Reverend Avenger

2003 Blonde Avenger, gold pick guard(looks nice), laminate semi-hollow, 3 single coils, maple neck, locking tuners were replaced w/Vintage style Klusons, Reverend hard shell case(heavy duty), one tone and one volume, 5-position switch, string through body.

This is were things get really good. I like single coils and wanted a strat sound. Read other reviews and decided to take a chance. Got what I asked for and more. Play with the volume and tone along with the pickups and you get everything except a Gibson growl. Quiet when plugged in. All strings come out very clear when playing chords. I use Fender and Music Man amps, wah pedal, Green machine, Chorus, and Delay. Everything works fine with minimal noise.

Bought used, didn't have to do anything except plug in and play. Owned for 6 months and changed strings, thats it. Really like the neck(Reverend USA). Check their website for descriptions of the different necks on used Reverends. Action is low, with 10's is easy to play.

Seems like it will last forever, I bought some of the plastic strap locks that go over the buttons(which seem very solid) because I don't trust the buttons to hang on to a strap on any guitar. All hardware seems very high quality. The finish is wipe clean with a damp cloth easy to take care of. So far so good.

N/A

Nice guitar. I have a Deluxe Telecaster, Gibson 335. I wanted something to take to practice and when playing at outside venues. I played other strats but wanted this because of the neck, wanted something a little wider. It works perfect for me. I would really miss if stolen and would replace. It is so light you can play all day. I would like to get another(Wolfman) when I get the money together.

Reverend Avenger 1997
No tremelo bar
Rio Grand Pickups (humbucker & 2 Single's)!!!!
Coil Splitter
Old School Neck

This guitar has unbelievable tone and superb pickups it sounds best through a real clean amp. the hollow body gives it a very responsive/resonant tone

Bought it used but very well taken care of the frets are perfect everything fits.Its really a Fender neck on an inovative plastic body (Read Danelectro On Steroids), I mean this neck feels more stratty than any strat I've played, its thick and the fret edges are smooth what more do you need?

People have complained that these guitars have weak neck joints etc.... but I play really agressivley and haven't had a Problem in the four years I've owned this beast

Reverend Is The best I recently bought A workhorse Roco And Joe Nayler!! answered the phone personally and answered a lot of questions I had about the avenger ( i.e. what year it was made etc) Reverend builders hand sign the guitars they make and my avenger was built by the man himself as it was one of the first made.

An American made guitar with good support vintage tone and exellent value these things can't be beat I will buy more and more of them always

2004 Reverend Avenger TL Workhorse. I posted the review here because I don't think the differences between the Workhorse and standard lines are substantial enough to warrant a seperate review entry. Phenolic top and back, plastic sides over a 'white mahogany' center block (who knows what it really is, I don't think any of the true mahogany species are white), maple neck and board, Naylor design pickups, hard tail bridge with strings through body. Mine is the aqua color.

I bought this guitar because of a mutual lust for Strat tones and for the tonal characteristics provided by semi-hollow bodies. I was all ready to drop $1200 on USA Custom parts to build such a guitar and assemble it myself when I remembered Reverend. I play all sorts of rock, blues, clean and fingerstyle, some old school country, and ambient textures. I use a Mesa F-30, Rivera Chubster 40, and Traynor YCV20WR.

The tones this guitar provides are second to none. It has all the Strat characteristics you crave, but with the blooming vocal attack, airy growl, and complexity of a great semi-hollow. Articulation is excellent and the guitar resonates like mad - when you dig in, it fights back by resonating hard against your belly. At very high volumes, a sweet resonant feedback creeps in on sustained notes and you can feel the whole guitar about to take off in your hands, including the neck. Very cool! The tones definitely have a sweeter quality than a solid Strat while still maintaining everything to love about single coils. Unlike a stock Strat, you can also use the bridge pickup without cutting your head off. Easily the best sounding single coil guitar I've ever played, much less owned.

Came equipped from the factory with my biggest pet peeve - a neck pocket shim. I can't think of a quicker or more effective way to destroy the tone and sustain of a bolt-on guitar than with a shim. Why did they do this?? I removed the shim immediately, and the guitar was perfect - it didn't need that shim in the first place, and I'm baffled why it was there.

The rest of the guitar is top flight. The finish (if you can call it that) is perfect, all routing and cutting is flawless, the neck is a killer with perfect fretwork and a great finish with a nice medium profile, and all of the hardware is installed perfectly as well. After re-aligning the neck in the pocket after shim removal, there is a slight gap on the bass side, but not enough to be alarmed about. Overall quality is sickeningly good for a $550 USA made guitar.

