Gadow Guitars’ Classic Set Neck and Nashville models Personality Plus
By: Phil Feser
Posted On: 7/30/2010
Gadow Classic Set Neck
North Caro-lina-based Gadow Guitars makes custom electrics with a variety of options, including body/neck/fretboard woods, inlays, pickups, neck carves, hardware type and color, bridge/tailpiece (including Bigsby and a piezo), pickups, and more than 25 color choices (as well as custom mixes).
While Gadow utilizes CNC machinery to mill body blanks, cut neck joints, and rough-cut necks, the bulk of its finish, fret work, sanding, inlay work, and cutting and installing of the nut are all done by hand. The company offers two proprietary body styles (one single-cutaway, one double-cut) and its three-on-a-side headstock has an ebony overlay. Models include the Custom Set Neck (maple top, set mahogany neck, 25" scale, slab mahogany body), the Nashville and Monterey (bolt-on necks with 25.5" scale) and others including basses. And while the line may borrow from classic designs, the instruments' slightly smaller bodies, flowing curves, and distinctive headstock shape give them a distinct personality.
We recently examined two guitars from Gadow. First was a Classic Set Neck with a grainy, lightweight mahogany body with Cherry Red gloss finish, set mahogany neck with 12"-radius rosewood fretboard, dot inlays, TonePros bridge, stop tailpiece, and Gotoh tuners. Its custom options include a thicker neck carve, Lollar P-90 single-coil pickups, and a pickguard. We also test-rode a Nashville with a swamp ash single-cutaway body in T-Bird Red finish, bolt-on 25.5"-scale medium-C-shape maple neck with a 12" radius rosewood fretboard, Wilkinson vintage-style bridge with compensated brass saddles, and Gotoh tuners. Custom options included Lindy Fralin single-coil pickups, a satin neck finish, and a rosewood overlay on the back of the headstock.
The neck profile on the Set Neck Classic feels fairly "chunky," especially when you consider that Gadow uses a substantial volute on its set-neck guitars. The slimmer standard C-shape and small volute of the Nashville's neck was more to our liking and provided a good demonstration of Gadow's ability to customize neck profiles.
We test drove the Gadows through a Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (12AX7/6L6) 50-watt head going into our Hard Truckers Fatty 2x12" cabinet, as well as a Genz Benz Black Pearl (12AX7/EL84) 30-watt 1x12" combo.
The Set Neck Classic produced a clear, punchy tone with plentiful spank through the Roadhouse, without getting harsh. The combination of the resonant mahogany body and overwound Lollar P-90 Soap Bar pickups produced a rich, lively tone. The slightly longer scale length (vs. the standard 24.75") not only helped maintain the punchy low-end on the low E string, but added tension to the playability. Through the Black Pearl, the Classic's punchy clean sound translated into a very articulate overtone-saturated overdrive. The Lollars also produced an excellent crunchy-distortion rhythm tone when run together, while the neck pickup offered a good single-note high-gain solo sound and a thick, bluesy, slightly overdriven rhythm tone with the guitar's Volume control backed down.
Plugged into the CBB Roadhouse, the Nashville produced plenty of classic twang through the bridge pickup, with thick, punchy low notes and biting, crisp highs. Its resonant, lightweight swamp ash body, Fralin single-coils, and compensated brass saddles helps make a strong, bright sound with no irritating high overtones or ear fatigue. The Fralin neck pickup produced strong, slightly hotter tone than most pickups of its type, with a very balanced output. In the middle position, the two produced a richer, thicker tone than one expects from this setup.
Like the Set Neck Classic, the Nashville's articulate, clear tone translated well through the Black Pearl's overdrive settings, with a host of rich overtones and excellent note separation.
Overall, the Gadow Set Neck Classic and Nashville offer rock solid playability and tone that convey solid, classic tones while retaining their own personality.
This article originally appeared in VG's December 2007 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
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