Stock feature - 2022 Jennings 'Navigator' La Cabronita inspired build
Instrument now sold
Next up for my stock feature, is this seriously fun, La Cabronita inspired spec build. This one features a Swamp Ash body finished in a beautiful new colour from Jennings, Satin Fern Green in exposed grain. This we felt this complimented the colour of the roasted quartersawn maple neck (one piece board and neck too) really nicely!
Perhaps the most noticeable specs on this build are the vibrato and pickup choices. I had my heart set on a vibrato for this build and opted for the Goldo deluxe item which visually may look like a Bigsby, actually has some features that improves on that classic design. In particular it's adjustable arm, which you can position to your personal tastes, tilting, shortening or lengthening it's position which I feel really helps the general feel. It can rotate full out of the way should you wish, or even remove the arm completely with one adjustment of a grub screw. Re-stringing is also a doddle with the Goldo thanks to the string through plate instead of ball end posts like a traditional Bigsby for example. To ensure tuning stability isn't a worry too, we spec'd it with a brass saddle roller bridge and overall the guitar is lovely and resonant and doesn't lack sustain either. One improvement to vibrato equipped T-Style builds Chad incorporates is their neck angle. As a tech I have often come across vibrato retrofitted Teles where substantial shims have been required to achieve good string angle and quality setup, but there is no need for that with this Navigator as Chad deals with it at the source! If you do a side by side comparison to it's hardtail counterpart, you will notice a difference in how he has designed the heel depth, this helps ensure a good string break angle over the bridge and across the heel/neck for a beautiful setup as a hardtail would have. A subtle detail but one which really helps play-ability and stability, something as a tech I appreciate a great deal and shows Chad's attention to detail.
The pickups are the superb McNelly Sparkletron, a Guitar Magazine editors choice award winning pickup model based upon the classic Filter'tron style of humbucker. If you're not familiar with trons, then you'll experience a more single coil like tone as they're a little clearer sounding than a traditional PAF. As a result these are wonderful clean, but any AC/DC / Malcolm Young fan will know that they also love some drive! One of my all time favourite pickup designs, Tim McNelly's Sparkletron specifically, and for me when spec'ing a HB equipped guitar, they are my first consideration and a model I have spec'd a number of guitars with over the years.
The neck again is Chad's Standard C, but this time with a 12" radius to better suit the vibrato and bridge pairing, and it has the Jennings signature mother of pearl hollow circle inlays. A hand cut bone nut, matching headstock and kluson deluxe tuners wrap up the specs on this awesome creation!
Again, I'll be sharing some more formal videos of this build on my YouTube channel soon, but I have been sharing some clips of it over on Instagram since it arrived so I hope those are of help in the meantime!
Let's finish up with some further detailed photos of the guitar. Thanks for reading and for your interest!
James
Next up for my stock feature, is this seriously fun, La Cabronita inspired spec build. This one features a Swamp Ash body finished in a beautiful new colour from Jennings, Satin Fern Green in exposed grain. This we felt this complimented the colour of the roasted quartersawn maple neck (one piece board and neck too) really nicely!
Perhaps the most noticeable specs on this build are the vibrato and pickup choices. I had my heart set on a vibrato for this build and opted for the Goldo deluxe item which visually may look like a Bigsby, actually has some features that improves on that classic design. In particular it's adjustable arm, which you can position to your personal tastes, tilting, shortening or lengthening it's position which I feel really helps the general feel. It can rotate full out of the way should you wish, or even remove the arm completely with one adjustment of a grub screw. Re-stringing is also a doddle with the Goldo thanks to the string through plate instead of ball end posts like a traditional Bigsby for example. To ensure tuning stability isn't a worry too, we spec'd it with a brass saddle roller bridge and overall the guitar is lovely and resonant and doesn't lack sustain either. One improvement to vibrato equipped T-Style builds Chad incorporates is their neck angle. As a tech I have often come across vibrato retrofitted Teles where substantial shims have been required to achieve good string angle and quality setup, but there is no need for that with this Navigator as Chad deals with it at the source! If you do a side by side comparison to it's hardtail counterpart, you will notice a difference in how he has designed the heel depth, this helps ensure a good string break angle over the bridge and across the heel/neck for a beautiful setup as a hardtail would have. A subtle detail but one which really helps play-ability and stability, something as a tech I appreciate a great deal and shows Chad's attention to detail.
The pickups are the superb McNelly Sparkletron, a Guitar Magazine editors choice award winning pickup model based upon the classic Filter'tron style of humbucker. If you're not familiar with trons, then you'll experience a more single coil like tone as they're a little clearer sounding than a traditional PAF. As a result these are wonderful clean, but any AC/DC / Malcolm Young fan will know that they also love some drive! One of my all time favourite pickup designs, Tim McNelly's Sparkletron specifically, and for me when spec'ing a HB equipped guitar, they are my first consideration and a model I have spec'd a number of guitars with over the years.
The neck again is Chad's Standard C, but this time with a 12" radius to better suit the vibrato and bridge pairing, and it has the Jennings signature mother of pearl hollow circle inlays. A hand cut bone nut, matching headstock and kluson deluxe tuners wrap up the specs on this awesome creation!
Again, I'll be sharing some more formal videos of this build on my YouTube channel soon, but I have been sharing some clips of it over on Instagram since it arrived so I hope those are of help in the meantime!
Let's finish up with some further detailed photos of the guitar. Thanks for reading and for your interest!
James
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