hesitant about the black hardware, but it is fine, really. 

Oddly enough, while the Raven has a much bigger body, this guitar feels heavier. Just by a little bit. I don't mind, because neither of my Sully's are as heavy as my Les Paul, or my Gretsch. Those are beasts and I get tired of wearing them after a bit!

While I have not plugged in yet with the Stardust, (my amps all need servicing!) it plays and feels like the Raven, which is great. The fret ends are dressed impeccably well and the fit and finish is top notch. It balances perfectly on my Couch Guitar Straps Racer X strap. I am really pleased with the guitar I received. 

Since it took well over a year to get the guitars in, Jon Sullivan offered to sign them.

So, there ya have it. I am now the owner of two Sully Conspiracy Series guitars. I'm probably good on electrics for now. (I know- I say that and then another guitar pops up in my life!) I definitely count myself blessed to have these two Sully's because by the way it sounds, the Conspiracy Series may be taking a hiatus and no one knows for how long. That series was the only reason I was able to afford to get a Sully. He has a semi-custom line which sells for well North of 2G a piece and his full-customs are well above 3G. That's outta this poor mechanic's league! Especially when I have bikes to attend to.

So, I think I am set now. The next thing is to get to gettin' on those amps I have and turn them into sound reproduction machines instead of places to put things on around the house. I have- let's see..... A Marshall mini-stack from the Silver Jubilee series, an old Peavey I bought in 1984, my Blues Junior, an AC-30, and a weird old tube Univox head I need to get up and running. So, that should keep me busy if bicycles don't! 

Thanks for reading Guitar ted Productions!