I don't foresee any reliability problems. All of the hardware and construction features are top-notch and any reasonable care will keep the guitar alive longer than the owner. The semi hollow design probably feels muh more delicate than it really is, and I think it would take a hell of a rap with a heavy object to crack the phenolic. Even then you would still have an equally great guitar, albeit with a hole in it.

Unbeatable. They are indeed, a small American company that gives a damn.

I've been playing many moons and have a heap of gear from Hamer USA, Mesa, Godin, Rivera, Traynor, Vox, etc etc etc. This is a great guitar, plain and simple, combining the best elements of the Strat with hollow-body vibe. The looks may not be for everyone (I think it's so weird that it's cool), but if you like the looks I highly recommend this guitar. Unless you are seriously brand concious, I can't imagine any reason why someone would buy a a Strat instead of an Avenger. The Avenger is a better guitar.

2003 Avenger. Vintage tint maple neck; gold pickguard with 3 Strat-style pups and single volume and tone controls; fixed string through bridge; phenolic vintage white body and chrome trimming. A visually stunning color combo. Even my kids were "wow, that's pretty" when they saw it.

Came with a very good quality gig bag.

This guitar sounds great - a non-Strat that's better than most Strats IMO. So far, I played it mostly thru 2 amps - a Torres Tiny Tone (great 'lil amp btw) and a Challenger CH-8 into a Weber C12N. It sounded great through both. The pickups are very well voiced and,for Strat lovers, the quack is totally there! The neck pup in particular is outstanding - well-balanced, articulate, nice "blooming" on the neck when used for some jazz runs.

There is no doubt in my mind that Reverend makes the best non-Custom Shop guitars in the US. The satin lacquer finish on the neck is perfect, none of the Fender "stickiness" that so many folks complain about (me included, I always take the 0000 steel wool to Fender necks). The fret job is excellent as is the overall build quality.

I have 3 Reverends and the only problems I have ever had have been with the switch in one of the early Slingshots. I regularly gig without a back-up and never think twice about it.

Never had any reason to call them other than to order this guitar. Reverend's customer support reputation is 2nd to none and the owner, Joe Naylor, is a regular on the FDP boards including The Reverend Congregation.

It's so hard for me not to give tens across the board with these Reverends. The body weight is perfect for gigging, they look good and sound great. The construction works for me but I know that it's not everyone's idea of how a quality guitar should be made.

If I'm being hyper-critical, I'd say that the body shape doesn't quite work when played sittiung down and that the bridge pup needs a bit more clout to differentiate it from the middle position.

I bought this a cosmetic second (hence the great price) but there "second" is just a dark marking in the wood behing the nut and I wouldn't have noticed it unless I knew exactly where to look.

10 = Fantastic Value and, at $529, you can't argue that this guitar is fantastic value.

Early model. Eastpointe neck. Serial number 00925, written with pen on the back of the head. Same features as noted before. Wite with gold pickguard, normal strat style pickups. I was surprised by the output. Loud and clear and punchy. Good balance. Normal tuners (which I prefer) Crap gigbag. (not original, got this from a store in Germany, typicla s--t German service(sorry if I have offended anyone, but really, if you wnat to do business, at least you could make an effort)I did get a great price because people here are stuck of PRS, Fender, Gibson, and starting to get into G&L.Reverend is just as good, believe me. Features? well, it works like it should. Keep it simple!

Sounds like a great strat. Many sides to this one. Covers all styles, not death metal, but with a Laney and some pedals, sure. Not too noisy. I use it with a bedrock amp, like a hiwatt, and a fender HRD. no dislikes. Sometimes I prefer a gibson sound, so I go to my sg or les paul. when I am in a fenderish mood, then I go to this. sounds better than any strat I have every played. Clean, chrunch, dirt, jazz, country, rock, whatever.

Awesome! Well done,lads. Oh, I love Gibsons but the inlays and frets are usually poorly done ( though not on my last SG, that is great! ) Thanks for making a guitar that I can afford. Now that I am a family man I doubt I will afford much from the big names, but I would still like a Gibson 335 or a firebird, other than those, I would like another one of these babies, with a bigsby.Good news is, I CAN afford another reverend! Thanks for putting some pride into your work. Next time, I buy form you and not some lazy clods here who don't actually want to work.

Seems a little fragile, given the neck joint and the rather non-traditional appoach. But here this: The guys who sent this to me packed it horribly. If it were another guitar it could have broken. This was ready to go.

