Product: Reverend Flatroc
Price Paid: US $495
Submitted
03/29/2006
at
11:16am
by
Vin
Features
:
8
One of the first run Flatroc's Order in August 2005 and shipped out in November 2005. Semi-Hollow Teleish shape in Burnt Orange with F hole RevTron humbucker filtron style pickups and Bigsby. Volume Tone and Bass Contour for controls.
Sound
:
10
This has become my main #1 guitar from pretty much the moment i took it out of the case. For the cost the quality is far superiour to anything I could have found at a gutiar shop.
Dead silent with all but the most extreme volumes or gain (even then its a very controlable feedback) I think the bass contour knob could be very useful for the studio but live it seem to bury me in the mix.
Strumming it unpluged it has a rich acoustic tone very much in the vibe of a Ric 12 string maybe even sweeter. Not has bright as you would think it would be but still its very pleasing on all pick ups with out being ice picky or muddy.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Joe really put a lot of work into these guitars, there was a minor fiish flaw, which i could only see when he took a close up shot with flash. even then it was barely noticible. He took $100 off becuase of this.
No one i have showed it to noticed / could find it. It is a true dream to play very balanced and comfortable. Besides that no flaws..
Reliability/Durability
:
8
I baby my stuff but it seems to be built to last
Customer Support
:
10
See above. Joe cares about this stuff, no worries here
Overall Rating
:
10
Probably the best guitar purchase I have made. of allmy gutiars this is the one I go for for live gigs or recordings
Product: Reverend Flatroc
Price Paid: US $549
Submitted
02/04/2006
at
04:55pm
by
J.A.M.
Features
:
10
Korean made Stage King Series. Purchased new late in 2005 and received January 2006.
Locking tuners. Roller string tree. Graphite nut. 'Fender-ish' neck with 25.5" scale, 12" radius, and C profile. Rosewood fretboard and 22 frets. Nice satan finish on the neck with a vintage yellow stain that, to my eyes, is a welcome relief from the almost white just-milled-and-sanded-yesterday look you usually see on new guitar necks.
Basswood unique Reverend shape body with hollow chambers, orange spruce top, and cream binding. Mini humbuckers with volume, treble, and bass roll off tone controls. Bigsby tremolo with roller bridge.
Sound
:
10
Tested playing blues and classic rock through a Reverend Goblin and a Carvin Vintage 16. Compared to a customized PRS SE with HFS bridge and vintage bass pickups from a CE22, and my kids Squier 51.
Compared to the PRS, the Flatroc has a thicker tonality with more midrange content and slightly less output. Very smooth and clear when overdriven with less of an aggressive top end bite compared to the PRS (and much less treble compared to the Squier 51).
The hollow chambers give a subtle added pop to the pick attack and additional timber complexity.
Very good balance between the bridge and neck pickups without as radical an output and tone change between the two positions as I've seen with other guitars.
The unique bass roll off control provides a nice alternative to a coil tap. With the control rolled down, I can get a passing Tele-like tone without introducing single coil hum.
I haven't looked inside, but the extremely low idle noise indicates that someone has definitely done their homework on the electronics and shielding.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Action was a bit high out of the box but was easy to adjust. The truss rod also needed some adjustment over the first few days as the guitar acclimated itself to its new climate.
Starting at the top, the nut is precisely positioned and nicely rounded on the edges. Frets are all nicely polished with smooth edges. Full note bends show no sign of string buzz indicating good leveling across the fretboard. Paint and binding is flawless with precise neck pocket fit. The pickguard fits perfectly around the pickups with no discernable gaps. I'm trying to find something to nitpick about and it's just not there! Excellent construction.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
I haven't owned it long enough to really say, but it appears solid. The Bigsby looks bulletproof. The output jack doesn't feel like one of those cheap ones that you get on imports sometimes. I don't see any plastic knobs or other hardware which looks fragile or likely to break.
Customer Support
:
8
With both this guitar, and a Goblin amp purchased last year, email message responses have been prompt and friendly.
My only complaint is that I was unable to order a replacement part. I requested a replacement pickguard with a different color and was informed that they are were not available.
Overall Rating
:
10
Since it is a semi-hollow body, it doesn't have a tummy cut, but I've played a Telecaster quite a bit so I'm used to that feel. Also, be aware that the Bigsy doesn't provide a whole lot of range (you get about a whole note with the bar fully depressed).
Overall, this is my favorite humbucker guitar. I really like the rich semi-hollow tone, high end parts (locking tuners and roller bridge), and style. If lost or stolen, I would either get another Flatroc or maybe try a Jetstream 390 in order to get a little more raw and aggressive top end.
Congrats to the Reverend team for a unique and well executed design.
