Guitar Tricks Insider Gear Reviews of 2017

ELECTRIC GUITAR metallic-sparkle of Reeves Blue, Violin Brown, and a particularly swank-looking Cream, all with a black three-ply pickguard. The Dirtbike’s neck is a three-piece laminate of korina with a 22-fret fingerboard made of a material called, Blackwood Tek. It’s a polymer- injected pine that feels like rosewood. The guitar also has dot inlays, and 43mm Boneite nut. Boneite is a synthetic graphic material that allows for freer string movement and tuning stability. Its neck scale is 24.75 inches, just like a Les Paul or SG, and has a Medium Oval profile—essentially a large D shape—with a dual-action truss, and access at the headstock. Like all Reverends, there’s the company’s distinctive “stepped” headstock shape, faced in black. For hardware on the Reeves Gabrels model, look for chrome pin-lock tuners, which send a steel pin through the post when you tighten the thumbwheel in the back. This secures the string and makes for almost foolproof tuning 2017 GEAR REVIEWS when you’re bending strings or using the trem. Speaking of which, there’s a Wilkinson WVS550 IIK tremolo, which sports saddles that lock to the baseplate, and a free-hanging whammy bar (there’s a small Allen socket on the whammy’s base, if you prefer locking the bar in a set position). In the electronics department, things get interesting fast. You have one pickup, but it’s a proprietary custom humbucker designed by Joe Naylor, and called the Railhammer Reeves Gabrels Signature. Using this design, there are standard poles under the top three strings, but continuous rails under the bottom three, so you have a constant electro-magnetic field between the strings and magnets. This ostensibly adds more clarity to the tone than standard pole pieces. To control the pickup, Reverend gives you a master volume and tone, but also a Bass Contour knob. This allows a bass roll-off, delivering a single-coil styled tone, giving the guitar added versatility. With this passive circuit, you can get more chime- GUITAR TRICKS INSIDER 29

Guitar Tricks Insider Gear Reviews of 2017 | Page 29