I have heard good things. We'll see, becasue I will deal with them one of these days to get a slingshot or...Hey! Let's support guys like these! I will always love Gibson, but I hope these guys last, and I will do my share.

Been playing for 23 years. have owned too many gutiars, and lost loads selling them. I am out of the selling buying things, because I don't have the time or money. I am picky about my sound. I like to just plug in and play with only a bit of compression or overdrive. I like an honest pure sound. Which is why I like single-coils, as humbuckers never sound quite right too me, good cranked up with distortion, boring otherwise, with some exceptions. I do have a les paul deluxe with mini-humbuckers and I do like that a lot. My favourite pickup is the p-90, that tell you anything? The best guitar sounds were made years ago. The people who had this gutiar abused it, but it works very well now, no problems. I like it, I just like it, you know what I mean? I also have some nice martin style acoustics, hand made for me, a rick 330-12 which I can't play, a double neck sg whcih sounds fantastic ( I think it would even with bad pickups, the wood is so good )and some sgs with p-90s, along with the les paul. In addition to a 335 and a firebird, I would like to try a korean epiphone casino. i have always like their sound when I have heard one in a shop or club. This guitar is a fantastic value. You are NOT paying for any name.

I don't know the year-discontinued model, with indigo blue top--came with the teardrop case, a hex key for the bridge and a bumper sticker. No non-standard features. All three are Rev Strat-style pick-ups, which sound great.

It sounds just great. The classic out-of-phase/Sultans of Swing sound is there, a smooth neck p/u sound-great for blues and a great, biting bridge p/u sound-perfect for country, very rich and warm for a Strat-style guitar. I also had a Tele which my son now owns and the Tele had a meatier mid-range due I'd imagine to it's much greater body mass. Being a semi-hollow you can sit on the couch and play it unamplified and get a nice sound, esp. if you prefer heavier strings and a higher action (which I do).

Beautiful, action is med-high with 10s, exactly how I like it (I'm a basher tho--). Everything's perfect.

I don't gig on guitar and obv. only time will tell, mine will stay clean but the travelling pros should rate this one--

No experience

I'm a bassist and I just play guitar for fun or to work out chord changes and a very occasional jam, tho I have been playing (badly!) for nearly 30 yrs. Tho I normally gig on the upright, I've been wanting to get comfortable w/ 5 string bass. I had seen all the raves about the sound, quality, and relatively low cost of the Rev Rumblefish Five and one came up used so I grabbed it and it's a great bass. I thought I'd love to have a Rev guitar, so I snapped this one up. I just play guitar for fun or to work out chord changes and a very occasional jam. I love this guitar! Over the years, I've owned a Jazzmaster, an Epiphone Sheraton, an Ibanez Strat style, an SG, and an Am. Std. Tele. I still own a Martin D28. I play bass with a sort of local legend rock and blues guitar player, Sonny Kenn. Sonny's been around a long time and knows guitars, in addition to being a player, he was a repairman/tech/tinkerer and worked at the old Dano factory in Neptune, NJ during the 60's. Sonny plays Franken-fenders he puts together. He was very impressed w/ the Reverend, esp. for slide, and Sonny is rather stingy w/ praise. He's now wondering if Joe Naylor can make one w/ Jazzmaster p/ups (I'm sure he can). I haven't needed to, but I like the fact that you can pick up and phone and talk to Joe Naylor. I like the fact that Reverends are US made and I see them as the heir-apparent to Fender during the Leo days. Musicians should support these types of business, IMO. I have dealt with Dennis Kager in the past, I like and respect him, so a Hellhound maybe in the cards for me down the road. I'm a Reverend convert!



ve the Rev. Over the years, I've owned a Jazzmaster, an Epiphone Sheraton, an Ibanez Strat style, an SG, and an Am. Std. Tele. I still own a Martin D28. I play bass with a sort of local legend rock and blues guitar player, Sonny Kenn. Sonny's been around a long time and knows guitars, in addition to being a player, he was a repairman/tech/tinkerer and worked at the old Dano factory in Neptune, NJ during the 60's. Sonny plays Franken-fenders he puts together. He was very impressed w/ the Reverend, esp. for slide, and Sonny is rather stingy w/ praise.

What year was it made? I don't know -- probably 2000.

Where was is made? Michigan, USA

How many frets? I forget! 22, I think.

Solid-Top? Laminated top? Hollow (special patented construction).

Which controls are given? Volume, tone and 5 way selector switch

Pickup configuration? S/S/S classic Strat configuration.

