erk ...
Forgot to send that in didn't I?
Well as I said it's a demo, but one with no marks on it. This one made the rounds of the guitar shows and was very like the one reviewed in Guitar Player (but that Slingshot had a fake Bigsby called the Revsby which survived until a lawsuit was threatened against Mr. Naylor, so I hear.)
Fireball Red, with white pickguard and vinyl siding, two P90-style pickups with the Bigsby, plus the studio switch, which throws both pickups on no matter what position the five-way switch is in. Cool option. Rosewood board.
Now 've alway liked Bigsbys, because I used tremolo sparingly, like spice on an entree: just enough and it's beautiful, too much and it's hideous. But even I admit that they can be wobbly and throw the guitar out of tune pretty easily. But this new unit has a Tunomatic type bridge on it with sidelocks on it that make it very solid. Plus the new Bigs has a real solid feel to it: it's very stable and I've yet to yank on it enough to detune things.
The pickups, whoever does make them, are excellent: fat and powerful in the neck, grunty and sharp in the bridge - very funky and they really cut through. No need for upgrades. It barks almost up to Les Paul levels and sustains really well for a hollow body. Not noisy at all for single coils.
The neck, as you know, Lee, is one of the best things about Reverends. The neck width has been widened a tad up to 1 11/16, I think, from its previous width that was something like 1 21/32. Feels like a compound radius, but the specs are probably on the site at: www.reverenddirect.com
It has the feel of a pro guitar to it, despite the phenolic (plastic) body. It doesn't hide your clams so you must pay attention when fretting, which is a good thing. I don't miss the wood at all: the alder, ash, maple, mahogony, whatever, which is strange because I love the sound of an alder-body Strat (replica, of course) through a good tube amp. It's great for riffing and also single line stuff. And the Bigsby is so cool for bluesy warbles. Most broken-in feel of any new neck I've played. Feels like a great Strat neck that's smooth and waxy brown, and the tint of the back adds to eye appeal.
And the resonance! Good grief, this klangs like a glockenspiel! My usual test is to play a guitar unplugged with my left ear resting atop the upper left bout. Tokai Strats usualy ring pretty well, but this resonates so loudly that it almost hurts my ears! All this combines for a very good fundamental tone and contributes to the amped tones.
So while I've been spending most of my time with the Tokais, every time I plug in the Slingshot I am astounded all over again with the cool tones, great feel and ringing quality of this ax. It does about everything my Les Paul Pro Deluxe does, so that may head, like all good things in time, to ebay Heaven.
The black and white hardshell case is de coolest ? looks like a two-toned shoe.
I tested out a Rumblefish 5-string bass last summer in a bass store in Phoenix, and the swingin' resonance of the low B was sashaying like a New Orleans second-line band: it was that funky. Did the ear test and the low B warbled so much it made me laugh out loud. So I really wouldn't mind one of those either. Obviously Joe Naylor is up to something with these instruments.
Check out the links on the Rev Website and you will find their Reverend Congregation site. Joe himself will actually send in answers when members are puzzled about something. Imagine the top person at Gibson or Fender chatting with the common proles, taking their suggestions into the next design, or giving hints of the next product around the corner! Don't hold your breath!
Plus I hear his amps are good. These are sleeper instruments, and used on ebay are one heckova deal. Purists may sniff at the lack of body wood, but then they probably haven't had the pleasure of playing one yet! Me, I'd like an Avenger in faux flame maple (hey - they look great!) with a maple board and the Bigsby. Way cool.
So, yes, me and the Rev are getting along nicely, And I hear he has a new one called the Wolfman, with minihumbuckers ... but finances are eh .... you know the drill
Steve