G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case)

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G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back G&L CLF Research Espada Electric Guitar (with Case), Action Position Back
zZounds Gear Experts Say...
The G&L Espada is one of Leo Fender's designs that never made it into production. 50 years later, blueprints were discovered and the Espada was reborn.

What's special about this item?

Feature: What it does:
G&L MFD pickups G&L's own design that are clear and punchy
Hard maple neck Extremely strong; bright tonal character
G&L saddle lock bridge Perfect pitch and maximum sustain
Active/passive mini-toggle switch On/off active or passive circuit tone choices

- CLF Research Espada: 50 Years in the Making:

Espada started development in the late 1960s at Leo Fender's new CLF Research company, exploring his ideas for a bold, next-generation two-pickup guitar for his namesake company. In late 1969, styling for the new model was nearly complete before the project was suddenly abandoned. However, Espada's blueprints and R&D artifacts remained deep within CLF Research archives. The styling was beautiful, featuring an all-new body shape, pickguard design, and visually dominated by a new sword-like control plate.

Fast-forward nearly half a century and brothers Dave and John McLaren set about visualizing how Leo may have evolved his original concept. With Leo's original blueprints and R&D artifacts in hand, the CLF Research Espada was completed in the spirit of his original pioneering vision, leveraging his later technological developments for performance and versatility.

For example, today's Espada applies Leo's Magnetic Field Design to his long-pole split-coil prototype pickups of 1967-1968, now made even more versatile with a series/parallel switch for thicker, rounder sounds or thinner, sparkly sounds. Leo's Saddle Lock bridge technology, completed ten years after the project was abandoned, also solved a major technological design goal for the original Espada project: an efficient means of transferring more string energy directly into the grain of the body.

While the original '60s Espada concept included a full-time onboard buffer… read more preamp powered by six AA batteries, today's Espada features a modern G&L Micro Preamp powered by a single 9v battery, controlled by a mini-toggle switch with positions for off (passive output), on (buffered lo-Z output), and on with high frequency boost, equally useful for cutting through thick fuzz as it is showcasing the shimmering harmonics the pickups are capable of producing. Today's Espada would not be complete without Leo's G&L Passive Treble and Bass (PTB) controls, always on and ready to work in conjunction with the other controls...and your own imagination. read less

- Construction: Bolt-on
- Scale: 25 1/2"
- Pickups: Espada MFD split-coil hum-cancelling pickups
- Body Wood: Swamp Ash for Old School Tobacco, Natural and Clear Orange, Alder for Sonic Blue
- Neck Wood: Hard-Rock Maple with Caribbean Rosewood fingerboard or Maple Fingerboard
- Neck Profile: G&L Modern Classic with 9 1/2" radius
- Nut: 100% natural bone
- Frets: 21 medium jumbo, nickel, Plek dressed
- Tuning Keys: Kluson
- Bridge: Leo Fender-designed G&L Saddle-Lock bridge with forged brass saddles
- Controls: 3-position pickup selector, volume, treble, bass (PTB system), series/parallel switch, 3-position pre-amp mode switch.
- Case: Deluxe Tolex hardshell

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 714-897-6766

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No longer available at zZounds

In most cases, a product is unavailable because it has been discontinued by the manufacturer