Active or Passive electronics? Passive

Body and neck woods? Maple neck but body is plastic and phenolic.

Finish: Sort of black!

Body style: Cross between a Dano, a strat, a tele, and a Jaguar.

Bridge style: strat style (no tremelo on mine)

Tuners: Non-locking. I think the newer ones are locking Sperzels.

Neck/Scale: Medium thickness -- regular scale.

Any included accessories? Gig bag.

How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)? I like to play clean and it sounds great for that -- classic early Dire Straits strat tone in spades, which is exactly what I was looking for.

What amps and effects are you using it with? Fender Vibro King.

Is it noisy? On what settings? On single PU settings, there is hum. In the "in-between" settings, there is no hum.

Rich/Full sound? Bright sound? Nice, full, airy, shimmery sound with lots of overtones and really good strat "quack".

What kind of sounds can the guitar make? How much variety? It sounds like the best Strat you've ever heard.

Likes and dislikes? I love the sound. I've been looking for this sort of sound my whole life.

How well was the guitar set-up at the factory? Bought it used so I don't know what the other guy did to it, but it was a mess (can't really blame the factory). I raised the action and set up the bridge saddles and did the intonation etc. -- now it's awesome. Pickups were set too low -- fixed that too.

Properly bookmatched top? n/a!

Properly routed bridge? Perfect.

Did the guitar contain any flaws? None.

Will this guitar withstand live playing? Easily.

Does the hardware seem like it will last? Forever.

Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? The phenolic stuff seems really durable. No worries here.

Are the strap buttons solid? Very.

Can you depend on it? Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Most definitely.

If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they? Best customer service in the business, bar none.

Ever try and get it repaired? No.

Was it under warranty? No

How long is the warranty? n/a

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own? Been playing for 23 years. Own another Reverend (Slingshot) and a Fender Tele. Have a bunch of effects and a Fender Vibro King.

Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar? No.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? I would definitely get another.

What do you love about it? What do you hate? What is your favorite feature? I love everything about it, especially the playability and the way it looks. I hate nothingt about it. My favourite feature is the hollow body.

Did you compare it to other guitars? Which ones? Why did you choose this one? Compared it to a few Fender Strats. I find this guitar much more comfortable and superior in sound. They are also more reasonably priced. You get an awful lot for the dollar.


Anything you wish it had? A case!

Anything else you'd like to share? Nope -- except that I am very happy with it and can heartily recommend it.

This review is for three Reverend guitars that I recently purchased. Rocco - new, Avenger - new, Spy - used. The features are mentioned in other reviews.

All three have unique sounds which exceed current Strats, LP's and 355 types. The composite semihollow body makes these special insturments.

Amazing, flawless atttenion to detail and playability. The Reverend neck is smooth and comfortable. These guitars are of handcrafted quality.

Time will tell. However, the build quality leads me to believe that Reverends are durable.

Customer support is my main reason for writing this review. I have grown tired with poor customer support from manufacturers. Reverend is the exception. It provides outstanding support. Joe Naylor answers e-mails and his company's phone personally. I called Mr. Naylor last week to inquire about a replacemnt arm rest for the used Spy. A replacment is on the way at no charge. That is the type of support that allows small companies to grow and prosper. Thanks - Mr. Naylor.

I hope that musicians try Reverend instruments. Their value/price ratio is incredible. After 30 years as a musician, I have found a product that I am willing to endorse. We need to support small, innovative companies like Reverend to force improved instrument quaility.

My serial number is #00738 or something up there. 22 frets. Phenolic top which is super resonant, I can easily tune it unplugged even with people talking in the room. Has three single coil pickups which are designed by Joe himself. He knows what he's doing, these PU's rock. No one knows who they are made by. It's top secret. Fender might start making good pickups if they find out.
***ELECTRONICS*** (Not Pickups): It has awesome electronics. Actually it just has a 5-way strat-style PU selector switch that is very sturdy but not too hard to flip on the fly. The volume knob is very smooth and I'm guessing it has a 0.01 cap on it to keep the treble intact when you turn it down. WIth overdrive it cleans up beautifully, it's like reaching down to my overdrive pedal and turning the gain knob down, the tone stays true. And the tone knob is very effective, I think it might be a 1meg pot, but if not that then certainly a 500k. From 10 to about5 or 6 the tone knob just takes out the real high end and keeps the guitar sounding clear and transparent but after you turn it past that it starts to get the muffled sound(which isn't a bad thing) and makes to guitar into more of a archtop jazz beast than a strat. I say that's a good thing. better than having the old Gibson "muffle knob" that makes your low strings too dark.
The tuners are totally solid and not too stiff, but won't get bumped out of place or anything if you put it in a gig bag.
It is probably 5 or 6 pounds. Not too light to feel like you'll break it, but it sure isn't a Les Paul.
I have a fixed bridge which does what its supposed to do very well....just don't move around or anything.
And the neck. THE BEST GUITAR NECK I HAVE EVER FELT. BETTER THAN CARVIN AND PARKER (My two favorite guitars next to the Reverend)

