Fret-King Blue Label Summer 2013 Brochure

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Blue Label

TM

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Right here – right now.

2013

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Blue Label

Fret-King Blue Label With no detail left untouched, Fret-King Blue Label offers absolute luxury of build and feel, truly exceptional tuning stability, and benchmark tone which will satisfy the most experienced player. Blue Label is a clearly defined step up, with true vintage construction methods, the close attention to detail in timber selection and build quality which is emblematic of Fret-King, and featuring custom designed pickups, innovative tone circuitry, and bridges and tuners recognised to be the best in the world.

We live in an aspirational world, and there is no more aspirational product than a guitar.

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Myth and mystique surrounds the instruments of old we think of as ‘holy grails’. Blue Label instruments bring together all the best attributes of our shared guitar heritage and produce the modern classics our ‘heroes of old’ would almost certainly be designing and building today.

My relationship of decades with our production partner ensures that Fret-King Blue Label guitars and basses are faithfully and accurately hand

built to my original designs, with the emphasis on emulating the high levels of perfection associated with the Fret-King guitars I build in the UK – which represent the highest of high end boutique instruments.

Bold designs like the exciting ‘60s design school’ guitar design-inspired Ventura will appeal to the more extrovert player with its über-cool styling cues, fabulous comfort factor and uniquely versatile performance.

The Elan twin cutaway is a deluxe guitar if ever there was one, with its familiar outline, carefully chamfered and contoured body and elegantly carved top. The Elan is possibly the ultimate crossover guitar for players who prefer the ‘California shape’ looking for a familiar feel and ergonomics, but with ‘Nashville shape’ sounds. This intelligently designed guitar is destined to be a popular players’ choice.

Bassists will find much to delight them with the Ventura Super 80, which offers a veritable walkthrough of the sound and looks of classic bass guitars from years past, and is surely destined to become a collectable classic itself in future years. For good reason we call Fret-King ‘your next guitar’.

Check out a Blue Label, but only if you want to be delighted!

Trev Wilkinson All Blue Label guitars are supplied with a genuine Fret-King luxury carry bag.

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FBV60CR Ventura Super 60 SSH Coral Red

FBV60OCB Ventura Super 60 SSH Original Classic Burst

FBV60HVW Ventura Super 60 HB3 Vintage White

FBV60HLB Ventura Super 60 HB3 Laguna Blue

Ventura Super 60 Blue Label Ventura Super 60 SSH Players who prefer a palette of more traditional ‘working guitar’ tones will appreciate the flexibility offered by the Ventura Super 60 SSH option. Tonal versatility is equally paramount on the Ventura Super agenda via the exciting and creative options offered by the Ventura's SSH pickup layout of two custom designed, Fret-King vintage voiced alnico V-single coil pickups, plus bridge-mounted Fret-King WHHB humbucker controlled by the Fret-King Vari-coil control, rolling the humbucker smoothly from traditional humbucker to classic single coil.

Blue Label Ventura Super 60 HB3 Working live, on stage or in the studio, Blue Label Ventura Super 60 guitars really capture the classic tones, feel and response of those legendary bolt-on neck Californian electric guitars, with 2-piece, centre-jointed premium American alder bodies and 60s profile, 22 fret maple neck, 25 1/2" scale length and 10” radius rosewood fingerboard for a smooth, positive playing response with choke-free bends.

The Ventura’s innovative ‘art school design’ looks are matched by premium hardware; Gotoh Magnum locking machines, complemented by a Wilkinson WVP ‘wave’ leading edge fulcrum vibrato with solid stainless steel saddles, stagger-drilled block and ultra-smooth action, all contributing to impressive total tuning stability.

For the player who demands maximum performance and a high excitement factor from their guitar, the Ventura Super 60 HB3 offers the ideal solution – a ‘total firepower’ pickup option of tone-filled Fret-King PAF-style WHHB humbuckers, unbeatable for those stand-out ‘all guns blazing’ solos...

