Back in 2019, G&L unveiled the CLF Research Espada, a unique electric guitar based on a lost design by Leo Fender.
Now, the brand has unveiled two new Espadas, which stay faithful to Fender's vision, with one modern-minded twist – a pair of humbuckers, rather than the original's split-coils.
The Espada HH and Espada HH Active are quite similar, but differentiate in the electronics/controls department. The latter boasts G&L AS4255C and AW4368C 'buckers, with volume, treble, and bass controls, a G&L Micro-Preamp, and a Passive/Active/Active-Bright control.
The former, meanwhile, features AW4470Z and AS4255Z humbuckers and the same volume, treble, and bass controls. The two toggle switches on this six-string, however, serve coil-splitting and killswitch functions.
The two guitars can be differentiated visually by their pickups, which are uncovered on the standard HH, but covered on the HH Active.
Elsewhere, the Espadas both sport a hard-rock maple neck featuring a 9.5”-radius, 25.5” Caribbean rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets and white pearl block inlays.
Other aspects of the models, though, are finish dependent. Each Espada comes in a quartet of finishes – Jet Black, Vintage White, Cherryburst, and Honeyburst. The former two finishes are accompanied by alder bodies and black pickguards, while the latter two mean ash bodies and parchment pickguards.
Hardware, in turn, is highlighted by a bone nut, Kluson tuners, and a Leo Fender-designed G&L Saddle-Lock bridge.
The G&L Espada HH and Espada HH Active ring up at $2,099 and $2,199, respectively, and are both available for preorder now.
For more info on the model, visit gandlguitars.com.
"The luthier said, 'I've never seen one that had this penciling inside. It's a ground-zero Jazzmaster.’ ” Thurston Moore was gifted a vintage axe when Sonic Youth's gear was stolen. He had no idea how rare it was
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