Website: http://www.texasguitarshows.com
Location: Arlington, Texas
Date & Time: October 16th & 17, 2010
Website: http://www.threeguitars.com/
Location: Portland, Oregon
Date & Time: June 6th 2010
Hottie 327 and 454 Guitars – Tested by Dave Hunter
Newly introduced by Hottie Inc, the Portland, Oregon, based company known for Hottie Amps and Hottie Pickups, Hottie Guitars are made by respected independent luthier Saul Koll, also of Portland, and Hottie owner Jean-Claude Escudie. Blending Koll’s design ethos with Escudie’s affection for muscle-cars, the 327 and 454 present a sultry, stripped-down hot-rod look that is at once original and somehow familiar, an esthetic that makes them easy to embrace right from the start.”. Broadly speaking, both are Gibson-esque in specs and construction, but in each case several original stylistic touches and design twists coalesce into a whole that is unique. More than just a vehicle for Hottie’s humbucking pickups, they also provide another avenue for the work of one of the country’s most adventurous, yet under-recognized, makers to reach the guitar-buying public. Each comes with a super-cool, mock-crock formfitting hardshell case made in the USA by Cedar Creek Cases. I tested both guitars with a wide range of amps, but spent most time ramming them through a TopHat Club Royale MkII 1×12 combo.
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WHAT IT IS: These custom-built guitar amplifiers are made from vintage toasters, fitted with a six-inch Jensen speaker and custom-painted by a hot-rod detailer. Powered by a 9-volt battery, Hotties are the coolest practice amps around and can be hooked up to an external cabinet for even more volume.
HOTTIE 454 ELECTRIC GUITAR REVIEW:
Hottie Inc. joins the guitar game with muscle-car-inspired retro rocker.
In this modern age we live in, everything we buy is all about function and portability. We’re all concerned about acquiring the latest and greatest technology and fashion, but there are a few exceptions to the rule, and I’m glad to say that the guitar-playing community goes against the grain. We might be modern in our lifestyles, but we’re classic in our tastes when it comes to guitars. The hottest trends in guitars right now are custom-made, vintage- style instruments and relics, and only a guitar player would pay more for a guitar that looks like it’s been through a war. Read the rest of this entry »
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HOTTIE AMPS: Turning old toasters into guitar amplifiers may seem like an idea you’d only come up with when you’re a little toasted, but that’s exactly what Jean-Claude Escudie of Portland, Oregon, is doing with his line of Hottie Amps. By retrofitting vintage toasters from the ’40s and ’50s with a 9-volt battery-powered amplifier and a 6″ Jensen speaker, Escudie has given new life and utility to these classic icons of the American household.
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TOAST OF THE TONE: Hottie Amp. Circuit benders love to transform ordinary household devices into electronic noisemakers. When Jean-Claude Escudie spied a stack of broken vintage chrome toasters at his local thrift shop he knew they’d make perfect amp cabinets. And so the Hottie Amp was born. While on the outside the Hottie Amp may look like a normal Sunbeam or GE toaster (our favorite a Roto Broil toaster oven), lurking inside are a six-inch Jensen speaker and a nine-volt battery-powered solid state amp.
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HOTTIE AMPS: Hottie Amps are solid state units fitted in vintage toasters and powered by a 9-volt battery. They use a 6″ Jensen MOD speaker and have an output jack to drive an external speaker cab. Hottie Amps will power any 4, 8, or 16-ohm speaker cab and can also be used as an overdrive. Learn more at hottieamps.com.
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HOTTIE INC. TAKES BANDS FROM THE GARAGE TO THE KITCHEN:
Countless financially strapped musicians have experienced the ignominy that accompanies being forced to justify new gear purchases to family members. Portland guitarist Jean-Claude Escudie understands your pain and he’s found a way to help sneak gear into the house – through the kitchen. Each custom-made Hottie Amp is built into the chassis of a vintage American toaster. The toaster shell is a great hook for fans of art deco and Americana, but the Hottie isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a real amp. The unit’s solid-state circuit and 6” Jensen MOD speaker spits out a great crunchy tone for lead guitar or garage rock rhythm. Hottie Amps built into toasters with crumb trays even provide a measure of their own spring reverb. The Hottie Amp also excels as an overdrive and gain boost when driving a speaker cabinet. For a gadget with such a high “cool factor,” the Hottie Amp’s price tag is surprisingly modest. (Jeffrey Elbel)
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PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD: What to get the gent or lady who’s got a Santoku in one hand and a Fender in the other? The unholy union of a ’50s-era General Electric toaster and a 9-volt battery powered amplifier. Portland mech-whiz Jean-Claude Escudie crafts his Hottie Amps (hottieamps.com) outta vintage toasters – and even toaster ovens – and then decorates his Monster Garage-style creations with sleek, sexy, auto paint jobs. This takes the whole “kitchen as stage” idea to a new, louder level. (Kelly Clarke)