As ever with Fret-King, player control is paramount and so Fret-King's innovative Vari-coil rotary control incrementally morphs the vintage-voiced humbuckers through to single coil format, for maximum versatility – further evidence of Wilkinson’s ‘player priority’ design approach to guitar building.

Ventura Super 60 HB3 specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Bridge: Wilkinson WVP Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 3 x Fret-King WHHB Humbuckers, 3+3 screw polepieces, solid nickel silver covers. Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (Humbuckers), 5-way Selector. Ventura Super 60 SSH specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Bridge: Wilkinson WVP Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 1 x Fret-King WHHB Humbucker (B) 2 x Wilkinson WTS Single Coils (N+M). Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (Humbucker), 5-way Selector.

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FBES3CR Esprit 3 Cherry Red

FBES5BK Esprit 5 Gloss Black

FBES5TA Esprit 5 Trans Amber

FBES3VW Esprit 3 Vintage White

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/5 3 it Blue Label Esprit 3

Instantly recognisable, yet radical, yet so familiar, the Fret-King Blue Label Esprit range is rooted in tradition but adds flair and innovation, offering a level of versatility which belies its looks.

With set-neck construction, mating three-piece mahogany bodies with 4” centre sections to one-piece mahogany necks, the Esprit is a solid platform to build your tone on.

The distinctive reversed six-in-line peghead, asymmetric body, stepped front and signature pickguard all add up to a statement of style with real attitude.

Esprit has substance too, with the Esprit 3 featuring three P90-style pickups, a 5-way selector switch and master volume and tone giving a hugely useable range of sounds.

Blue Label Esprit 5

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With one of the most exciting and distinctive guitar shapes around, the stylish Esprit 5 features twin vintage-voiced Fret-King WVC PAF-type humbuckers wound to the original recipe for those 'holy grail' guitar tones; solid-mounted Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge and stop bar tailpiece; plus rock-solid set-neck construction featuring a substantial mahogany tonewood body mated to a 1-piece mahogany neck.

Radical yet traditional. Imbued with the spirit of rock and roll. Let the Esprit 5 take you back to the future.

Esprit 3 specification. Body: 3pc Mahogany. Neck: 1pc Mahogany Set Neck. Scale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Gotoh Tune-o-matic. Pickups & Controls: 3 x Fret-King W90 Single Coils - middle pickup reverse wound/reverse polarity. Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector. Esprit 5 specification: Body: 3pc Mahogany. Neck: 1pc Mahogany Set Neck. Scale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Gotoh Tune-o-matic Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WVC Humbuckers. Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector.

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Elan Super 50 Rock-solid set-neck construction with a hardtail format.

FB60VW Elan Super 60 HBP Vintage White

FB50PLB Elan Super 50 SSP Laguna Blue

FB50BK Elan Super 50 HBP Gloss Black

FB60PCR Elan Super 60 SSP Coral Red

FB50TBB Elan Super 50 HBP Tobacco Sunburst

FB50PTR Elan Super 50 SSP See Thru Red

Elan Super 60 Guitarists can enjoy the feel, balance, outline and layout of that famous California twin cutaway favourite in the form of the Elan Super 60, with its precision Wilkinson WVP vibrato - the smoothest fulcrum vibrato unit available anywhere and traditional bolt-on neck construction, all offering a taste of the unique poise and total versatility, and more, of that legendary instrument.

0 6 / 0 5 r e p u S n a El Blue Label Elan Super 50 & 60 With its classic offset double cutaway body, the Fret-King Green Label Elan’s sophisticated look of understated elegance is now also available in Blue Label format.

Designed for maximum player comfort, the Elan’s refined, ergonomic outline features a carved top with gentle upper bout scooping to accommodate the player’s forearm exactly where it needs to be, matched by a body-shaped ribcage contouring for optimum ‘player fit’.

Blue Label Elan Supers offer temptingly creative pickup layouts. On the 50 and 60 HBP option, between the stalwart blues rock pickup layout of twin crunching humbuckers – here, tonally authentic PAF style Fret-King units which can be rolled back to single coils for even greater versatility – the centre-mounted Fret-King P90 pickup is equally a true tonal masterpiece, coupling a fat, warm output with top end bite, especially when pushing an overdriven valve amp.

