Riding With the King

Gordon Giltrap gets a second signature model from the ‘affordable boutique’ guys at Fret-King. We take the production prototype for a spin…

- Dave Burrluck

Signature guitars can be highly polarising, idiosyncratic in specification and limited to acolytes of the artist. If we’re honest, Gordon Giltrap’s first Fret-King signature fell into that camp with its multi-knobbed magnetic/piezo setup that was far from everyday. But irrespective of whether you’re a fan of the veteran British guitarist or not, this new version has much wider appeal.

Based on the Elise platform – like Giltrap’s original model and John Etheridge’s signature – this downsized, offset semi employs the Elise’s standard six-in-a-line back-angled headstock, which recalls Gibson’s Trini Lopez models. A fairly standard trapeze tailpiece with a dark brown ebony insert also features, which, again, references guitars such as that Trini Lopez and Gibson’s Barney Kessel signatures (the full production models will have a crown motif, designer Trev Wilkinson informs us).

Electronics, too, have changed for a simpler magnetic-only drive. Both Alnico-loaded humbuckers have brushed satin covers: a Wilkinson WVC is at the bridge and a WDGa mini-humbucker is at the neck, the latter of which is mounted in a soapbar single coil- sized cavity. Unlike a classic Gibson four- control layout, we get Wilkinson’s rotary Vari-coil, which morphs both pickups from full humbucking to single coil, plus a master volume and tone knob, and a three-way toggle pickup selector.