The sound is amazing. This is how a strat should sound. It's kind of like a blend between a good strat, a Gibson ES-335 and a '69 thinline tele. The notch positions (2&4) are sweet and punchy with a little jangle. The bridge is hot enough for heavy rock, I'm not afraid to play Metallica tunes with this thing.The neck pickup is very soft (not in output, in tonal characteristics) and sounds alot like a Les Paul neck humbucker when overdrive or even distorted. It is super smooth but also more articulate than a Les Paul. The middle position is so clean and transparent that it sounds alot like an acoustic wih a piezo pickup, very chimey and resonant, not too trebly like most strats.
You could solo in any pickup setting and it would really flow out of the guitar well, none of the settings sound awkward with Overdrive or distortion at all. The semi-hollow body added some nice deep bass response to the sound. I actually turned the bass knob down after i brought it home, and I was playing a guitar with a humbucker.
There is not one bad thing about how this guitar sounds. In a word, balanced.

This guitar is constructed and finished beautifully. The neck, is so smooth. Beats out my tung-oiled parker neck. The frets are perfect. I thing they might be Medium-Jumbo but they could be smaller jumbo frets. Don't worry it won't feel like your playing a Jackson after you play your strat. The pickups were adjusted perfectly. I don't plan on making any adjustments. The action is amazing too. They put really good strings on their guitars out of the factory too, S.I.T. Powerwounds. 9-42 Gauge. It looks awesome too. Flawless Guitar.

It is a semi-hollow body, so of course you have to be somewhat more carefull than you would with a solidbody. However, the tonal advantages really do make up for this. It's kind of like a blend between a good strat, an ES-335 and a '69 thinline tele. STrap buttons are good. I usually put straplocks on all my guitars anyway though, just so I have 1 strap that is interchangeable and will clip on real quickly. The hardware is really solid. The bridge stays in its place. And again the tuners are top o' the line. You don't need sperzels for a fixed bridge, but you can get them on a reverend for 30 or 40 bucks. They install them at the factory.

Joe is the man. He has never taken more than 10 hours to e-mail me back with any questions I have, no matter how stupid they are. He signs the back of every headstock on every guitar they make after he plays it to make sure it is setup right. He totally loves his guitars.

I have an awesome tube amp (Carvin Bel Air All Tube) and a killer OVerdrive pedal with which to work with (Visual SOund Jekyll & Hyde, the owner of Visual sound helped Joe make Joe's Drivetrain Pedal) so I truly can't get a bad sound out of this guitar, unless i turn on all of my pedals and crank it and stand neck to my amp. But then the feedback you would get would be really smooth and focused or whatever. So, basically there is nothing I would change about it. I might ask for a neck through body neck like on carvins but that would make the guitar super weak and unstable. But if anyone can do it, it'd be Joe. Overall, could'nt ask for a better sunding more user friendly strat from anybody. And for 480 bucks!! I'd still get one for $900 (which is the list price).

Mine would have been made in '97 or '98, I believe. It's model #139.
I believe it is an Avenger GT
Initialed by Joe Naylor. I'm not sure he still does this or not.
Mr. Naylor told me it was originally shipped to Blue Angels (FLA dealer in the Panhandle). I bought it for $550.00 at a Guitar Show in Atlanta from them.

It has a "fulcrum" whammy bar.

It has three single coil pickups & 5 way switching.
The body is a White Phenolic with tortoise shell pickguard.
Chrome plated armrest increases sustain (I'm told).

Sealed die-cast tuners Mr. Naylor thought they were Mighty Mite Brand...I LOVE these tuners.

Bolt on Neck (4) mounted to body using stainless steel screws with stainless steel cup washers .

It has a maple neck with maple fingerboard, There is an laminated(inlayed)strip of darker wood that runs down the center of the back of the neck.

Simulated Gold Binding on the phenolic top & Bottom. It's very different. Like a cross between a Danelectro and a vintage Fender Strat. Yet it isn't a novelty instrument.