Players who prefer a more journeyman pickup layout on either the set-neck Elan 50 and bolt-on necked 60 can opt for the SSP’s useful and versatile Fret-King twin single coils and fat-toned bridge-mounted P90 for a more traditional tonal palette.

These truly exciting pickup configurations guarantee that the Elan Super 50 and 60 guitars shine through in any musical situation, offering the ultimate combination of tone and double cut playability in a stylish and highly desirable guitar package.

Elan Super 50 HBP specification. Body: Mahogany. neck: 1pc Mahogany Set Neck. Scale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Wilkinson GTB Wrapover. Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WVC Humbuckers (B+N), W90m P90 (M). Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (for WVCs), 5-way Selector. Elan Super 50 SSP specification: Body: Mahogany. Neck: 1pc Mahogany Set Neck. Scale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Wilkinson GTB Wrapover. Pickups & Controls: Fret-King W90bSK Stacked P90 (B), WTS Single Coil (M+N) - middle pickup reverse wound/reverse polarity. Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (for stacked P90), 5-way Sel. Elan Super 60 HBP specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Bridge: Wilkinson WVP Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WVC Humbuckers (B+N), W90m P90 (M). Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (P90), 5-way Selector. Elan Super 60 SSP specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. SCale: 25”/634mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Bridge: Wilkinson WVP Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: Fret-King W90bSK Stacked P90 (B) Fret-King WTS Single Coil (M+N) - middle pickup reverse wound/reverse polarity. Volume, Tone, Vari-coil (P90), 5-way Sel.

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FB60POVB Super 60 SP Original Vintage Burst

FB60IW Super 60 Ice White FB60BMI Super 60 Burgundy Mist

FB60PIW Super 60 SP Ice White

FB60HIG Super 60 HB Ice Green

FB60PEOM Super 60 SP Electric Orange Metallic

FB60HOVB Super 60 HB Original Vintage Burst

FB60OVB Super 60 Original Vintage Burst

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Blue Label Super 60s A contemporary take on a design classic, the Super 60 provides familiarity and innovation.

Super 60 is available in the traditional three single coil, humbucker and two single coils, and P90 with two single coil pickup configurations, with Fret-King pickups fitted in calibrated balanced sets, optimised for a perfect blend of tonality, articulation, depth and power.

The Blue Label Super 60 offers that traditional vibe, but with a twist, while the 60 HB provides the extra versatility and power of a custom designed creamy, powerful bridge mounted ballbreaker of a humbucker.

Twist a little further with the 60 SP; loaded with a Fret-King custom wound P90-style bridge pickup for a truly unique combination of the traditional and the edgy, the P90 produces a sweet but eminently useable solo tone, clean or overdriven.

Tuning stability is an issue with all vibrato-loaded guitars, but the Super 60 features several class leading innovations, designed by Trev Wilkinson to ensure a totally trouble-free, smooth, return-to-pitch vibrato operation, unavailable with any other brand.

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Fitted with Gotoh Magnum locking tuners with height adjustable posts, the Super 60 offers perfect rake for each string. This promotes minimum friction through the Wilkaloid nut, with easy stringing and fast automatic string locking.

The Super 60’s Wilkinson VS401V vibrato bridge is a twin pivot, hardened steel, wave top plate unit with a stagger-drilled steel block giving unrivalled ‘return to zero’ performance. The VSV-style bent steel saddles offer superior tone and intonation, while a lockable, adjustable-tension push-in arm provides a neat ergonomic finishing touch.

Super 60 specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Brdige: Wilkinson VS401V Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 3 x Fret-King WHS Single Coils, calibrated.

Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector. Super 60 HB specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking. Bridge: Wilkinson VS401V Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WHS (N+M), 1 x Wilkinson WVC Humbucker (B). Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector. Super 60 SP specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Locking.

