New! ELMC Jacket Highway Star®️ Horsehide

[Marc mndt]

I haven't seen owners of the jacket on this forum, but believe @Carlos840 had the opportunity to try it on. I like how the jacket looks, quite a bit actually, but am pretty much set with this style of jacket.

I indeed read that Carlos tried it on and the fit was all wrong for him. I think I just have to try myself since the Roadstar is a perfect fit for me. T-bird in Paris has the jacket in stock so this might be the perfect excuse for me and my gf to plan a trip to Paris. Not sure France is already accepting tourist though because of covid 19.

 

[Carlos840]

I indeed read that Carlos tried it on and the fit was all wrong for him. I think I just have to try myself since the Roadstar is a perfect fit for me. T-bird in Paris has the jacket in stock so this might be the perfect excuse for me and my gf to plan a trip to Paris. Not sure France is already accepting tourist though because of covid 19.

The roadstar Fits me much better than the highway star.
The roadstar has a classic V shape, the higway star is an hourglass shape.
If you are a curvy boy (hips as wide as shoudlers or close) the Highway star should work on you, if you are V shaped like me (shoulders much wider than hips) it is probably going to look like a bag like it did on me.

 

[Marc mndt]

The roadstar Fits me much better than the highway star.
The roadstar has a classic V shape, the higway star is an hourglass shape.
If you are a curvy boy (hips as wide as shoudlers or close) the Highway star should work on you, if you are V shaped like me (shoulders much wider than hips) it is probably going to look like a bag like it did on me.

Dang, I have a 43 inch chest and a 34 inch waist. I wear jeans size 29. No hips at all Im afraid this jacket is not going to work for me.

I asked Eastman for the bottom hem width but they didn't include it in their reply.

Isn't it strange that they've decided to go for a different fit for their latest model? Both the roadstar and the californian are V-shaped. Not sure about the windward but I believe it's V-shaped as well.

 

[Carlos840]

Dang, I have a 43 inch chest and a 34 inch waist. I wear jeans size 29. No hips at all Im afraid this jacket is not going to work for me.

I asked Eastman for the bottom hem width but they didn't include it in their reply.

Isn't it strange that they've decided to go for a different fit for their latest model? Both the roadstar and the californian are V-shaped. Not sure about the windward but I believe it's V-shaped as well.

This is me, it was all wrong for me, i would be ready to bet it would be worst on you...

 

[Marc mndt]

Too bad. I really like the design and I'm guessing it's lightweight just like the other elmc jackets.

Freewheelers Mulholland has a similar design but more V-shaped I guess? Or is it also hourglass shaped? Anyway, freewheelers is above my budget. I don't want to go there (yet)

 

[Carlos840]

Too bad. I really like the design and I'm guessing it's lightweight just like the other elmc jackets.

Freewheelers Mulholland has a similar design but more V-shaped I guess? Or is it also hourglass shaped? Anyway, freewheelers is above my budget. I don't want to go there (yet)

I have never handled or tried on the Mulholland, but seeing how it fits @dudewuttheheck i doubt it would fit me and you that well.
I would love to be wrong though, as it's a great looking jacket!

 

[Edward]

This is me, it was all wrong for me, i would be ready to bet it would be worst on you...

Mirror imaged (your swooshtika looks backwards), or are you a lefty? Nice basses!

 

[Carlos840]

Mirror imaged (your swooshtika looks backwards), or are you a lefty? Nice basses!

Photo taken with the iMac webcam, indeed it is mirrored.
I am a righty...

The one on the left is a 77 Gibson RD artist, originally designed for John Entwistle, but he didn't like them and never played them. They have a giant Moog board built in with a compressor an expander and an active EQ.
The only real negative of this bass is the weight, it weighs 5.7kg, a good 1.5kg heavier than your average P bass.
Because of that i rarely use it, by the end of the first set you shoulder is dead, by the end of the second set you just want it to be over so you can go home...
They were only made in 77 and 78.

Krist Novoselic used a black one without the Moog package, i would love to find one but they are even rarer.

The Thunderbird is an 88 version, basically the first year they reproduced them after the original 63-69 original run and 76-79 reissue run. IMO it is as good as it gets for the money. The originals and the 70s reissues are stupidly expensive, and the current ones have pretty crappy pickups.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I have never handled or tried on the Mulholland, but seeing how it fits @dudewuttheheck i doubt it would fit me and you that well.
I would love to be wrong though, as it's a great looking jacket!