I play Rock/Folk/Country and this guitar works well.

The tone is clean and only noisy in two positions. The bridge, neck and middle positions are relatively quiet. The neck pickup has an especially creamy blues tone with nice sustain while the bridge has a sharp bite to it though not as brilliant as a Tele.

I usually record direct into a board through a POD or Digitech RP-1.
When going Direct this guitar produces lots of subtle, sustaining overtones which can necessitate lots of rests. While I may see that as a minor annoyance, I can see how it would be a major feature in the hands of another guitarist.

When playing live, I use a Fender Blues Jr. I get a lot of good Rhythmn sounds with the middle/Bridge pickup. Chunky but individual notes sustain very well despite the snap. I have never had a feedback problem despite the hollow chambers of the guitar.

It's a solid tool.

Setup was fantastic, Pickups adjusted nicely, and the construction was excellent...no flaws except I couldn't adjust the tremolo arm in a position to my liking. However, Mr. Naylor made some suggestions that I have yet to try, they seem reasonable and non-invasive of the guitar.

My only complaint with this guitar (besides the whammy bar thing) is that the maple neck seems to be darkening on the back. Mr. Naylor informed me that he believes it is due to early factory processes relating to the varnish thickness.

It does not affect the playability in any way though.

The hardware is terrific, especially the tuners. this thing stays tuned, unless you truly abuse the tremolo bar ;-)

Everything else about this guitar is just terrific.

The Best - Joe Nayor answers his e-mail with friendly comments and suggestions. Nuff said - THE BEST!

I've been playing since 1964. I own an Ovation model #1651, a Nashville Pro-Tele Deluxe, Squire "Vesta" series Musicmaster bass, Hammer Echotone, Ric 620, Strat XII, and a Townshend Gibson SG, #145. For years I played a 1962 Fender Esquire until the luthier for Guitar Center in Atlanta screwed up the refinish and pickups after keeping my guitar for over a year, unassembled, in his garage. I recently sold it. It just wasn't the same.

The Reverend Avenger will stay in my collection. It's just great fun to play and adds a "sustaining" color to my single coil sounds. It plays like a $1500.00 guitar.

2000 model this one is jet black with rosewood f/b,non trem silver p/g this is a stock off the rack guitar! read on...

i play blues,country,roots rock music.i own a dr z maz 18 jr,71 fender princeton reverb,carr rambler.my effects are fulltone supra trem,voodoo lab chorus,klon overdrive,carl martin compressor,barber burn unit....now to the reverend this guitar is unreal! how does he do it??? i have owned over 200 guitars in 25 years of playing and this guitar ranks in the top ten!!!!!guitars i have owned and liked (prs,schecter,fender custom shop,gibson,anderson,grosh,music man/ernie ball,g&l they are all great guitars ....played 59 strat in my friends band.a 61 strat..you get the picture i have played a lot of nice axes.but you know what the reverend impressed me as much as any of them.the neck is great,fret work great,pickups you wont change these! close your eyes,open your ears,listen to this guitar,feel this guitar,you may never go back to your other guitars...

as good as i have seen!!

this is tricky to judge but my guess is it will be as durable as any other guitar they all will break if you abuse them.

very very good to deal with.

the long and short of it is this..you could own vintage gutars,you could buy hi end guitars..but it is unlikely you will ever get a guitar that will feel or sound any better regardless of price.i know i have spent a small fortune searching .do yourself a favor try one out..close your eyes,listen to the guitar,feel the vibe................

Ok, the boring stuff: Made in USA, year 2000, 22 frets, alternative construction (not your normal plank) Strat-style pup config (3 sc's) one master vol, one master tone.
Mine has a trem bridge, an added option. Otherwise, just like the ones described below.
I'll put "No Opinion" for features, because I feel like a guitar either has the feature you need or it doesn't - this one does for me.

Alive. I've bonded with this guitar (a first for me), and I've had several guitars before this one - Plus, I don't even go for a Strat-style guitar all that much. Like a strat, though, it's extremely versatile - I play in a mostly acoustic duo (He does lead vocal & rhythm guitar, I do rhythm vocal & lead guitar - plus other stuff) and our overriding style is acoustopop, but I add as much blues/jazz/funk as I can. I play this primarily through a Fender Bassman RI amp, and it sounds wonderful. Let me describe it this way: for you strat players, have you ever plugged into a ZVex SHO pedal and suddenly found a wonderfully resonant, living guitar/amp combo? This guitar sounds like that without the SHO. The notch positions (for me the very best sounds on a strat) are way cool - mucho quack. The bridge pup works great with a wah pedal, and the neck pup gives a nice smooth jazzy tone with the tone knob rolled off a bit (You won't mistake it for an archtop with humbuckers, but it's quite nice)

