Most know Steve Brown for the pyrotechnics heard throughout Trixter’s glam rock staples Give it To Me Good, Line of Fireplaceand One in a Million.
Extra not too long ago, Brown has been discovered taking part in reveals with Tokyo Motor Fist and dealing with the likes of Ace Frehley, Def Leppard, and Dennis DeYoung. However that’s not all, with Brown teaming up with Jay Abend [Guitar Fetish] to launch a brand new line of decidedly ‘80s-themed curios underneath the moniker of SBS Guitars.
“SBS Guitars is an instance of how essential the relationships you will have in life and enterprise are,” Brown tells Guitar World. “Relationships are the muse of all the pieces if you wish to achieve success. I discovered that a very long time in the past.”
As for a way he connected with Abend, Brown says, “Jay and I’ve been mates longer than I can keep in mind, going again to the early days. Jay began working for Guild within the ‘80s, after which he began Bedrock Amplifiers, which the Black Crowes and Aerosmith used. And Jay was the man who introduced Joe Perry the Blade Runner [Guild X-100] guitar that he used within the Stroll This Means video with Run-DMC, so he’s obtained a pedigree.”
As evidenced by Brown’s recollection, he and Abend have been across the block various instances, however that also doesn’t fairly inform us how SBS Guitars got here to be, to which Brown says, “I’m getting there!” earlier than telling us, “So I bumped into Jay once more within the late-’90s, and Jay was within the enterprise of promoting elements with Guitar Fetish, and I used to be a buyer.”
He continues, “I requested him, ‘Hey, do you give musicians’ reductions?’ And Jay stated, ‘Who’re you once more?’ and I stated, ‘Steve Brown from Trixter.’ He gave me the low cost, we obtained to speaking, and I’ve been a buyer ever since. However extra importantly, I’ve been good mates with Jay ever since.”
These guitars sound good. They’re no f**king joke. They’re made correctly as a result of I do know what sounds good
Pushing towards the current, Brown and Abend are watching a line of hot-rod-meets-vintage guitars, all of which proudly bear the SBS insignia on their Fender-inspired headstocks. They give the impression of being stable, however their building and {hardware} are as much as scratch too, with our bodies manufactured from alder, necks out of flamed Canadian hard-rock maple, and an array of florescent colours, all of which have been relic’d.
“These guitars sound good,” Brown insists. “They’re no fucking joke. They’re made correctly as a result of I do know what sounds good, and Jay understands tone and the way to construct a guitar, and wire pickups.”
After all, the success of artist-driven strains, corresponding to Earl Slick’s namesake model, can also be at play, which can be discovered by means of Guitar Fetish. And that’s not misplaced on Brown: “I feel everyone knows in regards to the success that Guitar Fetish had with the Slick line, which was form of a launching pad for this complete factor. He did these cool relic’d guitars that sounded fucking good, have been manufactured from good wooden, and have been low cost however nice.”
Brown is pleased with what he’s completed. As such, he doesn’t lay his identify (or initials) throughout simply any guitar. However that was by no means a problem.
“Jay is a grasp,” Brown explains. “So, we utilized that pondering to SBS and made killer guitars that I’d play myself. You may’t get a guitar for underneath $400 that’s this good wherever else.”
Excellent as SBS Guitars are, Brown has been at it for a very long time, that means he’s obtained an array of Superstrats, Les Pauls, and varied offsets to maintain him occupied. And so, one should marvel if Brown plans to play the guitars featured on this scorching new line: “Dude, I wouldn’t put my identify on one thing if I didn’t consider this was an actual product that stacked up towards something I’ve ever performed.”
Ever insistent, Brown continues, “I’m not gonna point out names, however there’s huge manufacturers making stuff on the market that’s no higher than the $200 Chinese language knockoffs you see on-line. And then you definately’ve obtained the stuff out of lots of people’s leagues that’s like $5,000. I wished to make one thing that would ship the standard, and I consider SBS sits proper within the center.”
It’s evident that Brown has put all the pieces he has into SBS. Furthermore, he’s put downed his classic guitars and subbed all three of SBS’s fashions, which embrace the VS300 HSS Superstrat-alike, the double-humbucker MS260, and the VS200 offset, which seems to be a bit like a Fender Jazzmaster… with a double-locking tremolo.
When requested which is his present favourite, a wry smile stretched throughout Brown’s face.
“I’ve been loving this purple MS260, which was so nice proper from the manufacturing unit,” he enthuses. “When I’ve that factor in my fingers, man, I’m so pleased with it. I get amped up when taking part in it, which isn’t stunning. I’m form of high-energy on stage and get knocked for my guitar angle quite a bit, however I don’t care; I’m pleased taking part in this factor as a result of it sounds fucking phenomenal.”
Solely time will reveal the last word success of SBS Guitars, however the early returns are wanting good, with Brown telling me the response has been “overwhelming” and that “persons are digging what we’ve completed as a result of they get it.”
I selected the shapes and colours I did as a result of hot-rodded-looking guitars are what I got here up taking part in
“Getting it” is a key to your complete SBS enterprise. The road seems to be prefer it surfaced from a hair steel time capsule. However that, after all, was by design.
“I selected the shapes and colours I did as a result of hot-rodded-looking guitars are what I got here up taking part in,” Brown reminds. “Should you look again to my Trixter days, these are the guitars I used to be taking part in, and I nonetheless love them. However the magnificence is that with SBS, you’ll be able to have these varieties of guitars and get these sounds for a fraction of the value. It is a lifelong ardour, and I’m so fucking stoked to deliver it to individuals who need it, too.”
As with most issues he takes on, Brown is embarking on his SBS Guitars journey with vigor and a blindingly constructive outlook. However he’s not fairly the identical as when he was younger; he’s wiser, a bit extra weathered, and only a contact savvier.
“We all know we now have to take care of a wise enterprise sense,” Brown admits. “We will’t go loopy early, and we haven’t. We weren’t certain how it will go, however we made an awesome product at an unbelievable worth. And we’re within the thick of it now; the consumers have spoken, and the success has been overwhelming.”
Success is good, however with it comes naysayers, one thing Brown is all too accustomed to. Unfazed, Brown and Abend are greater than optimistic about the way forward for SBS, with Brown insisting, “We don’t care in regards to the haters. Persons are going to bash these guitars particularly as a result of they hate me. They’ll say, ‘Fuck that man and fuck Steve Brown. Don’t purchase that guitar,’ and that’s cool. I’m used to that shit.”
Offering an incredible guitar that individuals can afford is certainly one of my crowning achievements
Given his pleasant nature and sunny disposition, not everybody would agree, however Brown reveals, “After we began this, I advised Jay, ‘You already know you’re stepping into enterprise with Steve Brown from Trixter, proper?’ There’s a bunch of people that have at all times liked to bash what I do and haven’t let it go all these years later. However I don’t care – offering an incredible guitar that individuals can afford is certainly one of my crowning achievements.”
As for what comes subsequent, Brown has that mapped out, too: “We’ll preserve tackling obstacles and do our greatest. It boils right down to what I used to be speaking about earlier than: relationships. That, and making a high-quality product that individuals can afford. Should you try this, there’s a reasonably good probability of long-term success.”
“However, man, I’m excited,” he concludes. “And I need folks to be excited after they get these guitars of their fingers. I consider in them, and I’m pleased with them. Are you able to inform? Should you can’t, I don’t know what else to do apart from scissor kicks in my kitchen. Past that, I’m taking because it comes and prepared and really prepared for what comes subsequent.”
