# Palermo Guitars anyone?



## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Does anyone have one? played one? Interested in hearing what you thought of them. Out of Thorold, Ontario. Very little info or reviews out there on the interwebs.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

So, that's a hard no?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I've never heard of them


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

DaddyDog said:


> So, that's a hard no?


I've heard of Palermo, Italy but that's as close as I can come.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I checked the site out. He seems more like a finishing guy....guessing that a lot of guitars on Reverb are made off shore and finished here based on the pricing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.


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## DrumBob (Aug 17, 2014)

Not impressed. They look like beat up, relic'd Fender copies. Big deal.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Thats the guy that owns thorold music. Not sure if he does partcaster type builds or takes off the shelf guitars and does his own thing to them. 
Go down to thorold music and play one. Or call him and se whats the deal with them. Im thinking hes more like some of the other partscaster builders but not sure.


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## iamthehub (Sep 21, 2016)

I know Johnny Depp and one of the guitarists for Alice Cooper uses Palermo guitars. 

I met the owner, Mike. Pretty cool guy. I suggest calling him up and talk to him. He was a guest on the EVH and Gear TV podcast a while back. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Moosehead said:


> Go down to thorold music and play one.


 Only about an hour's drive for me. But that drive is horrible on summer Saturday's! 
*#*(

Thanks for chiming in everyone.


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## purpleplexi (Nov 5, 2014)

I don't know if I'd wanna pay $2,000 for some $100 Asian made guitar that someone paints and puts a half decent pick up in.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

purpleplexi said:


> I don't know if I'd wanna pay $2,000 for some $100 Asian made guitar that someone paints and puts a half decent pick up in.


That was the impression I was getting from it as well. I'll happily be wrong though. They could be quality built by another builder.


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## purpleplexi (Nov 5, 2014)

cboutilier said:


> That was the impression I was getting from it as well. I'll happily be wrong though. They could be quality built by another builder.


I might be wrong about them being $100 guitars (Maybe they are $150) but that is likely what he's doing. He's already semi- famous for bringing in a bunch of fake Tokai Love Rocks in the early 2000's and selling them as "Japanese Models". They weren't even real Tokais. There are a bunch of posts about him being a scammer and posting under all kinds of fake names on forums - you can just google them by searching "Mike's Music Tokai Love Rock"

Most people don't know this but anyone can order any kind of guitar with any spec and anything written on the headstock you want if you order enough of them. If you check his Reverb site he has a load of the same semi-hollow guitar in different colours. 

Buyer beware I guess.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

purpleplexi said:


> I might be wrong about them being $100 guitars (Maybe they are $150) but that is likely what he's doing. He's already semi- famous for bringing in a bunch of fake Tokai Love Rocks in the early 2000's and selling them as "Japanese Models". They weren't even real Tokais. There are a bunch of posts about him being a scammer and posting under all kinds of fake names on forums - you can just google them by searching "Mike's Music Tokai Love Rock"
> 
> Most people don't know this but anyone can order any kind of guitar with any spec and anything written on the headstock you want if you order enough of them. If you check his Reverb site he has a load of the same semi-hollow guitar in different colours.
> 
> Buyer beware I guess.


Yep. The smarter Chinese makers will ship the logo plates separately for things like Gibsons and Ricks.


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## purpleplexi (Nov 5, 2014)

cboutilier said:


> Yep. The smarter Chinese makers will ship the logo plates separately for things like Gibsons and Ricks.


Yeah - If you look at his Reverb page there are no photos of the headstocks on any of those guitars - that I could find anyway.


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## purpleplexi (Nov 5, 2014)

A buddy of mine sent Mike Palermo a message asking where these guitars are made. He won't reply. My guess, without knowing for sure, is that they are made in China or something and he's marking them up a billion percent. Run. haha


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

I play in a band with him- he is a good guy- why don't you call his music store and ask for him- he would be glad to talk with you. 905-227-7941

He is pretty much always at the store. 


Phil


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## mikesmusiconline (May 10, 2018)

Hi, its Mike from Mikes Music and Palermo Guitars... ask away. Hey Purple Plexi, who's your buddy? Lets get him on here and we'll do a Q and A. If his name is Chris Pritty by chance, I, along with many others in the community refuse to play his games... so in that case yes, I refuse to take part.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

mikesmusiconline said:


> Hi, its Mike from Mikes Music and Palermo Guitars... ask away. Hey Purple Plexi, who's your buddy? Lets get him on here and we'll do a Q and A. If his name is Chris Pritty by chance, I, along with many others in the community refuse to play his games... so in that case yes, I refuse to take part.


Always nice to see someone show up to discuss their products. 

