SHORE THING

Well known for his hugely detailed and exquisite custom builds, Seth Baccus is expanding his output starting with this bolt-on Shoreline.

- DAVE BURRLUCK

WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE in both retail and guitar craft, not to mention teching for numerous touring pro musicians, Seth Baccus (the stepson of guitar-making legend Andy Manson) has built himself a considerable reputation for his Nautilus set-neck and Shoreline bolt-on custom builds. But as his reputation escalated, so did the demand, and before long he was turning down orders. Salvation came from the newly formed U.K. Guitar Builders (UKGB), based in York, England, and the guitar we have here is one of the first off the small production line. To be honest, when we first heard about this collaboration, we expected to see a more cost-effective version of the $3,000-plus bespoke Shoreline (there are no plans at the moment to produce the Nautilus). This guitar is anything but.

Like the Nautilus, the Shoreline uses the same original outline inspired by an acoustic guitar Andy Manson had made. Both guitars also use a Fender-like 25 1/2-inch scale length (although Seth does offer a shorter scale on the Nautilus Junior in his bespoke range). In the new range, the Shoreline comes in two styles: the original T, and the JM we have here, plus an S model that's planned for production later in the year. Despite the JM designation, there is very little Jazzmaster about it.

"The JM did in fact come from the first one I built," Baccus explains, "and that had full-size Jazzmaster-style pickups and a Mastery vibrato. But it then evolved into various pickup configurations and bridge options. So now the JM moniker signifies the styling and pickguard shape more than actually relating to a Jazzmaster in any specific way. Model names get more complicated over the years as things evolve and shift and change."