GEAR REVIEW
PALIR TITAN | Mitch Bohannon
KEY FEATURES
• Swamp Ash Body
• Maple fretboard / 1&5/8” nut
• Bigsby B5 w/ Callaham Bridge
• Lollar El Rayo Humbucker Pickups
Four years ago, I had the opportunity to review [John Palir] In early 2009, I was managing at sauce’ for aging your guitar necks… can you
a guitar from John Palir and this month, I get a local bank and I started taking on small guitar give a little hint as to what you’re doing or at
to take an in-depth look at his new Titan. John projects after work. I became very interested in least your end goal?
is a friend of mine. We have lived in the same aging guitar parts, aging necks, and in the end area in South Louisiana for several years. If you creating something that had a hint of art to it. [John] Out of our dislike for sticky necks,
follow his Instagram, you’ll see that his guitars Before long, my work was selling in the form of we have a special ‘secret sauce’ for aging
have made their way onto stages of all genres aged guitar parts, kits, and completed guitars. our necks to make them smooth and as
and all across the globe. In 2012, I decided to build complete guitars comfortable as possible. We would like to think
under the Palir name. In 2014, I was actually of this very labor intensive process as our very
able to make a full-time income building guitars. own ‘Holy Grail’ tweaked and modified over the
The Titan that I’m reviewing is a T-style guitar
with Lollar pickups, Emerson electronics, and
a Bigsby! The neck is a comfortable, C-shape
course of many years. This is a feature many
[WM] Your website mentions your ‘secret
players instantly love when they pick up a
and the aging on the hardware and body finish
is incredibly natural looking. I mentioned four
years ago that Palir Guitars are truly a work of
art and I believe that the quality of his art has
only gotten better over time. Because I know
John, I decided to ask him some questions
that may help explain his build and decisions
and processes.
[WM] When did you start building guitars and
what inspired you?
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December 2018
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