You
may have seen one of these strange creatures
draped around the neck of feisty rapper Kid
Rock, a Reverend endorses, or "believer"
as designer Joe Naylor prefers to call his clients.
Naylor spent many years experimenting with alternative
materials and construction methods, searching
for the perfect tone in the perfect guitar.
His research demanded that he work in mysterious
ways, but the unconventional results have gathered
a heap of praise, not to mention a whole flock
of new believers. The impeccably crafted Commando
GT is one variation on the Reverend theme (the
other models differ by pickup configuration)
and proves, happily, to be every bit as weird
on the inside as it is on the outside.
What
Lies Beneath
The Commando GT is a badass brew of vintage
details and ultra-modem concepts, and just check
out that Vader-approved finish! Although Reverends
are available in a range of funky solid colors,
this guitar has been given one of their textured
metallic finishes on the top and back. This
bumpy black chrome covering is called "Bug
Eye Black Chrome," an extremely cool option
available for $200 list over the $929 list price.
Bonded to a sheet of phenolic resin laminate,
this textured aluminum actually forms the top
and back of a semi-solid construction. The matte
white sides are part of an injection-molded
plastic frame, which incorporates a six-inch
wide white mahogany center block that provides
a base for the neck joint and bridge.
The
increased sustain offered by this block is further
enhanced by a steel "tone bar" embedded
close to the bridge. The stylish stepped pickguard
holds the master volume and tone controls, a
five-way selector, and a trio of Reverend pickups.
This pickup configuration offers the popular
sound of Strat-style guitars, with a few extra
refinements. The bridge unit is a zebra humbucker
with a coil-tap switch, allowing it to act as
a single coil or a hot-blooded 'bucker for heavyweight
riffing. Also, the single-coil pickup in the
neck position has been angled slightly to provide
a tighter bass response, avoiding the low-end
mushiness usually associated with this position.
The body hardware is completed by a quality
fixed bridge with fully adjustable saddles and
through-body stringing, and a funkier-than-thou
chrome armrest.
Familiarity
Where It Counts
While Naylor took an off-the-wall approach to
his body construction, he followed a far more
conventional route for the Reverend necks. Imagine
a great '60s Strat neck that has been totally
broken in, then treated to a re-fret with slinky
fat wire. This is the concept behind these maple
four-bolt necks, which have been modernized
with larger frets and a flatter radius than
vintage versions. From the amber-tinted satin
finish on the back to the polished fretwork
on the rosewood fingerboard, this neck feels
awesome. It gives the Commando GT the familiar
vibe of a favorite old axe and offers superb
playability via its low, clean action. The six-aside
headstock is another attractive feature, with
an outline that draws heavily on a classic influence
while mimicking the edge of the stepped pickguard.
Here we find a set of smooth sealed machine
heads, a pair of roller string trees and a graphite
nut, all doing their part for tuning stability.
One final modernization is the accessible truss
rod, which is located within a lined channel
behind the nut.
Divine
Power
Before you even plug in the Commando GT, you
get slapped in the ear by the deep twangy resonance
of its acoustic tone. Add some electricity and
the characteristic sound takes on gigantic proportions.
Combining the punch and snap of a Tele, with
the full-bodied rumble of a semi and a hint
of resonator bark, the Commando GT has a unique
tonal signature with an exciting balance of
growl and bite. In single coil mode, the five
combinations deliver the expected range of bright
to woody tones, with satisfyingly clucky in-between
sounds. However, the characteristics of the
guitar add their magic to these tones without
smothering them, bringing vibrant new dimensions
to this common configuration. Tap in the full
humbucker and you have a powerful, shimmering
rock tone, drenched in rich harmonics. This
pickup is also perfect for blues and rock lead
work and spits out fat greasy notes with plenty
of sustain.
It
may use strange materials in its construction,
but who cares? This Reverend rocks. With a neck
that combines the best of vintage and modem
features, few players are going to feel anything
less than extremely comfortable with the playability
of the Commando GT. Meanwhile, it looks incredible
and sounds uniquely inspiring. Check out the
Commando GT, but don't be surprised if you find
yourself in this padre's congregation.
Reverend
notes: The Commando GT has been replaced by
the Avenger GT which is very similar performance-wise.