@purpleplexi


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

There should be a rule that if you’re not sure you shouldn’t speculate. (Especially on guitar forums)


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Cups said:


> There should be a rule that if you’re not sure you shouldn’t speculate. (Especially on guitar forums)


that would eliminate most of us from posting


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

Touché %h(*&


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## mikesmusiconline (May 10, 2018)

purpleplexi said:


> A buddy of mine sent Mike Palermo a message asking where these guitars are made. He won't reply. My guess, without knowing for sure, is that they are made in China or something and he's marking them up a billion percent. Run. haha


You like to "Guess," without "knowing for sure" and "may be wrong" on a lot of your accusations regarding my company. Are you afraid of possible defamatory legal action against you? After all, I heard you are a Toyota man, hiding behind an English Avatar who plays many Asian made guitars (from what I recall ESP, Yamaha, Ibanez etc)... hmmm.....


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

so where are the guitars made?


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

purpleplexi said:


> Yeah - If you look at his Reverb page there are no photos of the headstocks on any of those guitars - that I could find anyway.


Wierd. I went to Reverb yesterday to check this out. 3 random pics from different guitars yielded head stock results for me.


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## mikesmusiconline (May 10, 2018)

vadsy said:


> so where are the guitars made?


USA and Canada. THANK YOU! Parts of course are sourced from around the world (electronic components). USA for Input Jacks, Pots, Bridges and Tuning Machines (Grover/Wilkinson). Most of the other parts are from Japan (Gotoh Tuners for Example), Germany (Schaller and Floyd Rose). Pickups are all USA (Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, and our Custom Wound Pickups). All our woods are directly sourced from Africa (Korina), Germany (Ebony), Swamp Ash (Louisiana, USA), Maple is all from Canada. Most 3 Way and 5 Way Switches are now made in Mexico, Korea and Taiwan. We have NEVER purchased a cheap guitar and passed it off as our own. We do however do "Conversions." For example we will take a Mexican or USA Charvel, or USA Gibson and redo the finish and components... and then re-sell it.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Thanks for the info on another possible option to look into for new guitars @mikesmusiconline . Always nice to have Canadian options.


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

Here is Mike playing a conversion...


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

Sounds suspiciously like he is better than me. This must be a fake video made in China.


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

he made this one for Nikki Sixx


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

Hey guys- I don't work for Mike or anything- he is just a pal, a kickass guitar player, and a humble guy- his guitars are great- and he is doing work for some big names.... don't take my word for it- give him a call, go to his music store and play one of his guitars- or even better- order one! In my opinion you can't go wrong.

Cheers! 

Phil


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

purpleplexi said:


> I might be wrong about them being $100 guitars (Maybe they are $150) but that is likely what he's doing. He's already semi- famous for bringing in a bunch of fake Tokai Love Rocks in the early 2000's and selling them as "Japanese Models". They weren't even real Tokais. There are a bunch of posts about him being a scammer and posting under all kinds of fake names on forums - you can just google them by searching "Mike's Music Tokai Love Rock"
> 
> Most people don't know this but anyone can order any kind of guitar with any spec and anything written on the headstock you want if you order enough of them. If you check his Reverb site he has a load of the same semi-hollow guitar in different colours.
> 
> Buyer beware I guess.


I remember those - they were all blue IIRC and were definitely not very good!


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

pstratman said:


> Hey guys- I don't work for Mike or anything- he is just a pal, a kickass guitar player, and a humble guy- his guitars are great- and he is doing work for some big names.... don't take my word for it- give him a call, go to his music store and play one of his guitars- or even better- order one! In my opinion you can't go wrong.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> Phil


I fully agree Phil. I'm in his store often and he's always treated me well. Relic'd guitars do nothing for me so I've never looked very close at his inventory. I do know a couple players in the area using his stuff and I remember when Alice Cooper's band stopped around at the store.


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

Gary Borden has a couple of his guitars I think & John Bowman often can be seen playing one. I mean in Gary's case he is playing with big bands all the time- Helix, Gowan, Toronto- many others I'm sure- I don't know his background well. I notice he is playing a Palermo in this video.


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## Sizzz (Jul 28, 2018)

If the guitars are good enough for Joe Perry, they are probably good enough for most of the guys on this forum haha, myself included. The guitars are North American made not Chinese replicas. Great sounding and Mike is always open to talking about his stuff if you drop in or drop him a line. Until you do so... keep practicing your scales


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## Shuggy (Sep 26, 2021)

DaddyDog said:


> Does anyone have one? played one? Interested in hearing what you thought of them. Out of Thorold, Ontario. Very little info or reviews out there on the interwebs.


I live not far from his store. I've been in several times. If your not spending lots of money he treats people like crap, very arrogant and dismissive. I've asked about his Palermo guitars. Who makes them? What material is used? No definitive answers. They are priced as high end guitars but, I'd like to know why?


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