James Tyler Guitars | Studio Elite 1987 - Malibu Beach Shmear

James Tyler is a name synonymous with innovation and craftsmanship in the world of electric guitars. Having started out in the early 1970s performing custom electric guitar work and repairs, Tyler quickly built a reputation for exceptional quality and precision. His work became highly sought after, especially by top session musicians and artists in the Los Angeles studio scene during the 1980s and 1990s. His dedication to listening to customers and pushing the boundaries of what electric guitars could do established him as a trusted name amongst discerning players. Decades of hands-on experience with thousands of guitars gave Tyler a unique understanding of how guitars work and what players truly want.

The Studio Elite range embodies the pinnacle of form, function, and sound, representing James Tyler's mission to craft the ultimate electric guitar. These instruments cater to the needs of serious studio and gigging musicians who demand superior performance and playability. 

Body: The Studio Elite 1987 is crafted from solid Mamywo, a light wood that gives a nice raise in the mid frequencies. Finished in a semi-gloss Malibu Beach Shmear, this model commemorates the 35th anniversary of James Tyler Guitars

Neck and Fretboard: The neck is made from quartersawn maple, paired with an Indian rosewood fretboard. This combination provides exceptional stability, smooth playability, and a warm, rich tonal character. Featuring a comfortable Standard neck, this guitar feels amazing to play on with a 1959 Oval neck shape measuring .845" at the 1st fret and .975" at 12th. A 10"-12" compound radius helps to keep chords easy to fret on the lower frets and stops bends fretting out on the higher frets. Paired with a 1 5/8" nut width for a familiar feel.

Pickups: Featuring a HSS Slanted pickup configuration, you get a selection of dual HCS Stingray 500's and a California Special humbucker. The Stingray 500s offer a dynamic response - producing fat tones when playing hard but brightening up with lighter picking - and punchy mids with rich harmonics. These are matched with the punchy midrange of the California Special, bringing with it a strong attack and good sustain.

Electronics: This Studio Elite 1987 comes equip with a plethora of electronics for an extremely versatile tonal palate. The active midboost preamp is a high gain/low impedance circuit that gives you lower lows and higher highs with a 2dB volume increase - on top of this, you can utilise the midboost control to increase the mids and output further. This preamp can be bypassed easily with the touch of a button for passive tones or added in to give some extra "oomf" at the perfect moments. The second button is to add both the neck and (coil-split) bridge pickups to your sound, no matter what position your pickup selector is in, for an ultimately versatile switching setup. This guitar actually features second hidden coils for both of the "single-coil" pickups and all 3 pickups have individual 3-way series/split/parallel switches with a 4th switch to bypass it all and go straight to the full bridge humbucker in series.

Bridge and Hardware: The Studio Elite 1987 is equipped with a Gotoh two-post tremolo with James Tyler branded bent steel saddles, offering excellent tuning stability and smooth performance. Locking Hipshot tuners add to the guitar's reliability, ensuring that it stays in tune even during heavy playing sessions, and their big Pearl buttons add that extra touch of elegance.

Case: The guitar comes with a Tyler Signature Hardshell Case, providing premium protection and durability.

James Tyler guitars offer an exceptional experience in every aspect. Even the selector switch is a joy to use! Once you hold one, you'll instantly recognise the sheer quality and craftsmanship. Tyler's distinctive design make the Studio Elite 1987 a guitar that is as visually striking as it is sonically powerful. Whether you're a studio professional or a live performer, this guitar can handle anything from smooth clean tones to high-gain distortion with ease.