RAPIER 33 | Guitar Interactive | Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Alan Entwistle's original Rapier 33 played a major role in shaping the landscape of the British guitar industry. The legendary guitar was the go-to instrument for many up and coming '60s British Beat groups and helped launch the careers of many guitarists in the 60s and 70s. Today, the Rapier 33 has been given a bit of a facelift whilst remaining true to its roots, ready to serve the next generation of young guitarists. Here's Nick Jennison to tell us more.
These are some of the best pickups I have ever heard
If the vibrato unit is based on the original design it will use springs. Whilst Alan Entwistle's pickups are a new design, the styling of the covers makes them look almost identical to the pickups that Watkins used on some of the original Rapiers in the early sixties ( though they did have a few variations). The internal design of the Watkins pickups is, to say the least, unusual!
I think yours had locking tuners, mine hasn't It still keeps good tuning though.
Many good tones mostly usable, a nice slim C style neck profile, super low action from factory, body is very comfortable. Tremolo is light to the touch, but the tuning may suffer with persistent dive bombing.(If that's your thing) Fit and finish overall is great,
riticism: (On mine anyway)
The tremolo bar can bisect the E string threading hole causing premature string breakage. QC needs to make sure it's offset enough not to foul.
The strings between the bridge and the trem, needs dampening to avoid sympathetic resonance.
Other than that I'm loving it, and yes there is the nostalgia aspect at least for me, having once owned one of the originals way back then.
Filtertrons ARE humbuckers. They're just Gretsch's iteration.
So how much you paid for the build qualt comment? Arrived half hour ago n that doesnt scream out to be honest!
Other than those two points, good review. Take me to Tone Town, Daddio 😃
It wasn't Alan Entwhistle's original Rapier 33, it was Reg Watkins'. You already said that in the video intro. You should probably amend that in the text intro
I was going to say that. Reg was later joined by his brother Sid (other brother Charlie ran the amp side of things, of course). I bought a neck from Sid from his shop Caxton Music in the late 70's, which is on my Flying Vee. By then they were making guitars under the name of Wilson, which was their mum's maiden name!
For all those 12 settings I could only make out 3 actual differences ...there's repetition in other words..so perhaps too many knobs and switches cluttering up the runway that look like they'd get moved about when the strumming goes a bit wild.
Other than that it sounds and looks great and is reasonably priced.
I'd have to try it out in the flesh in a shop to overcome my too many switches and controls in the way for actual number of sounds feeling.
Maybe I'm wrong.
It's on my list when I find a sympathetic guitar shop who'll run back and forth with 10 to 15 models I've always fancied testing out.
In other words none of the
shops on Denmark street.
All the staff I ever encountered have been stuck up unhelpful condescending snobs ..if they think you don't earn much or don't know as much as them they have a way of getting you out the door...that is my experience!
Does anyone recommend any better more friendly London guitar shops?
To someone shopping with a few hundred rather than a few grand !
We deserve patient polite staff ...since when was snobbery rock n roll !?
cool story, nobody cares
I care. Try Anderton's in Guildford - their videos are upbeat and lively, but every time I've been in there the service was helpful but relaxed and laid back, even when I was just spending £109 on a Strat copy as a present for my friend who wants to learn guitar.
"It's nice, but cream is a bit boring - does it come in other colours?" I said.
"Let me have a look," says blokey, going over to their computer. "It looks like we've got a blue one in the stockroom - I'll see if I can find it."
Off he goes, and comes back a few minutes later with a cardboard box, from which he pulls a blue Strat copy, which isn't just blue - it's sparkly blue!
"Oooh..." we both say. 😄
My friend loves her guitar (which is a 'her', and is named Bluey), and their helpful ways worked for them, because while I was there I saw a Gretsch 5422T which I just had to try because it was beautiful - orange with gold plated pickups, etc, and I ended up spending £800 on myself as well!
Oh, and that bass cut switch on the Rapier, there's a video in which the guy plays a chord and flicks the switch on and off, and you can really hear a difference then.
Maybe your ears need some lubrication :)
Should change the name
Bollocks.