Fret King Country Squire Semitone De Luxe Guitar
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Although most of the Fret King range of guitars is aimed fair and square at the rock player, the Country Squire with its semi-acoustic, single ‘f’ hole-chambered construction, is a much more versatile instrument.
Jazzwise sampled the all-UK built Green label model made in the Fret King factory in Lancashire. With a body made up in two piece swamp ash, this Telecaster lookalike is a beautifully crafted, superbly balanced guitar. The sample came with a rosewood board on a bolt on maple neck, and had a 1960s style shallow C neck profile with a 10-inch fingerboard radius. Fret King have used a smaller than normal trussrod in the neck to maximise the amount of wood and by implication create greater sustain and response. Electrics are served by two single coil, vintage voiced, Alnico V pickups in the neck and centre positions, with a Fret King Humbucker in the bridge position. A five way Tele-style switch offers various combinations, with position 4 giving a very punchy humbucker and central single coil.
The acoustic chambers in the body of the Country Squire make it a very resonant instrument and this along with the almost solid wood neck gives the player what might be expected – incredible sustain. The fretboard is almost akin too playing on a marble slab and that 10inch fingerboard radius makes note-bending a cinch. Whichever combination of pickup is used, the sound produced has a refined fluidity with a warm, rich tone. The tone is vintage to a tee. (DG) For more go to www.fret-king.com
The acoustic chambers in the body of the Country Squire make it a very resonant instrument and this along with the almost solid wood neck gives the player what might be expected – incredible sustain. The fretboard is almost akin too playing on a marble slab and that 10inch fingerboard radius makes note-bending a cinch. Whichever combination of pickup is used, the sound produced has a refined fluidity with a warm, rich tone. The tone is vintage to a tee. (DG) For more go to www.fret-king.com