It's not as V shaped as some of the other FW jackets.

However, even now that I have lost weight I think it still looks pretty good on me. I'm now a 41" chest and 32.5" waist and it still fits well. When I first got it I was somewhere around a 42.5" chest and 37" waist or so, maybe 38". It almost looked like it fit me better back then.

How it looked when I first got it:

How it fits now:

I think I fill the jacket out more in the original pics and I could actually still zip it up pretty comfortably as well.
It still looks decent, but that's partly because even after the weight loss, my butt is kinda big

 

[Edward]

Photo taken with the iMac webcam, indeed it is mirrored.
I am a righty...

The one on the left is a 77 Gibson RD artist, originally designed for John Entwistle, but he didn't like them and never played them. They have a giant Moog board built in with a compressor an expander and an active EQ.
The only real negative of this bass is the weight, it weighs 5.7kg, a good 1.5kg heavier than your average P bass.
Because of that i rarely use it, by the end of the first set you shoulder is dead, by the end of the second set you just want it to be over so you can go home...
They were only made in 77 and 78.

Krist Novoselic used a black one without the Moog package, i would love to find one but they are even rarer.

The Thunderbird is an 88 version, basically the first year they reproduced them after the original 63-69 original run and 76-79 reissue run. IMO it is as good as it gets for the money. The originals and the 70s reissues are stupidly expensive, and the current ones have pretty crappy pickups.

I remember Novolselic's RD with Nirvana, first time I ever saw one. I love the shape. I nkow they did guitar versions as well - though from memory, most players tripped out the complicated eletronics and set them up like an LP over time. I'm sure I recall seeing an old ad where Gibson styled them "The guitar you probably ouldn't play, even if you could afford one." Talk about doing a Ratner!! Ther'es somebody doing an RD shaped guitar set up like an LP new these days - the Hagstrom Fantoman. Looks pretty cool. If ever I get a chance to go on one of those "build yer own guitar" holidays, I do quite fancy a P-bass with an RD shaped body. In blue sparkle!!

 

[Marc mndt]

Back on topic I haven't given up just yet, I've asked one of ELMC's stockist to provide actual measurements, including the bottom hem width. They gave me the following on a size 42:

Shoulder 45cm
Ptp: 56 cm
Back: 62 cm
Sleeves: 64 cm
Bottom hem: 52,5 cm

The bottom width of my Roadstar is 50cm which makes the Highwaystar just 2,5 cm (1 inch) wider, which doesn't seem like much.

Maybe it will work for me because I'm not as tall as @Carlos840 , I'm 5'11 (180). It will be a boxy fit which might just suit the jacket?

I'm not sure whether I'm ignoring the facts because I really WANT this jacket to fit, or whether this could actually work as it being a boxy fit.

Edit: typo on ptp

 

[nick123]

Photo taken with the iMac webcam, indeed it is mirrored.
I am a righty...

The one on the left is a 77 Gibson RD artist, originally designed for John Entwistle, but he didn't like them and never played them. They have a giant Moog board built in with a compressor an expander and an active EQ.
The only real negative of this bass is the weight, it weighs 5.7kg, a good 1.5kg heavier than your average P bass.
Because of that i rarely use it, by the end of the first set you shoulder is dead, by the end of the second set you just want it to be over so you can go home...
They were only made in 77 and 78.

Krist Novoselic used a black one without the Moog package, i would love to find one but they are even rarer.

The Thunderbird is an 88 version, basically the first year they reproduced them after the original 63-69 original run and 76-79 reissue run. IMO it is as good as it gets for the money. The originals and the 70s reissues are stupidly expensive, and the current ones have pretty crappy pickups.

Novoselic's dad worked with my grandpa in the shipyards. Croatian surname. I think the band came over for dinner once.

 

[Carlos840]

Back on topic I haven't given up just yet, I've asked one of ELMC's stockist to provide actual measurements, including the bottom hem width. They gave me the following on a size 42:

Shoulder 45cm
Ptp: 46 cm
Back: 62 cm
Sleeves: 64 cm
Bottom hem: 52,5 cm

The bottom width of my Roadstar is 50cm which makes the Highwaystar just 2,5 cm (1 inch) wider, which doesn't seem like much.

Maybe it will work for me because I'm not as tall as @Carlos840 , I'm 5'11 (180). It will be a boxy fit which might just suit the jacket?