Bridge Wilkinson VS401V Vibrato. Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WHS (N+M), 1 x W90 (B). Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector.

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FBSTBSC Super T Butterscotch

FBSTMLB Super T Metallic Light Blue FBSSTRB Super S Trans Blue

T r e p Su

Super S

Blue Label Super S and Super T The Blue Label Super S is a thoughtful development, subtly blending the best attributes of two classics. Offering the player all the versatility of the traditional 3 single coil pickup layout design, the Super S also offers the instantly recognisable tonality of the iconic bridge-mounted single coil pickup.

For those with more traditional preferences, the Super T brings together the ergonomic benefits of a comfort contoured body, plus various other classic attributes of the original late 40s/early 50s single cut bolt-on neck guitar.

Visually unique with its Fret-King stepped scratch plate and slanted, plate mounted pickup selector switch, the Super T and Super S feature a two-piece centre-jointed imported American alder body, Canadian hard rock maple neck and Indian rosewood fingerboard.

Intonation can often be an issue with this style of guitar - not so with the Super T and Super S, which both feature the unique and innovative Wilkinson WT3 bridge.

Constructed from thin gauge steel for authentic tone, it features fully intonatable machined brass saddles for perfect intonation, irrespective of string gauge.

Fitted with Gotoh SG38 sealed gear tuners, additional downforce for the 1st and 2nd strings is provided by an authentic circular string tree.

Authenticity is the hallmark of the Super T and Super S, enhanced by sympathetic and respectful evolution.

Super T specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Wilkinson WT3. Pickups & Controls: 1 x Fret-King WVTN (N) Single Coil,1 x WVTB (B) Single Coil.

Volume, Tone, 3-way Selector. Super S specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 25.5”/648mm. Tuners: Gotoh SG38. Bridge: Wilkinson WT3. Pickups & Controls: 1 x Fret-King WTS (N),1 x WTS (M).

1 x WVOB (B) – middle pickup reverse wound/reverse polarity. Volume, Tone, 5-way Selector.

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Blue Label Perception 4 Bass

FBECSBBS Eclat Standard Blue Burst

Fundamentally powerful and expressive, the Fret-King Blue Label Perception 4 bass has the depth, definition and dynamic ability to provide the all-essential rock solid foundation a band needs.

Featuring a two-piece centre-jointed imported American alder body, Canadian hard rock maple neck, and Indian rosewood fingerboard, the Perception 4 bass is built to provide profound performance.

FBPIW Perception 4 Ice White

Featuring the classic ‘P/J’ pickup combination using Fret-King Alnico V ‘vintage voiced’ pickups, the Perception 4 bass rocks!

n o i t p e c Per Blue Label Eclat Standard

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Not for nothing do we refer to the Fret-King Blue Label flagship as a ‘Standard’.

The Fret-King Eclat Standard sets an exceptionally high benchmark, with one-piece mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard, extended tongue, set-neck construction, two-piece centre-jointed mahogany body with a natural bound 3/4” highly figured, double stained, book matched carved flame maple top.

Imbued with all the traditional attributes and tonal characteristics of this classic set-neck, single cut construction, the Eclat Standard additionally features a unique forearm chamfer, rear comfort scoop and enhanced upper fret access.

The attention to detail and the impact that hardware and pickups have on tone with the Eclat Standard is extreme, with a direct mounted nickel plated Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge and nickel plated aluminium stud stop bar tailpiece.

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The Fret-King WVC humbucking pickups, with solid nickel silver covers, are wound to a very authentic recipe. They are controlled by a traditional 3-way toggle switch, volume control and master tone, and supplemented by a very non-traditional third control, the Fret-King Vari-coil, giving a continuously variable blend of humbucker to single coil.

The Fret-King Blue Label Eclat Standard offers a level of versatility way beyond its traditional character. Set yourself a new standard! The Fret-King Eclat Standard.