The guitar was very well made, considering it's construction (very oddball construction).
The Neck, wow, the NECK! well, the neck feels great, much has been said about Reverend necks, and they right. Freakin' Great.
The trem bridge, hmm, I'm not so pleased with it - the arm is the screw-in kind, and I'm sure I'll eventually cross thread it and it'll be ruined. Also there's some slop in the arm unless it's screwed tight. I was hopeing it would be a snap-in kind. The guitar came strung with 9's - I picked it up (it was special-ordered) one afternoon and gigged with it that night - broke the high E near the end of our last song (Sleepwalk). I play pretty heavy handed, and I usually play with 11's so maybe a combination of that and a sharp fret caused it to break. When I changed to 11's the next morning, I had to screw in the claw screws 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, because the bridge came way off the body with the bigger strings - and I don't like any pull-up on the trem. Oh, and I haven't broken another string since.
Okay, I'm not much of a trem player (I use it on about 2 songs), but this score is where the guitar will take the hit for the trem.

Well, I've had it for about 5-6 months, gig regularly and it's showing no signs of wear. I take care of my stuff, so I don't expect any problems. Since the body's not made of wood, I'm not sure how it would handle an accident. With a wood guitar, if you drop it or run into something, it'll chip the wood, but it'll sound the same, ya know? But with the Reverend's "formica" top & back it might be a little uglier, plus the sound might be affected a little, in the event of a mishap. But that's all conjecture, of course.

I've never had to deal with them, though I've only heard great stuff about Joe Naylor and his company.

I've been playing 13 years, I own some pretty nice stuff: Guild Manhattan; Hamer Artist custom, Vanguard and T-51; a Carvin Bolt (my other strat-style guit) a Larrivee acoustic and several others.
My amps include the afformentioned Bassman RI, a Line 6 AX2, A Boogie Studio Caliber, and a Polytone Minibrute.
I got this one because I had an itch for a strat style guitar with a trem (like everybody else). I ordered it after playing another Reverend in the store (a Commando). I figured that the construction methods that they use make a much more consistent product than most other brands. You know, to find a good Fender strat, you have to play all 30 that a store may have, and the one you pick on tone alone may be made in Mexico - not one of the expensive USA-made models. But every Reverend I've play has been wonderful. I definitely see a Slingshot custom in my future. If something were to happen to this guitar, I'd look into the possibility of a Rev with a Bigsby-style trem.
This is a Freakin' Great Guitar.

My Avenger was built in 1999. Includes the white body/gold pickguard configuration. The pickups are custom single-coils from Reverend with the bridge staggered. It's your typical Strat pickup alignment. Hum-cancelling in the front-middle and middle-rear pickup positions. Tone and volume controls are the same 2 knobs for all three pickups. The neck is Maple and it plays wonderfully. The body is made of a phenolic substance and is hollow chambered for more "air" in the sound. Includes a gig bag. No real frills here, but it's got what you need.

The Avenger sounds wonderful. It captures a bright bell-like tone all it's own that is similar to the guitar it seeks to emulate, the Fender Strat. However, it has a distinctiveness to it that separates it from the pack. It's perfect for blues or classic rock tones, yet it's versatile enough in tone to cover other genres as well. It's not necessarily meant to thrash, but in throwing heavier distortions at it, the Avenger performed admirably. As the pickups are single-coil, you can get associated hum when your are not in a phasing pickup selection. I'm not sure the person who reviewed it earlier understands this concept. The front pickup could use just a tad more tone definition for my tastes. Still very usable tones though. This was the only thing keeping it from a 10.

The finish and setup was excellent. The maple neck plays very smooth and is probably one of the more comfortable necks I have amongst my guitars. No complaints here.

This is a tougher one to judge. The guitar seems put together very well. However, because it is so light and not made with solid wood, I would have some concern with dropping it, sitting on it, etc. To this point, though, it's stayed in perfect shape. Of course, I haven't gigged with it so take that for what it's worth.

Head and shoulders above any company I've worked with. Of course, if Reverend continues to grow, I'm not sure how long you'll be able to email Joe Naylor directly. The nice thing about them is that you most definitely get a personal feel from their service and they are genuinely interested in working out your requests.

