The place to discuss, post photos, video, and audio of the G&L products (US instruments, stomp boxes, etc.) produced after 1991, including the amps & gear we use with them.
Leo Fender’s lost design from ‘69 takes on a whole new vibe with twin humbuckers in the G&L Espada HH and Espada HH Active.
The latest in double-hum guitars from G&L, they’re wrapped in a gorgeous shape tucked away for decades at CLF Research.
Espada HH features a set of G&L alnico humbuckers: clean and classic at the neck with a little more juice at the bridge, the same pairing
found in other popular G&L HH models. The expansive Espada control plate houses volume, treble and bass controls, each capped by a
beautiful chrome CLF Research knob, plus twin mini-toggles: a coil-split for both pickups and an output kill-switch.
Then there’s the legendary bridge design from ‘79: Leo Fender’s G&L Saddle Lock hardtail which delivers superb sustain with comfort and style.
Espada HH Active features a G&L Micro-Preamp to unlock a new dimension of tones. For active duty, the kill-switch on the passive Espada HH
is replaced by a 3-way mini-toggle to control the preamp modes (passive/active/active-bright). Leave the preamp off and everything works,
but switch it on and you’ll hear more of the pickups’ natural harmonic complexity. It’s classic Leo Fender: he solved “the cord problem” with an on-board buffer
to shield the pickups from a cord’s loading effect. And the result is audible in every pickup setting, from jangly single-coil tones that defy split-humbucker
expectations, to overdriven humbucker tones with crisp detail and definition. There’s always more to explore with Espada HH Active, and every journey is as
exciting as the destination.
Espada HH & Espada HH Active are available in all of the following:
- Cherryburst over swamp ash, maple neck with Caribbean rosewood fingerboard, Vintage Tint Gloss Neck.
- Vintage White over alder, maple neck with Caribbean rosewood fingerboard, Vintage Tint Gloss Neck.
- Honeyburst over swamp ash, maple neck with Caribbean rosewood fingerboard, Vintage Tint Gloss Neck.
- Jet Black over alder, maple neck with Caribbean rosewood fingerboard, Vintage Tint Gloss Neck.
Espada HH has uncovered pickups
Espada HH Active has covered pickups
Yeah... I'm not really a big HH fan, and I don't care for the industrial aesthetic of bolted on metal plates (unless they are recessed into [and flush with] the body).
I kind of like the tele-strat mash of the body, and the headstock, and love the saddle-lock bridge, but what I liked most about the original Espada was the novelty of the pups.
That pup innovation had a strong Leo Fender aroma that insinuated the whole guitar - creating a lane for itself as it were.
That whole "owner of a new lane" vibe totally evaporates when the main thing that makes the guitar cool (for me) is replaced with something commonplace (to me).
I'd probably be more interested if it had a neck HB and the original Espada bridge pup, like an espada bluesboy. At least that would retain some of the coolness.
In any case, that's just my bias and opinion. If I were an HH guy, I am pretty sure I'd want one of these - they are still pretty sweet looking guitars.
Espada Bluesboy! Kudos, Dan!
I agree that the original pups are what make the Espada so fine, plus I'm uncertain how the original circuitry is as useful with humbuckers. I really like my Espada.
Interesting, kind of a Tele Deluxe with an active pup option. Love my Espada, the pup design a switch options, but not sure about this one. Maybe I just like the look and sound of the “Z” pup design. Time will tell. Just need to hear some samples and try one on. Kudos to the folk’s pushing new designs though!