Eclat Standard specification: Body: Mahogany. neck: Mahogany Set Neck. Scale: 24.75”/628mm. Tuners: Gotoh SD90. Bridge: Gotoh Tune-o-matic, Stud Stop Tailpiece. Pickups & Controls: 2 x Fret-King WVC Humbuckers. Volume, Tone, Varicoil (Humbuckers), 3-way Selector. Perception 4 Bass specification: Body: Alder. Neck: 1Maple Bolt-on. Scale: 34”/864mm. Tuners: Gotoh GB2. Bridge: Wilkinson WBBC. Pickups & Controls: 1 x Fret-King WJBR J-type (B), 1 x WPB P-type split. 1 x Volume per pickup, Master Tone.

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Blue Label Esprit 4 Bass Like the instantly recognisable Esprit guitar, the Blue Label Esprit 4 bass is radical yet so familiar, rooted in tradition, but with flair and innovation, offering a level of versatility way which belies its looks.

FBEB4TA Esprit 4 Trans Amber

FBEB4BK Esprit 4 Obsidian Black

With set-neck construction, mating a three-piece mahogany body with 4” centre section to a onepiece mahogany neck, the Esprit 4 bass is a rock solid platform.

FBVBCAR Ventura Super 80 Candy Apple Red

FBVBOVB Ventura Super 80 Original Vintage Burst

The distinctive reversed 4-in-line peghead, asymmetric body, stepped front and signature pickguard all add up to a real statement of style.

The Esprit 4 bass has substance too, featuring the classic ‘P/J’ Fret-King pickup configuration with individual volume and tone controls, and a master tone control.

From earth-shattering ultra-deep fundamentals to classic rock tones, if you need a bass with attitude, the Esprit 4 bass is for you.

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Super 80

Blue Label Ventura Super 80 Bass Are you individual enough to take on the Ventura bass guitar concept? If so, you’ll revel in the performance level and tonal options presented by an instrument with true character in an age of often sanitised uniformity. The Ventura’s elegantly shaped, form-fitting body is skilfully assembled from two pieces of American alder, precision matched to a Canadian rock maple neck with gentle 12” radiussed rosewood fingerboard, equipped with a complement of 20 jumbo frets.

Afficionados of classic bass tones will positively revel in the Ventura Super 80’s eclectic pickup layout; a bridge mounted Fret-King double-polepiece single coil unit; centrally-positioned split double-polepiece single coil; and just check that mighty hunk of tone-filled metal-cased humbucking magnificence situated at the end of the neck... And you can quickly select some very unique-toned pickup combinations via the easily-accessed 5-way lever, offering a real performance edge that is simply unavailable anywhere else, thanks to those gorgeous, full-toned Fret-King units. From funky fingerpops to a full-on rocking roar, you can blend any combination of these pickups to suit the musical mood via the three individual pickup volume rotaries.

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The Fret-King Blue Label Ventura Super 80 bass. Destined to be a future classic. Here for you now.

Ventura Super 80 Bass specification: Body: Alder. Neck: Maple Bolt-On. Scale: 34”/864mm. Tuners: Wilkinson WJ200. Bridge: Wilkinson WBB4.

Pickups & Controls: 1x Fret-King WJBR J-type (B), 1 x WPB P-type split, 1 x EBO (N). 1x Volume per pickup, 5-way Selector. Esprit 4 Bass specification: Body: Mahogany. Neck: 1pc Mahogany Set Neck.

Scale: 34”/864mm. Tuners: Gotoh GB2. Bridge: Wilkinson WGBB. Pickups & Controls: 1 x Fret-King WJBR J-type (B), 1 x WPB P-type split. 1 x Volume per pickup, Master Tone.

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www.fret-king.com

www.jhs.co.uk WORLDWIDE TRADE DISTRIBUTORS:

JOHN HORNBY SKEWES & CO. LTD., SALEM HOUSE, PARKINSON APPROACH, GARFORTH, LEEDS LS25 2HR, UK. ©2013 JHS & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. Specifications and colours are subject to change without prior notice.

Fret-King® is a registered trademark of JHS & Co. Ltd. Wilkinson® is a registered trademark. Wilkaloid™ and Vari-coil™ are trademarks.