Nik Huber Bernie Marsden LTD #4/12 Flame Top Orca 59 in Faded Sunburst (2022)

Get for £16,750 (+P&P) by paying via Bank Transfer (U.K. only). Email ed@smokestackguitars.co.uk and follow instructions in "Bank Transfer" section below - we will respond to you ASAP. 

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Nik Huber 2022 Bernie Marsden LTD Orca 59 Flame Top in Faded Sunburst (Semi-Gloss/Nitro-Oiled Neck) with Cream T Bernie Bucker Pickups, Exceptional Eastern Flame Maple Top, African Flame Mahogany Body, Madagascar Rosewood Neck & Fretboard

Serial: 1 3791 | #4/12

| Cream T Berniebucker Pickups | Cream "Brushed" Pickup Rings | Bell-Gold "Brushed" Knobs  | 3W Toggle | Nitro Semi-Gloss Finish with Nitro-Oiled Neck | Madagascar Rosewood Neck (Std. Orca Carve) | Eastern Flame Maple Binding (Fretboard) | 10"-14" Compound Radius | 25" Scale Length |

| Exceptional Eastern Flame Maple Top | African Flame Mahogany Body | Crown & BM Logo Inlays with Black Pearl & Sterling Silver | Nik Huber 510 "Open Gear" Tuners | Tune-O-Matic Bridge w/Aluminium Tailpiece | Certificate of Authenticity | Madagascan Rosewood Electronics Cavity Plate With Carved Snake, Signed By Bernie Marsden | Madagascan Rosewood Toggle Switch Cavity Plate With White Snake Inlay | Original Hardshell Case |

Overview

Here we go again with another extreme rarity at Smokestack Guitars...and this one is something truly special indeed.

We have the unique pleasure of presenting you with this, now legendary, example of lutherie from the meisters at Nik Huber. This outstanding Bernie Marsden LTD Orca 59 Flame Top is #4/12 from this highly exclusive run. The most coveted Flame Top variant rarely becomes available on the market. It is unlikely to hang around for long, so act now to avoid disappointment. 

Showcasing an exquisite selection of tonewoods, the Exceptional Eastern Flame Maple Top is one of the most spectacular that we have ever seen. But it doesn't end there...Bernie's signature was blessed with the finest African Flame Mahogany from Nik Huber's "lotto-baum" (lotto tree) timber. Speaking about this rare timber and Bernie's guitar, he said:

"This was my gamble back in the day to buy this log. Because I prepaid, I had no idea what was inside. It was very promising by the bark and by the colours, so I invested like a small car amount into that log. When it got cut in Germany, in the sawmill, I was like heart shaking...all of a sudden 'this is my lottery', so I call it 'lotto-baum'...that was the first guitar that we made from this wood" - Nik Huber

To utilise such highly figured and dense mahogany, weight reduction has been carried out on the body in a novel way by Huber's proprietary Honeycomb Routing technique on both the mahogany and maple pieces. It has been done so in a way that it will not be detrimental to its resonance. Even though you will never be able to see this routing inside, it has been machined so finely as to not leave any machine marks from the ball-end cutter - this is the outstanding attention to detail in their craft that makes us love Nik Huber guitars! 

Two superbly characterful pieces of Madagascan rosewood complete the trio of tonewoods found in this guitar - both on the (Standard Orca Profile) neck and on the fretboard. It contrasts beautifully against the ebony headstock veneer and black pearl & sterling silver crown inlays. With such exceptional inlay materials, Nik Huber has really pulled out all the stops for the marquetry here. The matching black pearl & sterling silver "BM" logo on the headstock is the crowning jewel (Well, maybe... until you turn the guitar over and see incredible White Snake inlay on the toggle cavity plate... very cool!). 

Moving on to the pickups, we have a pair of Cream T Berniebuckers. If you're after Bernie's iconic sweet and biting tone, these beauties really deliver. Speaking about Cream T's Thomas Nilsen, here's what Bernie has to say: 

"He produced a piece of equipment that looked like a Doctor Who prop, but turned out to be a type of scanner. The machine was set up, computer fired up, leads and cables plugged in and headphones worn. 

Thomas now needed one more ingredient, the most essential one. The guitar on offer was no less than my 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, known universally as "The Beast". Thomas practically plugged in the guitar into the scanner and technically cloned The Beast's pickups. The Cream T "Super Scanner" Series now had a new member to sit alongside ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons legendary "Pearly Gates" Les Paul!

....I have to say that I'm totally knocked out with the results. I have added them to an old Les Paul Gold Top, and a relatively new PRS BM signature guitar, and both now have an uncanny, and slightly eerie, resemblance sound-wise to the original pickups on The Beast. I still don't really understand how he does it, but the thing is, he does!" - Bernie Marsden

Inspired by Bernie's Explorer E2, electronic controls are handled via two independent volume controls and a single master tone. A 3-way toggle selector is on the upper bout. 

As the photographs attest, this guitar is in excellent condition throughout with zero chips or dings. The frets show only minor signs of any wear. The only thing to note, that isn't immediately apparent from the photographs, is that there are some playwear marks in the semi-gloss lacquer. This is found on the treble side of the pickups with some pick marks (the semi-gloss has slightly more "sheen" here naturally from play), it is visible if you zoom in on this area in the first picture. Some very light playwear marks in the lacquer (not indentations) are visible in certain lights on the back of the guitar; this hasn't shown up at all in the photos and is only minor. It is very common on this type of satin/semi-gloss finish. 

Whoever does snag this stunning instrument will be delighted with it and viewing is most welcome before purchase.

At the weigh-in this guitar is 3.52kg (7.76lbs). 

The case candy includes the Certificate of Authenticity, certificate holder, truss rod tool, Nik Huber card and Nik Huber cloth. The original hardshell case is in overall nice condition, but it does have some slight wear/scuffs from storage. 

This guitar has come from one of the UK's very finest collections; as such, the case has been numbered "323" in turquoise marker pen on the front spine, between the two left-most latches. 

Shipping information is available below. This Bernie Marsden LTD Orca 59 Flame Top is feature-packed - if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. 

Consigned goods: Pre-owned item sold on behalf of a private client. No VAT is charged and no VAT invoice is available.