I'm not sure whether I'm ignoring the facts because I really WANT this jacket to fit, or whether this could actually work as it being a boxy fit.

That sounds weird, because i usually aim for a 20-20.5" bottom hem, and 52,5cm is 20.6".
I don't know what to tell you... It definitely didn't feel like 20.6", more like 22".
It might be worth risking it, can you return it if you are unhappy with the fit?

 

[Marc mndt]

It might be worth risking it, can you return it if you are unhappy with the fit?

The stockist doesn't have a webshop but they offered to send the jacket to me. I guess returning it if the fit isn't ok shouldn't be a problem, but I think I'd rather go to Paris and try it on. They also have some other jackets in stock I'd like to try.

 

[Mysteryo]

The stockist doesn't have a webshop but they offered to send the jacket to me. I guess returning it if the fit isn't ok shouldn't be a problem, but I think I'd rather go to Paris and try it on. They also have some other jackets in stock I'd like to try.

T-Bird Shop?

 

[Marc mndt]

T-Bird Shop?

Yep. Very friendly and helpful shop owners. Paid them a visit last December, just before covid paid a visit to Europe.

 

[AeroFan_07]

If you do try it on, please take some photos with it on. Seems in 5 pages of conversation, there has only still been one shot off thier website of someone wearing this jacket. I have a 36" waist, generally size 44" chest. It's a $1200 USD jacket. So no small change there. Seems like it might be a possibility. Just really like the design and simplicity of the jacket overall.

 

[Marc mndt]

If you do try it on, please take some photos with it on. Seems in 5 pages of conversation, there has only still been one shot off thier website of someone wearing this jacket. I have a 36" waist, generally size 44" chest. It's a $1200 USD jacket. So no small change there. Seems like it might be a possibility. Just really like the design and simplicity of the jacket overall.

I will certainty do so. I've searched all over the internet, no fit pics anywhere. Only ones I found were from the t-bird shop owner wearing it.

I think it's even pricier, elmc charges £1295 on their website.

 

[Worf]

Photo taken with the iMac webcam, indeed it is mirrored.
I am a righty...

The one on the left is a 77 Gibson RD artist, originally designed for John Entwistle, but he didn't like them and never played them. They have a giant Moog board built in with a compressor an expander and an active EQ.
The only real negative of this bass is the weight, it weighs 5.7kg, a good 1.5kg heavier than your average P bass.
Because of that i rarely use it, by the end of the first set you shoulder is dead, by the end of the second set you just want it to be over so you can go home...
They were only made in 77 and 78.

Krist Novoselic used a black one without the Moog package, i would love to find one but they are even rarer.

The Thunderbird is an 88 version, basically the first year they reproduced them after the original 63-69 original run and 76-79 reissue run. IMO it is as good as it gets for the money. The originals and the 70s reissues are stupidly expensive, and the current ones have pretty crappy pickups.

I've many basses, only one Gibson.. A '68 Recording Bass, Les Paul body. Heaviest bass I own. Only did ONE gig with it ever, needed a back adjustment afterwards. Even heavier than my plexiglass Renaissance 4 string. Always toyed with the idea of a T-Bird.

Worf

 

[Carlos840]

I've many basses, only one Gibson.. A '68 Recording Bass, Les Paul body. Heaviest bass I own. Only did ONE gig with it ever, needed a back adjustment afterwards. Even heavier than my plexiglass Renaissance 4 string. Always toyed with the idea of a T-Bird.

Worf

I know the feeling...
I have been looking for a Greco version of that recording bass for a while, i have never played one but i really like the look of them.

The T-bird sounds awesome, but it is an awkward bass to play, it neck dives like no other and because of the shape the neck feels very far out. You have to stretch your fretting hand an extra few inches out to reach the same note. I would say the F on the E string is a good three inches further out compared to a Fender.
It doesn't sound like much, but between the extra stretch and the fact that you have to hold the neck up constantly it isn't super comfortable to play.
Personally i only use it when i know i will mostly play with a pick that night, to me it is what it does best.
If it's a mostly fingers night then i would rather play a different bass.
They are great though, a bit like a very awkward angry jazz bass. They really cut through and growl...

My favourite "gibson" bass is actually a Greco SG, these two are awesome! Especially the one with the chicken knob.
If you can get an old Greco for a good deal go for it, they are amazing, just as well made as Gibson if not better and cheaper. (these also have horrible balance, but better than a T-bird)

edit: No more derails i promise, i just really like basses too...