I wrote this review after seeing the ridiculous post of a prior reviewer giving this all '1's. I hate to see a very uneducated person yank down the reputation of a perfectly good guitar and company with a lame, uninformed review. I thought I'd apply an objective review to help balance the numbers. Enough said.

I've been playing for about 11 years. I also own a Les Paul Classic, a Fender Am Std Tele, a a Martin DM acoustic. I play the Avenger, on average, much more than the others. It's light weight and playability have made it the practice guitar of choice for me. I also love the tones it generates. If I was playing out these days, I wouldn't be afraid to take it up on stage. It's a well-crafted, innovative, American-made guitar that will meet the needs of anyone seeking a Strat tone with a little more flexibility and character.

What really sells me on Reverend is the fact that they are completely dialed into the service aspect of their business. That can go miles in establishing them as a viable guitar manufacturer in the future.

Let's see, the guitar is blue with a pearloid pickguard and a maple neck. Hollow-body construction with mahogany center block and metal sustain bar. The body is made of wood fibers and phenolic resin. I'm not sure of the year, probably a '98. The Avenger is a "strat" style guitar, with three single-coil pickups and a 5-way pickup selector, but unlike a strat, it has just two knobs: volume and tone. The neck features jumbo frets. It came with a hard-shell case. See http://www.reverendmusical.com for more info on specs. Some changes have been made since the model I have was made.

I bought this guitar a few years ago, and although I'm more of an acoustic guitar guy, this guitar keeps coming out of the case. I have an American Standard telecaster, but I much prefer the Reverend. The tone is really sweet, sorta bright, and easy to get good sounds. Unlike my telecaster, I like the sound of the Reverend in every pickup setting.

Great action. I haven't had to make any adjustments to the neck, pickups or bridge, and I'm very happy with the look of my Avenger. In one spot, the pickguard is raised from the body, slightly, about enough to stick a medium pick in it.

I have not gigged with this guitar, although I plan to take it out soon. I have played it quite a lot and I've had no problems. I do notice some fretware.

Can't comment.

This is my third electric guitar and the only one I've ever "bonded" with. The sound is sweet, sweet, sweet, and that is what counts most. I will not hesitate to buy another one of these when the opportunity presents itslef. I was lucky enough to get this at a bargain price, before the Reverend name started gaining the positive reputation it deserves. I expect to pay more for the next one I get, and I will.

1998 body w/ 1999 string thru body fixed bridge and 1999 pick ups designed by Joe Naylor. 22 Jumbo frets, wood based masonite type top and back with 6 inch mahogany center w/ steel sustain bar embedded. 5 way selector w/ 3 hot Naylor designed single coils. Neck is maple w/ rosewood slab board and has a satin finish. The body is off white w/ a tortoise shell pick guard and a very cool arm rest. Unknown brand tuners but are VERY stable. 25 1/2 " scale and comes w/ a gig bag.

This guitar is huge sounding. It has the TONE I have been searching for. I have driven myself crazy trying to find a fat sounding strat, and dont like Gibsons. This guitar does the strat thing only MUCH better. It has a great neck pick up that can go from SRV to jazzy, the in between setting are clucky but still huge, and the bridge setting is like a tele/ les paul mix (VERY NICE and Useable) I play blues, with a Fender Concert and sometimes a Peavey classic 50. The guitar makes both amps sound awesome, and I could not find a setting on the guitar that didnt sound better than any guitar I have owned. I have owned alot ( tom anderson,fender,gibson etc.)

I had this guitar shipped to me from Michigan to PA. It arrived set up perfect. As a matter of fact, the owner of the co. called me and asked what kind of strings I used and how I wanted it set up. When I got it, it was Exactly how I like it. 11's w/ med. high action. The guitar is solidly built, but lightweight, and the neck is soooo nice to play. I love this thing. There are NO flaws, and the top and back are a textured material that doesnt get all printed up. It looks awesome and I have gotten so many compliments, and questions about the guitar, because it is so cool looking, and great sounding.

Very reliable. No breaking strings, no scratchy pots, or switches. The jack is great. I always take a back up, but have not needed it, and doubt very much I ever will.

Very good customer support. The owner of the company, Joe Naylor is a very nice guy who was very helpful, and knows his *^&%. He knew exactly how I wanted my guitar, and did it. No problem, no hesitation. If there was a problem, he would take care of it.

I have been playing for12 years or so. I would Immediately call and get a new one if this one were lost or stolen. My band mates have seen me with MANY guitars, and have told me "this is the one". I agree. This guitar is cool looking and GREAT sounding. It plays better than any other guitar I have played. Great Deal...get one.